[PS2] ICO appreciation thread 2.0

I am one of the people who have owned the game for a long time but never played it... until recently. I started 4 days ago and am currently 4.5 hours into the game.

I am repeatedly amazed at how much effort was put into the subtle things in this game. This really hit me when I first discovered the windmill. The low groan of the blades turning, the refracting and reflecting pool of water, all the textures and sounds made just for this one object that you end up spending 2 minutes with (once you figure out how to proceed).

Recently, I was crossing a wooden bridge near a waterfall and I saw a rainbow in the waterfall's mist.

I love how there are seemingly extraneous ladders, doors, pots, etc that end up having nothing to do with your progress. It really helps with the immersion and keeps the puzzle from being too obvious.

Reading the manual first helped quite a bit, since it discusses how to "help" Yorda get around and other hints, such as lighting your stick on fire.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Well, I finished the game just now. My final save on the couch next to the gate says 6:01 is the time I have spent. It took me about another hour to actually complete it from that point. I spent a lot of that final hour trying some chain swing jump in the wrong direction.

Awesome game. I actually found it just the right length. The "puzzles" were relatively simple and never had me wishing for a FAQ. The game is very linear, but that was refreshing for this type of game, since I didn't have to wander around through areas I had already been looking for some obscure item or lever.

I really enjoyed the total lack of music during the gameplay. The last game I played was God of War and holy crap did the music get loud and annoying at times.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

The only sad thing about this game is that I cannot imagine playing it ever again.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.