For the last two weeks, gamers have been entranced by a countdown to "two impressive games" on Sony Computer Entertainment Interactive's Japanese site. Users who let the countdown linger were treated to two evocative looping animations: a gong and pulsating glyphs, and a koto and falling cherry blossoms. The countdown ended today, and the titles were revealed: Wanda to Kyozou (Wanda and the Colossus) and Genji.
Internally, SCEI has been referring to Wanda and the Colossus as "Nico," a Japanese pun implying it is the successor to Ico. Though Ico director Fumito Ueda and much of the same team has been working on this game, players hoping for a direct sequel may be disappointed. While Ico focused on Ico, a horned boy, and Yorda, a mysterious girl, this game stars two new characters. Wanda is a young girl in tribal clothing on horseback, and the Colossus is a huge, fur-covered giant with clipped horns. The giant is covered in ornamental, gylph-covered devices evocative of the first game's architecture. The misty cliff face, distant birds, and the Colossus' stone decorations all suggest a tone similar to the first game, even if a story connection is absent. The text reads, "We will fight to meet you again," but who "we" hope to meet - or must fight - is still unclear. Though Wanda and the Colossus not a direct sequel, it's sure to please fans of Ico.
