Ico: Under-Rated or Over-Rated?

[Abobo]

With the hilarity that is Gamespy's 25 most Under-rated: http://www.gamespy.com/articles/sept.../25underrated/, and 25 most Over-Rated: http://www.gamespy.com/articles/sept...3/25overrated/ games. I was wondering about a game that has sparked many a debate. What do you guys think about Ico? I personally love the game to death. No other game has ever made me care so much for a videogame character. I have played the game so many times, and each time is a blast. I hope so much for a sequel, one which is longer and has many different endings. What do you all think?

[dyomides]

Love the game, one of my all time favorites. Under appreciated... I'd have to say yes.

D

[FuryFox]

I think it's a bit over-rated, at least gauging from the flowery reviews overflowing with praise when it first came out, and the overall consensus here.

It was certainly unique, and I had fun playing for a while, but eventually grew bored and never finished it (and it's not even that long). With all that atmosphere and animation, I wish they would have added more to the game content-wise, to make it feel more like a complete package.

-And for the record, I found the implicit useless of the girl more annoying than endearing.

[Mzo]

Uselessness?

I enjoyed the game thoroughly. It felt like an Out of This World in 3D to me, and I loved it.

It's all about using your monkey skills to climb around and figure out how best to navigate your environment. You're constantly jumping, climbing, grabbing, pulling, waving at that bitch, etc.

With all that atmosphere and animation, I wish they would have added more to the game content-wise, to make it feel more like a complete package.

?
I don't understand what you mean... could you give examples?

[FuryFox]

Uselessness?

Yeah, she was useless. I didn't finish the game, so I'm sure she plays some role in the story, but as far as gameplay was concerned, her only use was as a dead weight.

?
I don't understand what you mean... could you give examples?

Like how's there only one type of enemy, or such limited environments (I know it's just inside a castle, but make that castle something interesting with varied settings, like SotN), or so few combat options.

I'm not saying it needed a lot more, but after 3-4 hours I felt like I'd already seen all that there was to see, and the story did grab me enough to finish it anyways.

[Mzo]

Yeah, she was dead weight. I wasn't questioning that; it's just that you typed "useless" in your sentence when it should've been "uselessness." I do think she adds to the game, though, since Ico by himself doesn't have much of a hard time getting through the castle.

I see what you're saying now. I guess the game is kind of small-scoped and lacking when compared to a similar game that has far more variety in the enemies and the environments (Abe's Oddysee and Exxodus).

Maybe the sequel will have ninjas running around the castle and THEY'RE ON FIRE!!!!

[epmode]

well, she opens those statue-door things, so she's not completely useless..

FuryFox, it looks like you were expecting ico to be a completely different game. it's much more about adventure and atmosphere (and awesome architecture.) turning it into an action game with bosses and disconnected areas wouldn't be a good move.

[Abobo]

I actually loved the "small" scope of the game. It actually gave it some charm. The point of having Yorda in the game was that to give the player a connection to every action in the game.

While trying to get from point A to point B, you always had to keep an eye out for those dark things not to pop up and take Yorda away. It actually added some tense moments to the game. Also, her life basically was in your hands. Sure she was useless as a character, but your job was to save her, not use her as a tool.

God I hope they don't add ninjas and crap like that to the sequel, all I want is a bigger castle, same amount of enemies and more story. I loved the fact that You actually had no idea what yorda was saying, the connection built between the characters was on another level. Mzo hit the nail on the head about the game being about using your skills and brain. Basically the situation you were put in could happen in real life...well minus the evil dark things of course.

[dyomides]

The purpose of the game was accomplished. Trapped inside a castle your ultimate goal is to get out, but shortly after starting on your quest you encounter another unfortunate soul, one who is not as skilled or acrobatic as you are thus your ultimate goal changes due to your compassion.

Navigating the entire castle yourself would have been far much easier, the true beauty in this game was the use of architecture and how you had to figure out how to help Yorda get out since she wasn't always able to follow you.

I don't know what you were expecting this game to be but I felt it was perfect the way it was. Do I wish it was longer? Damn right but that's cause I loved what was there so much, did I feel it was too short? No, every inch of that castle that I navigated my way through was fufilling in every possible way. Oh and some of the sights are still some of the most beautiful I have ever seen in a videogame.

The game felt like reminiscent of certain other games but in it's entirety it was a fresh new experience. It's a puzzle game at it's heart. Never have I seen architectural puzzles put together so well and seamlessly. From the moment I started to the final ending scene I felt I was taking part in an incredible adventure. It might have gotten a lot of praise from various magazines or internet sites (well deserved in my eyes) but when you talk to most gamers out there the question on their lips is not wether it's over or under rated, it's wtf is ICO?

D

[FuryFox]

No, I think I understood the game, and I really enjoyed it...for a while. I don't want ninjas or bouncy boobs or anything in a hypothetical sequel, I'd just like some more stuff to do, and some other places to do it...not another brick wall with texture no. 4 on it. The plainness of everything was offset by the graphical filters and slick animation (and frequently, the architecture), but, after the novelty wore off, I guess I got bored.

Mzo mentioned how it's like a 3D Out of This World, which is a good comparison, but note how much more there was to OotW, given it's age.

Still, Ico's not bad by any means, not just as good as every says, IMO.