Ico

[Georg Prime]

Do we have any people in here who have played Ico?? This is one of the few non rpg games that could easily be called my favorite game. To me, titles like Ico only come around once in a lifetime. That's how good i thought it was, the only bad part was ending it.

Do we have any people who have played it and had thoughts on it?

..and has anyone played Shadows of the Collossus? (spelled it wrong)
I really want to buy this sometime soon.

[Hildegarde]

There is a thread about The Shadow of the Colossus, I bet it's several pages back, though.

I haven't played Ico, I'm waiting for the fabled re-release, maybe I should just get an old copy, instead, eh?.

I did play Shadow, a couple of games ago.
Ah, what can I say, for one thing, call me over-reactionary, but, I don't think I'll ever play it again; it made me horribly sad,

Spoiler: the whole Agro situation, seeing him limping, the wanderer's fate, his struggle to see the girl, his stabbing, no, it was too much for this tender heart,

and not just that, I started feeling bad about it all, oh, about half way into the game.
Killing each collosi broke my heart, well, except for the one in the geyser field, that was a mean S.O.B.!, it even looked mean, gazing at you in the distance, before blasting you off.

And, now knowing the point of it all, I don't really feel that much incentive, even with the two modes, what were they?, hard and time?.

But, it is one of my favorite games, a minimalist, delicate piece of art, like no other.
You should get it, it's cheap, and probably you'll be able to wistand the ending better than me, anyways.

[David Bateman]

Ico has possibly one of the best soundtracks ever. EVER.

[Georg Prime]

Haha or maybe the lack of a sountrack? I do love the little soundtrack there is to Ico though, it really has some beautiful pieces.

I think you can say the same about ico as being a "minimalist delicate piece of art." Unlike collosus, it isn't about combat. Though there is some combat in the game, it's basically to keep you on your toes and make sure you don't lose your comrade.

Ico is about the puzzles, and that's what i liked. The game is so simple in design really, yet it's one that immediately engrosses you in this big and magical world. There is close to no story, or there is, but we as the player really have close to no idea what is really going on but it really doesn't matter. There is little to no music in the game either (besides at cut scenes and other important scenes), they kinda threw away all the distractions and let Ico's gameplay carry the game.

I advise you to find a copy Hildegarde, I think you'd love it. I think it would go for cheap but i really have no idea. I guess i could always send you my copy Once you get yourself into it, you'll find yourself hooked. And i plan on getting Shadows of the Collusus sometime soon..i still have a few other games i already own i want to beat first.

[Hildegarde]

Originally Posted by GeneralLeoCristophe

I think you can say the same about ico as being a "minimalist delicate piece of art." Unlike collosus, it isn't about combat. Though there is some combat in the game, it's basically to keep you on your toes and make sure you don't lose your comrade.

Ico is about the puzzles, and that's what i liked. The game is so simple in design really, yet it's one that immediately engrosses you in this big and magical world. There is close to no story, or there is, but we as the player really have close to no idea what is really going on but it really doesn't matter. There is little to no music in the game either (besides at cut scenes and other important scenes), they kinda threw away all the distractions and let Ico's gameplay carry the game.

Well, see that's the thing with The Shadow of the Colossus, too:
You have no clue as to what is going on with the story, except that it is about a boy trying to save a girl by killing colossii, that's all there is to it until the end, and even then, the story is very short and concise, but, at the same time ambiguous, it leaves you with some questions that it's up to you to answer.
The ending is tied up to Ico, as well, supposedly, the game is a very losely tied up prequel of Ico.

There is almost no music, all you get is the intro music, the music for each colossus and it's "battle" music and the ending music.

In between you have large amounts of time that are comprised of you roaming an immense, desolate, but beautiful land, looking for each colossus and if you are up to it, hunting lizards and eating fruit.
You wouldn't believe how big the landscape is, and it has a wide variety of environments, therefore, depending of where you are, you get different sounds, the wind passing through a canyon, the caked dirt under your horse's hoofs, rain and thunder, the seawaves lapping the beach, etc.
There is no people, no villages, no monsters, no sidequests, nothing.
What you'll find everywhere, though, are impressive ruins, but, you have no explanation about them, who built those places, what where those buildings, nothing, which makes exploration even better, I spent a considerable chunk of time, looking around and trying to figure what each place might have been originally.

What music you have, however is gorgeous.

As to the battle, well, it isn't about battling, sure, if a colossus spots you, you better run and or hide, since many do not take your presence very well, but, there isn't a conventional battle, in the sense that 90% of it consists of a puzzle:
You have to first find the colossus, find it's weak spots, find a way to climb them (yes they are that big, one of the battles consist in part on hanging from the back of a colossus' hand, you fit on it perfectly), hang on to, because they'll try to shake you off, manage your stamina (once you lost your stamina, you can't hold on to any longer, you fall to the ground and you have to start all over again) and then get close to the weak spots and, yes, the violent part, stab them to death with your tiny weeny sword.

But it is all about figuring out how on earth are you going to get up there.

Yeah, you would love it, I reckon.

[Shadow_Axel_03]

shadow of the colossus was very fun besides killin those beasts that are like 30 times taller than you it's fun just to venture and kill lizards and eat their tails...(you can hitch a ride on a bird if ur sneaky enough) well I just started playing Ico and I can't wait to stop using that damn stick!!!

[Georg Prime]

yea sounds like i would love shadows. From what you said its got a lot of the same qualities as Ico that i liked so much. I'm DEFINITELY going have to give it a try soon..especially since i dont have any games i'm really playing.