ICO

"Great experience, no depth"

After reading endless scores of positive reviews for ICO, I was highly intrigued by it. So, I decided to go to my local EB and purchase a copy, however, I was unable to find one because apparently it sold very poorly. I left them my phone number, in case someone traded in a copy, and forgot about it for two months. Eventually, they called me, and long story short I got my hands on the game (Although the Blockbuster video design on the front of the disc leads me to believe it was stolen). I popped it in my PS2, eager to begin this supposedly amazing adventure. While ICO is by all means a good game, it is nowhere near as good as it's made out to be.

Story: 6
The story in ICO is simple, and is told through a short cutscene at the beginning: You're ICO, a boy who's just turned twelve. Because you have horns, you're to be sacrificed in a creepy castle. However, you escape and find another prisoner in the castle, Yorda, and the two of you try to make it out of the castle. Yeah, that's it. The story lacks all semblance of depth. While an argument could be made that the game's simple premise is enough to keep you playing, you'll often be infuriated when you finish accomplishing a difficult task only to be shepherd to another area to complete another difficult task, with no reason for continuing other than "You must escape". Also, the character development is poorly done, so you won't feel any attachment to the characters, and consequently won't feel compelled to continue playing. There are occasional cutscences throughout the game that add somewhat to the story, but really, they don't add very much, as they are mostly in a weird hieroglyphic language you never get the chance to understand.

Graphics: 10
The graphics in ICO are unbelievable, possibly the best of any PS2 title (Including FFX). Everything is superb, from the lighting to the atmosphere created. The characters are sort of cel-shaded in a way that's hard to describe, but very effective. The most impressive visual aspect about the game is the castle design, which feels complete and not just a bunch of rooms strung together to guide you across a linear path. You'll marvel at how everything flows together to create a seamless, realistic world. Amazing.

Sound: 8
The sound is good. You won't find outstanding operatic scores or even that much music, in fact, but when sound is used it is effective in conveying the desired effect. While there is voice acting in the game, none of it is in a real language, so it's difficult to rate it's efficiency.

Controls: 9
The controls are good. You'll quite easily grasp how to control ICO early in the game, and will almost never be at a loss to do something because of awkward control scheme. There are some gripes though. First, it's quite difficult to get ICO to climb chains, because it's hard to determine where to jump to actually get on the chain. A similar problem arises when cutting ropes with your sword. Also, it's sometimes difficult to get Yorda to do what you want her to do, like stand in a particular spot, or climb a ladder, because she'll randomly walk around and stop doing something on her own accord. These are minor however, and otherwise the controls are great.

Gameplay: 9
The gameplay in ICO is deceptively easy at first, but increases in difficulty as you progress. ICO is at its heart a puzzle game. As ICO, it's your job to get yourself and Yorda through the castle to the exit, which is difficult, as Yorda is not nearly as athletic as ICO. Hence the majority of the puzzles consist of you getting Yorda across from one point to another through an alternate pathway than yours, so that she can open these weird doors that ICO cannot. These puzzles are fun and complicated, but never frustrating. Some are as easy as pushing a block so you can climb on a ledge, while others are difficult and will require you to think before progressing. One thing though: If you play this game, I don't recommend you use an FAQ, because the puzzles are never overly difficult that you must, and if you do so, you rob yourself of the satisfaction that comes with solving a puzzle. There is a light combat element to the game, where ICO must battle shadow demons with his stick, sword, or mace, to prevent them from capturing Yorda, however, these are ridiculously easy and are but a mere distraction. I would have liked to see some boss fights in ICO to increase the excitement of combat, but I can understand why that's not necessary in ICO. Overall, if you like Ocarina of Time style puzzle solving, you'll like the gameplay of ICO.

Value: 6
Such a disappointment. The worst thing about ICO is how short it is. I beat this game after six hours my first time, without an FAQ, and the second time it took me just under four hours. Also, there is almost no replay value, as there is nothing to discover, and nothing extra for your efforts. I would have given it a 4, but it only costs $15 CDN, so I guess I got a decent bang for my buck.

Overall:
ICO is a great experience. The visuals will captivate you, and the gameplay is fun an innovative. However, the story is superficial, and the game is ridiculously short, which is a disappointment. Odds are you'll either love ICO for the experience it grants or hate it for it's lack of depth. So whether or not this is a good game is subject to your own personal preference.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 08/02/04