Best Colossal Entrance?

Ah, the mandatory epicness of a colossus making his way into the camera. How I never tire of its majesty. There are some colossi whose entrances I would die to see...literally (at least in the game lol). Generally, the colossi I like to fight the most are the ones whose entrances get me pumped. But, let's not assume this will be a list of colossal favorites. This will be a list of colossal entrance favorites. Let's begin, shall we? Btw, don't get confused with the numbers.
# = favorites list; (#) = colossal order:

16. Quadratus (#2) Alright, his entrance isn't bad, but it doesn't really stand out in my mind. I mean, he barges in, and that's just about it.

15. Kuromori (#8) The reason Kuromori's beats Quad's is cuz of the camera; the way it goes through the bars and peers down below is just plain cool. Other than that, nothing special.

14. Phaedra (#4) Phaedra's was tough to place...I chose this spot because, while he doesn't really do anything, the simple fact that he's sleeping with his head in the air makes me lol. Plus, when he gets up it's like I can hear him saying, "Go away, kid. Ya bother me."

13. Malus (#16) You may be wondering why the final boss is so low on the list. Well, he would be higher, but his entrance is just as uneventful as the last two, if not more so. He beats the last three in camera angle, the way it slides up and you see his hands move as though they haven't been used in centuries (which they probably haven't).

12. Valus (#1) What?! Valus beats Malus? As a matter of fact, he does. I remember when I first saw this colossus. I was like HOLY CRAP he's huge. I'm not sure what it is about this entrance, but he looks twice as big...maybe it's the camera again. Regardless, he earned this spot.

11. Celosia (#11) Tail wag. 'Nuff said.

10. Dirge (#10) No, I did not make him 10th just because it's his order #. Slithering through sand is kickass, and the swooping camera pwns.

9. Hydrus (#7) Hydrus beats Dirge because of that one shot where we're looking up from underwater, and we see his squiggly serpent body. Just looks so creepy and yet beautiful at the same time. o.O

8. Cenobia (#14) Whether or not he's meant to resemble a lion by design, the way he bounds down the slope reminds me of a lion. It's so realistic a bound, too.

7. Basaran (#9) As soon as Basaran roared, he jumped up to this spot on the favorites list. I wish I could roar like that.

6. Avion (#5) Ka-kaw! Cool kaw-ing and sweet swooping cameras always win. And how he lands and stares at you, just awesome.

5. Pelagia (#12) When it comes to water, Hydrus ain't got nothin' on Pelagia. It's so epic and realistic, the way he slowly un-submerges. I always thought it'd be fun to be right above him as he's coming out.

4. Barba (#6) This one would be below Quadratus if it weren't for the grunt. For some reason, the grunt noise, not even a roar, made this one really cool. Also, it's a good angle, the way you're looking up at him; simple, yet effective.

3. Argus (#15) I don't think I have to explain why Argus' kicks so much ass. But I will anyway. He's climbing a friggin' cliff. A giant hand pops outta nowhere and lands several feet in front of you. And anyone who's played with the camera can testify to the ridiculous amount of freedom it gives you to pan and zoom around. His evil glare takes the cake in the realm of evil glares.

2. Gaius (#3) What's Gaius doing up here? I'll tell you. First, the way he gets up. Second, the camera. Third, the way he gets up. Fourth, the rickety-cracky sounds and epic rumbling. Fifth, he gets up so dramatically that he redefines the term 'getting up.' Maybe I'm exaggerating, but him leaning on the sword made it look very realistic to me. Always has been a favorite of mine.

