Colossus I

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Colossus I
Raise thy sword by the light...and head to the place where the sword's light gathers... There, thou shalt find the colossi thou art to defeat.
Profile
Developer Nickname	Minotaur A
Height	70 feet (21 meters)
Gameplay
Time Attack goals (Normal/ Hard)	2:30/2:50 (Original, PS3) 2:30/2:45 (PS4)
Agro	No
Sigils	Normal: 1 major, 1 minor Hard: 2 major, 1 minor

Valus is the nickname given to the first colossus. Located a short way directly south of the Shrine of Worship, this humanoid colossus makes its home on a flat area accessible only from climbing the vines and ruins dotting a tall cliff.

Path to the colossus

See also: Map for this path

Video - Valus (path to and battle with)

Shadow of the Colossus - 1st Colossus

Holding up the sword outside the Shrine will reveal a path directly south, toward the cliffs already in sight. The cliffs once housed a temple; once the player rides up some front steps into the entrance, a cutscene will play; these scenes are shown for many of the game's early colossi and hint that Wander is going in the right direction. To his right (the west), there are some vines growing on the wall; climb them and make some jumps off of jutting rocks to proceed. Later on, information will show at the bottom of the screen teaching how to do a rolling dodge to get past a fallen tree that is blocking the way. The maneuver is good for avoiding attacks (especially on Hard, where a single stomp or other heavy attack can kill Wander instantly). The player will also learn how to jump off of a ledge they are currently hanging on from and onto another. (Note that this entire section serves as both a climbing tutorial and a means of separating Wander from Agro. This is a common occurrence; of the sixteen colossi, Agro will only be able to make it to five of them - see the chart in the colossi article to see which ones.) After Wander has jumped successfully to the small path to the top of the cliff, walk a little farther south. A cutscene will play: the small trees at the cliff's edge shake as Valus steps forward from the west.

Walkthrough

Valus is walking further south from Wander at the beginning, not having noticed him previously. It will acknowledge him eventually, however, when it reaches the south wall and turns back around, so go ahead and get its attention by whistling to it (the same button used to call Agro) or shooting it with an arrow. Dodge its club if it gets a chance to swing it at Wander - one hit with the tree-sized cudgel means instant death on Hard Mode and a severe health loss on Normal.

Valus' right leg is armored, but the back of its left leg is fully exposed. If the sword is equipped, it will reveal something further - a minor sigil slightly further up. These spots are not actual weak points, but they do play an important role in allowing the player to reach higher places. Start climbing the leg and stab the point once over it; the colossus will briefly kneel to the ground, giving Wander a good opportunity to climb to one of the platforms on its back. Use these to rest and recover stamina, but don't get thrown off (crouching prevents this).

There are two smaller platforms above the bigger one; Hard Mode players will want to jump off the right one to reach the weakspot on its arm. For Normal, keep climbing to reach its upper back and head; the major sigil will start to glow when Wander holds his sword. The colossus will often buck violently to try and throw Wander off, but keep holding on. If his stamina is low, retreat to its upper back and maintain balance. A few good stabs in the head's weakpoint will finish the first colossus for good.

When it falls to the earth, a layer of darkness will erupt from the fatal wound, covering the colossus from head to feet. Several black tendrils will also pour forth from the same space and head for Wander; they cannot be outrun, and they embed themselves into Wander in seconds, rendering him unconscious. Before he reawakens in the temple, Wander hears Mono's voice again.

Time Attack times in Original and PS3 versions (Normal, Hard): 2:30, 2:50

Time Attack times in PS4 Remaster (Normal, Hard): 2:30, 2:45

Weakspots

Location	Percentage of health
	Normal	Hard
On top of its head	100%	75%
On the back of its right arm	N/A	25%
On the back of its left leg	Used in climbing

Tips and tricks

• During the cutscene that plays after Wander stabs the minor sigil on its leg and Valus falls down, the player is in complete control of Wander. If one is quick enough and knows what to do, it's possible to run right up to its head and grab on while it's down.
• It is also possible to use the momentum of Valus' leg shaking to propel oneself onto the ledge on its thigh by temporarily letting go of and jumping when it levels its leg out somewhat flatly.
• If timed just right, it is possible to jump onto Valus' large club and use its momentum to launch up to the colossus' head. However, it is very difficult to pull off, so it is best recommended for players that are looking for a real challenge.
• When Wander is attacking Valus' head, the colossus will often try to throw its head backwards in an attempt to buck him off. Before it does this, however, its head will lower slightly. Stabbing the weakspot during this time with whatever charge Wander has got built up in his stab will cancel the animation and leave him ready for another attempt.

Music

• The music that plays upon approaching Valus' location is "Sign of the Colossus".
• If Valus sees Wander from a distance, the track "Grotesque Figures" plays.
• Once Valus is crippled and kneeling, "The Opened Way" starts and plays until the colossus is defeated.

Trivia

• Valus is the only colossus that is shown to have any form of wildlife near it, as there are several hawks continuously circling around its head.
• Valus is one of only three colossi that wield a weapon, the other two being Gaius and Argus. It is also the only one of the three whose weapon doesn't resemble a sword.
• Valus is the fourth-shortest of all the colossi.
• Valus shares physical similarities with Barba and Argus.
• Valus' roars sound very similar to the bellowing of a bull, reflecting the developer nickname, "Minotaur A".
• Valus is the most centrally-located of all the colossi, with the absolute center of the Forbidden Lands map being located in the northwestern corner of the Autumn Forest intersection between the longitudinal line between "E" and "F" and the latitudinal line between "4" and "5". The four squares surrounding the center of the Forbidden Lands are therefore E4, E5, F4, and F5; Valus is located within F5.
• Valus and Gaius are the only colossi with major sigils on their arms. However, those are exclusive to Hard Mode. Argus and Malus come close, but they have minor sigils on their arms, not major.
• Stabbing Valus in the back of its leg twice will trigger the cutscene where it falls over and the music switches to "The Opened Way". If the player only stabs Valus in the leg once and is quick enough, they can climb up Valus and slay it with "Grotesque Figures" still playing.
• Valus has received some criticism due to the platforms on its backside. Many fans claim that it's unrealistically convenient for platforms to be built on its back so that it can ultimately be climbed and felled. However, this is somewhat justified by the fact that the colossi are made up of rock, soil, and abandoned architecture, so it makes sense that their design would be somewhat flawed/architectural and consequently, convenient.

Gallery

Valus 3.jpg

Image of Valus taken from the official artbook.

Even the very first enemy encountered truly is pretty colossal...

Wander catches Valus' attention.

Wander facing off against Valus.

Major sigil located on top of Valus' head.

Wander hanging on Valus' head.

Image of the platforms on Valus' back.

Early development screenshot of Valus.

Early development screenshot of Valus.

Early development screenshot of Wander fighting Valus.

Early development screenshot of Wander following Valus.

Development sketch of Valus from the official artbook.

Size chart for Valus.

The limited edition figurine of Valus released exclusively in Japan.

Art card of Valus from the special edition of Shadow of the Colossus.

Art card of Valus from the special edition of Shadow of the Colossus.

Valus featured on the game's OST CD.

Valus behind the CD booklet's tracklisting; note the eyes are of an old model.

Valus again behind the CD tracklisting.

Valus featured in the iam8bit vinyl record set.