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The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection


  • 014   THe graphical overhaul is amazing . These two games are classics and genuine pieces of art in the gaming genre . I'd highly reccomend this to anyone who played hem before and definatly would for anyone who never played them before .

    • 105   These are two of the best games ever made . Sure they don't look as good as when they came out , but the core game play is still challenging and fun . Also these games have an amazing story in each of them . It doesn't hit you over the head with it , but it's there and it's beautiful . If you were thinking about buying these games then I would highly recommend you do so . Totally worth it .
      • 035   Both of these games are some of my favorite video game experiences . They have aged very well . The HD graphics look great , much better than I was expecting . Great great games .
      • 088   I loved the original games and it is wonderful to be able to replay them with such beautiful graphics ! If you have never played these games before I highly recommend them !
      • 091   The graphics are great and the gameplay is fun overall ! I can't wait for their next game , The Last Guardian !

    • 146   You cannot go wrong with these titles . Beautiful detail work and enchanting stories . If you never played Ico or Shadow of the Colossus , now is the perfect time to do so .

      • 159   This package is AWESOME ! Includes both Ico and Shadow of the Colossus in HD ! Two exceptional games without equal . Go ahead , just buy it and enjoy ! !
        • 097   Even if you have played these two games before , you NEED to play them again . Two of the best games ever made with HD graphics , count me in !

      • 164   I was expecting HD quality meant that they would reskin all the landscapes . Really , this game is about being emmersed in an environment . On the PS3 this thing looked like the old one but worse because the HD quality brings out all of the weaknesses in the old textures . Retread only , if you don't have it on PS2 then OK .
        • 102   Im so glad they came out with this collection because i never played it on the ps2 , but heard great things . I just beat ICO . total stoner game , love it
        • 130   i played both ico and shadow of the colossus on ps2 . i really enjoyed them . and now , it's hd remastered ver . if you haven't played original ver yet , you should try this . you'll see why so many ppl give 5 stars on this .
        • 168   Got this game at Bestbuy for $25 , and I must say ; it's one of the best PS2 games . Definitely a worth buying .

      • The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) After hearing too many great things about this game , I decided to pick up this HD collection for PS3 at a local game shop . USED . I don't understand how anyone could wanna trade this collection in , but THANK YOU ! Now that I've had the chance to play Shadow of the Colossus . . . I can safely say how much I enjoyed and loved this game . I spent a good 8 hours and 27 minutes going through all the colossi of the land , and when I was done I really wanted to start over again . Instead , I decided to play through ICO . Once again , I loved it . Not as much as Colossus , but still a very good game . A lot of frustrating moments though , if you keep distracted too much it's so easy to have that girl taken from you . I admit I still haven't completely beaten it yet . . . but when I do I'll update this review to give my final opinion . In the meantime though , I've been checking out the hard mode on Shadow of the Colossus , and I plan on trying out Time Attack to get the unlockable stuff , such as items and upgrades to help you take down those beasts a lot easier . I may even just play another regular game of it just because I can ! ICO Pros : - Most likely a new game for a majority of its audience . I hadn't even heard of Ico until I was reading up on Colossus a while back . - Easy to learn gameplay . . . but if it's too weird for you there's a button configuration screen . - Beautiful graphics - No need to rely on a HUD . Cons : - In spite of that , some sort of HUD would have been useful . - When overwhelmed it's easy to lose the character you're supposed to be rescuing - The repetitive come on voice or whatever gets annoying after a bit ( lol ) SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS Pros : - Absolutely stunningly beautiful graphics . - Configurable controls - - otherwise the default setup is easy to get used to - Provides just enough challenge , yet feels extremely rewarding after taking down one of them giants - Great story line , surprisingly . There's one part that had me absolutely gripped . - Has that okay , just one more factor to it . Cons : - I noticed the camera isn't its strong suit . Patience is required , especially while swimming . - Other than that . . . the only thing I can really complain about is that it ends . Basically , and I'm saying this as a first-time player of either of these games . . . if you have a PS3 there's no reason why you shouldn't own this collection . I don't own a 3D TV to test the 3D on either game , but I hear both of them benefit from it . Either way , get this !
        • 073   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) After hearing too many great things about this game , I decided to pick up this HD collection for PS3 at a local game shop . USED . I don't understand how anyone could wanna trade this collection in , but THANK YOU ! Now that I've had the chance to play Shadow of the Colossus . . . I can safely say how much I enjoyed and loved this game . I spent a good 8 hours and 27 minutes going through all the colossi of the land , and when I was done I really wanted to start over again . Instead , I decided to play through ICO . Once again , I loved it . Not as much as Colossus , but still a very good game . A lot of frustrating moments though , if you keep distracted too much it's so easy to have that girl taken from you . I admit I still haven't completely beaten it yet . . . but when I do I'll update this review to give my final opinion . In the meantime though , I've been checking out the hard mode on Shadow of the Colossus , and I plan on trying out Time Attack to get the unlockable stuff , such as items and upgrades to help you take down those beasts a lot easier . I may even just play another regular game of it just because I can ! ICO Pros : - Most likely a new game for a majority of its audience . I hadn't even heard of Ico until I was reading up on Colossus a while back . - Easy to learn gameplay . . . but if it's too weird for you there's a button configuration screen . - Beautiful graphics - No need to rely on a HUD . Cons : - In spite of that , some sort of HUD would have been useful . - When overwhelmed it's easy to lose the character you're supposed to be rescuing - The repetitive come on voice or whatever gets annoying after a bit ( lol ) SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS Pros : - Absolutely stunningly beautiful graphics . - Configurable controls - - otherwise the default setup is easy to get used to - Provides just enough challenge , yet feels extremely rewarding after taking down one of them giants - Great story line , surprisingly . There's one part that had me absolutely gripped . - Has that okay , just one more factor to it . Cons : - I noticed the camera isn't its strong suit . Patience is required , especially while swimming . - Other than that . . . the only thing I can really complain about is that it ends . Basically , and I'm saying this as a first-time player of either of these games . . . if you have a PS3 there's no reason why you shouldn't own this collection . I don't own a 3D TV to test the 3D on either game , but I hear both of them benefit from it . Either way , get this !
        • 074   After hearing too many great things about this game , I decided to pick up this HD collection for PS3 at a local game shop . USED . I don't understand how anyone could wanna trade this collection in , but THANK YOU ! Now that I've had the chance to play Shadow of the Colossus . . . I can safely say how much I enjoyed and loved this game . I spent a good 8 hours and 27 minutes going through all the colossi of the land , and when I was done I really wanted to start over again . Instead , I decided to play through ICO . Once again , I loved it . Not as much as Colossus , but still a very good game . A lot of frustrating moments though , if you keep distracted too much it's so easy to have that girl taken from you . I admit I still haven't completely beaten it yet . . . but when I do I'll update this review to give my final opinion . In the meantime though , I've been checking out the hard mode on Shadow of the Colossus , and I plan on trying out Time Attack to get the unlockable stuff , such as items and upgrades to help you take down those beasts a lot easier . I may even just play another regular game of it just because I can ! ICO Pros : - Most likely a new game for a majority of its audience . I hadn't even heard of Ico until I was reading up on Colossus a while back . - Easy to learn gameplay . . . but if it's too weird for you there's a button configuration screen . - Beautiful graphics - No need to rely on a HUD . Cons : - In spite of that , some sort of HUD would have been useful . - When overwhelmed it's easy to lose the character you're supposed to be rescuing - The repetitive come on voice or whatever gets annoying after a bit ( lol ) SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS Pros : - Absolutely stunningly beautiful graphics . - Configurable controls - - otherwise the default setup is easy to get used to - Provides just enough challenge , yet feels extremely rewarding after taking down one of them giants - Great story line , surprisingly . There's one part that had me absolutely gripped . - Has that okay , just one more factor to it . Cons : - I noticed the camera isn't its strong suit . Patience is required , especially while swimming . - Other than that . . . the only thing I can really complain about is that it ends . Basically , and I'm saying this as a first-time player of either of these games . . . if you have a PS3 there's no reason why you shouldn't own this collection . I don't own a 3D TV to test the 3D on either game , but I hear both of them benefit from it . Either way , get this !
        • 169   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) 2 GREAT GAMES FROM PS2 NOW IN HD AND 3D , I RECOMMEND THIS FOR EVERYONE ! SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS IS THAT KIND OF GAME THAT YOU WILL NEVER SEE AGAIN IS A MASTER PIECES ! , ICO IS GREAT GAME TOO ( IF YOU ARE THAT KIND OF PERSON THAT ONLY LIKE GAMES LIKE CALL OF DUTY AND GEARS OF WAR DON'T BUT IT BECAUSE YOU NEED TO USE YOUR BRAIN IN THIS GAME ! ) 2 MASTER PIECE AND I CANT WAIT FOR THE LAST GUARDIAN
        • 170   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) 2 GREAT GAMES FROM PS2 NOW IN HD AND 3D , I RECOMMEND THIS FOR EVERYONE ! SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS IS THAT KIND OF GAME THAT YOU WILL NEVER SEE AGAIN IS A MASTER PIECES ! , ICO IS GREAT GAME TOO ( IF YOU ARE THAT KIND OF PERSON THAT ONLY LIKE GAMES LIKE CALL OF DUTY AND GEARS OF WAR DON'T BUT IT BECAUSE YOU NEED TO USE YOUR BRAIN IN THIS GAME ! ) 2 MASTER PIECE AND I CANT WAIT FOR THE LAST GUARDIAN
        • 171   2 GREAT GAMES FROM PS2 NOW IN HD AND 3D , I RECOMMEND THIS FOR EVERYONE ! SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS IS THAT KIND OF GAME THAT YOU WILL NEVER SEE AGAIN IS A MASTER PIECES ! , ICO IS GREAT GAME TOO ( IF YOU ARE THAT KIND OF PERSON THAT ONLY LIKE GAMES LIKE CALL OF DUTY AND GEARS OF WAR DON'T BUT IT BECAUSE YOU NEED TO USE YOUR BRAIN IN THIS GAME ! ) 2 MASTER PIECE AND I CANT WAIT FOR THE LAST GUARDIAN

      • The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) I played both of these games back when they first came out on the PS2 and remember kinda enjoying them . Given all the effulgent gushing and kiss-blowing from so many other reviewers on various websites , I felt like I probably enjoyed both games more than I had remembered , and ended up buying this remastered collection . Turns out , I guess I had it backward , as both ICO and SOC ended up being very frustrating game experiences for me , each in their own ways . ICO There exists a small group of dedicated and vocal gamers who seem to really like the concept of videogames as art . While I don't have a problem with the fundamental idea ( I loved Okami ) , I do have a major problem with development studios who hide poor game and programming design behind artsy camera angles and atmosphere , and try to pass it off as a videogame masterpiece . After having played through ICO ( and also SOC ) my opinion of Team ICO is that they are obviously very interested in creating art , but lack the technical knowlege required to craft a playable video game around it , and ultimately would be better off shooting an independent film or painting a series of pictures and then staring at them pensively . Did I like anything about ICO ? Yeah , I like the environmental puzzles , where the goal is always to figure out how to open a door or reach a certain ledge , and most of the solutions are logical ( as environmental puzzles should be ) . That's about it though , as just about everything else in the game frustrated me almost to the point of quitting early ( I didn't though , as I wanted to unlock all the trophies ) . The things that crippled the game experience for me were the controls , the camera , the friendly AI , and the horribly boring and repetitive fights . The controls lack responsiveness and feel sluggish . Grabbing a hold of ladders or dangling chains is often far more difficult than it needs to be , and if a torch and switch are next to each other , it's not unusual to see your character grab the one you don't intend for him to grab . Repeatedly . The controls are also constantly locked in mortal combat with the semi-fixed camera angles . What this means is since your character moves in direct relation to the direction you're pushing , if you're holding right and running down the hallway and the camera decides to swing more to the right to face you , you'll end up running into the wall since the wall is now directly to your right and that's still the direction you're pushing . It's lazy programming , and most other third person game developers have figured out how to deal with this irritation . The camera also has the annoying habit of swivelling around to face your character as he's moving , so that you can't see what's coming up without using the right analog stick to move the entire camera frame to the right ( the only real camera control the game allows the player ) , leaving your character out of the picture , and providing a terribly disorienting angle on the gameplay . It's just bad design , and no other game that I can think of has this set-up . The friendly AI is an abject failure of videogame programming . What more can be said ? Yorda has serious issues with following commands , and it's all too common to see her struggle with climbing onto ladders or even continuing to climb up ladders without inexplicably reversing tack and climbing back down . She can't drop down a 4 foot ledge in one room , but she can drop down a different 4 food ledge in another room . And God forbid you get in a hurry , as Yorda has the nasty habit of strolling along when you need her to run quickly ( like in battles ) . The whole thing is incredibly irritating and makes it feel like your main goal of the entire game is to babysit a slow child . . . which I guess it pretty much is . Battles are boring and one dimensional and involve wailing on wave after wave of shadow creature with your trusty 2x4 or sword . Some battles can be avoided , fortunately , but avoidance frequently leads you into an even greater battle as the controls and camera once again tagteam your escape efforts . Honestly , the battles should've just been removed . They add nothing to the game and only detract from it . Can't comment on the music since there really isn't any . If you get a hard-on listening to endless feet clacking on stone , or wind rustling , or the odd phrase bon swah repeated over and over and OVER AGAIN , then you're in luck . I can't help but feel like this game would be better served as a downloadable title for like $10 max . SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS I spent more text than I thought I would describing ICO , so I'll keep the SOC part briefer . Overall , it's a better game than ICO , but it has its very own set of design flaws which seriously maimed a game experience that should otherwise be amazing . There is little doubt that Team ICO made this game , given their efforts with ICO . You have full camera control this time around , but it's not what I thought it'd be . Most third person games provide the player with limited camera control in which the game keeps the camera behind your character and moves accordingly as you move your character , but still allows you to move the camera yourself if necessary . In SOC , there is no automatic camera control by the game . What this means is that if you're doing more than moving in a straight line , you're going to have to have one thumb on the right analog stick moving it AT ALL TIMES . Take a break for a second , and you'll find your character moving to the side of the screen or facing you , providing you with absolutely no warning of what's coming up . Pull out your bow while running toward the screen ( toward you ) and your character aims / shoots at you instead of the colossus in the background ( which is indescribably backward compared to other games in which your character usually immediately faces the enemy ) . Controlling the horse while using the camera is also bizarrely overcomplicated and has you doing thumb aerobics switching back and forth between the X button for speed up horse and the right thumb stick for camera control . The control / camera set-up is poorly thought out and should have been simplified . . . . especially for a game that prides itself on its relaxed atmosphere . The controls ( like ICO ) are sluggish and don't feel very responsive . Button presses while climbing / battling a colossus are treated by the game as less of a distinct command and as more of a polite request . . . . a request that is often blatantly ignored . While some of the time it's the game simply not responding to input by the player , oftentimes it's because your character is too busy flopping around on the colossus like a edematous skin tag to pay attention to anything you're asking him to do . Please jump from the colossus's arm to his back . Sorry can't do that , as he's breathing heavily right now , and for some reason I can't stop seizing like an epileptic when the colossus is doing anything other than standing completely still . Where this becomes really stupid is when a colossus gets stuck in an endless loop of shaking , essentially rendering you immobile ( yet floppy ) until your grip runs out , and you fall to the ground , only to begin the climbing process yet again . Considering that the vast bulk of the SOC game experience revolves around this kind of stuff , I quickly found myself getting frustrated , bored , and not having fun . And videogame are supposed to be fun , right ? If you don't believe this , you're playing them for the wrong reason . I'll stop there , as this is getting too long already . What makes SOC game so annoying is not the individual design problems in isolation , it's how they conspire against you all at once , and throughout the entire game . Seriously , if the controls and camera were improved , intuitive , and responsive , then I would've rated this game much higher . Both games , in fact . But just a few design flaws can ruin a game if they're frustrating enough . Life's too busy to waste this kind of time on poor / lazy game design . * * The music is incredible , by the way , and is some of the best I've experienced in the medium . For this reason , I bumped the overall rating from one star to two . Really , I should've just bought the official SOC soundtrack and saved myself the wasted time . Hindsight's 20 / 20 . - - - - - - - So that's my differing opinion on the ICO / SCO collection . Not that it's going to persuade anyone to avoid these games , but I find it's always refreshing to hear a viewpoint different from that of the majority . Do what you want with it .
        • 001   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) It's difficult to believe that over 10 years have passed since Ico was first released , alongside other 2001 classics like Metal Gear Solid 2 and Final Fantasy X . Unlike those two games , Ico fared poorly in the sales charts , despite its incredible graphics , great story and gameplay . However , this was not the end , as 4 years later , the second game by Team Ico , Shadow of the Colossus ( SotC ) , was strongly promoted and achieved much better sales figures . Now , Sony has breathed a second life into these games , thanks to this hi-def PS3 re-release . Both games have been significantly enhanced in this PS3 remastery by Bluepoint Games ( who also remastered the God of War Collection and the upcoming Metal Gear Solid 2 & 3 games ) , with the most important changes being : + 720p or 1080p @ 30fps framerate , with very little slowdown as found in the PS2 version during intense Colossus battles + Native widescreen support for Ico + Gameplay is ported from the European version , with the extra puzzle , weapon , and other small changes + Trophies ! [ 16 for Ico , 31 for SotC ] + 7.1 surround sound + Behind the scenes videos + 2 dynamic themes ( yours to keep ! ) + Reversible cover insert containing original cover art for both games = 3D support ( but only at 720p , and framerate reduces down to 15fps during some of the battles in SotC ) - Textures appear to be more detailed , but they still look blocky close up , and the polygons look the same - The menu / map in SotC is stretched on a widescreen TV , while the menu for Ico looks sharp and completely redone I have already beaten Ico and the first few battles of SotC on PS2 , and am finding this remake just as enjoyable , especially since there is virtually no slowdown even at 1080p . Do realize that both of these games are relatively short with limited replay value ( 5 hours for Ico and 10 hours for SotC , much more if you want all of the trophies ) . The high production values of both games is maintained during their short stories , and you will likely spend several hours just looking at the beautiful environments in both games ( especially Ico ) . The orchestrated music during each battle in SotC is terrific and fitting , as are the ambient sounds throughout both games . The controls are very simple , but some of the puzzles / colossus battles are incredibly challenging the first time around . An in depth comparison of the various graphical settings can be found at eurogamer.net [ . . . ] For the $40 MSRP , you are still getting a good bargain , even if the games have been out for 6 - 10 years , as the visual experience is so much better on an HDTV ( if you don't have an HDTV , get one ) . Now go out and save a princess !
