ICO and Shadow of the Colossus (SotC) Collection Catch-All

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So, the release is tomorrow. Elysium picked it in the Week Ahead. I have it coming on Amazon pre-order. I assume there are others like me who missed these the first time around and are very much looking forward to them as new games this week. While there are probably other fans who are looking forward to an HD upgrade and replay.

Either way, the 5-6 year old topics I could find are probably not worth ressurecting for questions and comments on this new version. So let's stick it here.

And I'll start off with one question I saw in the ask a question thread that I didn't know the answer to. Are these games connected in story at all? Should you play Ico before SotC?

No connection in story at all. Play them in whatever order you like.

ICO is one of my all-time favorite games. I've rarely, if ever, felt such an emotional connection to a game. Something about keeping the girl (Orda?) safe really resonated with me. That and the beautiful, grand architecture and that feeling of loneliness it creates. Can't wait to play it again.

I never finished SotC because I found it too hard. But, having read about it, and watched the ending on YouTube I'm going to give it another try.

I own both of these on PS2, but have only finished SotC so far. Definitely think I want to pick these up, because I really want to support these types of games. Of course, I am somewhat amused that the reason I picked up my PS3 was for Last Guardian, and before that even has an estimated release date, I'll be able to get both ICO and SotC for it.

It's pretty rare that I buy something without really reading anything about it. I honestly know no details of what I'm getting into this week. I just hear the games mentioned for years as some of the best on PS2, but I never had one of those. So I'm just doing my duty to stamp my Gamer Card or whatever.

Anyone have PS2 copies of these games that they're looking to unload in favor of the new collection?

I never played ICO but SotC is easily one of my all time favorite games. I intend on buying this at some point just so that I have ICO and an updated copy of SotC.

Note to self (and perhaps others): Blow the dust off the PS3 tonight and update the system so you don't have to wait 90 minutes to play tomorrow.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

Anyone have PS2 copies of these games that they're looking to unload in favor of the new collection?

Wish I knew. I just traded them both to Gamestop when I picked up Gears 3.

I discovered SotC after my brother bought it for our PS2. I really enjoyed the overall game; the settings were really well executed. The sentiment of loneliness and the grandiosity of the abandoned temples all clicked perfectly. The lack of a guided story and leaving all to the player's interpretation transmitted a feeling of a great, untold story. The fact that we played this years after its release furthered this sentiment.

I've heard even more praises for ICO, and look forward to playing this for the first time in HD.

ahrezmendi wrote:

No connection in story at all. Play them in whatever order you like.

They are actually connected, but not to such a degree that the order you play them in matters significantly. That said, I actually do recommend playing Ico first and then Shadow of the Colossus. I felt that the ending of Shadow of the Colossus hits home much harder if you've played Ico. It may not have quite the same punch without having already been informed.

These two games are two of my top three games off all-time and I can't wait to play through them again in HD. Ico may have the most powerful ending of any game I've played; I was speechless as the credits rolled. Both games do a fantastic job of making you feel attachment to the space you are in. Generally you are the only character and sometimes have a companion (Yorda in Ico, your horse Agro in Shadow) but the exploration, how you see and interact with the world and the events that take place really gave me an emotional attachment to those places. It was pretty incredible and I don't think any other games have really achieved that.

I just saw that Best Buy has a promotion on this. Buy any two collections; Ico/SotC, Uncharted 1/2, GoW 1/2, Resistance 1/2; and get $20 off.

I have the GoW 1/2 collection and have Uncharted 1 and 2, so are the Resistance games good? The preview for 3 looks good.

Hm that is interesting. I too am only missing Resistance out of those. Oh well, pre-order already coming from Amazon.

Tagging this. If I get enough money from a trade in tomorrow maybe I'll pick up this and X-Men, but honestly, I have no clue if I can purchase either.

There is some argument as to whether they're connected or not. There's not a whole lot to go on, and considering the team I wouldn't be surprised if they threw in allusions just for the heck of it.

They're both excellent games but ICO is harder to get into, more frustrating, and didn't make the jump to HD as well. From what I hear, HD Colossus is worth the price of admission alone.

For someone coming to it fresh, I'd recommend trying ICO first. If you feel meh about it, move on to Colossus.

Dammit.

I sold my PS2 and ICO back in my "dammit, eating is more important than gaming" days.

Now this release is the most compelling argument for picking up a PS3 since the PS3 came out.

I will be picking this up eventually.

LiquidMantis wrote:

I just saw that Best Buy has a promotion on this. Buy any two collections; Ico/SotC, Uncharted 1/2, GoW 1/2, Resistance 1/2; and get $20 off.

I have the GoW 1/2 collection and have Uncharted 1 and 2, so are the Resistance games good? The preview for 3 looks good.

Resistance 1 is excellent, Resistance 2 less so, but by no means a bad game. Insomniac returned to form with Resistance 3. I think it is my favorite of the series.

I ordered the Ico/SotC collection along with the Splinter Cell PS3 collection (first 3 SC games). Love me some Splinter Cell.