1. Phalanx (#13) For those who haven't fallen asleep, I present the winner, Phalanx. I know I said this was a colossal entrance list, but Phalanx just happens to be my favorite colossus in general. Anyway, not much needs to be said. Just look at it:



Everything about this entrance reeks of pure epicness. First, the camera starts out all low, then right when he bursts out, swish! Zoomed-out view. Then there's the kaw, which is the best one in the game. All that plus the aerial close-ups equals win. If anyone has anything to say about this list, feel free to comment! :D /pointlesspost

Learning the Map and Coordinates

Click here for a larger pic

Is it worth it to memorize the map and the coordinates of the colossi? I really can't say for sure. I guess it really depends on how you play. If you enjoy wandering around looking for new areas, then of course map familiarity will come in handy. However, if you enjoy spending more time discovering more about the colossi, then learning the map really won't be necessary. In my case, I'm a mix of both; I used to be all about beating colossi, and I usually remained in the Shrine doing Time Attack just so I didn't have to go searching for them myself. But lately I've been going out and doing more exploring, so you could say I have tasted from both trays.

As with any other player, the more you go searching for the colossi, the easier you can find them next time around. You start using the sword exclusively for stabbing. However, there have been times where I've gotten lost and it's been a pain to get back on track. I have hardly ever used the map (only for fruit/lizard finding) so I haven't found the need to memorize it. In fact, it seemed daunting to try and remember the coordinates of places and colossi, as the whole map was gray and hard to read. But now that I have given a good look at it, it doesn't seem too hard to follow. I know the land very well and can find most if not all of the colossi without thinking about coordinates and the like, but I'm still prone to getting lost. "Just look at the map, idiot!" I know somebody's thinking that. But still, how cool would it be to know the lands' shortcuts and secret places in addition to the colossi? I know I'd love to be that good. But alas, I'm rambling.

Bottom line: the map's there when you need it, and I'm sure most gamers only ride to find the colossi, not secret forests or rocks. For the rest of us, however, it wouldn't hurt to know the map on some level. Coordinates may not be necessary, but having a mental image is definitely handy. Sorry this post wasn't particularly action-packed >,> [end of analysis]





Wait! There's more to the map than meets the eye! For those who are curious about deeper meanings in the game, as well as potential undiscovered secrets, check this evidence out: The Quest for the Last Big Secret. This makes me wanna climb to the Secret Garden again, just to see this stuff. That one post about Hydrus and the ruins seems a bit far-fetched, what with quoting the Bible and all, but I find it interesting that Hydrus is referred to as "a ripple of thunder" and that the Harpoon of Thunder happens to be a harpoon (well, obviously). Also, one of the later posts mentions the significance of Celosia's alternate stick weapon, and I have to agree that it really stands out. So, I just might do hands-on research of my own. This makes learning the map far more appealing to me. :O [real end of analysis]

The Rocks Have Eyes

Alright, this significantly nerdy post is here to question the existence of images that were purposely made to resemble faces in the rocks throughout the Forbidden Land. I myself have never come across these things, but after looking around online, I came across some pics that show some intriguing designs (provided by Garquille on this particular thread). However, were they put in there intentionally for only the most observant players to find? Well, I'll let you be the judge (that is until I give my final verdict at the end). Take a gander at these for yourself and see if they mean anything:

This one looks happy :) however, it looks like a happy mirrored texture to me, nothing more.

All I see is a shadow (and not of a colossus). Looks like Wander's.






















I see a sort of beastly image, kinda reminds me of Argus (#15) or Valus (#1). This one seems the most legitimate to me so far, in the way that it's placed.






















Looks like an upside-down horned creature to me. Nothing special in my opinion.






















Ack! An alien head! While I maintain my skeptical attitude, this one is still pretty cool.






















On the bottom-right of the rock, I see something freaky-looking. Sorta like a bug. A BIG bug. Not sure if that's what the photographer was aiming for, though.






















I have no idea where the heck he is right here, but as for the rock, I see something that looks like eyes near the top edge, with nose ridges just below. Interesting design, but doesn't really stand out much. It leaves much to the imagination, in other words.






















The final snapshot. LOL it does look like an owl! Once again, judging by the symmetry of the rest of the rock, it is almost certainly a mirrored texture.


