One of the best games I've ever played (Ico (PS2))

Member Name: pineapplejelly

Product:	Ico (PS2)
Date:	08/06/09 (17 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: clever, beautiful, addictive, fascinating, pleasing display, great graphics

Disadvantages: can't think of any!

The idea behind Ico is a simple one, but from it has sprung a truly fantastic and original game. You play a young boy (Ico) who has been locked up in a tomb/crypt thing in a castle by his village as a sacrifice because he was born with horns. But a freak earthquake breaks the stone prison and he can get out and into the castle. Your first task is to find Yorda, a mysterious girl who has also been imprisoned in the castle, and then the two of you need to escape together.

This is basically a puzzle game. You need to use the resources at your disposal to get out of the castle. You're a lot more agile than Yorda so sometimes you need to go around and find a way to help her down or around things. But if you leave her unattended too long then the "shadow people" come to drag her away and you need to get back quickly and fend them off before she is lost forever!

There are special commands to call Yorda to you or help her up and some parts you can only get through with her help - which adds a nice little sentiment to the story (she's not just a drag). The fact that you've got to defend her against the shadow people means you end up really caring about her welfare (instead of being annoyed you have to help her everywhere) and going "oh no!" when she is in danger.

It's a truly beautiful game - designed in an artistic rather than a realistic style (Google "Ico screenshots" to get an idea). The screen is very simple because there are no hit points and statistics clogging it up and looking ugly. You don't have the usual worries of running out of health - in fact, there are only two ways to die: falling off something that's too high or losing Yorda to the shadow people. In both instances you restart from the nearest save point.

This is one of the best games I've ever played and I will be sad when I've finished it.

Summary: A simple idea but really, really enjoyable. Buy it now!