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The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection |OT| Ueda *bow*

sublimit

sublimit

Banned
JeFfRey said:
ICO creeps me out. Seriously, it's not a scary game but I can't play more than 10 minutes at a time because it freaks me out.
Click to expand...
Glad i'm not the only one.For some strange reason the shadow creatures make my skin crawl every time they appear.
And i have played lots of horror games where i haven't felt a thing.
 
C

Curufinwe

Member
There were some terrible, rage-inducing moments with the shadow creatures during my speed run. Being forced to re-do entire sections (like the West gate) because one of them grabbed Yorda just as I was about to go thru a door had me fuming. And the timing on the sewer part is so tight... but I never have to play it again now, so hooray.
 
A

Anteater

Member
sublimit said:
Glad i'm not the only one.For some strange reason the shadow creatures make my skin crawl every time they appear.
And i have played lots of horror games where i haven't felt a thing.
Click to expand...

Yea there are some tension at the beginning of the game for me, which enhances the "protect Yorda" aspect quite a bit, but once you know that they're not randomly spawned and go through some outdoor areas, it becomes quite a relaxing and beautiful game. I think a lot of things hits the right notes for me and the "horror" at the beginning was part of it.
 
sublimit

sublimit

Banned
Anteater said:
Yea there are some tension at the beginning of the game for me, which enhances the "protect Yorda" aspect quite a bit, but once you know that they're not randomly spawned and go through some outdoor areas, it becomes quite a relaxing and beautiful game. I think a lot of things hits the right notes for me and the "horror" at the beginning was part of it.
Click to expand...
I think Ico is a really tense game especially the first time you play it.Besides Ico being weak in combat when he has just the wooden stick(which is normal for a small boy),the lack of a save anywhere feature also really adds to the overall tension.
Some people criticized the game for its save system but i really think that if it was different we wouldn't be immersed in the game as much as we did.
 
A

Anteater

Member
sublimit said:
I think Ico is a really tense game especially the first time you play it.Besides Ico (normally) being weak in combat when he only has the wooden stick,the lack of a save anywhere feature also really adds to the overall tension.
Some people criticized the game for its save system but i really think that if it was different we wouldn't be immersed as much as we did.
Click to expand...

Did they really :(? I remember it had a save point at every zone (at the beginning of each puzzle I think?)

I think the combat was heavily criticized on, but I never had a problem with it because Ico swings pretty fast, and if you do it right you could keep the mob knocked down (jump + attack to knock them down, hit them over and over, etc), and it was easy to see if a mob attacks, even if you do get knocked down it's a game of taking Yorda back quickly, it was quite simple and you get the sword pretty quick, and there were barely like a few areas you had to fight through until you get the sword.
 
E

Erasus

Member
Just completed ICO.
Never played it before and I loved it. Only downside is the outdated controls. Loved the graphics, resolution and sound (how the hell did the original fit into a 700MB disc??) The game looks stunning in 1080p, the textures where surprisingly clear and the lightning is super impressive! Is this is first PS2 game to use bloom lightning? The animation still holds up real well.

The atmosphere is amazing and how you really get attached to Yorda.

I will remember this game for a long time.
 
L

Lord Error

Insane For Sony
Erasus said:
Just completed ICO.
Never played it before and I loved it. Only downside is the outdated controls. Loved the graphics, resolution and sound (how the hell did the original fit into a 700MB disc??) The game looks stunning in 1080p, the textures where surprisingly clear and the lightning is super impressive! Is this is first PS2 game to use bloom lightning? The animation still holds up real well.
Click to expand...
It's probably the first game period to use bloom lighting, HDR and tone mapping. All in a more primitive form that they are done in games today, but it was (to me at least) a clear indicator where the game visuals will be heading in the future. The game was also among the first I know of to have such extensive particle and post process effect use as well.
And yeah, it did fit on a 700MB disc. The sound was lower quality and some textures in this remake are higher res, but for the most part the game looked like that.