        • 002   It's difficult to believe that over 10 years have passed since Ico was first released , alongside other 2001 classics like Metal Gear Solid 2 and Final Fantasy X . Unlike those two games , Ico fared poorly in the sales charts , despite its incredible graphics , great story and gameplay . However , this was not the end , as 4 years later , the second game by Team Ico , Shadow of the Colossus ( SotC ) , was strongly promoted and achieved much better sales figures . Now , Sony has breathed a second life into these games , thanks to this hi-def PS3 re-release . Both games have been significantly enhanced in this PS3 remastery by Bluepoint Games ( who also remastered the God of War Collection and the upcoming Metal Gear Solid 2 & 3 games ) , with the most important changes being : + 720p or 1080p @ 30fps framerate , with very little slowdown as found in the PS2 version during intense Colossus battles + Native widescreen support for Ico + Gameplay is ported from the European version , with the extra puzzle , weapon , and other small changes + Trophies ! [ 16 for Ico , 31 for SotC ] + 7.1 surround sound + Behind the scenes videos + 2 dynamic themes ( yours to keep ! ) + Reversible cover insert containing original cover art for both games = 3D support ( but only at 720p , and framerate reduces down to 15fps during some of the battles in SotC ) - Textures appear to be more detailed , but they still look blocky close up , and the polygons look the same - The menu / map in SotC is stretched on a widescreen TV , while the menu for Ico looks sharp and completely redone I have already beaten Ico and the first few battles of SotC on PS2 , and am finding this remake just as enjoyable , especially since there is virtually no slowdown even at 1080p . Do realize that both of these games are relatively short with limited replay value ( 5 hours for Ico and 10 hours for SotC , much more if you want all of the trophies ) . The high production values of both games is maintained during their short stories , and you will likely spend several hours just looking at the beautiful environments in both games ( especially Ico ) . The orchestrated music during each battle in SotC is terrific and fitting , as are the ambient sounds throughout both games . The controls are very simple , but some of the puzzles / colossus battles are incredibly challenging the first time around . An in depth comparison of the various graphical settings can be found at eurogamer.net [ . . . ] For the $40 MSRP , you are still getting a good bargain , even if the games have been out for 6 - 10 years , as the visual experience is so much better on an HDTV ( if you don't have an HDTV , get one ) . Now go out and save a princess !
        • 003   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) I was very excited to hear about this release . I was concerned , however , that 1080p simply meant the output signal . But this is not the case . The polygons haven't changed , but the textures were redone at a higher resolution . This makes the characters somewhat blocky , but the incredible detail of the texture makes it worth it . The scenery is even more breathtaking than before . Ico is much more immersive than the ps2 version . Ico is a puzzle built around spacious architecture . At a higher res , the illusion of depth in these spacious buildings is stronger . Shadow of the Colossus naturally has more polygons , so the added high-definition makes you feel like you are playing a game made for the ps3 . This game collection is a keeper for me .
        • 004   I was very excited to hear about this release . I was concerned , however , that 1080p simply meant the output signal . But this is not the case . The polygons haven't changed , but the textures were redone at a higher resolution . This makes the characters somewhat blocky , but the incredible detail of the texture makes it worth it . The scenery is even more breathtaking than before . Ico is much more immersive than the ps2 version . Ico is a puzzle built around spacious architecture . At a higher res , the illusion of depth in these spacious buildings is stronger . Shadow of the Colossus naturally has more polygons , so the added high-definition makes you feel like you are playing a game made for the ps3 . This game collection is a keeper for me .
        • 005   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Regardless of whether you had played ICO or Shadow of the Colossus when they had came out or not , are a game aficionado or a casual player , you owe it to yourself to have these rereleased titles . There are very few people who would claim that these two games are overrated , as there is much to appreciate , discover , and enjoy in both . These are two timeless , beautiful classics made better . They are very hard to fault . I won't go into any detail on the content of these two games , as they are best left to player discovery for those playing for the first time . I will say that as adventure games , they fulfill their role and unlike many games these days , does not force unnecessary exposition and plotlines down your throat . They are very minimalist and like a well told story , leave it up to your imagination to fill in some of the blanks . For the most part , I generally regard older games re-released in HD to be overpriced money grabs by gaming publishers , but every so often , the publishers will do it right . Shadow of the Colossus , in particular , stands out in that it presents the game in the way it was meant to be played . The framerates are much smoother than the original PS2 release , and the atmosphere and presence of the Colossi carries much more impact , as the suspension of disbelief is not interrupted by the aliasing ( jagged lines ) that plagued the originals .
        • 006   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Regardless of whether you had played ICO or Shadow of the Colossus when they had came out or not , are a game aficionado or a casual player , you owe it to yourself to have these rereleased titles . There are very few people who would claim that these two games are overrated , as there is much to appreciate , discover , and enjoy in both . These are two timeless , beautiful classics made better . They are very hard to fault . I won't go into any detail on the content of these two games , as they are best left to player discovery for those playing for the first time . I will say that as adventure games , they fulfill their role and unlike many games these days , does not force unnecessary exposition and plotlines down your throat . They are very minimalist and like a well told story , leave it up to your imagination to fill in some of the blanks . For the most part , I generally regard older games re-released in HD to be overpriced money grabs by gaming publishers , but every so often , the publishers will do it right . Shadow of the Colossus , in particular , stands out in that it presents the game in the way it was meant to be played . The framerates are much smoother than the original PS2 release , and the atmosphere and presence of the Colossi carries much more impact , as the suspension of disbelief is not interrupted by the aliasing ( jagged lines ) that plagued the originals .
        • 007   Regardless of whether you had played ICO or Shadow of the Colossus when they had came out or not , are a game aficionado or a casual player , you owe it to yourself to have these rereleased titles . There are very few people who would claim that these two games are overrated , as there is much to appreciate , discover , and enjoy in both . These are two timeless , beautiful classics made better . They are very hard to fault . I won't go into any detail on the content of these two games , as they are best left to player discovery for those playing for the first time . I will say that as adventure games , they fulfill their role and unlike many games these days , does not force unnecessary exposition and plotlines down your throat . They are very minimalist and like a well told story , leave it up to your imagination to fill in some of the blanks . For the most part , I generally regard older games re-released in HD to be overpriced money grabs by gaming publishers , but every so often , the publishers will do it right . Shadow of the Colossus , in particular , stands out in that it presents the game in the way it was meant to be played . The framerates are much smoother than the original PS2 release , and the atmosphere and presence of the Colossi carries much more impact , as the suspension of disbelief is not interrupted by the aliasing ( jagged lines ) that plagued the originals .
        • 008   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) I haven't play neither Ico and Shadow of Colossus on the the PS2 . . I just purchased the collection and Iam really shocked how intelligent , deep , and artistic those two games are . . In fact Ico , it is the best videogame I have ever played . . . It was an emotional journey to an unbelieveable unreality world , and the same time you feel like you are in this castle . . . Never a game touched my emotions so gently and deeply as Ico . . This game its difficult to describe , and others in other reviews they have already done it . . I just want to say , if haven't play these games buy the collection NOW ! ! Its a very special game ! Shadow of Colossus is also a very well-crafted game , with fantastic enviromens and very interesting gameplay . I enjoyed it very much , but I fell in love with ICO , so I want to focus there . . Anyway , team ICO is the best , Iam so impatient for their new game , The last guardian Thank you very much mr Fumito Ueda for making so different , emotional , and intelligent games !
        • 009   I haven't play neither Ico and Shadow of Colossus on the the PS2 . . I just purchased the collection and Iam really shocked how intelligent , deep , and artistic those two games are . . In fact Ico , it is the best videogame I have ever played . . . It was an emotional journey to an unbelieveable unreality world , and the same time you feel like you are in this castle . . . Never a game touched my emotions so gently and deeply as Ico . . This game its difficult to describe , and others in other reviews they have already done it . . I just want to say , if haven't play these games buy the collection NOW ! ! Its a very special game ! Shadow of Colossus is also a very well-crafted game , with fantastic enviromens and very interesting gameplay . I enjoyed it very much , but I fell in love with ICO , so I want to focus there . . Anyway , team ICO is the best , Iam so impatient for their new game , The last guardian Thank you very much mr Fumito Ueda for making so different , emotional , and intelligent games !
        • 010   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Video game is a medium cursed by its own name . In the first 40 years , what critical achievements have gathered in its top 100 list ? Blockbuster action titles ( Half-Life ) , puzzles ( Portal ) , toys ( Mario ) and tournaments ( StarCraft ) . I love good entertainment . Good entertainment is precious . But in its first 40 years , the world of cinema had already produced Nosferatu , Metropolis , and Grand Illusion . Notice a peculiar trend : they all focus on the human condition . Imagine , for a moment , if 99.99% of all movies and books focused on entertainment alone . Imagine if the likes of Shawshank Redemption were never filmed and Catcher in the Rye never written because the public thought they weren't fun . What a travesty that would've been . Yet this is precisely where the gaming medium has been for the past four decades and God forbid if a game should be anything other than a toy . Now look at Ico . Like Shadow of the Colossus , it has plenty of engaging gameplay , fantastic scenery , and a haunting atmosphere , although unlike Shadow , it places focus on the human condition . This is a taboo in games because gameplay must always come first - - a juvenile concept preached by those that see the word game in gameplay and think that the two share the same meaning . Ico takes this idea and proceeds to screw it sideways . Here is a story about adults that want to sacrifice children to save themselves and about children who are willing to sacrifice themselves to save each other . Shadow of the Colossus is also about sacrifice , but it fails where Ico shines when it overlooks a crucial step . It neglects to establish a thriving connection between you and the one you are trying to save . When you labor to exterminate sixteen magnificent giants , your mind will be on how entertaining it is . Yes , Shadow of the Colossus is moving to be sure , but with Ico included in this HD Remastered package , it is as if somebody bundled your favorite Disney film with Pan's Labyrinth . Before I go on : No , I do not think that Ico is the Art of Gaming . Gears of War is art ; so is Madden NFL 2004 . Art of Gaming is a pompous term which is a synonym for the word pretentious , and Ico is anything but . Rather , Ico is humble . It is shy . Like its two protagonists , it does not want to be noticed . Its vast absence of dialogue in the presence of what is otherwise detailed narrative reminds me why silent films carried so much power , now long forgotten . Dialogue gives us the illusion that people are communicating . This is a big farce . The truth is of course that a thousand meaningful conversations mean nothing and may not draw two people even an inch closer . Ico slyly asks us , What about holding hands ? The answer is no , of course , but Ico provides a glimpse of what the right answer might be . When Fumito Ueda-san started work in 1998 , he had one simple concept : a boy taking a girl hand in hand through a castle . This in itself is a gameplay gimmick until you fill your protagonists with life and then drain life out of everything around them . Now all they have is each other and you believe it . Another thing you believe in is the world itself . Today , many games try to convince you of this by bombarding the environment with vast detail and purpose , forgetting completely that purpose undermines detail . Ico does something bizarre . It believes that the world it takes place in actually exists . It doesn't need to convince anybody because it already convinced itself . This is best exemplified by the iconic pond under the Windmill , which contains no gameplay purpose and appears only once . Why is it there ? Well , to begin with , sometimes water collects in large holes in which you can swim . On the surface , Ico is a game no different from the rest . You run , you fight , you solve problems . Like all games , it's more akin to sport than art . But when shadow wraiths leap out of the ground , gameplay will be the last thing on your mind . You will not care about sweet moves or other trivial feats that games are so eager to idolize . Your mind will be largely on the companion nearby . This is all the doing of Team Ico's animators and AI designers , who accomplished nothing short of magic when they created Yorda and abandoned motion capture . She pulses with life and if you've studied traditional animation , you will know why . I should mention at this point that I heard all about this girl well before I played Ico . Popularity always drains away mysteries and their magic and like everyone , I have an adverse reaction to hype . When the game started , I embraced it with snide cynicism . I'd like to say that I maintained it pretty well , too , until Yorda helped me solve a puzzle without speaking , pointing , or motioning . That shut me up . I first encountered Ico four years ago and did not like it . When the credits rolled , I wanted to throw the controller across the room . I have matured since then . For starters , I understand that Ico is closer to a vivid dream than a story . A story tends to imply that it has another story preceding it and continues with yet another after it is over . In Ico , you experience a brief , otherworldly journey which has no real past and no actual future . And you meet unforgettable characters , but as with all dreams , once you wake up - they will be gone . = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = If you're disappointed that I didn't review the gameplay then it's only because I can't compete with YouTube videos , which will give you a better idea about gameplay mechanics than all Amazon reviews combined . As for this HD release , what's there to say ? You know all of the included changes from reading the marketing specs . You know that Shadow of the Colossus runs at a much better frame rate . If you still can't decide , my recommendation is to rent the collection . Although I have a feeling that if you appreciate thought provoking literature and film , your local neighborhood Game Rental store will never see it again . A pity for them . In 2001 , Charles Herold wrote in New York Times that Ico is not a perfect game , but it is a game of perfect moments . I recommend you read his analysis of the game , although not before you play it . It is far better to experience magic than to read about it . In the end , I do believe that Ico redefines the boundaries of gaming as we know them . But as Herold said , it is by no means perfect . It is , however , the first step . Let's hope there will be others .
        • 011   Video game is a medium cursed by its own name . In the first 40 years , what critical achievements have gathered in its top 100 list ? Blockbuster action titles ( Half-Life ) , puzzles ( Portal ) , toys ( Mario ) and tournaments ( StarCraft ) . I love good entertainment . Good entertainment is precious . But in its first 40 years , the world of cinema had already produced Nosferatu , Metropolis , and Grand Illusion . Notice a peculiar trend : they all focus on the human condition . Imagine , for a moment , if 99.99% of all movies and books focused on entertainment alone . Imagine if the likes of Shawshank Redemption were never filmed and Catcher in the Rye never written because the public thought they weren't fun . What a travesty that would've been . Yet this is precisely where the gaming medium has been for the past four decades and God forbid if a game should be anything other than a toy . Now look at Ico . Like Shadow of the Colossus , it has plenty of engaging gameplay , fantastic scenery , and a haunting atmosphere , although unlike Shadow , it places focus on the human condition . This is a taboo in games because gameplay must always come first - - a juvenile concept preached by those that see the word game in gameplay and think that the two share the same meaning . Ico takes this idea and proceeds to screw it sideways . Here is a story about adults that want to sacrifice children to save themselves and about children who are willing to sacrifice themselves to save each other . Shadow of the Colossus is also about sacrifice , but it fails where Ico shines when it overlooks a crucial step . It neglects to establish a thriving connection between you and the one you are trying to save . When you labor to exterminate sixteen magnificent giants , your mind will be on how entertaining it is . Yes , Shadow of the Colossus is moving to be sure , but with Ico included in this HD Remastered package , it is as if somebody bundled your favorite Disney film with Pan's Labyrinth . Before I go on : No , I do not think that Ico is the Art of Gaming . Gears of War is art ; so is Madden NFL 2004 . Art of Gaming is a pompous term which is a synonym for the word pretentious , and Ico is anything but . Rather , Ico is humble . It is shy . Like its two protagonists , it does not want to be noticed . Its vast absence of dialogue in the presence of what is otherwise detailed narrative reminds me why silent films carried so much power , now long forgotten . Dialogue gives us the illusion that people are communicating . This is a big farce . The truth is of course that a thousand meaningful conversations mean nothing and may not draw two people even an inch closer . Ico slyly asks us , What about holding hands ? The answer is no , of course , but Ico provides a glimpse of what the right answer might be . When Fumito Ueda-san started work in 1998 , he had one simple concept : a boy taking a girl hand in hand through a castle . This in itself is a gameplay gimmick until you fill your protagonists with life and then drain life out of everything around them . Now all they have is each other and you believe it . Another thing you believe in is the world itself . Today , many games try to convince you of this by bombarding the environment with vast detail and purpose , forgetting completely that purpose undermines detail . Ico does something bizarre . It believes that the world it takes place in actually exists . It doesn't need to convince anybody because it already convinced itself . This is best exemplified by the iconic pond under the Windmill , which contains no gameplay purpose and appears only once . Why is it there ? Well , to begin with , sometimes water collects in large holes in which you can swim . On the surface , Ico is a game no different from the rest . You run , you fight , you solve problems . Like all games , it's more akin to sport than art . But when shadow wraiths leap out of the ground , gameplay will be the last thing on your mind . You will not care about sweet moves or other trivial feats that games are so eager to idolize . Your mind will be largely on the companion nearby . This is all the doing of Team Ico's animators and AI designers , who accomplished nothing short of magic when they created Yorda and abandoned motion capture . She pulses with life and if you've studied traditional animation , you will know why . I should mention at this point that I heard all about this girl well before I played Ico . Popularity always drains away mysteries and their magic and like everyone , I have an adverse reaction to hype . When the game started , I embraced it with snide cynicism . I'd like to say that I maintained it pretty well , too , until Yorda helped me solve a puzzle without speaking , pointing , or motioning . That shut me up . I first encountered Ico four years ago and did not like it . When the credits rolled , I wanted to throw the controller across the room . I have matured since then . For starters , I understand that Ico is closer to a vivid dream than a story . A story tends to imply that it has another story preceding it and continues with yet another after it is over . In Ico , you experience a brief , otherworldly journey which has no real past and no actual future . And you meet unforgettable characters , but as with all dreams , once you wake up - they will be gone . = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = If you're disappointed that I didn't review the gameplay then it's only because I can't compete with YouTube videos , which will give you a better idea about gameplay mechanics than all Amazon reviews combined . As for this HD release , what's there to say ? You know all of the included changes from reading the marketing specs . You know that Shadow of the Colossus runs at a much better frame rate . If you still can't decide , my recommendation is to rent the collection . Although I have a feeling that if you appreciate thought provoking literature and film , your local neighborhood Game Rental store will never see it again . A pity for them . In 2001 , Charles Herold wrote in New York Times that Ico is not a perfect game , but it is a game of perfect moments . I recommend you read his analysis of the game , although not before you play it . It is far better to experience magic than to read about it . In the end , I do believe that Ico redefines the boundaries of gaming as we know them . But as Herold said , it is by no means perfect . It is , however , the first step . Let's hope there will be others .
