Ico/Shadow of the Colossus HD Collection

[xatnys]

upped res and a stable framerate

Definitely the most noticeable changes for me. The difference in smoothness compared to the ps2 is staggering. This release really brings to light just how good the animation quality was for a game of its time (and even now!).

This is normally the kind of thing you see in emulation, and in this case emulation is beaten. I'm satisfied.

 

[Dungeonscaper]

What's DD??

Digital distribution. As in you download it online to your hard drive and run it from your hard drive as opposed to buying a disk.

 

[patsu]

What fabulous IQ ICO has! The 1080p res has does wonders, coupled with the AA and the texture improvements dotted around. Might hold off looking at SOTC till i finish this!

I am playing Ico in 3D. Co-workers were marveling at the effect. Great job, whoever-did-this-port.

I only played Ico briefly at a friend's place during the PS2 era. Replaying the game felt like time has stopped in their world. ^_^

The animation is spot on. Ico and Yorda are endearing and fascinating to watch. The way Ico drags her all over the level, and the way she grasps her chest in worry when Ico attacks something bring back fond memories. When I was a kid, I used to "date" a girl 5 years older than me, and the relationship was exactly like this. T_T

Ueda can take all the time in this world to make The Last Guardian.


EDIT: [size=-2]I bet Ueda dated an older girl when he was young too.[/size]

 

[JPT]

Digital Delivery. The sort of service that asks for £55 for FIFA12 instead of <£40 if you buy a disk that you can also play on friend's machines; so I don't understand JPT's insistence on DD only. I'll pick disk every time until DD has some advantage that affords it better value.

The price system is broken when it comes to DD, currently, will it change in the future, I hope so. But to me, the convenience of a DD version is worth more than the stupid pricing that is done today and the possibility of bringing the game over to a friend.

The value of not having discs floating around and just booting the game from HDD is a big advantage/value proposition to me.

Now that is me and I understand that it's not the same for everybody else, but I am most likely not the only one in the world and if there are a few more people like me, that will pay the extra (stupid) premium of having the DD version, then why not offer it?

And fine, the latest blockbusters are not available on DD, which to me is dumb, but why release the God Of War remakes as DD and not these games?

 

[patsu]

I don't know. May be DD version will come later as a gesture of goodwill for brick & mortar retailers ?

Did I say I this game ? ^_^

 

[Npl]

With DD I would have a faint shimmer of hope that it will be made compatible with Vita at a later date. thats about the only good think I have to say about DD tho.

probly gonna buy it later today, I just hope its multilingual and not just german

 

[patsu]

Ico/SotC for Vita would be great ! But I hope I don't have to pay full price since I now own the PS3 version. 8^P

Probably can't touch SotC yet since Dark Souls is coming tomorrow. I am halfway through Ico, and can probably complete the game tonight.

EDIT:

Panasonic TX-P42ST30B

nightshade, so you tried Ico 3D but don't like the 3D effect ? Or did you play with other 3D games instead ? I can't tell from your XMB message.

 

[wco81]

Ueda can take all the time in this world to make The Last Guardian.

Like when the PS3 is over and the next gen is already here?

He might as well target the PS4 now.

 

[patsu]

Finally completed Ico. Simply breathtaking !
the ending and the sound track. Played the entire game in 3D.

Like when the PS3 is over and the next gen is already here?

He might as well target the PS4 now.

I don't really care about "generation gap". ^_^
Ico was a PS2 game. I like it better than most PS3 games.

Dark Souls next !

 

[-tkf-]

Like when the PS3 is over and the next gen is already here?

He might as well target the PS4 now.

Yes, that will make sense.. instead of a market of 50+ million lets go for something small

 

[wco81]

If sales were the main criterium, Guardian might not have been greenlighted in the first place, given the designer's track record.

If sales were that important, they probably would have tried to push out some half-baked version by now.

It's not like this game will be a big blockbuster. It will be critically-acclaimed and Sony will be proud but not likely to have big expectations.

 

[patsu]

Sales should be one of the key indicators, but the expectation may be "elongated". Some games have longer legs than others. People may rediscover the game later. I heard Ico HD collection sold out in many places. If it's a gem, I think it should be fine.

I won't be surprised if people expect The Last Guardian to redefine gaming in some aspects. Ico is incredible given that it's a 2001 game. Personally I rate it very close to Demon's Souls.