I think the controls are fine btw, very smooth and responsive, and with effective animations that accompany them, such as characters leaning into the turn, etc. Placement of jump button is odd, but other than that I think the game controls better and has better visual feedback to control than most games made today. Compare it with something like Brutal Legend which I played a bit the other day, and is kind of a norm how many 3rd person games control, I think Ico controls better, and offers far better organic connection between the character and the environment. In most 3rd person games characters feel like they are inorganically bound by some invisible lines that just happen to be close to the walls and the objects in environment. In Ico this was not the case at all. Characters react to even the smallest bumps on the ground, have independent leg levelling, touch the wall with a hand when they're close to it... Very few games even today do this sort of thing well.
 
S

SamuraiX-

Member
Finished ICO for the first time last night. What an incredible experience. So glad I didn't miss out on it in the end.

Can't wait to replay it and try for the 2 hour mark. :)
 
L

Lord Error

Insane For Sony
goonergaz said:
wow, this calls into question DF surely? It sounded almost unplayable in 3D...great news, will look forward to re-playing these in 3D one day! :D
Click to expand...
In 3D, the game seems to hold 30FPS while you're riding around very well for the most part, which was absolutely not the case in PS2 version. So there DF was wrong. They are right however that framerate dips down to PS2 levels during colossus fights, especially as you are on them and colossus is filling up the screen. In those instances you don't move around as fast though, so framerate issues are not as noticeable as they'd be riding around.

JeFfRey said:
ICO creeps me out. Seriously, it's not a scary game but I can't play more than 10 minutes at a time because it freaks me out.
Click to expand...
Yeah, the game has some kind of dreamy reality about it, it's almost has some kind of fairytale nightmare feel about it.
 
J

jett

D-Member
Sinthetic said:
Colossus #5. Wow, that was sublime. I won't ever forget it.
Click to expand...

u0vhK.gif
 
J

jett

D-Member
Ah, lots of slowdown with Colossus numero 12 in 1080p mode. That resolution is definitely best avoided with SOTC.

Anyway, I found a friggin white tail lizard crawling around the hole where Dormin speaks to you, LOL. First time I see this in the several times I've played SotC. Is it a PAL addition?
 
J

Johnas

Member
jett said:
Ah, lots of slowdown with Colossus numero 12 in 1080p mode. That resolution is definitely best avoided with SOTC.

Anyway, I found a friggin white tail lizard crawling around the hole where Dormin speaks to you, LOL. First time I see this in the several times I've played SotC. Is it a PAL addition?
Click to expand...

Do you just mean in the starting temple? If so, he was in the NTSC PS2 version, I found him in my first playthrough. I always made sure to look for him on replays.

I need to play these PS3 versions, Dark Souls is consuming all my time.
 
L

leroidys

Member
Lord Error said:
It's probably the first game period to use bloom lighting, HDR and tone mapping. All in a more primitive form that they are done in games today, but it was (to me at least) a clear indicator where the game visuals will be heading in the future. The game was also among the first I know of to have such extensive particle and post process effect use as well.
And yeah, it did fit on a 700MB disc. The sound was lower quality and some textures in this remake are higher res, but for the most part the game looked like that.

I think the controls are fine btw, very smooth and responsive, and with effective animations that accompany them, such as characters leaning into the turn, etc. Placement of jump button is odd, but other than that I think the game controls better and has better visual feedback to control than most games made today. Compare it with something like Brutal Legend which I played a bit the other day, and is kind of a norm how many 3rd person games control, I think Ico controls better, and offers far better organic connection between the character and the environment. In most 3rd person games characters feel like they are inorganically bound by some invisible lines that just happen to be close to the walls and the objects in environment. In Ico this was not the case at all. Characters react to even the smallest bumps on the ground, have independent leg levelling, touch the wall with a hand when they're close to it... Very few games even today do this sort of thing well.
Click to expand...


I think the jump button is great. It's on the top of the controller, so it makes you jump up, and X is on the bottom so it makes you release and go down.

Great impressions. It makes me happy to see so many people in this thread enjoying these games for the first time.
 
R

Ridley327

Member
jett said:
Ah, lots of slowdown with Colossus numero 12 in 1080p mode. That resolution is definitely best avoided with SOTC.

Anyway, I found a friggin white tail lizard crawling around the hole where Dormin speaks to you, LOL. First time I see this in the several times I've played SotC. Is it a PAL addition?
Click to expand...
Yeah, the game still has issues with both water-based battles; I actually came across quite a bit of slowdown on 7 at 720p.
 