        • 012   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) THe graphical overhaul is amazing . These two games are classics and genuine pieces of art in the gaming genre . I'd highly reccomend this to anyone who played hem before and definatly would for anyone who never played them before .
        • 013   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) THe graphical overhaul is amazing . These two games are classics and genuine pieces of art in the gaming genre . I'd highly reccomend this to anyone who played hem before and definatly would for anyone who never played them before .
        • 015   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) In short : I'm glad I finally picked these 2 up . Despite hearing about these games for years , I'd never tried them . I didn't have a PS2 during their heyday ( I was an XBox kid ) , and heard about them much later , spoken of by others with reverence . I'd always meant to pick them up , ( I now have a backward-compatible PS3 ) , never got around to it , but now that this HD version is out , I guess it's ok that I waited . ICO : A brilliant platforming game . Having played the God of War games before ICO , it's plainly obvious to me now where many of those games ' platforming elements came from . The animations are very fluid and realistic . Meaning characters sometimes jerk suddenly or stumble as real people would when trying to make certain movements . As opposed to most games where characters just sort of float . It's very cool , kind of reminds me of the original Prince of Persia . The thing that's really striking about this game though is how little is actually explained to you . There is NO HUD whatsoever , at any time . There's no tutorial to explain buttons . I didn't know I could perform one action until halfway through the game , when I needed to do it . And having to bring your companion along is immensely rewarding . You really get attached to her . Shadow of the Colossus : I am not all the way through yet . But it is every bit as good as ICO , though it is different in many ways . The animation style is the same - much more like actual human movements than video game characters . The Colossi are HUGE , and immensely challenging to climb . Especially at first when you have no clue how they work . Unlike ICO there is some help available . If you haven't progressed in a Colossus fight for a while , a voice from the heavens will offer a hint . It's usually just something small though , to maybe point out something you missed . There is typically still a lot of work for you to do even after this hint . As I understand it , the 16 Colossi are the ONLY enemies in the entire game . So you can imagine how challenging each of them are , and how long they can take to fight . But it is AWESOME doing so . The last one I fought was the coolest so far - and this has been the case with each one . They just keep getting better . This is just my feelings on these games . If you want more info on how they play , and the content , etc . , look them up on a gaming reviews site I guess .
        • 016   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) In short : I'm glad I finally picked these 2 up . Despite hearing about these games for years , I'd never tried them . I didn't have a PS2 during their heyday ( I was an XBox kid ) , and heard about them much later , spoken of by others with reverence . I'd always meant to pick them up , ( I now have a backward-compatible PS3 ) , never got around to it , but now that this HD version is out , I guess it's ok that I waited . ICO : A brilliant platforming game . Having played the God of War games before ICO , it's plainly obvious to me now where many of those games ' platforming elements came from . The animations are very fluid and realistic . Meaning characters sometimes jerk suddenly or stumble as real people would when trying to make certain movements . As opposed to most games where characters just sort of float . It's very cool , kind of reminds me of the original Prince of Persia . The thing that's really striking about this game though is how little is actually explained to you . There is NO HUD whatsoever , at any time . There's no tutorial to explain buttons . I didn't know I could perform one action until halfway through the game , when I needed to do it . And having to bring your companion along is immensely rewarding . You really get attached to her . Shadow of the Colossus : I am not all the way through yet . But it is every bit as good as ICO , though it is different in many ways . The animation style is the same - much more like actual human movements than video game characters . The Colossi are HUGE , and immensely challenging to climb . Especially at first when you have no clue how they work . Unlike ICO there is some help available . If you haven't progressed in a Colossus fight for a while , a voice from the heavens will offer a hint . It's usually just something small though , to maybe point out something you missed . There is typically still a lot of work for you to do even after this hint . As I understand it , the 16 Colossi are the ONLY enemies in the entire game . So you can imagine how challenging each of them are , and how long they can take to fight . But it is AWESOME doing so . The last one I fought was the coolest so far - and this has been the case with each one . They just keep getting better . This is just my feelings on these games . If you want more info on how they play , and the content , etc . , look them up on a gaming reviews site I guess .
        • 017   In short : I'm glad I finally picked these 2 up . Despite hearing about these games for years , I'd never tried them . I didn't have a PS2 during their heyday ( I was an XBox kid ) , and heard about them much later , spoken of by others with reverence . I'd always meant to pick them up , ( I now have a backward-compatible PS3 ) , never got around to it , but now that this HD version is out , I guess it's ok that I waited . ICO : A brilliant platforming game . Having played the God of War games before ICO , it's plainly obvious to me now where many of those games ' platforming elements came from . The animations are very fluid and realistic . Meaning characters sometimes jerk suddenly or stumble as real people would when trying to make certain movements . As opposed to most games where characters just sort of float . It's very cool , kind of reminds me of the original Prince of Persia . The thing that's really striking about this game though is how little is actually explained to you . There is NO HUD whatsoever , at any time . There's no tutorial to explain buttons . I didn't know I could perform one action until halfway through the game , when I needed to do it . And having to bring your companion along is immensely rewarding . You really get attached to her . Shadow of the Colossus : I am not all the way through yet . But it is every bit as good as ICO , though it is different in many ways . The animation style is the same - much more like actual human movements than video game characters . The Colossi are HUGE , and immensely challenging to climb . Especially at first when you have no clue how they work . Unlike ICO there is some help available . If you haven't progressed in a Colossus fight for a while , a voice from the heavens will offer a hint . It's usually just something small though , to maybe point out something you missed . There is typically still a lot of work for you to do even after this hint . As I understand it , the 16 Colossi are the ONLY enemies in the entire game . So you can imagine how challenging each of them are , and how long they can take to fight . But it is AWESOME doing so . The last one I fought was the coolest so far - and this has been the case with each one . They just keep getting better . This is just my feelings on these games . If you want more info on how they play , and the content , etc . , look them up on a gaming reviews site I guess .
        • 018   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) I was a huge fan of Shadow of the Colossus on PS2 . Probably my favorite game of all time next to Ocarina of Time . It looks so much better then it did on PS2 , but still plays just as great . I never got to play ICO because it was expensive and hard to find . Now that I've gotten to play it on PS3 , I'm enjoying it immensely . It's a shame I had to wait so long . . . It's still better then most games being released today . If you're an open minded gamer , you should truly appreciate these wonderful games . If you're a Call of Duty / FPS junkie , you probably won't like them . Then again , a COD junkie doesn't really like anything .
        • 019   I was a huge fan of Shadow of the Colossus on PS2 . Probably my favorite game of all time next to Ocarina of Time . It looks so much better then it did on PS2 , but still plays just as great . I never got to play ICO because it was expensive and hard to find . Now that I've gotten to play it on PS3 , I'm enjoying it immensely . It's a shame I had to wait so long . . . It's still better then most games being released today . If you're an open minded gamer , you should truly appreciate these wonderful games . If you're a Call of Duty / FPS junkie , you probably won't like them . Then again , a COD junkie doesn't really like anything .
        • 020   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) i have never played either game before , and am just in the middle of the shadow of the colossus game , but i am really loving the detail that went into this game . the music . . . just lovely . this is a good game to demo 3d gaming to someone who may not even care for games at all . the boss fights in 3d are outstanding . the visuals in 3d are so great theyre distracting sometimes ; ill be hanging on for dear life , and rather than focus on beating the boss , im thinking , oh wow , thats pretty . . . that is pretty . . . ooohh , let me switch angles . how coo - - oh crap !
        • 021   i have never played either game before , and am just in the middle of the shadow of the colossus game , but i am really loving the detail that went into this game . the music . . . just lovely . this is a good game to demo 3d gaming to someone who may not even care for games at all . the boss fights in 3d are outstanding . the visuals in 3d are so great theyre distracting sometimes ; ill be hanging on for dear life , and rather than focus on beating the boss , im thinking , oh wow , thats pretty . . . that is pretty . . . ooohh , let me switch angles . how coo - - oh crap !
        • 022   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) I never had a PS2 so I missed out on both ICO and Shadow of the Colossus . Luckily for me , and all those who didn't have a PS2 or play the game back then , they have combined these two games in to an HD collection . When i booted up the game , I decided to play ICO first . The graphics were good and the sound was great . The story was a bit confusing at first as there is no background or much narrative throughout the entire game . I found myself beating this game fairly quickly , but enjoying it at the same time . There were some parts that were frustrating , but overall , it was a very well done game , I'd give it an 8 . Next I played Shadow of the Colossus . And believe me , it lives up to the hype . I never really heard of this game growing up which is sad because I consider myself a pretty big gamer . It just goes to show how underrated this game truly is . The HD remake looks amazing . The gameplay is engaging , although there were times I wanted to throw the controller haha ( why do those Colossi shake so much ! ? ! ) . The story was pretty good . I did like the way the company took the game where you fight 16 giant bosses instead of needing to go through stupid little character along the way to get to the bosses . The scale of the Colossi are breathtaking . Never have I felt , as a character in a video game , so puny . However , I think the best part of this game is easily the music . The music fits the mood of the game perfectly , captures every sound , and is extremely powerful . Its sad that this game came out years ago and has much better , more powerful music than a lot of games today . I would easily give Shadow of the Colossus a 9.5 . Overall , I've very happy with this purchase and suggest everyone who missed out on this before to buy it . Can't wait for the company's next game , The Last Guardian , to come out .
        • 023   I never had a PS2 so I missed out on both ICO and Shadow of the Colossus . Luckily for me , and all those who didn't have a PS2 or play the game back then , they have combined these two games in to an HD collection . When i booted up the game , I decided to play ICO first . The graphics were good and the sound was great . The story was a bit confusing at first as there is no background or much narrative throughout the entire game . I found myself beating this game fairly quickly , but enjoying it at the same time . There were some parts that were frustrating , but overall , it was a very well done game , I'd give it an 8 . Next I played Shadow of the Colossus . And believe me , it lives up to the hype . I never really heard of this game growing up which is sad because I consider myself a pretty big gamer . It just goes to show how underrated this game truly is . The HD remake looks amazing . The gameplay is engaging , although there were times I wanted to throw the controller haha ( why do those Colossi shake so much ! ? ! ) . The story was pretty good . I did like the way the company took the game where you fight 16 giant bosses instead of needing to go through stupid little character along the way to get to the bosses . The scale of the Colossi are breathtaking . Never have I felt , as a character in a video game , so puny . However , I think the best part of this game is easily the music . The music fits the mood of the game perfectly , captures every sound , and is extremely powerful . Its sad that this game came out years ago and has much better , more powerful music than a lot of games today . I would easily give Shadow of the Colossus a 9.5 . Overall , I've very happy with this purchase and suggest everyone who missed out on this before to buy it . Can't wait for the company's next game , The Last Guardian , to come out .
        • 024   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) I have been a fan of Fumito Ueda's games for many years . The original releases of these two games rank among my personal favorites and as soon as I heard they would receive the HD remastering treatment I was elated ! These are unique games and probably quite different than others that most have experienced . The uniqueness ( and strength ) of ICO / Shadow is how beautifully the worlds are crafted - - the synergy of the art , plot , gameplay , design - - and how that profound attention to detail creates a surprisingly emotional experience for the player . Regarding the remastering in particular , the improvement of the visuals is fantastic . I'm a big fan of 3D for games : many argue / complain that , at least in movies , 3D is and always will be a gimmick because it can not add anything to the movie that you lose without 3D . In contrast , games are built to be interactive and immersive , and adding stereoscopic 3D bolsters the player's connection to these worlds . With 3D , it feels much more like viewing a window into a different world . Additionally , stereoscopic 3D helps to improve depth perception in games . I have no complaints about these games , but some people find the controls off-putting . The controls do not convey the same sort of precision you might expect in a platformer game , but this was a deliberate design choice to convey instead a feeling of heaviness . Ultimately , it is another detail that influences how the player experiences the game . With a little bit of practice , you learn what to expect and how to anticipate how the controls react . So , don't worry about the controls . I highly recommend these games to everyone interested in a different kind of game experience . In my opinion , video games are another medium for expression of art , emotion , and story . If any game collection were able to make a strong case for the games-as-art argument , it is this collection .
        • 025   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) I have been a fan of Fumito Ueda's games for many years . The original releases of these two games rank among my personal favorites and as soon as I heard they would receive the HD remastering treatment I was elated ! These are unique games and probably quite different than others that most have experienced . The uniqueness ( and strength ) of ICO / Shadow is how beautifully the worlds are crafted - - the synergy of the art , plot , gameplay , design - - and how that profound attention to detail creates a surprisingly emotional experience for the player . Regarding the remastering in particular , the improvement of the visuals is fantastic . I'm a big fan of 3D for games : many argue / complain that , at least in movies , 3D is and always will be a gimmick because it can not add anything to the movie that you lose without 3D . In contrast , games are built to be interactive and immersive , and adding stereoscopic 3D bolsters the player's connection to these worlds . With 3D , it feels much more like viewing a window into a different world . Additionally , stereoscopic 3D helps to improve depth perception in games . I have no complaints about these games , but some people find the controls off-putting . The controls do not convey the same sort of precision you might expect in a platformer game , but this was a deliberate design choice to convey instead a feeling of heaviness . Ultimately , it is another detail that influences how the player experiences the game . With a little bit of practice , you learn what to expect and how to anticipate how the controls react . So , don't worry about the controls . I highly recommend these games to everyone interested in a different kind of game experience . In my opinion , video games are another medium for expression of art , emotion , and story . If any game collection were able to make a strong case for the games-as-art argument , it is this collection .
        • 026   I have been a fan of Fumito Ueda's games for many years . The original releases of these two games rank among my personal favorites and as soon as I heard they would receive the HD remastering treatment I was elated ! These are unique games and probably quite different than others that most have experienced . The uniqueness ( and strength ) of ICO / Shadow is how beautifully the worlds are crafted - - the synergy of the art , plot , gameplay , design - - and how that profound attention to detail creates a surprisingly emotional experience for the player . Regarding the remastering in particular , the improvement of the visuals is fantastic . I'm a big fan of 3D for games : many argue / complain that , at least in movies , 3D is and always will be a gimmick because it can not add anything to the movie that you lose without 3D . In contrast , games are built to be interactive and immersive , and adding stereoscopic 3D bolsters the player's connection to these worlds . With 3D , it feels much more like viewing a window into a different world . Additionally , stereoscopic 3D helps to improve depth perception in games . I have no complaints about these games , but some people find the controls off-putting . The controls do not convey the same sort of precision you might expect in a platformer game , but this was a deliberate design choice to convey instead a feeling of heaviness . Ultimately , it is another detail that influences how the player experiences the game . With a little bit of practice , you learn what to expect and how to anticipate how the controls react . So , don't worry about the controls . I highly recommend these games to everyone interested in a different kind of game experience . In my opinion , video games are another medium for expression of art , emotion , and story . If any game collection were able to make a strong case for the games-as-art argument , it is this collection .
        • 027   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) I played both of these titles years ago on PS2 and enjoyed them immensely . Both have a sort of austere beauty and convey a sense of loneliness that feels more like an excellent film than a video game . I still have the original PS2 discs and compared the new PS3 games to them on my console with PS2 upsampling turned on and set to full . There's absolutely no comparison - both games , PS3 native of upsampled PS2 show as 1080p on my Samsung LED tv , but the graphics are worlds apart . The old versions look good in the higher resolution , but it's immediately obvious that they took quite a bit of time remaking large parts of the games with current graphic technology and they clearly did some clever programming to make both titles look like standard PS3 games running at 60fps . If the case didn't mention that they're remade ps2 titles and you haven't played them in their original format you'd never know that they aren't new games made for the PS3 . They've also gone to great lengths to preserve the original flow of gameplay and controls , while fixing the little issues with the old controls and smoothing out the few rough edges the original titles had . To put things simply , if you've played these and loved them on PS2 and own a PS3 , they're 100% worth the purchase . If you've never played them before and own a PS3 , they're an even better value . They could have released these at $30 - $40 each as single titles , but made them an amazing bargain at $40 for the pair . They're worth every penny - if reviews matter to you , you can check out the old PS2 reviews on your gaming site of choice and learn what the games are about and how they play , then read the PS3 version reviews to see the graphical updates and read about the feature changes and extras . If you enjoy adventure games at all , these are a no-brainer purchase .
        • 028   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) I played both of these titles years ago on PS2 and enjoyed them immensely . Both have a sort of austere beauty and convey a sense of loneliness that feels more like an excellent film than a video game . I still have the original PS2 discs and compared the new PS3 games to them on my console with PS2 upsampling turned on and set to full . There's absolutely no comparison - both games , PS3 native of upsampled PS2 show as 1080p on my Samsung LED tv , but the graphics are worlds apart . The old versions look good in the higher resolution , but it's immediately obvious that they took quite a bit of time remaking large parts of the games with current graphic technology and they clearly did some clever programming to make both titles look like standard PS3 games running at 60fps . If the case didn't mention that they're remade ps2 titles and you haven't played them in their original format you'd never know that they aren't new games made for the PS3 . They've also gone to great lengths to preserve the original flow of gameplay and controls , while fixing the little issues with the old controls and smoothing out the few rough edges the original titles had . To put things simply , if you've played these and loved them on PS2 and own a PS3 , they're 100% worth the purchase . If you've never played them before and own a PS3 , they're an even better value . They could have released these at $30 - $40 each as single titles , but made them an amazing bargain at $40 for the pair . They're worth every penny - if reviews matter to you , you can check out the old PS2 reviews on your gaming site of choice and learn what the games are about and how they play , then read the PS3 version reviews to see the graphical updates and read about the feature changes and extras . If you enjoy adventure games at all , these are a no-brainer purchase .
