If video games aren't art, then ICO & Shadow of the Colossus Collection is not a video game. It's a staggering compilation of two of the most creative, intimate and emotional pieces of interactive entertainment ever conceived.
Both start off with a light story and focus on brilliant gameplay, but their respective closes end with more emotion and character than you'd find most anywhere else. If you've yet to experience either, you owe it to yourself to rectify this at the earliest convenience.
The masterpieces contained within the Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection get a glorious HD makeover in an experience that is as rewarding, deep, and fresh as it was all those years ago on PlayStation 2.
Team ICO's first two games were able to join the terms art and videogame in one single product. Ueda's studio delivered two astonishing titles thanks to their visuals, shocking the user through the design of the environments or the gigantic colossus. Both of them were able to produce different sensations in the player: love, loneliness, fear... they weren't just fun, but magnificent storytelling experiences. Two masterpieces that are now available in HD and 3D.
ICO and Shadow of the Colossus belong to the best PlayStation games ever made and it's wonderful that both are back with an HD upgrade for the PlayStation 3. Despite the lack of any extra content, this collection is a must buy for those who haven't had the chance yet to play the original games.
It's difficult avoid feeling nostalgia after playing Ico and Shadow of the Colossus again after all these years, and while the core of each experience withstands the test of time, the control issues that were easy to overlook the first time around simply can't be ignored today.
This game is worth getting a PS3 for I cannot recommend enough, ICO is one of the sweetest and best small stories I have seen, The theme song is so amazing that I have it on my my phone and I have listened to it in the last 7 years. Shadow of the Colossus Is one of the most sombre in emotion filled adventure you can have, everytime you fight a Colossus it is a Arsenal you will never forget puzzle. two of the greatest PS2 games in one package just go out and buy it
Un juego que busca innovar y que con una buena base e ideas implementa algo novedoso. Pero la cosa no salió muy bien, la verdad se vuelve algo repetitivo, aburrido y no engancha mucho...igualmente hubiera sido un gran juego de enganchar mas y no ser tan lento...solo lo recomiendo a los que le gustaron el juego, para los amantes de tipo puzzles, pero para los demás no, no me gusto el juego y eso que al principio me agrado la idea, pero se quedó en un quiero y no puedo...
ICO was decidedly average for me, worth trying perhaps but nothing more.
SOTC was certainly the better game, but is quite a poor quality HD port.
Other than nostalgic purposes there's nothing stand out here, 2 good decent games different to what you can buy today, but both dated both dated in terms of controls, gameplay and graphics (even after the HD "upscale")
Ico is a positively archaic experience that has aged poorly. Abhorrent controls, hopeless AI, appalling camera, redundant story, uninspired enemies and graphics so bad they are like a drill bit to the eyeball. 0/10
Shadow of the Colossus is lonely and depressing puzzle adventure game which is infinitely better than Ico. A metaphor for mankind being selfish and destroying what they do not understand for their own purposes 8/10
I'm bored of the games they publish nowadays. Skyrim, Batman, Gears, even Dark Souls slightly, have all been more or less disappointments for me. Year after year these so called AAA+ games repeat the same game mechanics and contain only minimalistic improvements with a bit more details than the last incarnation. We get the same games with a slightly more polished production value. So you can guess how eager I was to try out the re-released ICO & Shadow of the Colossus bundle. Not only because the great reviews they received back in the days, but the reviews combined with the promisingly different gaming experience. So, now I'm thinking it was either the hype that got to me or people are overly nostalgic. Because, boy was I disappointed (again) when I put the disc in... If I had to describe these two games with one word, it would be "boring". Another would be "artistic". I felt no suspense, excitement, challenge or plain old fun when playing either of these. Just... bored. SOTC seemed vastly hollow content-wise and ICO too easy and straight-forward. However, I think I understand why these games are held in so high esteem. They do have an enigmatic story going on, a distinct goal, and take place in a simplistic yet unique world. Now, if you're one of those persons who can forget the lack of degree in the gameplay and just let yourself immerse into the game world, this game's for you. Didn't work for me though, I put the box back into the shelf after playing for only two hours, and this kind of rejection hasn't happened to me for a very long time! Some might think that I've just lost my interest in games, but I'd have to disagree, even thought my taste has grown much more select. I highly suggest you try this out somewhere before buying it.