J

jett

D-Member
Johnas said:
Do you just mean in the starting temple? If so, he was in the NTSC PS2 version, I found him in my first playthrough. I always made sure to look for him on replays.

I need to play these PS3 versions, Dark Souls is consuming all my time.
Click to expand...

Oh ok.

One difference that I haven't seen anyone point out is that Agro no longer kills the doves in the temple. It always disturbed me in the NTSC release. :p
 
P

pslayer666

Member
Started playing Ico for the first time ever last night. I gotta say this game is like nothing I've ever played before. Everything about it is so cool. The lack of screen prompts telling you what each button does and what to do. The absence of any real sort of guidance. The game just throws you in that castle and lets you get out on your own. The atmosphere it creates is just fucking amazing. I am loving it to bits.

Why the fuck did I let this slip by me when it first came out? o_O
 
G

goonergaz

Member
just did the...(very minor spoiler)




piston jump


what a PITB that was, not helped by 10mins ot trying, finally getting it right only to accidentally fall off the ladder and die! not looking forward to this part on the speed-run, esp. as there's around 5mins of play from the nearest save point.
 
S

Sinthetic

Member
Something fishy is going on! I have TOTALLY loved the odd numbered Colossi fights.

I've only just done #8...

The absolute best so far are (in chronological order):-

#3
#5
#7

I am so happy that this game came my way, even if 6 years too late. I can pretty much say that it's in my top games of all time and I'm only half way through. I can see myself sticking it on for some relaxing, just listening to the stunning OST. There need to be more games like this, with a very pick up and play structure, 30 minutes spare? I'll have a go at taking down a Colossus!

Games that make you feel that you are actually trying to take down an enormous beast and that you are not some invincible, roided up maniac... I'm all for them. Bring them this way.
 
T

TheJollyCorner

Member
my 5 year old daughter loves watching me play SotC. She calls it the 'Agro Game' :p

She has no sympathy for the colossi, however. No mercy. None of this "ohhh I feel bad they have to die" stuff. She normally worries more about the horse than she does me lol.


... (before last colossus spoiler)
going to be heartbreaking when she see's Agro's sacrifice :(
 
Yoshichan

Yoshichan

And they made him a Lord of Cinder. Not for virtue, but for might. Such is a lord, I suppose. But here I ask. Do we have a sodding chance?
Ouch... you should (end game spoilers)
let her go to bed before Agro falls!
 
D

Deified Data

Banned
funkystudent said:
some of the colossi are not very colossal.


I think I have defeated 12. I hope they saved the best for the end.
Click to expand...
They save the scariest for the end, anyway. The only colossus that I sort of felt deserved to die.
 
Majmun

Majmun

Member
Both games are pretty much timeless to me. The quality still remains, even after all the years.

ICO is such an amazing game. So simple, so well executed. But my favorite is SOTC still. That game is like a digital vacation. I enjoy wandering around the forbidden land and do nothing but sightseeing lol. The environments and vistas are breathtaking, so eerie. And that OST...
 
C

CorrisD

badchoiceboobies
So after all that nonsense with the voucher codes in the box over here and missing out on a few videos, but the themes don't even fill a full pixel screen, lame.
 
J

jett

D-Member
Finished SotC, in 7 hours more or less. Still a FANTASTIC experience six years later, made even better by a steady framerate and excellent image quality. This game looks so good still. Playing SotC again has increased my hype levels for The Last Guardian even higher.
 
R

Ridley327

Member
Protip for anyone going for the Cornucopia trophy in SOTC: keep a mental count in your head at all times when you get to the fruit in the secret garden. There's 48 of the goddamn things and a few of them are very well hidden.
 
S

Snuggles

erotic butter maelstrom
Decided to pick this up tonight. I went to Meijer, but they didn't have it, so I rushed over to Best Buy and damn - it was only $24.99. Anyways, this will be my first time playing Ico and I've played about 1/3 of SotC but the nasty frame rate turned me off.
 
K

KingK

Member
God damn, I just beat the 13th colossi. I'd forgotten just how amazing that battle is. I mean goddamn! Best boss battle ever. Also, since I had never previously played ICO until now, I just realized that
This beach in SotC is the exact same one from the end of ICO. I'm probably late on that, but it blew my mind, lol.