        • 029   I played both of these titles years ago on PS2 and enjoyed them immensely . Both have a sort of austere beauty and convey a sense of loneliness that feels more like an excellent film than a video game . I still have the original PS2 discs and compared the new PS3 games to them on my console with PS2 upsampling turned on and set to full . There's absolutely no comparison - both games , PS3 native of upsampled PS2 show as 1080p on my Samsung LED tv , but the graphics are worlds apart . The old versions look good in the higher resolution , but it's immediately obvious that they took quite a bit of time remaking large parts of the games with current graphic technology and they clearly did some clever programming to make both titles look like standard PS3 games running at 60fps . If the case didn't mention that they're remade ps2 titles and you haven't played them in their original format you'd never know that they aren't new games made for the PS3 . They've also gone to great lengths to preserve the original flow of gameplay and controls , while fixing the little issues with the old controls and smoothing out the few rough edges the original titles had . To put things simply , if you've played these and loved them on PS2 and own a PS3 , they're 100% worth the purchase . If you've never played them before and own a PS3 , they're an even better value . They could have released these at $30 - $40 each as single titles , but made them an amazing bargain at $40 for the pair . They're worth every penny - if reviews matter to you , you can check out the old PS2 reviews on your gaming site of choice and learn what the games are about and how they play , then read the PS3 version reviews to see the graphical updates and read about the feature changes and extras . If you enjoy adventure games at all , these are a no-brainer purchase .
        • 030   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Honestly , I hardly use my PS3 these days . In fact , if it wasn't for the re-release of Shadow of the Colossus ( and the upcoming The Last Guardian ) I might have gotten rid of my PS3 by now . This is a unique game . When discussions about whether or not video games should be considered art this game is usually referenced . There really isn't much to it , as far as controls and goals are concerned , but the game itself creates an atmosphere that seems tangible at times . The first time you see a colossus rise up when it spots you is a memorable moment . Even non-gamers may find this a fascinating game to watch someone play .
        • 031   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Honestly , I hardly use my PS3 these days . In fact , if it wasn't for the re-release of Shadow of the Colossus ( and the upcoming The Last Guardian ) I might have gotten rid of my PS3 by now . This is a unique game . When discussions about whether or not video games should be considered art this game is usually referenced . There really isn't much to it , as far as controls and goals are concerned , but the game itself creates an atmosphere that seems tangible at times . The first time you see a colossus rise up when it spots you is a memorable moment . Even non-gamers may find this a fascinating game to watch someone play .
        • 032   Honestly , I hardly use my PS3 these days . In fact , if it wasn't for the re-release of Shadow of the Colossus ( and the upcoming The Last Guardian ) I might have gotten rid of my PS3 by now . This is a unique game . When discussions about whether or not video games should be considered art this game is usually referenced . There really isn't much to it , as far as controls and goals are concerned , but the game itself creates an atmosphere that seems tangible at times . The first time you see a colossus rise up when it spots you is a memorable moment . Even non-gamers may find this a fascinating game to watch someone play .
        • 033   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Both of these games are some of my favorite video game experiences . They have aged very well . The HD graphics look great , much better than I was expecting . Great great games .
        • 034   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Both of these games are some of my favorite video game experiences . They have aged very well . The HD graphics look great , much better than I was expecting . Great great games .
        • 036   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) I would rate this game a 4.5 since there is no .5 scale here , I am willing to give it a 5 for the two gems . ICO slightly disappointed me for it's visual representation . I have to be honest , this does not look that better than it's original PS2 version . Instead , the old ample feeling now becomes a little empty after the graphics remastering . I have to say I think they could have done a better job adding more details and texture . On the other hand , SotC managed to excite me once more . The boss fights are awesome up to nowaday standards . I won't spoil it for you , one of the boss fight ( hint : flying , sands ) is the best I have encountered in my whole gaming career ( yeah let's call it a career ) . A lot of games in the new gen have been inspired by these two master creation . GoW , UC series , even games like LBP2 have their own reflection of the two games . ICO has brought the brilliant mode of AI computer co-op and deep relation between the player and an AI character . SotC shined with all original large scale magnificent boss fights . They are stunning . And over the top , you have two worlds that will put you in and make you feel . Must-buy if you are true gamer
        • 037   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) I would rate this game a 4.5 since there is no .5 scale here , I am willing to give it a 5 for the two gems . ICO slightly disappointed me for it's visual representation . I have to be honest , this does not look that better than it's original PS2 version . Instead , the old ample feeling now becomes a little empty after the graphics remastering . I have to say I think they could have done a better job adding more details and texture . On the other hand , SotC managed to excite me once more . The boss fights are awesome up to nowaday standards . I won't spoil it for you , one of the boss fight ( hint : flying , sands ) is the best I have encountered in my whole gaming career ( yeah let's call it a career ) . A lot of games in the new gen have been inspired by these two master creation . GoW , UC series , even games like LBP2 have their own reflection of the two games . ICO has brought the brilliant mode of AI computer co-op and deep relation between the player and an AI character . SotC shined with all original large scale magnificent boss fights . They are stunning . And over the top , you have two worlds that will put you in and make you feel . Must-buy if you are true gamer
        • 038   I would rate this game a 4.5 since there is no .5 scale here , I am willing to give it a 5 for the two gems . ICO slightly disappointed me for it's visual representation . I have to be honest , this does not look that better than it's original PS2 version . Instead , the old ample feeling now becomes a little empty after the graphics remastering . I have to say I think they could have done a better job adding more details and texture . On the other hand , SotC managed to excite me once more . The boss fights are awesome up to nowaday standards . I won't spoil it for you , one of the boss fight ( hint : flying , sands ) is the best I have encountered in my whole gaming career ( yeah let's call it a career ) . A lot of games in the new gen have been inspired by these two master creation . GoW , UC series , even games like LBP2 have their own reflection of the two games . ICO has brought the brilliant mode of AI computer co-op and deep relation between the player and an AI character . SotC shined with all original large scale magnificent boss fights . They are stunning . And over the top , you have two worlds that will put you in and make you feel . Must-buy if you are true gamer
        • 039   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) i played SoTC on PS2 when it originally came out and fell in love with it the world that team ICO makes are magnificent . SoTC has you battling 16 colossi in hope of bringing back life to a girl whose relating to you is not known . ICO has you trying to escape a island with a mysterious girl in hopes of getting back to the mainland . Both games are great they look better than ever if you've never played either before on the PS2 do yourself a favor and buy them now
        • 040   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) i played SoTC on PS2 when it originally came out and fell in love with it the world that team ICO makes are magnificent . SoTC has you battling 16 colossi in hope of bringing back life to a girl whose relating to you is not known . ICO has you trying to escape a island with a mysterious girl in hopes of getting back to the mainland . Both games are great they look better than ever if you've never played either before on the PS2 do yourself a favor and buy them now
        • 041   i played SoTC on PS2 when it originally came out and fell in love with it the world that team ICO makes are magnificent . SoTC has you battling 16 colossi in hope of bringing back life to a girl whose relating to you is not known . ICO has you trying to escape a island with a mysterious girl in hopes of getting back to the mainland . Both games are great they look better than ever if you've never played either before on the PS2 do yourself a favor and buy them now
        • 042   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) ICO and Shadow of the Colossus are both arguably two of the best games that were released on the PS2 ( originally released in 2002 and 2006 , respectively ) and have had a cult following with its loyal fans since . A few months ago Team ICO announced that HD updates of these classic games would be released and since then I have been dying in anticipation . Finally the other day my preorder arrived and after spending quite a lot of time with both games I can honestly say that these games are actually even better than I can remember them being . Both games are extremely atmospheric , unique , eerie , beautiful and most importantly , incredibly fun to play . In ICO you are a young horned boy who must help a girl escape a prison , whilst Shadow of the Colossus you must bring down 16 gigantic and different beasts . It is instantly obvious after trying both that more time has been spent updating the visuals on ICO than on Shadow of the Colossus - the textures and colour on ICO are a lot more rich and the graphics even look a lot more updated , whereas Shadow of the Colossus ( although still looks stunning ) does sometimes look not far different from the original PS2 version , just with a more glossy finish on it . Trophy fans will be pleased as both games have their own collection to earn , some easier than other ( complete ICO in 2 hours being one of them - is this even possible ? ) but a great addition which will surely provide a lot more replay value to both titles . Overall , whether you have never played these games before and want to see for yourself what all the fuss is about or if you've played these games before and want to re-try them in all their HD glory then I highly recommend this game . There really are no other games out there like this and it is honestly the closest art and gaming has been .
        • 043   ICO and Shadow of the Colossus are both arguably two of the best games that were released on the PS2 ( originally released in 2002 and 2006 , respectively ) and have had a cult following with its loyal fans since . A few months ago Team ICO announced that HD updates of these classic games would be released and since then I have been dying in anticipation . Finally the other day my preorder arrived and after spending quite a lot of time with both games I can honestly say that these games are actually even better than I can remember them being . Both games are extremely atmospheric , unique , eerie , beautiful and most importantly , incredibly fun to play . In ICO you are a young horned boy who must help a girl escape a prison , whilst Shadow of the Colossus you must bring down 16 gigantic and different beasts . It is instantly obvious after trying both that more time has been spent updating the visuals on ICO than on Shadow of the Colossus - the textures and colour on ICO are a lot more rich and the graphics even look a lot more updated , whereas Shadow of the Colossus ( although still looks stunning ) does sometimes look not far different from the original PS2 version , just with a more glossy finish on it . Trophy fans will be pleased as both games have their own collection to earn , some easier than other ( complete ICO in 2 hours being one of them - is this even possible ? ) but a great addition which will surely provide a lot more replay value to both titles . Overall , whether you have never played these games before and want to see for yourself what all the fuss is about or if you've played these games before and want to re-try them in all their HD glory then I highly recommend this game . There really are no other games out there like this and it is honestly the closest art and gaming has been .
        • 044   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Great games . Great deal . I never played either of these games on ps2 . Very happy I got to experience them on ps3 . Great Sound / Music . Good Graphics . Simple but powerful stories . Controls are a little frustrating until you get some practice . OVERALL GREAT EXPERIENCE .
        • 045   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Great games . Great deal . I never played either of these games on ps2 . Very happy I got to experience them on ps3 . Great Sound / Music . Good Graphics . Simple but powerful stories . Controls are a little frustrating until you get some practice . OVERALL GREAT EXPERIENCE .
        • 047   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Despite having only released two games ( three with The Last Guardian due out in two months ) since 1997 , the Team ICO group has shown each time that they understand art and gaming . With the release of ICO during the Playstation 2 ' s first year ( 2001 ) the team showed what could be done without having to focus solely on graphics . Understanding that they would have a difficult time working with a brand new machine that no one knew how to program well for , they created a game that utilized the shortcomings of the system to create an atmosphere that is still only rarely glimpsed ( the original Silent Hill for the Playstation One also used the system limitations to create an effect greater than expected , if you haven't played it , it's on the PSN for $6 and can still can scare the & * * ^ out of you . ) While using little music and low quality / detail textures , ICO is coupled with lovingly crafted sound effects and exquisite character animation highlighted by ( what was then uncommon ) HDR ( High Dynamic Range ) lighting along with a complete lack of any obvious tutorials , hints , or even any sort of timer or on screen display . It's just you , a horned boy , the pale girl that can't speak your language , and lots and lots of castle . But enough about how beautifully done the game is , you've surely read 83 other reviews that cover that . The game play . . . . ICO has few controls that are easy to grasp and don't require any thinking about , once again , melding you into the game proper . Puzzles are completely based on logic or manipulating the environment . The whole point of the game , get the girl out of the castle and don't let anything happen to her . Little touches abound to help you : Are you stuck and don't know what to do ? Try watching Yorda and see what she's interested in . Is she standing on a box for no reason whatsover ? It's probably not because the AI is stupid , try moving the box ! Or perhaps she keeps tripping up while you drag her by the hand . . . Is it because she's looking around while you run ? Try slowing down and let her go , see what she does . Example : The game doesn't tell you what a save point is . You come to the first one and Yorda points to it , sits down on it and pats the area next to her . Take a seat and the game asks if you want to save . Simple , elegant , and it didn't take the dismissal of 12 dialog boxes to tell you all about the save points and that you should save every change you get ( I'm looking at you Final Fantasy . . ahem ) Broken ladders give you a clue that maybe you should head up , of course the ladder is broken , but hey . . . you know where to go ! There are enough save points at strategic locations to make this a game for the casual gamer - solve a puzzle , save and do another tomorrow - while later puzzles keep you scratching your head long enough to ensnare the hardcore RPG / ActionRPG crowd . All this , and that was just the game in 2001 . Throw in a disc with the just as fantastic prequel , plenty of bonus content , two dynamic XMB themes , widescreen and HD updates ; and hey , 3d support that looks pretty dang good ( better than Tron : Legacy , but we'll pretend that never happened ) ; and you get a lot of bang for your $40 . Buy it . And while you're at it , nab the book ICO : Castle in the Mist ( Haikasoru ) which for the first time has been translated into English . Amazon's got it for under $11 at the time of this review , so hey , get it while you have the free super saver shipping , right ? I knew you would ; )
        • 048   Despite having only released two games ( three with The Last Guardian due out in two months ) since 1997 , the Team ICO group has shown each time that they understand art and gaming . With the release of ICO during the Playstation 2 ' s first year ( 2001 ) the team showed what could be done without having to focus solely on graphics . Understanding that they would have a difficult time working with a brand new machine that no one knew how to program well for , they created a game that utilized the shortcomings of the system to create an atmosphere that is still only rarely glimpsed ( the original Silent Hill for the Playstation One also used the system limitations to create an effect greater than expected , if you haven't played it , it's on the PSN for $6 and can still can scare the & * * ^ out of you . ) While using little music and low quality / detail textures , ICO is coupled with lovingly crafted sound effects and exquisite character animation highlighted by ( what was then uncommon ) HDR ( High Dynamic Range ) lighting along with a complete lack of any obvious tutorials , hints , or even any sort of timer or on screen display . It's just you , a horned boy , the pale girl that can't speak your language , and lots and lots of castle . But enough about how beautifully done the game is , you've surely read 83 other reviews that cover that . The game play . . . . ICO has few controls that are easy to grasp and don't require any thinking about , once again , melding you into the game proper . Puzzles are completely based on logic or manipulating the environment . The whole point of the game , get the girl out of the castle and don't let anything happen to her . Little touches abound to help you : Are you stuck and don't know what to do ? Try watching Yorda and see what she's interested in . Is she standing on a box for no reason whatsover ? It's probably not because the AI is stupid , try moving the box ! Or perhaps she keeps tripping up while you drag her by the hand . . . Is it because she's looking around while you run ? Try slowing down and let her go , see what she does . Example : The game doesn't tell you what a save point is . You come to the first one and Yorda points to it , sits down on it and pats the area next to her . Take a seat and the game asks if you want to save . Simple , elegant , and it didn't take the dismissal of 12 dialog boxes to tell you all about the save points and that you should save every change you get ( I'm looking at you Final Fantasy . . ahem ) Broken ladders give you a clue that maybe you should head up , of course the ladder is broken , but hey . . . you know where to go ! There are enough save points at strategic locations to make this a game for the casual gamer - solve a puzzle , save and do another tomorrow - while later puzzles keep you scratching your head long enough to ensnare the hardcore RPG / ActionRPG crowd . All this , and that was just the game in 2001 . Throw in a disc with the just as fantastic prequel , plenty of bonus content , two dynamic XMB themes , widescreen and HD updates ; and hey , 3d support that looks pretty dang good ( better than Tron : Legacy , but we'll pretend that never happened ) ; and you get a lot of bang for your $40 . Buy it . And while you're at it , nab the book ICO : Castle in the Mist ( Haikasoru ) which for the first time has been translated into English . Amazon's got it for under $11 at the time of this review , so hey , get it while you have the free super saver shipping , right ? I knew you would ; )
        • 049   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) No doubt many of you have heard the argument for video games as art and hear the words ICO and Shadow of the Colossus thrown around . I never had the chance to play these two games back during the PS2 days , so after reading and hearing so much about them , I was excited to see for myself what all the hype was about . * * * Disclaimer * * * I won't go into much depth about the technical aspects of this game because frankly I consider this game to be true interactive art . ICO : The basic plot ( no spoilers ) : People born with horns don't fare well with the local villagers , so young Ico is sentenced to a life of solitude in a seaside castle . Through a series of events , Ico comes upon another person in the castle by the name of Yorda , a young maiden who has much to offer our hero Ico . Many video games in this day and age have an obligation to offer a game with high replayability , whether it is a vast RPG like Elder Scrolls or a multiplayer extravaganza like Battlefield . ICO set out to break the mold and offer one of the simplest video game experiences around . However , this minimalist approach is precisely what makes ICO a masterpiece . This game is far from perfect in terms of mechanics ; the battle system is as complex as a three-hit combo , the timing and placing of jumps can be off at times , and the AI can induce facepalm moments . None of those small gripes take away from the experience of ICO because at its heart , ICO is an emotional journey . As a derivation of surrealist painter Giorgio de Chirico , the art style of this game is astonishingly beautiful . Firstly , the camera angles are distinctly cinematic , pulling back at key moments and zooming in at others to offer a movie-like feel to the scenes . The overexposure to all the living parts of the castle emphasize life itself ; Yorda's radiant , angelic figure , the bright , lush greens of the grass and the trees , and even the small little birds that flitter across the stage offer respite from the ominous magnitude and shadows of the castle walls and inner sanctums . The animations practically seal the deal of visual mastery . Ico and Yorda's movements are all so believable and the simple motion of grabbing Yorda's hand becomes so heartfelt as the game progresses . Seeing Yorda stumble along after Ico makes the player aware of their own haste , but like any child , curiosity to explore the world can overcome judgment . The audio design took a daring approach by offering as little as possible . The sound of Ico and Yorda's footsteps , the howling wind and crashing waves , the mechanical whirring of cranes , and the melody of birds chirping make up the majority of the game's soundtrack . Certain songs play during battle scenes , cutscenes , and the save menu , but other than that the non-existent soundtrack makes this experience undoubtedly personal . There is no music to distract the player and cutscenes offer very little dialogue , often times posing more questions than answers . There is only the sound of the environment directly around you . It's a testament that the very world itself can be a soundtrack for the player , that often times we just need to take a breather and really absorb the world around us . ICO moved me in a way that no other video game has , or possibly ever will . SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS : The basic plot ( no spoilers ) : How far would a man be willing to go to resurrect the love of his life from her eternal slumber ? The enigmatic Wander steps up to this challenge , but may very well have bargained for more than he expected . . . . Boss battles tend to have the most impressionable and memorable moments in video games . Team Ico set out to create a game that was solely a 16 - Boss-Battle-Run and birthed Shadow of the Colossus . With the same minimalistic approach from ICO , the team created a game that amplified those elements ten-fold ; keep it simple in design , but complex in its structure and emotional depth . If anything , the Colossi are the embodiment of Team Ico's philosophy . The creatures are enormous , ominous , and powerful . At the same time , they are beautiful , majestic , and vulnerable . Often times , in order to defeat a Colossus , you must use its strength or animal-like behavior against it and it is gut-wrenching to watch the grand creatures fall to their death . The camera usually grants the player a view of the Colossus's face as you deal the fatal blow and it builds a personal feeling for the beasts that is unprecedented in any video game battle . Agro , our hero's beast of burden companion , is officially tied with Link's Epona as the most reliable horse companion that I've ever had the privilege of leading on a grand adventure . The Colossi battles that permitted Agro to join you are nothing short of spectular because Agro is not only a beautiful horse but a strong and capable one , allowing you to ride on her while standing and shooting arrows at the beasts and getting right back up when knocked over by a Colossus . The only other game I can think of that matches Shadow's scale when it comes to enemy size is God of War III , and that pushed the PS3 ' s hardware as it was . There are definitely some surprises along the way which I won't spoil , but every Colossus is so unique and offers its own unforgettable challenge . BONUS MATERIAL : Included with this bundle is a compilation of five behind-the-scenes videos including concept and making of videos of Team Ico's various works , with a special look at The Last Guardian , the team's next project . The videos offer a taste of the philosophy and design process behind the development , and there is PLENTY of praise for Ueda-san's mastery . You can decorate your XMB with two excellent dynamic themes , one from ICO and another from Shadow . FINAL THOUGHTS : The ICO & Shadow of the Colossus Collection is not for everyone - - the games are deliberately slow at times and the controls may seem clunky at various moments . There is no overarching soundtrack to groove to and no customization options for armor or weapons . Instead , these experiences rely on artistic vision , to provide an atmosphere that is unmatched in this industry . Surprising bonuses await dedicated players who journey on a second playthrough , offering good incentive to revisit these unparalleled worlds . Every self-respecting gamer ( casual or core ) should witness this video game compilation for themselves .
