In a market where big budget,mediocre titles are being shoved down the throats of the masses, ICO comes along and brings new hope. While it's core gameplay and graphics may not be the most impressive in the world, it combines all of it's elements into an overall experience that most games could only hope to achieve. The sound is ambient and fits the mood of the game perfectly. The graphics and animation are so well-conceived, they prove that more can be done with less, if given the passion and care it deserves. If you're too macho to have a sensitive side, stay away from ICO. It has a way of making you care about what's happening around you. When Yorda is captured and flown away, your heart skips a beat, and you'll rush to get her back. By the end of the game there is a strong emotional attachment that is very hard to pull off in a game. ICO is very important to videogames, because in today's market, this game is considered a financial risk that most developers would stay away from due to lack of mass appeal. ICO shows how creative games can be if the developers are allowed to take risks. So buy ICO, maybe we'll see a variety of great games on the horizon, and ten years from now when you're shopping for old games and stumble across ICO, you'll probably buy it again.
Forbidding battlements rise above a stark ravine. The stillness of the surrounding forest is broken by the sound of approaching hooves. A group of horsemen appears, masked and silent, carrying with them a struggling youn... Read Full Review
GRAPHICS For visuals of this vintage from a game released in 2001 they really standup and don't seem all that old. The art direction is absolutely fantastic and that definitely helps the game's look stand up to the tes... Read Full Review