I really liked ICO, it's one of the better games I've played, but SotC is still on an entirely different level to me. I just spent over an hour just exploring the southern edge of the forbidden lands. Not even 1/5 of the total map. Finding fruit, hunting lizards, and just exploring and enjoying the beautiful vistas in this game is so satisfying. For some reason, I'm more compelled to just go inspect some architecture or scenery I see in the distance in this game than I am to do full side missions in a lot of other games.

After all these years, I wasn't sure if SotC would still be my favorite game ever, but it still is.
 
G

Gunsmithx

Member
Picked this up tonight, I'd forgotten how great the castle in ico was plus the looks and runs amazing, will be good times finishing it.
 
C

cajunator

Banned
I just picked this up. I havent played ICO in a decade, and even then it was just like one level or so at a friend's house.
Definitely looking forward to it.
SOTC though I am not very fond of. Never understood the hype behind that particular game.
 
R

rataven

Member
Just took down #10! That was a fun one. Gave me a good scare too -
first time I hit L1 to focus on the Colossus as I'm riding Argo and see IT'S GIANT RED EYES RIGHT FRIGGING BEHIND ME gave me a good jump, ha.
 
D

Dan

No longer boycotting the Wolfenstein franchise
So you don't even get to use your improved stats in SotC's time trials? Blech, fuck that noise. That doesn't seem like it'd be even remotely fun.
 
TwiztidElf

TwiztidElf

Member
Finished SotC for the first time this morning, and it is easily one of the finest video games I've ever played in my life. Easily in my personal all time top ten.
Wow. 10/10.
 
M

MoonsaultSlayer

Member
rataven said:
Just took down #10! That was a fun one. Gave me a good scare too -
first time I hit L1 to focus on the Colossi as I'm riding Argo and see IT'S GIANT RED EYES RIGHT FRIGGING BEHIND ME gave me a good jump, ha.
Click to expand...
Yeah, a very disturbing image and it is done well.
 
S

SamuraiX-

Member
Do they unskippable cutscenes at the end of ICO add to your time if you're trying to beat the game in under 2 hours? Because if they do, then that's a crock of shit.

I used the very last possible save bench at about the 1 hour 32 minute mark. I felt pretty good about my performance in the last sections of the game. I'm just gonna be pissed off if these cutscenes/credits are the reason I won't get it. :-/

Edit: Yup. 02 : 03 : 40.

Fuck. That. I don't think I could play those last stages any better, so it looks like I gotta start again from the beginning.
 
T

TekkenMaster

Banned
KingK said:
God damn, I just beat the 13th colossi. I'd forgotten just how amazing that battle is. I mean goddamn! Best boss battle ever. Also, since I had never previously played ICO until now, I just realized that
[/spoiler
Click to expand...
I wandered down to that
beach
tonight randomly...I don't think there's anything down there, so it's just there for sightseeing purposes. And yeah, when I realized it my mind was blown.
 
C

Curufinwe

Member
I got the Collection last week but I've just been playing Ico over and over to get all the trophies up till now. What should I know going in to SotC to make my experience as good as possible? I'm going to limit the PS3's resolution to 720p to keep the frame rate as good as possible.
 
C

canadian crowe

Member
It's amazing how well Ico holds up. It looks like it could have been made in 2011.

Can't say I'm loving the game play though. I have the same complaints everyone else has (controls and camera) but the atmosphere is good enough to push me through.
 
C

conman

Member
canadian crowe said:
It's amazing how well Ico holds up. It looks like it could have been made in 2011.

Can't say I'm loving the game play though. I have the same complaints everyone else has (controls and camera) but the atmosphere is good enough to push me through.
Click to expand...
Controls and camera get worse in SotC. Luckily the atmosphere is even better to compensate.
 
B

benny_a

extra source of jiggaflops
Just finished Shadow of the Colossus.

Very good game. I'm very glad I picked up the collection.
They are both deservedly well regarded.

Too bad it was last gen as you can see that they wanted to do so much more.

Bring on The Last Guardian. I think we can be fortunate that such games are being created with the budget that they are.
 
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