        • 050   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) No doubt many of you have heard the argument for video games as art and hear the words ICO and Shadow of the Colossus thrown around . I never had the chance to play these two games back during the PS2 days , so after reading and hearing so much about them , I was excited to see for myself what all the hype was about . * * * Disclaimer * * * I won't go into much depth about the technical aspects of this game because frankly I consider this game to be true interactive art . ICO : The basic plot ( no spoilers ) : People born with horns don't fare well with the local villagers , so young Ico is sentenced to a life of solitude in a seaside castle . Through a series of events , Ico comes upon another person in the castle by the name of Yorda , a young maiden who has much to offer our hero Ico . Many video games in this day and age have an obligation to offer a game with high replayability , whether it is a vast RPG like Elder Scrolls or a multiplayer extravaganza like Battlefield . ICO set out to break the mold and offer one of the simplest video game experiences around . However , this minimalist approach is precisely what makes ICO a masterpiece . This game is far from perfect in terms of mechanics ; the battle system is as complex as a three-hit combo , the timing and placing of jumps can be off at times , and the AI can induce facepalm moments . None of those small gripes take away from the experience of ICO because at its heart , ICO is an emotional journey . As a derivation of surrealist painter Giorgio de Chirico , the art style of this game is astonishingly beautiful . Firstly , the camera angles are distinctly cinematic , pulling back at key moments and zooming in at others to offer a movie-like feel to the scenes . The overexposure to all the living parts of the castle emphasize life itself ; Yorda's radiant , angelic figure , the bright , lush greens of the grass and the trees , and even the small little birds that flitter across the stage offer respite from the ominous magnitude and shadows of the castle walls and inner sanctums . The animations practically seal the deal of visual mastery . Ico and Yorda's movements are all so believable and the simple motion of grabbing Yorda's hand becomes so heartfelt as the game progresses . Seeing Yorda stumble along after Ico makes the player aware of their own haste , but like any child , curiosity to explore the world can overcome judgment . The audio design took a daring approach by offering as little as possible . The sound of Ico and Yorda's footsteps , the howling wind and crashing waves , the mechanical whirring of cranes , and the melody of birds chirping make up the majority of the game's soundtrack . Certain songs play during battle scenes , cutscenes , and the save menu , but other than that the non-existent soundtrack makes this experience undoubtedly personal . There is no music to distract the player and cutscenes offer very little dialogue , often times posing more questions than answers . There is only the sound of the environment directly around you . It's a testament that the very world itself can be a soundtrack for the player , that often times we just need to take a breather and really absorb the world around us . ICO moved me in a way that no other video game has , or possibly ever will . SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS : The basic plot ( no spoilers ) : How far would a man be willing to go to resurrect the love of his life from her eternal slumber ? The enigmatic Wander steps up to this challenge , but may very well have bargained for more than he expected . . . . Boss battles tend to have the most impressionable and memorable moments in video games . Team Ico set out to create a game that was solely a 16 - Boss-Battle-Run and birthed Shadow of the Colossus . With the same minimalistic approach from ICO , the team created a game that amplified those elements ten-fold ; keep it simple in design , but complex in its structure and emotional depth . If anything , the Colossi are the embodiment of Team Ico's philosophy . The creatures are enormous , ominous , and powerful . At the same time , they are beautiful , majestic , and vulnerable . Often times , in order to defeat a Colossus , you must use its strength or animal-like behavior against it and it is gut-wrenching to watch the grand creatures fall to their death . The camera usually grants the player a view of the Colossus's face as you deal the fatal blow and it builds a personal feeling for the beasts that is unprecedented in any video game battle . Agro , our hero's beast of burden companion , is officially tied with Link's Epona as the most reliable horse companion that I've ever had the privilege of leading on a grand adventure . The Colossi battles that permitted Agro to join you are nothing short of spectular because Agro is not only a beautiful horse but a strong and capable one , allowing you to ride on her while standing and shooting arrows at the beasts and getting right back up when knocked over by a Colossus . The only other game I can think of that matches Shadow's scale when it comes to enemy size is God of War III , and that pushed the PS3 ' s hardware as it was . There are definitely some surprises along the way which I won't spoil , but every Colossus is so unique and offers its own unforgettable challenge . BONUS MATERIAL : Included with this bundle is a compilation of five behind-the-scenes videos including concept and making of videos of Team Ico's various works , with a special look at The Last Guardian , the team's next project . The videos offer a taste of the philosophy and design process behind the development , and there is PLENTY of praise for Ueda-san's mastery . You can decorate your XMB with two excellent dynamic themes , one from ICO and another from Shadow . FINAL THOUGHTS : The ICO & Shadow of the Colossus Collection is not for everyone - - the games are deliberately slow at times and the controls may seem clunky at various moments . There is no overarching soundtrack to groove to and no customization options for armor or weapons . Instead , these experiences rely on artistic vision , to provide an atmosphere that is unmatched in this industry . Surprising bonuses await dedicated players who journey on a second playthrough , offering good incentive to revisit these unparalleled worlds . Every self-respecting gamer ( casual or core ) should witness this video game compilation for themselves .
        • 051   No doubt many of you have heard the argument for video games as art and hear the words ICO and Shadow of the Colossus thrown around . I never had the chance to play these two games back during the PS2 days , so after reading and hearing so much about them , I was excited to see for myself what all the hype was about . * * * Disclaimer * * * I won't go into much depth about the technical aspects of this game because frankly I consider this game to be true interactive art . ICO : The basic plot ( no spoilers ) : People born with horns don't fare well with the local villagers , so young Ico is sentenced to a life of solitude in a seaside castle . Through a series of events , Ico comes upon another person in the castle by the name of Yorda , a young maiden who has much to offer our hero Ico . Many video games in this day and age have an obligation to offer a game with high replayability , whether it is a vast RPG like Elder Scrolls or a multiplayer extravaganza like Battlefield . ICO set out to break the mold and offer one of the simplest video game experiences around . However , this minimalist approach is precisely what makes ICO a masterpiece . This game is far from perfect in terms of mechanics ; the battle system is as complex as a three-hit combo , the timing and placing of jumps can be off at times , and the AI can induce facepalm moments . None of those small gripes take away from the experience of ICO because at its heart , ICO is an emotional journey . As a derivation of surrealist painter Giorgio de Chirico , the art style of this game is astonishingly beautiful . Firstly , the camera angles are distinctly cinematic , pulling back at key moments and zooming in at others to offer a movie-like feel to the scenes . The overexposure to all the living parts of the castle emphasize life itself ; Yorda's radiant , angelic figure , the bright , lush greens of the grass and the trees , and even the small little birds that flitter across the stage offer respite from the ominous magnitude and shadows of the castle walls and inner sanctums . The animations practically seal the deal of visual mastery . Ico and Yorda's movements are all so believable and the simple motion of grabbing Yorda's hand becomes so heartfelt as the game progresses . Seeing Yorda stumble along after Ico makes the player aware of their own haste , but like any child , curiosity to explore the world can overcome judgment . The audio design took a daring approach by offering as little as possible . The sound of Ico and Yorda's footsteps , the howling wind and crashing waves , the mechanical whirring of cranes , and the melody of birds chirping make up the majority of the game's soundtrack . Certain songs play during battle scenes , cutscenes , and the save menu , but other than that the non-existent soundtrack makes this experience undoubtedly personal . There is no music to distract the player and cutscenes offer very little dialogue , often times posing more questions than answers . There is only the sound of the environment directly around you . It's a testament that the very world itself can be a soundtrack for the player , that often times we just need to take a breather and really absorb the world around us . ICO moved me in a way that no other video game has , or possibly ever will . SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS : The basic plot ( no spoilers ) : How far would a man be willing to go to resurrect the love of his life from her eternal slumber ? The enigmatic Wander steps up to this challenge , but may very well have bargained for more than he expected . . . . Boss battles tend to have the most impressionable and memorable moments in video games . Team Ico set out to create a game that was solely a 16 - Boss-Battle-Run and birthed Shadow of the Colossus . With the same minimalistic approach from ICO , the team created a game that amplified those elements ten-fold ; keep it simple in design , but complex in its structure and emotional depth . If anything , the Colossi are the embodiment of Team Ico's philosophy . The creatures are enormous , ominous , and powerful . At the same time , they are beautiful , majestic , and vulnerable . Often times , in order to defeat a Colossus , you must use its strength or animal-like behavior against it and it is gut-wrenching to watch the grand creatures fall to their death . The camera usually grants the player a view of the Colossus's face as you deal the fatal blow and it builds a personal feeling for the beasts that is unprecedented in any video game battle . Agro , our hero's beast of burden companion , is officially tied with Link's Epona as the most reliable horse companion that I've ever had the privilege of leading on a grand adventure . The Colossi battles that permitted Agro to join you are nothing short of spectular because Agro is not only a beautiful horse but a strong and capable one , allowing you to ride on her while standing and shooting arrows at the beasts and getting right back up when knocked over by a Colossus . The only other game I can think of that matches Shadow's scale when it comes to enemy size is God of War III , and that pushed the PS3 ' s hardware as it was . There are definitely some surprises along the way which I won't spoil , but every Colossus is so unique and offers its own unforgettable challenge . BONUS MATERIAL : Included with this bundle is a compilation of five behind-the-scenes videos including concept and making of videos of Team Ico's various works , with a special look at The Last Guardian , the team's next project . The videos offer a taste of the philosophy and design process behind the development , and there is PLENTY of praise for Ueda-san's mastery . You can decorate your XMB with two excellent dynamic themes , one from ICO and another from Shadow . FINAL THOUGHTS : The ICO & Shadow of the Colossus Collection is not for everyone - - the games are deliberately slow at times and the controls may seem clunky at various moments . There is no overarching soundtrack to groove to and no customization options for armor or weapons . Instead , these experiences rely on artistic vision , to provide an atmosphere that is unmatched in this industry . Surprising bonuses await dedicated players who journey on a second playthrough , offering good incentive to revisit these unparalleled worlds . Every self-respecting gamer ( casual or core ) should witness this video game compilation for themselves .
        • 052   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Ico is by far my favorite game of the previous console generation . I had never before played a game that so grabbed me , emotionally speaking . Sure , there had been games that sucked a lot of my time , and that I really loved . But Ico * moved * me . If ever there were an argument for games as art , Ico is it . I will admit , though , that the follow up , Shadow of the Colossus , kind of left me cold . I really dug the aesthetic , but the controls were so teeth-gnashingly frustrating that I didn't finish it . So it kind of stunk when Sony removed backward compatibility from the PS3 . Once I replaced my YLOD 60gb with a new Slim model , I could no longer play my old Ico disc , or finish up my copy of SotC . I was thrilled , then , when this collection was announced . 2 games , 1080p graphics , bonus features , all running at a solid frame rate ? Sign me up ! I sold my Ico disc right away ( for a cool sixty smackers , given its rarity ) and pre-ordered this bargain-priced collection - the same price as buying two PS2 Greatest Hits titles . I was even more thrilled when I learned that we in the states would finally be getting the real version of the game without the cuts . Now , I'll finally be able to do a second playthrough with Yorda's dialogue translated , slightly harder puzzles , new weapons , and co-op play . OK . Enough preview . So how is it ? Worth every penny , that's how it is . The graphics look wonderful - now in full 16 : 9 widescreen for Ico , with a level of sharpness and clarity at 1080p that blows away the SD versions . The colors are less muddy and all of the textures can be seen clearly . Does it look like a current game ? No , not at all . The textures and geometry haven't really been touched . But it looks at least as good as the Prince of Persia Sands of Time HD remake . The art design and lighting engines of both games were really great for their day , and translate into beautiful experiences even by today's standards . The sound is lovely , with a DTS surround track for each game that makes positional audio really sing on a surround sound system . It really adds to the games , which tend towards long stretches without music , and are loaded with atmospheric sounds . Better yet , a set of trophies for each game offers lots of incentive to play and replay - which at least for Ico isn't really necessary given the game's beauty - but definitely adds to the overall experience . It definitely gets me back on the horse so to speak to keep at it with SotC , which still frustrates me , but I'll definitely finish this time around . The video features are kind of ho-hum - a lot of self-congratulating talking head interviews translated from Japanese . It is neat to see preliminary video , though , and if you get bored you can always watch at 1.5 speed and still hear everything : - ) All in all , at this price , it's a slam dunk upgrade , even for those who own SotC . Ico alone was worth fifty bucks when it went on the market ten years ago . The graphical upgrade makes playing these classics more palatable for the modern gamer . If you like adventure / exploration type games in the slightest , you owe it to yourself to buy this , just for Ico . It's totally worth the price of entry .
        • 053   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Ico is by far my favorite game of the previous console generation . I had never before played a game that so grabbed me , emotionally speaking . Sure , there had been games that sucked a lot of my time , and that I really loved . But Ico * moved * me . If ever there were an argument for games as art , Ico is it . I will admit , though , that the follow up , Shadow of the Colossus , kind of left me cold . I really dug the aesthetic , but the controls were so teeth-gnashingly frustrating that I didn't finish it . So it kind of stunk when Sony removed backward compatibility from the PS3 . Once I replaced my YLOD 60gb with a new Slim model , I could no longer play my old Ico disc , or finish up my copy of SotC . I was thrilled , then , when this collection was announced . 2 games , 1080p graphics , bonus features , all running at a solid frame rate ? Sign me up ! I sold my Ico disc right away ( for a cool sixty smackers , given its rarity ) and pre-ordered this bargain-priced collection - the same price as buying two PS2 Greatest Hits titles . I was even more thrilled when I learned that we in the states would finally be getting the real version of the game without the cuts . Now , I'll finally be able to do a second playthrough with Yorda's dialogue translated , slightly harder puzzles , new weapons , and co-op play . OK . Enough preview . So how is it ? Worth every penny , that's how it is . The graphics look wonderful - now in full 16 : 9 widescreen for Ico , with a level of sharpness and clarity at 1080p that blows away the SD versions . The colors are less muddy and all of the textures can be seen clearly . Does it look like a current game ? No , not at all . The textures and geometry haven't really been touched . But it looks at least as good as the Prince of Persia Sands of Time HD remake . The art design and lighting engines of both games were really great for their day , and translate into beautiful experiences even by today's standards . The sound is lovely , with a DTS surround track for each game that makes positional audio really sing on a surround sound system . It really adds to the games , which tend towards long stretches without music , and are loaded with atmospheric sounds . Better yet , a set of trophies for each game offers lots of incentive to play and replay - which at least for Ico isn't really necessary given the game's beauty - but definitely adds to the overall experience . It definitely gets me back on the horse so to speak to keep at it with SotC , which still frustrates me , but I'll definitely finish this time around . The video features are kind of ho-hum - a lot of self-congratulating talking head interviews translated from Japanese . It is neat to see preliminary video , though , and if you get bored you can always watch at 1.5 speed and still hear everything : - ) All in all , at this price , it's a slam dunk upgrade , even for those who own SotC . Ico alone was worth fifty bucks when it went on the market ten years ago . The graphical upgrade makes playing these classics more palatable for the modern gamer . If you like adventure / exploration type games in the slightest , you owe it to yourself to buy this , just for Ico . It's totally worth the price of entry .