Pre-ordered these through newegg. Never played either before. Not sure I'll find the time for them, though.

Once I get a PS3 - not anytime soon, mind you - I will definitely get this. I still own both ICO and SotC on the PS2, but there's plenty to see new in this collection. While I haven't really researched this, it would appear that

Spoiler:

Yorda's dialogue (ICO) does change into legible script like in the original Japanese iteration on the second playthrough, a feature that was removed from the initial US release.

I wonder what other sort of little things might be put into these games that would be new to all.

Order shipped! It's about time.

cyrax wrote:

Order shipped! It's about time.

Oooh me too!

Going to head over to Gamestop to pick up my pre-order tomorrow. I've played through Shadow of the Colossus about 10 times because it's one of my favorite games of all time (which is something everyone who has played it seems to say) but never got a chance to finish Ico. Crazy excited to finally own Ico. Guess I should've traded in my PS2 Shadow of the Colossus when I pre-ordered... Oh well.

Missed out on ICO first time around, and after reading/hearing so much praise for SotC, actually seeing it featured in a movie (Reign Over Me), and finally watching the intro on youTube, I was sold. The music alone was merit enough for a purchase.

This here is what I wrote on SotC on another forum when some guy said he played it for 5mins then shut it off because he found it boring, and asked why is it held in such high regards:

Anyways...Haven't played ICO yet, dying to and will soon. SotC is a fantastic game, but I admit it isn't for everybody. Don't take this the wrong way, cuz i don't know you or know how old you are or what your life has been like in that time, but i can tell you that SotC is a game for those who have had some mileage in their lives. It's a story so simple, so minimalistic, so straight to the point, that it is one's personal experiences that fill in the gaps and connects the dots.

There's a lot of emotion going on in the game, but only if you can channel what you've experienced. It's like an artistic painting, in the sense that different people will get different things out of it. And it's all about context. One needs to understand the how's and why's of its creation, just as much as how's and why's of one's personal life.

I for one, have felt that solitude, and have experienced love and loss. I have been in a situation were I will do ANYTHING to make things right, or to correct a terrible wrong. Especially if it's for that loved someone. The game helps convey what I've lived through. Whereas if I hadn't experienced love, loss, solitude, desperation, helplessness, etc, etc, etc...I might've not been as engaged to the game.

Again, I'm not bashing you here, this is how I see this game. Maybe you have experienced similar emotions and you have dark chapters in your life, and you just simply didn't get that from the game. That's fine as well.

This is how I like to play games though. Huge immersion and the ability to strongly relate to what's going on. Then it becomes more than just entertainment.

I'll end the rant right here.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

Anyone have PS2 copies of these games that they're looking to unload in favor of the new collection?

I have the old PS2 versions on my shelf and the new collection on the way. Maybe we could do some kind of trade? PM me if you're interested.

kexx wrote:

Don't take this the wrong way, cuz i don't know you or know how old you are or what your life has been like in that time, but i can tell you that SotC is a game for those who have had some mileage in their lives.

Arghlblarghl, that would've driven me insane if directed at me when I was younger.

I suspect the sort of person who rejects Shadow of the Colossus after 5 minutes is going to continue to do so later in life. From what little I've played of it, I would've loved this even when I was younger. Perhaps I wouldn't have understood the themes as clearly, but I still appreciated a subversive story as much as the next spotty 14 year old.

Plus the gameplay stands on it's own, if you have the patience for it. I suspect the people who don't are the ones more likely to reject this as boring. Story can be ignored but gameplay cannot.

brokenclavicle wrote:

Once I get a PS3 - not anytime soon, mind you - I will definitely get this. I still own both ICO and SotC on the PS2, but there's plenty to see new in this collection. While I haven't really researched this, it would appear that

Spoiler:

Yorda's dialogue (ICO) does change into legible script like in the original Japanese iteration on the second playthrough, a feature that was removed from the initial US release.

I wonder what other sort of little things might be put into these games that would be new to all.

Say what now?!!

*BUYBUYBUY*

Ordering it now.. This weekend will be a good one

My understanding is that the HD ICO is based on the PAL release, which is enormously happy news, since it had lots of features that didn't make it into the North America NTSC release. If it's true, that means:

Spoiler:

New Game+ which includes:
* local co-op (second player controls Yorda)
* new secret weapon (the lightsaber) which replaces the mace. It also gets longer when you're holding Yorda's hand (ahem).
* the secret watermelon ending
* legible subtitles for Yorda, as brokenclavicle mentioned

There's also at least one puzzle which is different.

There was a time when I was seriously thinking about buying a PAL PS2 and importing the game just to get all that stuff, so this makes me very very happy.

philucifer wrote:
ClockworkHouse wrote:

Anyone have PS2 copies of these games that they're looking to unload in favor of the new collection?

I have the old PS2 versions on my shelf and the new collection on the way. Maybe we could do some kind of trade? PM me if you're interested.

I've already worked something out. Thanks for the offer!

It's here!

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