I'm very surprised at what Sony has come up with in the past. They've done exceedingly interesting RPG games, they've tinkered with hard and fast driving, and now, their new puzzle-questing adventure is set to show how the standards can be changed for one genre in video games. Sony hits their mark when they want you to play a game so creative that you'll almost cry from happiness. Ico is here at last.
An imaginary world filled with horned little boys, and cautious villagers: the twelfth year of Ico's young life has arrived. Ico, a boy born with the mark of the devil (or so those that fear him think) isn't fit to live amongst the people around him anymore. Ico's life is coming to a close as the guardsmen wheel him off to a castle where he is to be placed for eternity. Ico - confused, angry, and lonely - doesn't want to be like the many other horned children who have also died here by their lonesome. Once the castle gate closes and the men are gone, the building ruptures, which helps loosen Ico from his bonds and sets him on an unforgettable escape.
The story moves on as Ico has a dream about a girl trapped inside a cage, happening somewhere in the castle. Ico sets off to find this girl. But, he also finds trouble as black ghouls appear in their encounter with one another. What are these things? Who is this girl? Why is she here to begin with? Ico's only plan is to get out of the castle maze and escape the threat of shadow demons that lie within. With his new friend Yorda, for Ico, freedom is only so close, and yet so far. Can you help Ico live the fantasy?
Even though the game's story is an original one, I just felt that there wasn't enough of it spread around. Much more than half of the game you'll spend solving puzzles, and running through area to area to complete another puzzle... and again, another one. The in-game movies, nice to look at, are scarce. I don't blame Sony, however. Really, you can't elaborate on the two main characters in the game. The princess (Yorda) doesn't speak Ico's language. Ico in turn doesn't speak the princess's language either. To set players straight, a third main character, Yorda's mother, is introduced to speak for both the boy and girl. As you play the game, the story further reveals the true intentions of Yorda's mother, and the secret of her daughter's being.
In Ico, as everyone else notices, the graphics are miraculous. In fact, the graphics are much better than practically any game that you've seen yet on the PlayStation 2. When Sony means that this is the year for second-generation games, they're not kidding. Looking at the realism in both outside and indoor areas, the real-time lighting against the characters affects Ico and Yorda, as their shadows are projected against the ground and various other in-game objects in amazing detail. Other stuff, like how doves wandering the outside courts react with Ico as they fly away, and how the water looks surprisingly refreshing is just a few other little fragments of the greatness that the game in total holds true to the system's capabilities.
Instantly from giving Sony's Ico demo a whirl too many times, I must say that the controls in the game are very easy to synchronize. Ico has basic movements like jumping, running, grabbing, climbing, swimming, leaping, shimmying, carrying, and even swinging a weapon around. Actually, the controls aren't as complicated as it may sound from all that Ico can accomplish. With only few button commands, and a lot to do, Ico's upward movement is used with the 'triangle' button. Ico does actions with the 'circle' button. The 'square' one is used to attack. And, the 'X' button is for dropping from heights. Along with these features, Ico can run with the analog stick, and also has the ability to call out to Yorda (and even grab her hand) by pressing the 'R1' button.
Moving Ico around is especially fun with all of the marvelous scenery in the castle's richness. When Ico is paired up with Yorda hand-to-hand, you'll actually feel like you're dragging her behind, as she'll really slow down your movement. The idea of the game is to actually drag Yorda through each area in the castle without leaving her behind. It's tough, but you've got to do what you've got to do. To get through the castle, though, you'll need to solve puzzles. Such enigmas like climbing a windmill's top, edging around a wall and getting a box that was once out of reach, or even doing some rope swinging to pull a lever in the distance is what to expect. Other than the regular puzzle solving (which is mainly what you'll do), at times you'll run into shadow demons. Of course, you can't progress if Yorda is being dragged away into the underground by a bunch of nasty demon creatures. To prevent these attacks, Ico can wield a number of weapons, ranging from a wooden plank, to a bomb, to even a sword in hand.
Filled with loads of exponential gameplay and graphics, Ico is also a title that works well in its sound area. The flocking of birds in the distance, the crackling of a roaring fire, and even the game's peaceful inner score makes for one really powerful video game. The voice-acting, not done in English, I found much better than many other titles. Why? Well, for one thing, the strange voices are unique. Not often do you get a game where its realism is in the story itself, and not what we want the game to be. In any case, you have to credit Ico for its relentless pursuit of delivering a story that's most plausible in every aspect.
True to their word, Sony brought gamers a title that lets the kid out inside of you. Much like Gran Turismo 3 was to racing, as the game made its genre shine, Ico is puzzle-like good time that makes other titles cower in a ridiculous manner. Do not fear Ico, for this game is great. Although the game lacks much in an ongoing story line, there's much of Ico to play, see, hear, and sometimes even smell (if you get up real close). When it comes to a concept like Ico, it's more than a requirement to play the game.
This auction is for: Sony PlayStation 2 "ICO" Comes with: Case, game disc, and instructions. Game Condition: The game is brand new, still factory seal...More at eBay
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