Ico

General/Summary: I have always disliked reviews that start off with grandiose endorsements. That said, to illuminate the importance of Ico as a milestone in game development, I feel it necessary to begin with some very broad statements. Ico is a special game of immense beauty. It is an emotional and cerebral masterpiece so revolutionary that it sets a standard by which all other PlayStation 2 games (and indeed games on other platforms) may be judged. I have never played a game that compelled me as Ico did. Neither has my wife (who upon watching me play, also wanted to play). Nor has our daughter or our friends and neighbors (who we went out of our way to share this extraordinary experience with). Thus, I make this heartfelt endorsement. Every PlayStation 2 owner should have this game in their collection. In fact, every gamer (regardless of their preferred platform) should experience Ico. Ico is a glimpse into the future of interactive entertainment - a glimpse no one should pass...

THE GOOD:
See The Bad

THE BAD:
Hmmm, there's an eensy-weensy bit of clipping. It's only the demo version that I'm reviewing. (SIGH)

SUMMARY:
I remember it like it was yesterday... It was the day I picked up the JamPack from the Playstation Store. It was the moment I put that disk onto my PS2 tray and pushed the insert button. It was the moment that disk booted up and gave me a few options to choose from. It was the second I laid eyes upon the little picture window featuring ICO. It was the... You get my drift. This game is amazing. Read on...

GRAPHICS

MIND-BOGGLING AWESOME! SPLENDIDLY PERFECT! GREATEST GRAPHICS EVER! There! That get your attention. People, ICO's graphics are phenomenal in every way imaginable. Seriously, words do it no justice. Its visual style is so unique, it has to have its own category. Imagine a cartoon such as The Lion King, but even more beautiful. This game is so beautiful, it has a dreamlike...

THE GOOD:
Stunning graphics, amazing sound, natural control of character, overall gameplay.

THE BAD:
No real re-play value

SUMMARY:
This is a game that takes PlayStation2's graphic engine to its limit. As I was playing this game, I was compelled on more than one occasion to just stand and admire the scenery.

It's puzzles and riddles are well thoughout and challenging, but not impossible.

This game, like many third-person adventure games, is very linear in its play. You need to get past one area to get to another one. Therefore it can get very frustrating very fast when you get stuck.

But all in all, it's something that will grab you with its compelling story, keep you playing with amazing graphics, and scramble your mind with its puzzles and riddles.

Property of netjak.com and Syn

I can tell you why Ico is not a runaway success, besides offering up the reason that Sony's effort to market this game can be described as shamefully nonexistent. The story is less than riveting, the action is far from hardcore, gameplay doesn't involve intense button mashing, but it does require some skill – hardly the ingredients of what constitutes as a wildly popular video game by sales standards. There's certainly no hype behind it and its sales were mostly pushed by word-of-mouth reviews, making it a sleeper hit among gamers who were looking for something out of the ordinary.

This puzzle-driven adventure is quite different from the rest with its rather simplistic formula. While designers tend to go all out, SCEI opts for the minimalist approach, giving the game a very atmospheric feel. The story does not saturate, yet it's whimsical and mysterious, content to flow along. Graphics are low contrast with muted colors that...

The capabilities of the playstation 2 are really starting to show with this game.
This game features monstrous environments that are truly amazing.
The enemies look like shadows with white glowing eyes, they are awesome in appearance.
The sounds which are composed of water rushing
birds chirping and wind are peaceful and relaxing.
The music when it makes its special appearance is mystical and soothing.
The control is smooth and acurate which serves as a great importance because much of the game is spent high above ground level.
There arent any cheap deaths either you can fall a distance without getting hurt and you automatically grab ledges if you run over the edge.
The story and theme are very good, so much that you will find yourself getting into the ending.
The whole game has a charm to it, the castle itself leaves you breathtaken at something so gigantic it could only be marveled at in video game.
The princess you take...

THE GOOD:
Fantastic atmospheric graphics
Sense of scale is incredible
Thought provoking puzzles
No stats, HUD or other distractions to worry about

THE BAD:
The camera fails at times
Yorda doesn't always do what you want
A little on the short side

SUMMARY:
In a videogame market obsessed with "Urban" murder simulations that shamelessly ape GTA without any of the charm, endless WWII shoot-em-ups and interchangable Devil May Cry clones, ICO stands out as a shining beacon of originality and fun, shaming the cash cow developers who throw out yearly sequels with an extra graphical tweak.

The story is simple. You play as a small horned boy (The Ico - pronounced Ee-ko - of the title) who is tasked with rescuing a princess named Yorda from a huge castle. Far from the most original or in-depth plotline, but that's the point. In a world where you load up Splinter Cell to be hit with endless T.V. news reports about...

THE GOOD:
Graphics, sound, lighting, camera angles, expressions of the characters, artificial intelligence of Yorda.

THE BAD:
They never let you know what Yorda says, even at the end! However you can usually figure out the topic of what she is saying by reading into the context, and the superb body language.

SUMMARY:
There are a lot of reviews, so I'm not going to write one. However I will point you to the www.penny-arcade.com comic date 2001-09-28. Be sure to check out the news button. This pretty much wraps up the exact way I took the game, however I think it's perfectly long enough.

THE GOOD:
The graphics are over the top. it looks like a painting. The gameplay is great but its not for every one. People not smart enough might become fustrated at the games many puzzles.

THE BAD:
The replay value is extremly low. Still its on heck of an adventure that ill never forget.

SUMMARY:
I just have to say everyone should excperince this little dream that sony dreamt up.

You wanna go crazy?Then,you've gotta try this great game!!Yeah,it's a bit short but cool nonetheless.The graphics are way too beautiful and too real to be true.The story is about a 12 year old boy named Ico who was brought to a castle to be sacrificed because he had horns.After he escapes,he decides to save a princess too on the way.And that begins the greatest and most inspiring fantasy adventures ever.You would have to solve puzzles,create a new pathway for the princess,Yorda so she can cross to another area.The fact that you have to make sure she is safe and sound by holding her hand and never let her out of your sight is something that is totally new.Kind of like a puppy love romance gong on there.As you play the game,you will be so absorbed in the incredible scenery and gameplay,it tends to get addictive.The story is great and the ending was unpredictable.The music is good,especially the theme song of this game which you only get to hear it after you finish playing the game,is...

THE GOOD:
Wow! What isn't good in this game? Incredible to look at - fantastic visuals, awesome sound effects, eerie lighting, cool monsters, great plot twist, false ending - original story idea - this game has it all

THE BAD:
The only partially bad thing is the combat - it is a button masher, but it isn't really that bad!

SUMMARY:
Ico is a visual feast. Everything down to the last detail is immaculately presented. The water and eveything looks just beautiful. The game is loaded with innovative and challenging puzzles, but is just a little bit short. It doesn't take very long to solve this game, especially if you are a veteran of puzzle type games.
Don't let this aspect of the game dissuade you from purchasing it though. The creepiness of the atmosphere and the shadow monsters is only outdone by Shadow Hill, but that isn't the effect the designers were going for. This is a whole world filled with beautiful landscapes that you are free to...