Shadow of the Colossus (2018)
LumiScore
Growth
48/100
Growth Value
- Spatial Awareness
- Problem Solving
- Empathy
Risk
LOW
Engagement Patterns
Minimal pressure to spend or play excessively.
Heads up
Parent Pro-Tip
This is an excellent game to play alongside your child, pausing after each colossus to ask how they figured out the solution and how they felt about the outcome — the story's moral ambiguity sparks rich conversation. No parental controls around spending or time limits are necessary beyond your household's normal screen-time rules.
Top Skills Developed
Development Areas
Representation?How diverse the game's characters are in gender and ethnicity. Higher = more authentic representation. Display only — does not affect time recommendation.
Bechdel Test?The Bechdel Test checks whether a game has at least two named female characters who talk to each other about something other than a man. A simple measure of representation.— Fails the test
The game features only one named female character, Mono, who is unconscious throughout the story and does not interact with any other characters.
What your child develops
Shadow of the Colossus is an exceptionally thoughtful action-adventure that demands spatial reasoning and observational problem-solving — each colossal boss is essentially a moving environmental puzzle that the player must decode through exploration and experimentation. The game's haunting premise, in which the protagonist kills magnificent creatures to resurrect a loved one, generates genuine moral weight and empathy, making it one of gaming's strongest examples of ethical reasoning through play. Persistence and emotional regulation are also meaningfully exercised, as boss encounters can require multiple attempts and careful, patient observation rather than reflexive action.
Regulatory Compliance
Tap a badge for details. Grey = not yet assessed.
About this game
Rebuilt from the ground up by Bluepoint Games and JAPAN Studio, SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS on PlayStation 4 system introduces the awe of its unforgettable world and towering creatures to a new generation of gamers, while allowing long time fans to revisit the beloved masterpiece with unparalleled visual fidelity and improved performance. Tales speak of an ancient realm where Colossi roam the majestic landscape.