ICO set to arrive this summer

Sony Computer Entertainment has announced that its adventure game ICO will be released for the North American PlayStation 2 this summer. As the game's unique story goes, every generation, a horned boy--who is thought by the locals to be the spawn of the devil--is born. And every generation, he is sacrificed to help cleanse the community of evil spirits. The latest young boy to suffer this fate is ICO, who is kidnapped at the game's onset and taken to a mysterious castle to be sacrificed. In the game, ICO must guide a young princess, who he finds trapped inside the castle, past monsters and puzzles in an attempt to escape. The game will conclude with a final confrontation between ICO and an evil queen.

"ICO utilizes the technology and power of the PlayStation 2 to deliver a riveting storyline featuring breathtakingly brilliant landscapes, beautifully rendered characters, and spectacular lighting effects,'' said Ami Blaire, director of product marketing for Sony Computer Entertainment America. "Gamers will truly enjoy this unique interactive experience filled with logical puzzles and adventure, which features graphics so realistic, gamers will find it difficult to differentiate reality from fantasy.''

GameSpot will have more on ICO leading up to its release.