I think alot of Americans misunderstand the roots of the criticism.

I am not American, but I believe in the idea and ideals that lie behind America as a nation expressed through the Bill of rights, the Constitution and in the countless writings of the founding fathers who have tried to address almost every possible problem that might befall the nation, if only all their words were taught more thoroughly in schools rather in universities.

It's the fusion of many ideas of liberty and democracy, starting with perhaps with Rome, the Magna Carta in Britain right up to the French revolution and so on.

I criticize the US not from a blind hatred towards its foreign policy or corporate hegemony but because it is perhaps the strongest beacon of individualism and democracy that remains in our world, almost every nation regardless of its personal views strives to achieve what America allows for it's people, the idea that any man or woman can achieve progress through hard work, that they can influence the course of government, that they essentially have a voice. A fundamental idea that still has to take stronger roots elsewhere in the world, especially now with a rise of a new neo-despotic capitalism taking place in Russia and China.

This is not to say that America has perfected the idea or it's execution, no not at all but is has come close, but it has hit obstacles, corporate control has replaced population control and the vote of the people only because the people have slowly forgotten their civil liberties over the liberties of the dollar and the corporate sector.

In this way America sets the standard for the rest of the world, this is why seeing the War on terror, Iraq and Afghanistan was so heart breaking because the thinking goes if America can do it... so can any one else, the moral high ground of being against torture has been lost. That's why the criticism is so harsh, the world wants America to be better, in fact it wants it to be the best. I think its like that perhaps to the wide spread of it's culture, the fact that its in reality the representation of many populations of the world coming together.

This is my personal belief. I think developed from reading these words for the first time when I was younger.

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Emma Lazarus, 1883

"The New Colossus" is a sonnet by Emma Lazarus (1849-1887), written in 1883 and, in 1903, engraved on a bronze plaque and mounted inside the Statue of Liberty.

These words, that essential idea is something all Americans need to remember. There is such richness of ideas in American political and constitutional history with regards to liberity, that really makes me happy inside. Like reading about liberty for someone who has known only the shackles of jail all their life.

>> ^NetRunner:
Several of these had "spiritual" sequels.
Ico and Shadow of the Colossus are actually in the same universe, if not really very related games. The developer actually called Colossus a "prequel" of Ico.

As much as I loved Colossus, I really need to get off my ass and find myself a copy of Ico.

Whoa! It's the underwater colossus! Quick, look for the glowing glyph!

Several of these had "spiritual" sequels.

Ico and Shadow of the Colossus are actually in the same universe, if not really very related games. The developer actually called Colossus a "prequel" of Ico.

Hey man! Nice attempt!

In reply to this comment by budzos:
Let's see, it's Saturday night, try to prove my nerdiness... in order of appearance:

Cyclops, Storm, Prof. X, Blob, Cable, Gambit, Mr Sinister, Acolytes, Wolverine, Jean Grey, Rogue, Sentinel, Captain America, Jubilee, Beast, Colossus, Senator Gyrich, Red Skull, Iceman, Magneto, Callisto and the Morlocks, Caliban, Mojo, Leech, Havok, Omega Red, Bishop, Hmmm and starting with the pink hair guy there are a couple characters I don't remember.

Let's see, it's Saturday night, try to prove my nerdiness... in order of appearance:

Cyclops, Storm, Prof. X, Blob, Cable, Gambit, Mr Sinister, Acolytes, Wolverine, Jean Grey, Rogue, Sentinel, Captain America, Jubilee, Beast, Colossus, Senator Gyrich, Red Skull, Iceman, Magneto, Callisto and the Morlocks, Caliban, Mojo, Leech, Havok, Omega Red, Bishop, Hmmm and starting with the pink hair guy there are a couple characters I don't remember.

Some of my favorites, old and new:

Console:
Zelda series
Final Fantasy series (VI remains my favorite to this day)
Dragon Warrior
Metal Gear Solid
God of War/2
Punch Out/Super Punch Out)
Metroid (the old classic 2d side-styles, not the 1st person view)
Gran Turismo
Shadow of the Colossus

PC:
Outlaws (Old West FPS from Lucasarts)
Diablo 2
No One Lives Forever
Oblivion
Sim City
Half-Life series (Portal included!)
Wing Commander 3 (yay, Mark Hamill found work!)
Alone in the Dark
Out of This world
Age of Empires series

So the in game physics here isn't such a stretch after all:
http://www.videosift.com/video/Some-of-secrets-of-shadow-of-the-colossus

I love studies of video games. I spent a month or so trying to create a topological map of shadow of the colossus. I'm not into SSB, but I dig this kind of thing, so upvote from me. I think that is one of the reasons I am so fascinated by speed runs. What is the fastest that is possible in theory to win a given video game. A month ago, I would have said that the recently made 10:29 speedrun of mario 3 was impossible. Now it has been shown to be possible. Four years ago I never would have believed that the 11 minute mark was possible.

Stuff like this is awesome.

>> ^roguewrx:
So it's a short video of a tortoise walking?


Well, technically yes- but with Shadow of the Colossus music playing.

>> ^Thylan:
I deem this hilarious.


Exactly. It's because tortoises kind of lumber, one can imagine that they are a lot bigger than they really are.

As an ultimate fan of Shadow of the Colossus, I should downvote this.
But my wicked sense of humour urges me to upvote

Upvote for the Shadow of the Colossus music.

Check out this though:
http://www.hl2world.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=46712

Upvote for the Shadow of the Colossus mention. w00t!

I'm posting this because it's neat, and 100% completely useless, as near as I can tell. Can anybody figure out why this exists? Is it a museum display or something? Also, what's the music? It reminds me a bit of the music in Shadow of the Colossus.

I hope it will inspire game Dev and modders to do a Shadow Of The Colossus-like level/mod for Half Life 2 (maybe Ep 2/3 ) btw anyone knows where I could get a savefile for this?