ICO 2 --> Nico

[McFly]

http://www.gaming-age.com/cgi-bin/news/news.pl?y=2003&m=4&nid=29-84.db

In spite of little hype (save for a cover from the Official US PlayStation Magazine), Sony’s Ico has become an irrefutable icon for innovation and creativity in an industry where licenses and established franchises have become king. It’s no surprise, then, that gamers and the industry at large have been curious to see what the team behind Ico was up to next.

A little adventure entitled Nico, apparently. The close relation in name to Ico likely isn’t by coincidence, though we don’t expect to know why until the title’s official unveiling, more than likely to happen at E3. Screen grabs of a trailer showcasing the upcoming release have leaked onto the ‘net from the meristation spanish forums, courtesy of poster “Blue Eyes.â€

Edit: Screens in the post below!

More screens at the above url.

Do they use motion blur through the whole game or are this just damn ugly screen captures?

Anyway, I'm pretty exited about this game, whatever it is exactly.

Fredi

 

[marconelly!]

Ico used some motion blur, but these are obviously just captures of terrible quality. Probably made by someone's cellphone camera, of the video projected on the screen.

The screens you posted don't show up. These will:

 

[aneep]

marc, your screens are not showing

-aneep-

 

[London Geezer]

THEY were showing a while ago.... well u're not missing anything really.... :?

 

[maskrider]

The original ICO is too beautiful, I hope this is about some other story than a continuation or a prolog of the released ICO, the first one is too hard to beat.

And I have reconstructed my ICO site a few weeks ago (after the long lost backup of my old ICO site) at http://www.felixmcli.org/ico.html. Watching the ending over and over again ...

 

[marconelly!]

Screens are up again.

Maskrider, that is fantastic little page. I love that you posted those pictures with filters enabled. I have European version of Ico, but don't know how to run it on my US PS2

More leaked screens:

Even in these crappy caps you can see the game will have the same special look Ico did...

 

[marconelly!]

Here's another fantastic fan site dedicated to Ico. It has tons of good quality screens from the game.

http://hk.geocities.com/icofan/

Here are some screens taken from the site:

 

[Vince]

This "series" shows that games are an art if well done. It's amazing IMHO.

 

[zurich]

I wonder if they'll use full res this time, maybe pscan? If I had any complaints over Ico (besides replay ) its that the screen can be a little hard on the eyes after some time..

 

[marconelly!]

its that the screen can be a little hard on the eyes after some time..

I played it on 20" screen with component cables and it's just beautiful to look at. Scanlined nature of graphics on a small screen like that does exactly what developers wanted it to do - gave it that softened feel. I also think the game has some sort of horizontal (maybe even vertical) AA, although it's output resolution is not high (640x224)

 

[Saem]

Vince, I couldn't agree with you more. It's absolutely stunning.

 

[jvd]

Vince, I couldn't agree with you more. It's absolutely stunning.[/quot


Yea very good looking

 

[Paul]

I really coudn't imagine what these people could do with a system of a much higher capability, like ps3 or something. It would be absolutly amazing what they would be able to pull off. This game looks like top quality Xbox games.

 

[marconelly!]

Frankly, as far as art direction goes, I don't think there's anything quite like it on any platform. There are other beautiful looking games, but they are beautiful in their own style, which is always very different than Ico's.

Thinking about what that team might pull off on PS3 gives me shivers, and thinking what Mad Onion accomplished in that latest Nature 3D mark demo on *today's* hardware makes it even more tempting...

 

[chaphack]

Is it going to focus more on combat? If so, hell yeah! ICO had a nice engine + art, i always wanted to play the game as more action adventure in a expansive settings, than just boring solve elementary puzzles in a confined castle bore**. ZELDA KILLAR!

Now make the game 3X as long, high resolution and more action, it be cool!

NICO + Castlevania = PS2 2003/4 GOTY!!!



** yeah yeah, i know some of you love ICO because of the puzzle thing, but i find that boring to say the least. Whatever little action part ICO had, was pretty good.

 

[Vince]

Is it going to focus more on combat? If so, hell yeah!

<Shakes head in disgrace>

We're witnessing the downfall of Western Civilization I tell ya, nobody percieves beauty for what it really is anymore... then again, look how many people enjoy the opera or theatre. But, aslong as we can "fuck some shit up" who cares if you learn something - and that something can be of the factual or non-tangible variety.

 

[chaphack]

Well, if the devs wanted that way, there is nothing we can do about it(hell yeah for me! hell no for j00!), can we?

It doesnt need to be another combo slashfest like DMC, but more action orientated. Remember the cool final battle with the Queen? It be great if we can have more, much much more, of that in NICO.

I can see that screens showing ICO slaying a giant beast + horseback riding, as a good start.

 

[Fafalada]

It be great if we can have more, much much more, of that in NICO.

I agree completely.
While we're at it add some skull and pentagram textures, add zombies bleeding from their eyes, ray guns, rocket launchers, replace main character with a muscle bound marine, and make it first person of course.

 

[chaphack]

Nayy, zombieslasermarinefps dont fit in NICO world, but giant beasts, vast wilderness and horses do!

 

[Fafalada]

but giant beasts, vast wilderness and horses do!

Oh... you're right of course.
Then we could make alien hordes invade Nico's world, maybe replace a few horses with jeeps and a few swords with machine guns for the cool factor. Also swap those horns for visor helmets, I mean seriously...

And heck yeah, we can leave it 3rd person and call it a tactical action strategy!!!! 8)