        • 054   Ico is by far my favorite game of the previous console generation . I had never before played a game that so grabbed me , emotionally speaking . Sure , there had been games that sucked a lot of my time , and that I really loved . But Ico * moved * me . If ever there were an argument for games as art , Ico is it . I will admit , though , that the follow up , Shadow of the Colossus , kind of left me cold . I really dug the aesthetic , but the controls were so teeth-gnashingly frustrating that I didn't finish it . So it kind of stunk when Sony removed backward compatibility from the PS3 . Once I replaced my YLOD 60gb with a new Slim model , I could no longer play my old Ico disc , or finish up my copy of SotC . I was thrilled , then , when this collection was announced . 2 games , 1080p graphics , bonus features , all running at a solid frame rate ? Sign me up ! I sold my Ico disc right away ( for a cool sixty smackers , given its rarity ) and pre-ordered this bargain-priced collection - the same price as buying two PS2 Greatest Hits titles . I was even more thrilled when I learned that we in the states would finally be getting the real version of the game without the cuts . Now , I'll finally be able to do a second playthrough with Yorda's dialogue translated , slightly harder puzzles , new weapons , and co-op play . OK . Enough preview . So how is it ? Worth every penny , that's how it is . The graphics look wonderful - now in full 16 : 9 widescreen for Ico , with a level of sharpness and clarity at 1080p that blows away the SD versions . The colors are less muddy and all of the textures can be seen clearly . Does it look like a current game ? No , not at all . The textures and geometry haven't really been touched . But it looks at least as good as the Prince of Persia Sands of Time HD remake . The art design and lighting engines of both games were really great for their day , and translate into beautiful experiences even by today's standards . The sound is lovely , with a DTS surround track for each game that makes positional audio really sing on a surround sound system . It really adds to the games , which tend towards long stretches without music , and are loaded with atmospheric sounds . Better yet , a set of trophies for each game offers lots of incentive to play and replay - which at least for Ico isn't really necessary given the game's beauty - but definitely adds to the overall experience . It definitely gets me back on the horse so to speak to keep at it with SotC , which still frustrates me , but I'll definitely finish this time around . The video features are kind of ho-hum - a lot of self-congratulating talking head interviews translated from Japanese . It is neat to see preliminary video , though , and if you get bored you can always watch at 1.5 speed and still hear everything : - ) All in all , at this price , it's a slam dunk upgrade , even for those who own SotC . Ico alone was worth fifty bucks when it went on the market ten years ago . The graphical upgrade makes playing these classics more palatable for the modern gamer . If you like adventure / exploration type games in the slightest , you owe it to yourself to buy this , just for Ico . It's totally worth the price of entry .
        • 055   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Even though this is a remastering , I do want to talk about the actual games for a moment as many people who are interested may not have played them . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ICO - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Ico is one of my favorite games of all time . It was a game I knew I would love when I played the first demo but it still caught me by surprise when I got my hands on it . It is atmospheric , emotional , and absolutely mesmerizing . It hit me at a perfect time in my life as well . I was 16 and to be honest , I had no problem with most stories in video games even though looking back , a lot of my favorite games have offensively bad stories . Ico barely has a story , and is so much better for it . When I put this collection on last night , a friend was asking me about what was happening in the beginning , and I explained the whole story in a very matter of fact manner . After playing through a few scenes I realized that a lot of my story was made up , because thats what it was : MY story . I had made it up as I adventured with Yorda to explain what we were doing and who the Queen was . You can now learn a bit more of the story since this is based on the European version , Yorda's words will be translated the 2nd time through . It is still as minimalist as the rest of the game , and I was happy to finally see what she was saying while playing instead of on a Youtube video . The gameplay is essentially a huge environmental puzzle to escape the castle safely with Yorda . The castle is absolutely stunning in the way its pathways unfold . Occasionally you will open a door and be completely floored by what its connected to . The castle is entirely traversable and slowly unlocks similar to some survival horror games ( RE1 mostly ) , but with really good puzzles . The combat is simplistic and attempts to invoke fear as you feel nearly helpless before getting the sword or one of the secret weapons . Its not great combat , but it really isn't a focus either and you can skip all but 5 or 6 battles . It is sure to be the reason some dislike the game ( as it was at release ) , but they are very much missing the point in my opinion . It is not a combat heavy game by any means . If you like Mayazaki's films , particularly Princess Mononoke , you really have to give this game a shot . It may be due to my age when they were released , but these two stories are very dear to me and feel like they could almost be in the same world . It also laid a lot of groundwork for POP : The Sands of Time , and Jordan Mechner has said as much . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Shadow of the Colossus - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This is a much more well known game so I will keep this brief . Shadow of the Colossus is a massive adventure game that was really ahead of its time . The titular colossi basically serve as both the levels and bosses . They are brief when done correctly , but its all about the journey , not the destination . You will spend a lot of time figuring out how to climb up and maneuver them . It pins the combat directly to the platforming , and it feels amazing to topple these creatures . There really is nothing like it aside from the occasional copycat boss fight we've seen this gen ( Castlevania : Lords of Shadow had 2 shameless ripoffs from colossi battles , all the way down to where you stabbed them ) . The rest of the world is a bit barren , but its definitely a design choice , and really sticks out to those who enjoy it . When you actually do find something noteworthy , it just feels that much better . You will feel like a true explorer , and no matter how exciting it is , you will feel a slight tinge of fear every time you venture a little further than you've been ( I'm really scared of heights also , and this game conveys the feeling almost too well at times ) . There are a few items you can hunt for , which makes exploring more interesting and productive . The atmosphere is even more pronounced than in Ico , and the story is similarly emotional with a theme of selflessness and consequences for your every action . I do personally prefer Ico , but even I can admit Shadow is the better game . It definitely holds up better for newcomers as well , but you should play Ico first so you don't miss any connections . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - So what is in this new release to make them worth repurchasing ? I don't even know where to start ! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Ico is full 1080p and 60 frames per second . The framerate was never really an issue but it is definitely welcome , and this game looks unbelievable . I really can't overstate this , for a near launch PS2 game it holds up very well . The animations are amazing , even most of the textures hold up well . It doesn't look like a PS3 game exactly , but these are definitely the best looking and most improved HD remasters we have gotten yet . I hope SH and MGS collections have this much work put into them . It is also based on the Euro version so you have New Game + , Yorda's speech is translated , a new secret weapon , a new post ending scene ( short but sweet ) , and a 2nd player can control Yorda after the first playthrough . Shadow gets an even bigger upgrade , as framerate was a huge problem in the original . It is now locked 30 though it does dip to 26ish at times on a colossi . It also includes the small changes to the Euro version , such as a small slowmo scene on your killing blow to a colossus . Its resolution is not full 1080p , and upscaled it does lose some fidelity and has minor framerate issues , so it is recommended that you set your PS3 to 720p while playing this one . If you don't manually change it it will automatically go to upscaled 1080 , changing the shape of the pixels making up the image . Not a huge issue by any means , but i like my games looking their best . Shadows graphics look amazing . The only things that really stand out as dated are hair and cloth , and that is to be expected , as most hair and cloth still look really bad in games . The valleys and vistas are expansive , and always visible although there are several models with varying detail depending on how far you are from an object . Its definitely more noticeable than on PS2 but its a small price to pay for the insane level of draw distance . The only noticeable pop in i've seen is in the temple after downing a colossus . After the cutscene when you get control again , you can sometimes see assets popping in off in the distance beyond the girls resting place . The Colossi in particular are breathtaking , and more detailed than anything else in the game by far . The slight motion blur while riding Agro is also a very nice touch and makes the visuals really pop . The extras include developer interviews , concept and prototype videos for the original Ico on PS1 and the version we eventually got , and Nico ( essentially a multiplayer version of SOTC that was more directly tied to Ico ) / SOTC . There is also a dynamic theme for each game but they are cheap and terrible , and flicker constantly . They also both play in 3D but sadly i don't have a 3DTV to experience this , though I have heard they look great , one person going so far as saying Ico was his favorite game so far to play in 3D . So there you have it , a longwinded and schizophrenic review of some of my favorite games . Just buy them and i'll stop talking , k ?
        • 056   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Even though this is a remastering , I do want to talk about the actual games for a moment as many people who are interested may not have played them . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ICO - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Ico is one of my favorite games of all time . It was a game I knew I would love when I played the first demo but it still caught me by surprise when I got my hands on it . It is atmospheric , emotional , and absolutely mesmerizing . It hit me at a perfect time in my life as well . I was 16 and to be honest , I had no problem with most stories in video games even though looking back , a lot of my favorite games have offensively bad stories . Ico barely has a story , and is so much better for it . When I put this collection on last night , a friend was asking me about what was happening in the beginning , and I explained the whole story in a very matter of fact manner . After playing through a few scenes I realized that a lot of my story was made up , because thats what it was : MY story . I had made it up as I adventured with Yorda to explain what we were doing and who the Queen was . You can now learn a bit more of the story since this is based on the European version , Yorda's words will be translated the 2nd time through . It is still as minimalist as the rest of the game , and I was happy to finally see what she was saying while playing instead of on a Youtube video . The gameplay is essentially a huge environmental puzzle to escape the castle safely with Yorda . The castle is absolutely stunning in the way its pathways unfold . Occasionally you will open a door and be completely floored by what its connected to . The castle is entirely traversable and slowly unlocks similar to some survival horror games ( RE1 mostly ) , but with really good puzzles . The combat is simplistic and attempts to invoke fear as you feel nearly helpless before getting the sword or one of the secret weapons . Its not great combat , but it really isn't a focus either and you can skip all but 5 or 6 battles . It is sure to be the reason some dislike the game ( as it was at release ) , but they are very much missing the point in my opinion . It is not a combat heavy game by any means . If you like Mayazaki's films , particularly Princess Mononoke , you really have to give this game a shot . It may be due to my age when they were released , but these two stories are very dear to me and feel like they could almost be in the same world . It also laid a lot of groundwork for POP : The Sands of Time , and Jordan Mechner has said as much . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Shadow of the Colossus - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This is a much more well known game so I will keep this brief . Shadow of the Colossus is a massive adventure game that was really ahead of its time . The titular colossi basically serve as both the levels and bosses . They are brief when done correctly , but its all about the journey , not the destination . You will spend a lot of time figuring out how to climb up and maneuver them . It pins the combat directly to the platforming , and it feels amazing to topple these creatures . There really is nothing like it aside from the occasional copycat boss fight we've seen this gen ( Castlevania : Lords of Shadow had 2 shameless ripoffs from colossi battles , all the way down to where you stabbed them ) . The rest of the world is a bit barren , but its definitely a design choice , and really sticks out to those who enjoy it . When you actually do find something noteworthy , it just feels that much better . You will feel like a true explorer , and no matter how exciting it is , you will feel a slight tinge of fear every time you venture a little further than you've been ( I'm really scared of heights also , and this game conveys the feeling almost too well at times ) . There are a few items you can hunt for , which makes exploring more interesting and productive . The atmosphere is even more pronounced than in Ico , and the story is similarly emotional with a theme of selflessness and consequences for your every action . I do personally prefer Ico , but even I can admit Shadow is the better game . It definitely holds up better for newcomers as well , but you should play Ico first so you don't miss any connections . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - So what is in this new release to make them worth repurchasing ? I don't even know where to start ! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Ico is full 1080p and 60 frames per second . The framerate was never really an issue but it is definitely welcome , and this game looks unbelievable . I really can't overstate this , for a near launch PS2 game it holds up very well . The animations are amazing , even most of the textures hold up well . It doesn't look like a PS3 game exactly , but these are definitely the best looking and most improved HD remasters we have gotten yet . I hope SH and MGS collections have this much work put into them . It is also based on the Euro version so you have New Game + , Yorda's speech is translated , a new secret weapon , a new post ending scene ( short but sweet ) , and a 2nd player can control Yorda after the first playthrough . Shadow gets an even bigger upgrade , as framerate was a huge problem in the original . It is now locked 30 though it does dip to 26ish at times on a colossi . It also includes the small changes to the Euro version , such as a small slowmo scene on your killing blow to a colossus . Its resolution is not full 1080p , and upscaled it does lose some fidelity and has minor framerate issues , so it is recommended that you set your PS3 to 720p while playing this one . If you don't manually change it it will automatically go to upscaled 1080 , changing the shape of the pixels making up the image . Not a huge issue by any means , but i like my games looking their best . Shadows graphics look amazing . The only things that really stand out as dated are hair and cloth , and that is to be expected , as most hair and cloth still look really bad in games . The valleys and vistas are expansive , and always visible although there are several models with varying detail depending on how far you are from an object . Its definitely more noticeable than on PS2 but its a small price to pay for the insane level of draw distance . The only noticeable pop in i've seen is in the temple after downing a colossus . After the cutscene when you get control again , you can sometimes see assets popping in off in the distance beyond the girls resting place . The Colossi in particular are breathtaking , and more detailed than anything else in the game by far . The slight motion blur while riding Agro is also a very nice touch and makes the visuals really pop . The extras include developer interviews , concept and prototype videos for the original Ico on PS1 and the version we eventually got , and Nico ( essentially a multiplayer version of SOTC that was more directly tied to Ico ) / SOTC . There is also a dynamic theme for each game but they are cheap and terrible , and flicker constantly . They also both play in 3D but sadly i don't have a 3DTV to experience this , though I have heard they look great , one person going so far as saying Ico was his favorite game so far to play in 3D . So there you have it , a longwinded and schizophrenic review of some of my favorite games . Just buy them and i'll stop talking , k ?
        • 057   Even though this is a remastering , I do want to talk about the actual games for a moment as many people who are interested may not have played them . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ICO - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Ico is one of my favorite games of all time . It was a game I knew I would love when I played the first demo but it still caught me by surprise when I got my hands on it . It is atmospheric , emotional , and absolutely mesmerizing . It hit me at a perfect time in my life as well . I was 16 and to be honest , I had no problem with most stories in video games even though looking back , a lot of my favorite games have offensively bad stories . Ico barely has a story , and is so much better for it . When I put this collection on last night , a friend was asking me about what was happening in the beginning , and I explained the whole story in a very matter of fact manner . After playing through a few scenes I realized that a lot of my story was made up , because thats what it was : MY story . I had made it up as I adventured with Yorda to explain what we were doing and who the Queen was . You can now learn a bit more of the story since this is based on the European version , Yorda's words will be translated the 2nd time through . It is still as minimalist as the rest of the game , and I was happy to finally see what she was saying while playing instead of on a Youtube video . The gameplay is essentially a huge environmental puzzle to escape the castle safely with Yorda . The castle is absolutely stunning in the way its pathways unfold . Occasionally you will open a door and be completely floored by what its connected to . The castle is entirely traversable and slowly unlocks similar to some survival horror games ( RE1 mostly ) , but with really good puzzles . The combat is simplistic and attempts to invoke fear as you feel nearly helpless before getting the sword or one of the secret weapons . Its not great combat , but it really isn't a focus either and you can skip all but 5 or 6 battles . It is sure to be the reason some dislike the game ( as it was at release ) , but they are very much missing the point in my opinion . It is not a combat heavy game by any means . If you like Mayazaki's films , particularly Princess Mononoke , you really have to give this game a shot . It may be due to my age when they were released , but these two stories are very dear to me and feel like they could almost be in the same world . It also laid a lot of groundwork for POP : The Sands of Time , and Jordan Mechner has said as much . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Shadow of the Colossus - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This is a much more well known game so I will keep this brief . Shadow of the Colossus is a massive adventure game that was really ahead of its time . The titular colossi basically serve as both the levels and bosses . They are brief when done correctly , but its all about the journey , not the destination . You will spend a lot of time figuring out how to climb up and maneuver them . It pins the combat directly to the platforming , and it feels amazing to topple these creatures . There really is nothing like it aside from the occasional copycat boss fight we've seen this gen ( Castlevania : Lords of Shadow had 2 shameless ripoffs from colossi battles , all the way down to where you stabbed them ) . The rest of the world is a bit barren , but its definitely a design choice , and really sticks out to those who enjoy it . When you actually do find something noteworthy , it just feels that much better . You will feel like a true explorer , and no matter how exciting it is , you will feel a slight tinge of fear every time you venture a little further than you've been ( I'm really scared of heights also , and this game conveys the feeling almost too well at times ) . There are a few items you can hunt for , which makes exploring more interesting and productive . The atmosphere is even more pronounced than in Ico , and the story is similarly emotional with a theme of selflessness and consequences for your every action . I do personally prefer Ico , but even I can admit Shadow is the better game . It definitely holds up better for newcomers as well , but you should play Ico first so you don't miss any connections . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - So what is in this new release to make them worth repurchasing ? I don't even know where to start ! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Ico is full 1080p and 60 frames per second . The framerate was never really an issue but it is definitely welcome , and this game looks unbelievable . I really can't overstate this , for a near launch PS2 game it holds up very well . The animations are amazing , even most of the textures hold up well . It doesn't look like a PS3 game exactly , but these are definitely the best looking and most improved HD remasters we have gotten yet . I hope SH and MGS collections have this much work put into them . It is also based on the Euro version so you have New Game + , Yorda's speech is translated , a new secret weapon , a new post ending scene ( short but sweet ) , and a 2nd player can control Yorda after the first playthrough . Shadow gets an even bigger upgrade , as framerate was a huge problem in the original . It is now locked 30 though it does dip to 26ish at times on a colossi . It also includes the small changes to the Euro version , such as a small slowmo scene on your killing blow to a colossus . Its resolution is not full 1080p , and upscaled it does lose some fidelity and has minor framerate issues , so it is recommended that you set your PS3 to 720p while playing this one . If you don't manually change it it will automatically go to upscaled 1080 , changing the shape of the pixels making up the image . Not a huge issue by any means , but i like my games looking their best . Shadows graphics look amazing . The only things that really stand out as dated are hair and cloth , and that is to be expected , as most hair and cloth still look really bad in games . The valleys and vistas are expansive , and always visible although there are several models with varying detail depending on how far you are from an object . Its definitely more noticeable than on PS2 but its a small price to pay for the insane level of draw distance . The only noticeable pop in i've seen is in the temple after downing a colossus . After the cutscene when you get control again , you can sometimes see assets popping in off in the distance beyond the girls resting place . The Colossi in particular are breathtaking , and more detailed than anything else in the game by far . The slight motion blur while riding Agro is also a very nice touch and makes the visuals really pop . The extras include developer interviews , concept and prototype videos for the original Ico on PS1 and the version we eventually got , and Nico ( essentially a multiplayer version of SOTC that was more directly tied to Ico ) / SOTC . There is also a dynamic theme for each game but they are cheap and terrible , and flicker constantly . They also both play in 3D but sadly i don't have a 3DTV to experience this , though I have heard they look great , one person going so far as saying Ico was his favorite game so far to play in 3D . So there you have it , a longwinded and schizophrenic review of some of my favorite games . Just buy them and i'll stop talking , k ?
