[PS2] ICO appreciation thread 2.0

Arise, my horned warriors, your time has come again!

They may strike us down, but we will not be slain! Hell, we don't even have lifebars! Just as long as no one knocks us off edges too high, we should be fine.

And with that, revival

Anyone who's anyone knows what ICO is about, even though the game is still more of a small-scale cult title, despite near unanimous praise from gaming media. With the recent re-print of ICO in Europe, even more players are both introduced to the title or actually getting their hands on a copy.

But yeah, this one is for the fans. You know the drill, everything ICO goes here.

What you loved about it, what you disliked about it. Discuss the atmosphere, the story, the gameplay, the structure, the legacy, the theories and interpretations. Made you smile, made you cry, made you love games again, made you care, made you dream? How does it relate to Shadow of the Colossus? Is it just thematic and stylistic similarities, or is there some actual connection between the two?

Discuss, argue, theorise, share fanart you've found. Everything ICO goes here.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Dude, I bought the re-released version because of you.

Not played it yet but once I do I'll be in back in here in a shot!

There's nowhere I can't reach.

My brother bought this game back when it came out a few years ago and he loved it..but I think i was alittle too young to appreciate it. I just beat it a few weeks ago however(after playing the pure greatness that isShadow of the Colossus) and found it to be an amazing game. Loved the atmosphere, story, and gameplay..and it was just the right length IMO...Great stuff

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

Sign me up. I love ICO. When I have some spare cash I'll definitely try to pick up the rerelease of ICO, as it's at a nice price currently. Speaking of ICO, I have a few websites relating to ICO art which I thought would be nice to share, as you probably won't find them simply via google.

http://aoi.fool.jp/image/wander01.html
http://aoi.fool.jp/image/wander02.html
http://aoi.fool.jp/image/wander03.html
http://aoi.fool.jp/image/wander04.html
http://aoi.fool.jp/image/wander05.html
http://aoi.fool.jp/image/wander06.html
http://aoi.fool.jp/image/wander07.html
http://aoi.fool.jp/image/wander08.html
http://aoi.fool.jp/image/wandere01.html
http://aoi.fool.jp/image/wandere02.html
http://kobato.spur.ne.jp/gallery_f.htm
http://kobato.spur.ne.jp/pb/
http://umitokage.hippy.jp/wander/oasis.htm
http://www3.to/psychedelica
http://kky.kemono.cc/index2.html
http://www.geocities.jp/kanamegumu/main/illust.html
http://inu.pya.jp/kyo/kyo_e.htm
http://www005.upp.so-net.ne.jp/kei/e.html
http://tatsu.sakura.ne.jp/fp/home/index.html
http://mattori0405.fc2web.com/framepage2.htm




I don't spend my days hunting this stuff down(like Q ='D) but there's some really nice stuff in here, guys. I suggest you check it out if you're interested, and if you look hard enough there's even some Shadow of the Colossus fanart shoved in there as well.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

I bought this game last summer for 10$ and I haven't got past the first 20 minutes. To much shit going on in my life, I really have to get to it soon before I completly forget that I have the game!!!

How ya doing, buddy?

It's nice to see ICO back up. What's funny is that it's almost exactly a year since I beat ICO in late February, 2005. I will try to devote more time the next round I play to figure the puzzles out instead of reading the walkthrough. Perhaps this will test my memory?

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I first discovered ICO on a demo disc I bought back when I first got my PS2 back in 2002. Ever since then I had been interested in the game, but was holding out for a cheap, new copy. I found this copy in 2004, at one of my local Sam Goodys, for the low price of $14. And though I got it in 2004, it was not until last year, in 2005, that I finally played and finished the game. It was a wonderful experience, full of beautiful music, graphics and gameplay. I would definitely call it one of the best games in the PS2 library, a game that will go down in history.

And that is my story of ICO.

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Ahh, good ol' ICO. Here's some fan-made comic strips, stuff from my old pictures folder




What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Finally got hold of a copy. Bought a PS2 just for this and Shadow of the Colossus, and I'd have to say that it was definitely worth it. From the part where it started raining to the end credits was utterly beautiful in the way it was presented and conveyed. Probably the best ending to a game I've ever seen.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

http://www005.upp.so-net.ne.jp/kei/e.html

Wow, i dont know if this is fan art, but some of this stuff is really good.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I wonder if there are any shops here that still sell the game. Or have ever sold it, for that matter.

