Ico & Shadow of the Colossus HD Collection
I’ve got to be honest with you, this review was hard to write. Both of these games are great, but they are so different from other games that they defy the normal standard of rating games. I decided to review each game separately and average the score at the end; prepare for a long read. Enjoy.
Ico
Ico is a 3D puzzle game in which the main character (named Ico) leads himself and a mysterious girl named Yorda through an ancient prison in an attempt to escape. This game was originally released on the PS2, but has been remastered in HD for the PS3.
Gameplay
To me, the game feels like a Zelda game. That is, if a Zelda game took place in one enclosed (but expansive) building. You play as Ico, a parkour master at the age of twelve, who has been locked in a prison because he has horns growing out of his head.
Gameplay revolves around solving puzzles by navigating and manipulating the environments, all the while escorting a helpless girl and protecting her from the shadow monsters that constantly try to kidnap her.
“Yay!” I hear you scream, “Escort missions! We love those!” I understand that the idea of an entire game being one long escort mission is not appealing, but trust me, this game is different. Team Ico (the people behind the game) do a good job of making you really care for your companion, which changes moments when Yorda falls down from: “Ugh, not again,” to: “OMG, is she okay?”
The controls may take some getting used to. Climbing controls are standard, but the fighting system is lacking. Even though the game has brilliant puzzles, there are situations that force you to fight your way out, which can be thrilling, but are usually frustrating. But the game isn’t meant to be easy, with no auto-save feature, if you die or Yorda is captured, you will be forced to start from your last manual save point. Get ready to watch some walkthroughs on this one.
The camera works well most of the time, but occasionally has you looking in the wrong direction. When the camera does work, it provides a very cinematic feel to the things you do. By zooming in and out, the camera shows the impressive architecture of your surroundings and adds depth to the environment.
The real thing that makes the gameplay stand out is that Yorda is completely helpless. You have to manually move her wherever you want her to go by holding a button and dragging her along. This mechanic may sound terrible, but I think it actually gives the player a deeper connection to Yorda than would be achieved by just saying “follow me.”
This is where the game becomes tough to review. Ico’s story is, for lack of a better word, weird. But this isn’t bad, and it certainly doesn’t draw from the game. The story is just that: a story. The plot doesn’t flow like a normal linear game, but that is what makes it unique. All you know is what is shown to you and the ending is completely open to each player’s interpretation. The story does introduce love in a different way by making the player personally responsible for the love interest. All of these elements make for a very engaging story that players will not soon forget.
It may be important to note that no one in this game speaks English, but there are subtitles for what little dialogue there is. The story is told through pictures, and it works well for the game.
Graphics/Sound
It is important to note that Ico was a PS2 game. Keeping that in mind, Ico looks great. Not by today’s standard, but considering the time when it was made, it looks great, and I suppose that’s what’s important.
The soundtrack is much more impressive. Music reflects the situations the player is in, warning the player of danger in some cases while providing a sense of tranquility in others. Fire and water sound great too.
Appeal/Replayability
Ico is not a long game, but this works for it. After completing the game once, the player can restart on a harder difficulty. This combined with a intricate plot that many players will want to see twice to make sure they got it all.
Conclusion
Ico is a unique game that takes a lot of ideas from other games, while adding a Team Ico twist. I give the game a 8/10. It is good fun, and hard to dislike.
Shadow of the Colossus
In Shadow of the Colossus, you play as “Wander”, who tries to revive his beloved from death by killing sixteen colossi. The Colossi are massive massive beasts that make for some of the most epic boss fights I’ve ever seen a video game. The game feels like a cross between a God of War and a Zelda game. It is an epic 3D puzzle adventure that takes place across an expansive open world. And it is 100% awesome.
Gameplay
All in all, it’s the gameplay that makes Shadow so good. Controls are very similar to Ico, with the addition of a “grip meter.” This gauge shows how long Wander can hold on to a climbable surface before falling. This may take some getting used to, especially if you are coming straight from Ico, but this mechanic is what makes the Colossi battles so thrilling.
There are some flaws with the game mechanics, but they are minor. The controls are clunky when riding a horse. The camera works well most of the time, but sometimes it doesn’t cooperate at all. None of these things are game breaking, but they come up as little annoyances here and there.
The world in Shadow of the Colossus is mostly empty, but it fits the message of the game perfectly. Each Colossus is in a different area, and getting to these areas is a puzzle in itself.
I will close the gameplay portion by simply saying that few games have you ride on your horse alongside a flying Colossal beast, jump onto its wing, and climb along its body while it is in motion. However, Shadow of the Colossus does do this, along with many other things that all in all add up to be, in a word, epic.
Story
Like its predecessor, Shadow’s plot is shown more like a folktale, leaving it up to the player’s interpretation. The thing that really drives the story forward is to not only find out what the next Colossus looks like, but also discovering the consequences of killing it. Once again, no characters speak English, but there is a lot more dialogue, so be prepared to read some subtitles.
Leaving the player with another ending that will make him/her think, Shadow delivers a great story about just how much some will do for the one they love.
Graphics/Sound
Shadow was also originally a PS2 exclusive, but with the HD reboot, it rivals some games that come out today. It is still obvious that the game is old, but the scenery and the Colossi themselves are both beautiful and detailed. I never once thought that this game belongs on the PS2. It belongs on this generation, and this is the best way to play it.
The game also features one of the best soundtracks I’ve ever experienced in games. Music nce again reflects the situations the player is in. When roaming the world on horseback, the music is peaceful and filled with natural sounds. There is a nice contrast offered when the player then climbs up the back of a Colossus, and the music turns harsh and dramatic. This truly enhances the experience of fighting the colossi, and part of the reason this game is so epic.
Appeal/Replayability
Shadow of the Colossus offers a harder version of the game for those who beat the normal version. This allows players to experience the Colossi in different ways, as well as letting them participate in time trial modes when fighting the Colossi.
This feature is what will call players back time after time to play this truly amazing game.
Conclusion
Shadow of the Colossus is the type of game that comes along once in a generation. This HD remake of the cult classic is one that every PS3 owner should play. I give the game a 9.5/10. Seriously, play this game.
Total Score:
The total score for the collection is 8.75/10. I recommend it to anyone who owns a Playstation 3.
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