        • 058   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) SotC and ICO are truly inspiring . These much loved classics are praised for their innovation , and have revolutionized video games everywhere . I can't tell you how many times I've played a newer game that had some bosses whose sheer towering size and method of defeating them can only be a SotC influence . So often these games are copied , or borrowed from , but nothing can compare to the originals . SotC was beautiful on ps2 , and it still holds that same beauty , with higher resolution and faster framerate . The experience is still pure , but the visuals that can be displayed have improved . If you are tired of familiar , mundane experiences in video games , give these both a try ; games can be more than entertainment , they can be art and beauty , and beautiful story telling all rolled into an immersive and fun experience .
        • 059   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) SotC and ICO are truly inspiring . These much loved classics are praised for their innovation , and have revolutionized video games everywhere . I can't tell you how many times I've played a newer game that had some bosses whose sheer towering size and method of defeating them can only be a SotC influence . So often these games are copied , or borrowed from , but nothing can compare to the originals . SotC was beautiful on ps2 , and it still holds that same beauty , with higher resolution and faster framerate . The experience is still pure , but the visuals that can be displayed have improved . If you are tired of familiar , mundane experiences in video games , give these both a try ; games can be more than entertainment , they can be art and beauty , and beautiful story telling all rolled into an immersive and fun experience .
        • 060   SotC and ICO are truly inspiring . These much loved classics are praised for their innovation , and have revolutionized video games everywhere . I can't tell you how many times I've played a newer game that had some bosses whose sheer towering size and method of defeating them can only be a SotC influence . So often these games are copied , or borrowed from , but nothing can compare to the originals . SotC was beautiful on ps2 , and it still holds that same beauty , with higher resolution and faster framerate . The experience is still pure , but the visuals that can be displayed have improved . If you are tired of familiar , mundane experiences in video games , give these both a try ; games can be more than entertainment , they can be art and beauty , and beautiful story telling all rolled into an immersive and fun experience .
        • 061   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Absolutely fantastic games . I originally bought this collection because I wanted to see the preview of The last guardian and the developer interviews . Then I was just going to sell it . After playing through Ico again for the second time since its original release , theres no way I can sell it . Its even better than I remember it . Its truely unlike anything out there . Very meditative and intense at the same time . The artwork is beautiful . The soundtrack is great . Im partial to Ico but Shadows is just as good . Buy it ! Rent it ! Borrow it ! Just play it . Dont forget to get The last Gaurdian when it comes out . . . . I also recommend Flower and soon to be released Journey ! !
        • 062   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Absolutely fantastic games . I originally bought this collection because I wanted to see the preview of The last guardian and the developer interviews . Then I was just going to sell it . After playing through Ico again for the second time since its original release , theres no way I can sell it . Its even better than I remember it . Its truely unlike anything out there . Very meditative and intense at the same time . The artwork is beautiful . The soundtrack is great . Im partial to Ico but Shadows is just as good . Buy it ! Rent it ! Borrow it ! Just play it . Dont forget to get The last Gaurdian when it comes out . . . . I also recommend Flower and soon to be released Journey ! !
        • 063   Absolutely fantastic games . I originally bought this collection because I wanted to see the preview of The last guardian and the developer interviews . Then I was just going to sell it . After playing through Ico again for the second time since its original release , theres no way I can sell it . Its even better than I remember it . Its truely unlike anything out there . Very meditative and intense at the same time . The artwork is beautiful . The soundtrack is great . Im partial to Ico but Shadows is just as good . Buy it ! Rent it ! Borrow it ! Just play it . Dont forget to get The last Gaurdian when it comes out . . . . I also recommend Flower and soon to be released Journey ! !
        • 064   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Two masterpieces from the PS2 era remastered in HD . I don't know what else to say about these games that most people don't already know . I had already played SotC prior to buying this , but I played ICO for the first time and fell in love with it . These are truly one-of-a-kind experiences . Throw in trophy support ( 2 platinums ! ) , 3D support , 2 dynamic themes , and brand new interviews with Ueda-san and company , this is an absolute steal for $40 . I always thought that the Sony HD collections were way better than other third party collections , and this one is no exception .
        • 065   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Two masterpieces from the PS2 era remastered in HD . I don't know what else to say about these games that most people don't already know . I had already played SotC prior to buying this , but I played ICO for the first time and fell in love with it . These are truly one-of-a-kind experiences . Throw in trophy support ( 2 platinums ! ) , 3D support , 2 dynamic themes , and brand new interviews with Ueda-san and company , this is an absolute steal for $40 . I always thought that the Sony HD collections were way better than other third party collections , and this one is no exception .
        • 066   Two masterpieces from the PS2 era remastered in HD . I don't know what else to say about these games that most people don't already know . I had already played SotC prior to buying this , but I played ICO for the first time and fell in love with it . These are truly one-of-a-kind experiences . Throw in trophy support ( 2 platinums ! ) , 3D support , 2 dynamic themes , and brand new interviews with Ueda-san and company , this is an absolute steal for $40 . I always thought that the Sony HD collections were way better than other third party collections , and this one is no exception .
        • 067   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) No need to rehash what everyone else is saying here about this great game . . . I haven't played Ico yet and have spent several hours on Shadow and have to say that playing this game in 3D is fantastic and adds amazing depth to the experience ( similar feeling as when I watched Avatar 3D in the theater and at home on my 3D TV ) . Engrossing is the best way to describe it . Experiencing the added depth while climbing the colossi or climbing the various high towers , swimming , jumping , and even just riding the horse across the vast landscape really comes to life in an amazing way . It takes the cinematic feel of the 2D game to a whole new and much higher level . I originally played this game in 2D on the PS2 and loved it , and the 3D enhancement is a must see , not a gimmick by any means . I've played COD Black Ops in 3D and that game some cool moments with the 3D effect , but did not make me feel like the depth engrossed me into the game experience as much as I'd like . . . definitely not the case with Shadow . Don't know about ICO yet and how that plays or looks in 3D , but Shadow alone is definitely worth the price alone . Playing this also has me greatly anticipating Uncharted 3 in 3D ! Can't wait . . . Played on a 50 Panasonic TC-P50VT25 with Panasonic TY-EW3D2MMK2 glasses and the Cameron Avatar custom TV setting download . . . a little darker image ( too dark in certain areas ) , but fantastic 3D effect overall . I also set the game 3d effect bar up to 3 / 4 of maximum in the game setting menu .
        • 068   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) No need to rehash what everyone else is saying here about this great game . . . I haven't played Ico yet and have spent several hours on Shadow and have to say that playing this game in 3D is fantastic and adds amazing depth to the experience ( similar feeling as when I watched Avatar 3D in the theater and at home on my 3D TV ) . Engrossing is the best way to describe it . Experiencing the added depth while climbing the colossi or climbing the various high towers , swimming , jumping , and even just riding the horse across the vast landscape really comes to life in an amazing way . It takes the cinematic feel of the 2D game to a whole new and much higher level . I originally played this game in 2D on the PS2 and loved it , and the 3D enhancement is a must see , not a gimmick by any means . I've played COD Black Ops in 3D and that game some cool moments with the 3D effect , but did not make me feel like the depth engrossed me into the game experience as much as I'd like . . . definitely not the case with Shadow . Don't know about ICO yet and how that plays or looks in 3D , but Shadow alone is definitely worth the price alone . Playing this also has me greatly anticipating Uncharted 3 in 3D ! Can't wait . . . Played on a 50 Panasonic TC-P50VT25 with Panasonic TY-EW3D2MMK2 glasses and the Cameron Avatar custom TV setting download . . . a little darker image ( too dark in certain areas ) , but fantastic 3D effect overall . I also set the game 3d effect bar up to 3 / 4 of maximum in the game setting menu .
        • 069   No need to rehash what everyone else is saying here about this great game . . . I haven't played Ico yet and have spent several hours on Shadow and have to say that playing this game in 3D is fantastic and adds amazing depth to the experience ( similar feeling as when I watched Avatar 3D in the theater and at home on my 3D TV ) . Engrossing is the best way to describe it . Experiencing the added depth while climbing the colossi or climbing the various high towers , swimming , jumping , and even just riding the horse across the vast landscape really comes to life in an amazing way . It takes the cinematic feel of the 2D game to a whole new and much higher level . I originally played this game in 2D on the PS2 and loved it , and the 3D enhancement is a must see , not a gimmick by any means . I've played COD Black Ops in 3D and that game some cool moments with the 3D effect , but did not make me feel like the depth engrossed me into the game experience as much as I'd like . . . definitely not the case with Shadow . Don't know about ICO yet and how that plays or looks in 3D , but Shadow alone is definitely worth the price alone . Playing this also has me greatly anticipating Uncharted 3 in 3D ! Can't wait . . . Played on a 50 Panasonic TC-P50VT25 with Panasonic TY-EW3D2MMK2 glasses and the Cameron Avatar custom TV setting download . . . a little darker image ( too dark in certain areas ) , but fantastic 3D effect overall . I also set the game 3d effect bar up to 3 / 4 of maximum in the game setting menu .
        • 070   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Excellent port of two Playstation 2 classics . If you have not played these games , now is the time to get them with crisp HD graphics .
        • 071   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Excellent port of two Playstation 2 classics . If you have not played these games , now is the time to get them with crisp HD graphics .
        • 075   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) En definitiva es una obra de arte , hasta el menu tiene un estilo nico . Graficamente me sorprendi mucho en comparaci n a sus versiones orignales , pero aun mas , en comparaci n al scope en comparaci n a otros juegos de ps3 o xbox . Es un Hit definitivo . talvez no venda tanto como n Call of Duty , per si deseas algo de verdad diferente , es la mejor opcion . No puedes jugar este juego sin pensar en lo maravilloso que puede ser este tipo de expresi n .
        • 076   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) En definitiva es una obra de arte , hasta el menu tiene un estilo nico . Graficamente me sorprendi mucho en comparaci n a sus versiones orignales , pero aun mas , en comparaci n al scope en comparaci n a otros juegos de ps3 o xbox . Es un Hit definitivo . talvez no venda tanto como n Call of Duty , per si deseas algo de verdad diferente , es la mejor opcion . No puedes jugar este juego sin pensar en lo maravilloso que puede ser este tipo de expresi n .
        • 078   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Synopsis - The opening story is somewhat obscure in terms of location , time period , and some other small things . You have a cloud of wonder throughout the game , but one solid goal you are fully aware of . In the first opening minutes of gameplay you take an unconcious maiden who has been cursed to an alter in the middle of nowhere . After revealing his ancient sword a booming voice tells the man that he has the ability to unlock the power to possibly to save the maiden . He must simply destory the 16 statues found in the temple . Ah , but the catch is one cannot simply walk into mord - - - , one cannot simply break the statues by mortal means ; only by slaying the guardian of the land it represents . The voice tells the man that the cost of saving this woman may be of great value . Anything to save her , like a true hero , well spoken in his demeanor . The voice tells him to go east and after traversing the terrain and getting used to the controls , you reach an open field , and slowly walking by is what obviously the game revolves around ; a colossus . You whip out your bow and get his attention as he slowly turns around , a health bar appears that you barely even scratch , and he walks towards you while raising his club - and this is where you know this is going to be an epic adventure . More found here ! [ . . . ] / - Bert's Chronicles of Obsessive Gaming = BCOOG No ads ! Clean simple review .
        • 079   Synopsis - The opening story is somewhat obscure in terms of location , time period , and some other small things . You have a cloud of wonder throughout the game , but one solid goal you are fully aware of . In the first opening minutes of gameplay you take an unconcious maiden who has been cursed to an alter in the middle of nowhere . After revealing his ancient sword a booming voice tells the man that he has the ability to unlock the power to possibly to save the maiden . He must simply destory the 16 statues found in the temple . Ah , but the catch is one cannot simply walk into mord - - - , one cannot simply break the statues by mortal means ; only by slaying the guardian of the land it represents . The voice tells the man that the cost of saving this woman may be of great value . Anything to save her , like a true hero , well spoken in his demeanor . The voice tells him to go east and after traversing the terrain and getting used to the controls , you reach an open field , and slowly walking by is what obviously the game revolves around ; a colossus . You whip out your bow and get his attention as he slowly turns around , a health bar appears that you barely even scratch , and he walks towards you while raising his club - and this is where you know this is going to be an epic adventure . More found here ! [ . . . ] / - Bert's Chronicles of Obsessive Gaming = BCOOG No ads ! Clean simple review .
        • 080   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) These games are amazing and should be experienced by anyone remotely interested in beautiful sounding / looking video games . You will definitely see an improvement in the frame rate of Shadow of the Collossus , which was one of the few annoyances I had in it . Ico is still as atmospheric as ever especially with the sharper textures . Overall this HD collection is a great value even though the games are a little old , which isn't necessarily a bad thing .
        • 081   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) These games are amazing and should be experienced by anyone remotely interested in beautiful sounding / looking video games . You will definitely see an improvement in the frame rate of Shadow of the Collossus , which was one of the few annoyances I had in it . Ico is still as atmospheric as ever especially with the sharper textures . Overall this HD collection is a great value even though the games are a little old , which isn't necessarily a bad thing .
        • 082   These games are amazing and should be experienced by anyone remotely interested in beautiful sounding / looking video games . You will definitely see an improvement in the frame rate of Shadow of the Collossus , which was one of the few annoyances I had in it . Ico is still as atmospheric as ever especially with the sharper textures . Overall this HD collection is a great value even though the games are a little old , which isn't necessarily a bad thing .
        • 083   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Who played it on PS2 , they know that it was a Must have game on ps2 , and its also a must have game on PS3 in 2011 ! ! ! Great titlle . . .
        • 084   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Who played it on PS2 , they know that it was a Must have game on ps2 , and its also a must have game on PS3 in 2011 ! ! ! Great titlle . . .
        • 086   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) I loved the original games and it is wonderful to be able to replay them with such beautiful graphics ! If you have never played these games before I highly recommend them !
        • 087   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) I loved the original games and it is wonderful to be able to replay them with such beautiful graphics ! If you have never played these games before I highly recommend them !
        • 089   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) The graphics are great and the gameplay is fun overall ! I can't wait for their next game , The Last Guardian !
        • 090   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) The graphics are great and the gameplay is fun overall ! I can't wait for their next game , The Last Guardian !
        • 092   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) I never had a chance to pick these titles up when they were on the ps2 . Now that I have them I can see why people rave about them . Even though the graphics are dated ( even with the HD upgrade ) it is still an awe inspiring moment to see the first colossus or go through the expanses of the castle in Ico . These games are no frills and do not give a deep story but it does immerse the player in an unforgettable environment . There are a few moments when trying to figure out puzzles does become tedious but for the most part the game play is intuitive . If you played it before and you feel nostalgic get it . If you passed it up once before do yourself a favor and pick this up !
        • 093   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) I never had a chance to pick these titles up when they were on the ps2 . Now that I have them I can see why people rave about them . Even though the graphics are dated ( even with the HD upgrade ) it is still an awe inspiring moment to see the first colossus or go through the expanses of the castle in Ico . These games are no frills and do not give a deep story but it does immerse the player in an unforgettable environment . There are a few moments when trying to figure out puzzles does become tedious but for the most part the game play is intuitive . If you played it before and you feel nostalgic get it . If you passed it up once before do yourself a favor and pick this up !
        • 094   I never had a chance to pick these titles up when they were on the ps2 . Now that I have them I can see why people rave about them . Even though the graphics are dated ( even with the HD upgrade ) it is still an awe inspiring moment to see the first colossus or go through the expanses of the castle in Ico . These games are no frills and do not give a deep story but it does immerse the player in an unforgettable environment . There are a few moments when trying to figure out puzzles does become tedious but for the most part the game play is intuitive . If you played it before and you feel nostalgic get it . If you passed it up once before do yourself a favor and pick this up !
        • 095   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Even if you have played these two games before , you NEED to play them again . Two of the best games ever made with HD graphics , count me in !
        • 096   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Even if you have played these two games before , you NEED to play them again . Two of the best games ever made with HD graphics , count me in !
        • 098   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) it's really a classic great story graphics and game play , it arrived really quick and in great conditions , i really recommend it
        • 099   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) it's really a classic great story graphics and game play , it arrived really quick and in great conditions , i really recommend it
        • 101   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Im so glad they came out with this collection because i never played it on the ps2 , but heard great things . I just beat ICO . total stoner game , love it
        • 103   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) These are two of the best games ever made . Sure they don't look as good as when they came out , but the core game play is still challenging and fun . Also these games have an amazing story in each of them . It doesn't hit you over the head with it , but it's there and it's beautiful . If you were thinking about buying these games then I would highly recommend you do so . Totally worth it .