FINAL VERDICT:
These photos do have some designs that resemble characteristics of humans or other creatures. However, they don't quite pass the test. They really aren't believable due to how symmetrical everything is. If they were meant to be found, I doubt they'd be so symmetrical and ambiguous. But that's just me, I'd like to hear about differing opinions on these. Regardless, I claim that these are illegitimate and are not good enough to be evidence to support the claim that the hills...ahem, the rocks have eyes. o_o

Dirge (#10): Premature Stabbing

Naturally, my next post would be about Dirge. And what is there to say about him? Well, to be honest, I wasn't particularly excited about this one. Not because of his appearance, though, cuz he's definitely kickass. What made me lose interest early in the match was how limited you are in ways of killing him. The path to victory is very narrow indeed. Not to spoil this for any newcomers, but basically you are confined to running away from him and shooting him in the eye. I was hoping there'd be more openings or even glitches to take advantage of, but from what I've seen it seems like that's about it.

But there's hope! I have a feeling that this has already been thought of or discovered but my newest idea has been to stab Dirge...while he's moving! Ha! It sounds so incredibly easy, right? Not really. Upon trying multiple times, I have been quite unsuccessful. Because of the masochistic nature of this technique, I tend to die pretty quickly, even with a fully upgraded health bar. What I do: get on Agro, drive head-on into Dirge, but just before getting smacked, jump and try and land a good jump-stab on his back. He seems to move fast enough for this to work, but there's one setback: no matter what you do or where you jump, if you touch him, you will get smacked. Sometimes get knocked out as well.

So, with this knowledge, what is one to do? Clearly, the only option is to purposely get hit. Yes, that is why this would be called a masochistic tech, or a 'masochistech.' I made that one up, like it? Ahem. So, the only thing I can hope for is to get whacked, still be conscious, and jump back on him for another go. I'll post again (or update this post) if and when I get this tech to work. As of now I've only been able to stab him once. Although I missed the vitals, he should have still taken some damage. Yet, he appeared to have received no damage at all. Not very promising. But at that, I end this post with a nice youtube video that may inspire me to keep trying:

none of the vids I post are of me playing, btw


While making Dirge hit the rock pillar thingy seems to take some pretty good timing and skill, I honestly don't see the benefits of doing so...maybe it shaves some time off, I'm not sure. This run could've been made even faster, had he not been so slow to climb on the worm. Well, that's it for Dirge, at least for now >:D

Basaran (#9) Glitches? Do they exist?

If there has ever been a colossus I could say gave me hair-pulling frustration, it would have to be Basaran. This behemoth has caused so much trouble for me, and it's no wonder why. First off, this 'trouble' I speak of does not stem from using the ordinary, straightforward technique to beating him, but the technique that takes advantage of glitches. Sure, it's mildly tedious getting him to walk over a geyser, but not by any means difficult. What truly causes me issues is finding a glitch of ANY kind on this guy. Seriously, I do appreciate how well-made number 9 is, with his force-field knee joints and his shell that's near impossible to reach. Not to mention how, even when he's downed, you can't stand on or grab on to the top of the shell (which I thought would've been fun :). No, not even that is allowed, as far as I can tell.

Oh, in case you're wondering why I'm starting with a Basaran post, it's because he's the one I recently finished beating (lord knows how many times). I've been meaning to write about him, anyway.

So, what I've been doing basically involves trying to climb a shin, then somehow jump from the inside of the knee to the thigh (not sure if that makes any sense on paper). No matter what, though, I can't make it. I've seen videos of people making use of incredibly difficult glitches, but I can't seem to make them work for me. There's rumors of a glitch that allows you to jump from his tail to his back, with a perfectly-timed jump. Tried and failed, never could get that to work.

Well, on a different note, if you can't beat him using glitches, there's still some pretty clever strategies to go with. Here's a video I just found that utilizes a simple yet brilliant (that's the word I blurted) strategy that I plan to try:

the tech starts about halfway through, btw


I love it, and I can't wait to try it. Seems just as satisfying as finding a real 'glitch.' But here's a video of a wonderful glitch, and oh, how I love glitches:



Just awesome.

That second video is difficult like crazy, but that first technique is one that I am surely going to try. To answer the title's question, glitches for #9 do indeed exist, but they only reveal themselves to the most dedicated (or lucky) wanderers. As for Basaran, that concludes this short post. It won't be his last, though, I assure you. >:)