The game seems to be a puppy love story, perhaps from Ueda's past ? ;-)

 

[Jedi2016]

I don't know if the HD collection was actually sold out so much as not stocked in the first place. I don't think anyone here bothered to stock it at all, that's why I just ordered it online.

I would like to see some sales numbers, though, especially in comparison to the original titles' total sales.

Didn't SotC sell fairly well, considering? I mean, it was no Halo, of course, but it sold better than Ico did.

 

[patsu]

Japan sales number was out:
http://forum.beyond3d.com/showpost.php?p=1585304&postcount=131

01. [PS3] Dark Souls (From, 9/22): 279,567 -- NEW
02. [PS3] ICO/Shadow of the Colossus Limited Box (SCE, 9/22): 91,902 -- NEW
...
14. [PS3] Shadow of the Colossus (SCE, 9/22): 13,420 -- NEW
...
20. [PS3] ICO (SCE, 9/22): 7,941 -- NEW

 

[RenegadeRocks]

Finally completed Ico. Simply breathtaking !
the ending and the sound track. Played the entire game in 3D.



I don't really care about "generation gap". ^_^
Ico was a PS2 game. I like it better than most PS3 games.

Dark Souls next !

Hey ! DOn't make me weak in my resolve to not buy anymore this year ! I am diehard SOTC fan and having seen some footage of the HD versions I m already getting butterflies in my stomach ! Add to that I have never played ICO and now your uninhibited praises for ICO ......ugh .... Maybe I should just ban B3D from my browser now !

 

[xatnys]

Hey ! DOn't make me weak in my resolve to not buy anymore this year ! I am diehard SOTC fan and having seen some footage of the HD versions I m already getting butterflies in my stomach ! Add to that I have never played ICO and now your uninhibited praises for ICO ......ugh .... Maybe I should just ban B3D from my browser now !

What are you waiting for SOTC is so much better an experience now than it was all those years ago thanks especially to the solid framerate. I'm actually glad it's otherwise unchanged, because it's the kind of game where the art is good enough that it works well in its new resolution.

Finishing the HD version just a day ago marks the third time I've beaten SOTC, and the impact of the experience still hits as hard as it did the first time. What a masterpiece!

I'm set to play Ico next. Great expectations given the overall reception in this thread.

 

[patsu]

Hey ! DOn't make me weak in my resolve to not buy anymore this year ! I am diehard SOTC fan and having seen some footage of the HD versions I m already getting butterflies in my stomach ! Add to that I have never played ICO and now your uninhibited praises for ICO ......ugh .... Maybe I should just ban B3D from my browser now !

Ico puzzles can be rather time consuming and tricky. I cheated using Youtube sometimes. ^_^

I think the most difficult puzzle is the

Spoiler

water wheel

. Took me 30+ times to get it right. This is because I misunderstood the controls. To jump sharply (without fidgeting), press O first and then the direction you want to jump to. I used to do the reverse, and the boy shifted his position slightly, messing up the jump. The margin of error is small in that puzzle.

I like the game's atmosphere and level design a lot. It's a work of art. The story is subtle but strikes deep for me. It really does remind me of a "boy" going after an older girl (from a different culture), and was turned down by her parent(s). People around her interfered too. I'll leave you to find out the ending. It's somewhat like how it ended for me in real life too. ;-)

If you cheat on Youtube, you can also find a secret weapon that will help in combat. Try google for "Ico secret weapon". You'll also see that Ico HD is different from Ico in some puzzles and tech areas (e.g., Yorda AI is better in HD version).


I tried SotC HD a bit. Agro the horse is (still) a little temperamental. But I like the setting too. Haven't killed any Colossus yet.

 

[Npl]

I still havent bought it yet, but god have mercy - I tried!!!
Its sold out in several stores, repeatedly. And all this mess because I dint order at Amazon since I thought can get it earlier in stores.

 

[patsu]

I still havent bought it yet, but god have mercy - I tried!!!
Its sold out in several stores, repeatedly. And all this mess because I dint order at Amazon since I thought can get it earlier in stores.

Heh heh, that's why I usually rush out to buy "obscure/alternate" games first. The popular ones are usually well stocked everywhere.

 

[Yemeth]

Aargh, I have never played these games and now after I have read all of your praise (especially, patsus), I have decided to buy it as soon I finish Dark Souls (meaning in 2-3 years ).

Cheers...