Ico

This is without a doubt the best video game that no one ever played. One review on the page says that this game would be more appreciated by adults, and he's dead on. Its so artistic and simple, it may be a little slow for kids. As of 2005, the game is 4 years old and I still think it has the best graphics ever.And despite almost a total lack of dialogue, the characters manage to feel completely real. The only thing I've ever heard bad about the game is that its too short. I disagree. With its unbelievably simple game play, it would have become repetitive if it went on any longer.

Buy it!

If you like shooting or killing with the pleasure of blood splattering you're screen, then you're looking at the wrong game. Ico might of been an early game for PS2 but it's still the top game in my list (and indeed many other players.) The two main characters Ico and Yorda are brilliantly designed and you don't need English audio to understand the strong friendship between them. The music is soft and touching. Puzzles are very good. Not you're basic Lara Croft Tomb Raider stuff but REAL puzzles that are complex even if you re-play the game. But the best bit...the graphics. The scenery is so beautiful it's better than life itself. For an early game, the graphics still out-beat most scenery on PS2 games. You'll find you're self absorbed in a beautiful mystical world as you fight shadows, solve puzzles and find you're way to freedom.

Before I ever played Shadow of the Colossus (SOTC) I had rented a copy of Ico just because the cover looked interesting. The problem was however that even renting video games at that time was quite costly. Also you could only rent the games for a few days so you had to finish the games in a very short time which was pretty difficult even if you were on holiday. Most PS2 games had more than 30 or 40 hours of game play. The consequence was that I had to choose certain games to play and ignore games that weren't appealing at first glance. And usually I chose popular games since these were the games that were written about. "Ico" wasn't popular and got rejected by me although I did notice that it was a beautiful game. After having played SOTC I did not immediately felt the need to play Ico,but upon seeing the title in a game shop I was curious if I would love it as much as I did SOTC. Well,without a doubt I can say that I loved the game. Although I found it more annoying at times especially because of the camera that made it hard to see where I was going. This games breathes the same atmosphere as SOTC with one slight difference. The world of Ico was more livelier and colorful than SOTC. Figuring out puzzles in Ico did take more time since absolutely no hint is given what to do next. In SOTC at least hints were given when you were stuck. In Ico you have to figure it for yourself. Also the girl didn't respond as often as I would like (just as in real life Ha Ha!!!) but soon got over this flaw once I saw the little boy holding her hand and guiding her through the Castle,it never got tiresome. There is definitely a cuteness factor that makes this game more appealing. As in SOTC the story is left very abstract and it is not clear what is going on exactly. Still the game managed to suck me in and finish the game just to see if the boy succeeds in protecting the girl. The first ending therefore was very hard to swallow and couldn't believe that they would end the game like that. The second ending (after credits) gives the player the hard earned ending. Ico is a classic that isn't as epic as SOTC but still a beautiful game that manages to engage you deeply.

ICO, though the name sounds boring, don't judge a book by it's cover. A short game, only took me around 4 and a half hours to play, but it is very addicting. I remember staying up until 4 in the morning playing this game. Sleep was trying to overcome me, but the game kind of had a spell, or a charm. Keeping me awake until I finished it. I eventually did and was in tears at the ending. I love that ending. So much. Has to be the best ending ever recorded in gaming history. Not much to expect from a low budget, very unknown game.

Spend breathtaking hours dragging Yorda around a huge castle, fighting off Shadow Demons on the way. May seem like such a simple and pointless game, but actually indulge yourself into the game, and get involved with it. The cover isn't really appealing, but pick it up, and examine it carefully. You see a young boy, holding a wooden stick, and a young, good-looking girl in the background beside him.

What more can you ask? I say. It has to be good if it has anything to do with Shadow of the Colossus, which basically continues the goodness of this game. Well I admit it, the game does not all at seem appealing, but you should play it for at least a half an hour then you will see what I am getting at. Most people don't like these kind of games, but if you like to solve countless puzzles, then this is the game for you. Even I had a lot of hard times completing this game, and I had the online guide! It may seem like one of those Final Fantasy games, but it is really hard. Harder than Shadow of the Colossus, surprisingly.

The only type of enemies you encounter in this game are Shadow Demons, called from the Gates of Hell. There are many different types of these things, but do not fret. They are nothing if you get the Mace, or the Queen's Sword. They are actually quite annoying, and get in the way of everything. I still remember dying every time one of them caught Yorda, and I didn't know which button to press to get her out of the black gate, and you would die every time. Plus, I usually don't save since there are many random and pointless save points in the form of Love Seats,so I have to start and do a certain puzzle again and again and again. It was very frustrating. Then there are mistakes like the press of the wrong button, or a jump too far, which really affects you during the course of the game. Sometimes I could see myself throwing my controller at the television and taking out the disc and ripping it to shreds. But decided against it since it wasn't my game, it is my cousins. So if you ever played this game. Take a DEEP breath, and tell yourself it is just a game, and begin again. Or stop, don't play it for the whole day, and the next day, begin anew.

Definitely a game you should play. If you ever played Shadow of the Colossus, this is a game for you, if you like puzzles, this is a game for you. If you like good story lines, this is a game for you. If you like good games, THIS IS THE GAME FOR YOU!

Ico is one of those games, that's gonna stay in my heart for the rest of my life, I enjoy the art design the beautiful sounds of the world, and only in specific moments we get beautiful music.

All the details in this game come together, I respect and find unique when holding the controller while holding the girl, you can feel the controllers vibration that feels like Holding her hand. The boy feeling so flimsy that a little push of the Stick could send him off a cliff.

I remember One review, where they said a line that I would absolutely agree with.. I have played a hundred games about saving the world and only one about holding hands with a girl.

The last scene of the game actually made me cry, I did not expect it. For the first time in a long time, I played the game without anything in the background and because of it, I was left to feel and wonder of this Castle wondering what the purpose, and what has happened in the ages. I got so immersed in the story that I actually teared up at the ending.

When playing this game it feels like I can see the DNA of so many of games today. I understand why so many game designers have the game in so high renown, it feels so essential, It feels like a person's perspective have been realized in this simple story, that is just worked out so well.

If I talk about what you do in the game, it's mostly jumping on things pushing boxes and climbing chains and holding hands it is very simple in game design, but it is so fulfilling still.

One of my favourite games of all time would absolutely recommend.