If I happen to find one, I'll be sure to pick it up.

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Well, it was rereleased as a regular plastic case version in Europe now that Shadow of the Colossus arrived, so finding a copy should be a lot easier now.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

I had a tough time finding the game in the last couple of years. EB never had anything other than the latest stuff and used games and more used games.

Until one day this past December, when I walked in EB just for the hell of it, and saw a pre-owned copy of ICO. I rarely buy pre-owned games -- as I like my purchases new.

But I could not pass this up. So I bought that copy of ICO, and ran home with it happy. I happily played it and beat it.

And I'm still happy.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Man I wish they would have rereleased it in the US with the extra content that was only avaliable for the European release. I know it is very little, but I want to see the watermelon scene.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by Timberwolf

I had a tough time finding the game in the last couple of years. EB never had anything other than the latest stuff and used games and more used games.

Until one day this past December, when I walked in EB just for the hell of it, and saw a pre-owned copy of ICO. I rarely buy pre-owned games -- as I like my purchases new.

But I could not pass this up. So I bought that copy of ICO, and ran home with it happy. I happily played it and beat it.

And I'm still happy.

Yea, I know what you mean. I ended up purchasing mine from Play-Asia (paid like $50 something with shipping) last year. Though, just a few weeks I happend to stumbled upon a copy at Costco for half the amount ($25) I paid to import it. I was surprised as I didn't even know Costco sold video games, much less a rather rare gem like ICO.

Originally Posted by VagrantDragon

Man I wish they would have rereleased it in the US with the extra content that was only avaliable for the European release. I know it is very little, but I want to see the watermelon scene.

Lets forget, they have to change the original packaging, as the original was crap!

Oh well, I doubt it'll ever happen. Seeing as how it never really sold well.

FELIPE NO

Great finds Elixir! <3

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I recently completed this game before I go ahead and try Shadow of the Colossus. It was a really enjoyable game, and especially liked how literally no help or hints are really given. It makes it all the more satisfying when you figure out what to do.

How ya doing, buddy?

I recently loaned Shadow of the Colossus out to my brother. He wanted to play it soon after he visited and saw me beat it T___T That was a few months ago. I rented ICO off Gamefly recently and currently am 3 hours into it. As soon as I saw the opening cinematic, I was almost driven to tears because I didn't have Shadow of the Colossus with me =( This makes me want to play it again like you can't even imagine.

I think the game would be more fun if the main character's controls were something like the Prince of Persia games. What I mean are his movements and such. For example, his climbing ropes have pre-clunked out notches he slides to, per se. Jumping off ladders has a weird delay and you can't launch yourself into any angle you want -- just away. But hell, it's a 2001 game. And it still looks damn pretty. I've heard lots of awesome music from this game over the net across the years, but I have yet to hear many of them. Must come during cinematics and such...

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I'm on it to =) I already made a website about SotC and ICO. Some of you have seen it =). ICO section is 0% sompletec cause all my time I spend on SotC Section =( In Polish version it's 97% complete.

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

Originally Posted by immp

Great finds Elixir! <3

Thanks, why don't you post your ICO art? I've seen it, and it's really good.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

HERE We can find ICO Beach video showing beach from ICO ending. Now you can see how different it is from Shadow of the Colossus beach.

I was speaking idiomatically.

I snagged a copy off Ebay sometime ago. I really liked the visuals and puzzles. Enemies aren't coming at you constantly like most other games.
It was a refreshing change of pace. The final battle was neat too.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Now it's time for you to get Shadow of the Colossus =)

Funy ICO Flash movie =) Check THIS out!

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Hah, I was actually expecting it to be really unfunny, but the use of Wallace & Gromit music and the way Yorda pushed Ico off of her were terrific.
Still no match for Metal Gear Awesome~

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Haha, that was cute. Loved the "shadow" monsters

Jam it back in, in the dark.