        • 104   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) These are two of the best games ever made . Sure they don't look as good as when they came out , but the core game play is still challenging and fun . Also these games have an amazing story in each of them . It doesn't hit you over the head with it , but it's there and it's beautiful . If you were thinking about buying these games then I would highly recommend you do so . Totally worth it .
        • 106   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Sony decided to lim back at this often overlooked franchise and they found magic . Ico and more to my point Shadow of the Colossus deliver on solid storytelling , combat and interactions ( note Agro's movements if you have any questions ) . These games are also unlike any other games on the market . Lastly , the hi definition 3d is just a bonus treat . Pick up this combo pack and try out a game where you won't feel a little dirty after playing .
        • 107   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Sony decided to lim back at this often overlooked franchise and they found magic . Ico and more to my point Shadow of the Colossus deliver on solid storytelling , combat and interactions ( note Agro's movements if you have any questions ) . These games are also unlike any other games on the market . Lastly , the hi definition 3d is just a bonus treat . Pick up this combo pack and try out a game where you won't feel a little dirty after playing .
        • 108   Sony decided to lim back at this often overlooked franchise and they found magic . Ico and more to my point Shadow of the Colossus deliver on solid storytelling , combat and interactions ( note Agro's movements if you have any questions ) . These games are also unlike any other games on the market . Lastly , the hi definition 3d is just a bonus treat . Pick up this combo pack and try out a game where you won't feel a little dirty after playing .
        • 109   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) I am not being hyperbolic when I say that this is probably going to be the best value in video games of the year . Both Ico and Shadow of the Colossus are among the best games ever made , and they give you more than enough incentive to play through them both twice . that combined with the $40 price tag , and I don't see how anyone who loves games isn't snatching this up immediately . Also , them HDifying the graphics helps both of these games a lot . I have never played Ico before this because I found it difficult to play due to it being kind of hard to look at . But that has been rectified here , thankfully . It's absolutely worth the money , so don't hesitate .
        • 110   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) I am not being hyperbolic when I say that this is probably going to be the best value in video games of the year . Both Ico and Shadow of the Colossus are among the best games ever made , and they give you more than enough incentive to play through them both twice . that combined with the $40 price tag , and I don't see how anyone who loves games isn't snatching this up immediately . Also , them HDifying the graphics helps both of these games a lot . I have never played Ico before this because I found it difficult to play due to it being kind of hard to look at . But that has been rectified here , thankfully . It's absolutely worth the money , so don't hesitate .
        • 111   I am not being hyperbolic when I say that this is probably going to be the best value in video games of the year . Both Ico and Shadow of the Colossus are among the best games ever made , and they give you more than enough incentive to play through them both twice . that combined with the $40 price tag , and I don't see how anyone who loves games isn't snatching this up immediately . Also , them HDifying the graphics helps both of these games a lot . I have never played Ico before this because I found it difficult to play due to it being kind of hard to look at . But that has been rectified here , thankfully . It's absolutely worth the money , so don't hesitate .
        • 112   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) La verdad yo solo jugue shadow of colossus y ICO no pero ahora que lo estuve jugando esta genial , y me gusto mucho como no alteraron la idea basica de los juegos . 100% recomendado
        • 113   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) La verdad yo solo jugue shadow of colossus y ICO no pero ahora que lo estuve jugando esta genial , y me gusto mucho como no alteraron la idea basica de los juegos . 100% recomendado
        • 115   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Playing Ico and Shadow of the Colossus in HD was just like playing them for the first time again . The games are just like you remember , just . . . more pixels . If you loved these games the first time around . . . well , you've probably already bought this . Hooray !
        • 116   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Playing Ico and Shadow of the Colossus in HD was just like playing them for the first time again . The games are just like you remember , just . . . more pixels . If you loved these games the first time around . . . well , you've probably already bought this . Hooray !
        • 117   Playing Ico and Shadow of the Colossus in HD was just like playing them for the first time again . The games are just like you remember , just . . . more pixels . If you loved these games the first time around . . . well , you've probably already bought this . Hooray !
        • 118   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) A great blast from the past with 2 of the greatest games ever together . It's great to see all the extras that come with it aswell . Arrived the morning of release with no problems .
        • 119   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) A great blast from the past with 2 of the greatest games ever together . It's great to see all the extras that come with it aswell . Arrived the morning of release with no problems .
        • 121   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Having never bought either ICO or SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS for the PlayStation 2 , but having heard glowing reviews for both , I figured that this HD collection would be a great introduction to the Team Ico series . I am coming to these games as a person who has never played either one , and have only within the past year or so become familiar with them . For a first-time player , this collection is a great title . ICO This is a puzzle-platformer with a distinct sense of isolation and an artful atmosphere . From the opening sequence to the actual start of gameplay , I was intrigued , though not outright sold on the game . The story is simple : Ico is alone in a strange castle on an isolated island with only one other companion , a girl named Yorda . Neither of them speak the other's language , so they have to work together using gestures and simple intonation to make it through the castle's traps and puzzles . Only Ico can accomplish puzzles requiring strength and ingenuity , and you need Yorda to open doors and save the game . The gameplay is very straightforward , with a simple button scheme ( of which , excluding the analog sticks , you'll use five of most of all ) and very simple combat . The puzzles can be absolute head-scratchers , and some require a rest and restart the next day before they make sense . There are a few I had to go and look at a walkthrough for , in fact , although I managed to figure many of them out on my own . Great puzzles and simple controls make this a game that can be played by just about anyone . The music is minimalist , from a Zelda-like tune during the saving process to an ominous , simple rhythm for when enemies are around . The ambient sound effects include eagles and other forest-dwelling birds , crackling torches , rushing water , and rustling trees . The graphics have the slightly dated look of the PS2 era , but they shine in 720p nonetheless , with such touches as dynamic lighting and bloom effects . As I never played the original PS2 version , I can't comment on the graphical increase , but I can say that this game is a good way to test your television setup . The camera , unfortunately , is where ICO suffers the most : it sits at fixed locations which can only be minimally adjusted by the player and has led to a lot of cheap deaths for myself , some of which could have been negated by full camera control . There is a key difference between cinematic and practical , and unfortunately ICO doesn't bother to mesh the two . Poor camera locations have also caused confusion with objects and textures , as it makes it very difficult to see around pillars and other objects . I did get used to it after a time , but the camera never stops being annoying in all the wrong places . A lack of save points and checkpoints led to even more cheap deaths , unfortunately , which at times forced me to replay large sections . As of right now , I have not finished the game , though I am about two-thirds of the way through it and know how it ends , which seems to me to be enough to review the game . Overall , ICO is a nice addition and was great for the first hour and a half , but after that , I stopped enjoying the game as much as it started to feel long . It is , though , worth playing - others will most likely have less difficulty with the game than I did . Also , this is the EUROPEAN / PAL version of the game remastered for NTSC-region PlayStation 3 consoles , so there are some changes in puzzles and camera angles , as well as some additional bonuses , from the original ( going off of what the wiki and other people have said ) . SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS This is where Team Ico shines in this collection . Instead of being a purely puzzle-platformer , this an open-world adventure game with some puzzle and platforming elements . You play as Wander , a young man who comes to the Forbidden Lands through the only entry , a massive bridge spanning half the width of the Lands , to a shrine where he makes a pact with an ancient supernatural force to bring a girl , Mono , back to life . Like ICO , the story is minimalist , but unlike ICO , it grows into something bigger and more epic at the end . Your only companion is Agro , Wander's horse , whom you will use to cross the Lands with speed and agility , as well as defeat certain colossi and reach certain areas . The gameplay in SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS is a lot of fun and requires some imagination and creativity . The massive world and impressive draw distance , such as being able to see save points from miles away , makes it difficult not to get sidetracked . There are white-tailed lizards to hunt for increased stamina , fruits to shoot down from trees for increased health , hawks to hang onto and fish to ride , as well as nooks and crannies and incredible sights to take in . From a shadowy forest to a massive waterfall to an underground temple , the sights of the Forbidden Lands are absolutely incredible to behold . There's lots of things like moss and trees to climb , while fighting the colossi can be anywhere from relaxing to epic to frustrating . The music in the game is minimalist , reserved for fights against the colossi , their introductory sequences , their death sequences , and certain cutscenes . With a few exceptions , all the music is wonderful , with Silence and Revived Power being standout tracks . Sound effects include rushing water , rustling trees , hawks crying , and the sound of wind , the pitch of which changes depending on whether you're in a cavern or out in the open . The controls for the game are great , and once I got used to holding the R1 button to hang on to things , it turned out to be a very intuitive and unique control scheme with some shades of ICO in it . On Normal difficulty , it is very difficult to die , and thankfully there's a large number of save points to use all across the map . Overall , SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS is the best addition to the collection . The camera , graphics , sound , gameplay , and story all work together to create a unique , emotional , artful journey that asks a lot of questions , many of which can only be answered with your own convictions and beliefs . I am currently over halfway through my second playthrough and am going to start a playthrough in Hard mode - a good indicator of the quality of this game . I was a bit concerned that , as a Japanese game , it would embrace the occultic influences . Instead , it does the opposite , ending the story with the reason why the Forbidden Lands are forbidden in the first place almost explicitly stated . This is honestly one of the first and probably only games that has taken this stance on the supernatural , and I am very pleased with it . EXTRAS - The cover art can be reversed to have SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS's original artwork and ICO's original European artwork facing outward rather than the HD collection artwork . - The collection includes two dynamic XMB themes , one for ICO and one for SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS . - Also on the disc are five videos , mostly dealing with the two games already on the disc . While the cover says that there is a peek at THE LAST GUARDIAN included , I have yet to locate it . - ICO includes the European bonuses , such as two-player , an additional extended ending scene , and extra hidden weapons . THE ICO AND SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS COLLECTION is a wonderful addition to anyone's PS3 library , although ICO has its drawbacks that take the collection down from five stars to four in my opinion . It's worth picking up , but maybe not at the full price . If in doubt , rent it first .
        • 122   Having never bought either ICO or SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS for the PlayStation 2 , but having heard glowing reviews for both , I figured that this HD collection would be a great introduction to the Team Ico series . I am coming to these games as a person who has never played either one , and have only within the past year or so become familiar with them . For a first-time player , this collection is a great title . ICO This is a puzzle-platformer with a distinct sense of isolation and an artful atmosphere . From the opening sequence to the actual start of gameplay , I was intrigued , though not outright sold on the game . The story is simple : Ico is alone in a strange castle on an isolated island with only one other companion , a girl named Yorda . Neither of them speak the other's language , so they have to work together using gestures and simple intonation to make it through the castle's traps and puzzles . Only Ico can accomplish puzzles requiring strength and ingenuity , and you need Yorda to open doors and save the game . The gameplay is very straightforward , with a simple button scheme ( of which , excluding the analog sticks , you'll use five of most of all ) and very simple combat . The puzzles can be absolute head-scratchers , and some require a rest and restart the next day before they make sense . There are a few I had to go and look at a walkthrough for , in fact , although I managed to figure many of them out on my own . Great puzzles and simple controls make this a game that can be played by just about anyone . The music is minimalist , from a Zelda-like tune during the saving process to an ominous , simple rhythm for when enemies are around . The ambient sound effects include eagles and other forest-dwelling birds , crackling torches , rushing water , and rustling trees . The graphics have the slightly dated look of the PS2 era , but they shine in 720p nonetheless , with such touches as dynamic lighting and bloom effects . As I never played the original PS2 version , I can't comment on the graphical increase , but I can say that this game is a good way to test your television setup . The camera , unfortunately , is where ICO suffers the most : it sits at fixed locations which can only be minimally adjusted by the player and has led to a lot of cheap deaths for myself , some of which could have been negated by full camera control . There is a key difference between cinematic and practical , and unfortunately ICO doesn't bother to mesh the two . Poor camera locations have also caused confusion with objects and textures , as it makes it very difficult to see around pillars and other objects . I did get used to it after a time , but the camera never stops being annoying in all the wrong places . A lack of save points and checkpoints led to even more cheap deaths , unfortunately , which at times forced me to replay large sections . As of right now , I have not finished the game , though I am about two-thirds of the way through it and know how it ends , which seems to me to be enough to review the game . Overall , ICO is a nice addition and was great for the first hour and a half , but after that , I stopped enjoying the game as much as it started to feel long . It is , though , worth playing - others will most likely have less difficulty with the game than I did . Also , this is the EUROPEAN / PAL version of the game remastered for NTSC-region PlayStation 3 consoles , so there are some changes in puzzles and camera angles , as well as some additional bonuses , from the original ( going off of what the wiki and other people have said ) . SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS This is where Team Ico shines in this collection . Instead of being a purely puzzle-platformer , this an open-world adventure game with some puzzle and platforming elements . You play as Wander , a young man who comes to the Forbidden Lands through the only entry , a massive bridge spanning half the width of the Lands , to a shrine where he makes a pact with an ancient supernatural force to bring a girl , Mono , back to life . Like ICO , the story is minimalist , but unlike ICO , it grows into something bigger and more epic at the end . Your only companion is Agro , Wander's horse , whom you will use to cross the Lands with speed and agility , as well as defeat certain colossi and reach certain areas . The gameplay in SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS is a lot of fun and requires some imagination and creativity . The massive world and impressive draw distance , such as being able to see save points from miles away , makes it difficult not to get sidetracked . There are white-tailed lizards to hunt for increased stamina , fruits to shoot down from trees for increased health , hawks to hang onto and fish to ride , as well as nooks and crannies and incredible sights to take in . From a shadowy forest to a massive waterfall to an underground temple , the sights of the Forbidden Lands are absolutely incredible to behold . There's lots of things like moss and trees to climb , while fighting the colossi can be anywhere from relaxing to epic to frustrating . The music in the game is minimalist , reserved for fights against the colossi , their introductory sequences , their death sequences , and certain cutscenes . With a few exceptions , all the music is wonderful , with Silence and Revived Power being standout tracks . Sound effects include rushing water , rustling trees , hawks crying , and the sound of wind , the pitch of which changes depending on whether you're in a cavern or out in the open . The controls for the game are great , and once I got used to holding the R1 button to hang on to things , it turned out to be a very intuitive and unique control scheme with some shades of ICO in it . On Normal difficulty , it is very difficult to die , and thankfully there's a large number of save points to use all across the map . Overall , SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS is the best addition to the collection . The camera , graphics , sound , gameplay , and story all work together to create a unique , emotional , artful journey that asks a lot of questions , many of which can only be answered with your own convictions and beliefs . I am currently over halfway through my second playthrough and am going to start a playthrough in Hard mode - a good indicator of the quality of this game . I was a bit concerned that , as a Japanese game , it would embrace the occultic influences . Instead , it does the opposite , ending the story with the reason why the Forbidden Lands are forbidden in the first place almost explicitly stated . This is honestly one of the first and probably only games that has taken this stance on the supernatural , and I am very pleased with it . EXTRAS - The cover art can be reversed to have SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS's original artwork and ICO's original European artwork facing outward rather than the HD collection artwork . - The collection includes two dynamic XMB themes , one for ICO and one for SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS . - Also on the disc are five videos , mostly dealing with the two games already on the disc . While the cover says that there is a peek at THE LAST GUARDIAN included , I have yet to locate it . - ICO includes the European bonuses , such as two-player , an additional extended ending scene , and extra hidden weapons . THE ICO AND SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS COLLECTION is a wonderful addition to anyone's PS3 library , although ICO has its drawbacks that take the collection down from five stars to four in my opinion . It's worth picking up , but maybe not at the full price . If in doubt , rent it first .
        • 123   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) First of all , I have to say this game is not for everyone . If you like fast paced action game , like first person shooter or hack and slash , you wont find it in here . this collection is for people who have patience and enjoys a art of a game , I lack in the first department but I appreciate the art of a game . I played years ago the shadow of colussus on the ps2 , and I did totally love it , I havent played Ico on the ps2 , so this time is my first playthough for the game , and here is what I think of these two remastered in Hd edition of two of most high rated games on ps2 : Let start with Ico : Ico is about a boy who is going to be sacrificed because of he having horns . . . . xD . then something happens , and your mission is to get Yorda a girl , lucky u Ico ! ) out of the temple you are . the gameplay is a combination of puzzle and bit of slashing shadow , which can be somewhat repetitive . Ico although having a nice settings and cool environemnts is freaking frustating . Yorda , is . . . let say . . ok . . she is stupid . Her reaction a response are quite slow and frustating , most of the time you need to grab her to get her moving . puzzle are quite challenging which is good . graphics are in hd but still have those blocky section like the ps2 . I havent beat the game yet , is quite fun and beautiful , I would update these review as fast as I finish the game . For now I would give a 8.5 to Ico . Now with the main dish of the collection , Shadow of colossus = D I have to admit that this time didnt have the same impact I had when i played it one the ps2 years ago . Mainly because I know the story and what would happen next . In terms ofgraphics , it dint surprise me , it is far inferior to games like metal gear 4 , God of war 3 , Uncharted 2 and Mw2 . . . Still the art design is amazingly breathtaking . the gameplay still exciting . But if you are expecting a fast paced action , like i said before you would totally bored in this game . You would only see this game as climbing-stab-collosus kind of game . But if you know how to apreciate the art design and like to do puzzle , then this game is perfect for you . this game is kind of touching your character is fighting with everything he have just to save the one he love . . . awwww . . isnt it beautiful ? and again if you find this cheesy this game is not for you xD . For the amazing art desing , beautiful story , wierd vices but peaceful and exciting sundtrack and challeging gameplay I would give it a 9.4 . This is because this is my second play , if this was my very first time i would have given it a 10 , but it just dint have the same impact . . . In the end , this is a great collection , Ico may be some of frustating , but if you have patience then it is not a problem , but if you are a hasty person like I am , you would completly get frustated . But on the other Hand shadow of colossus justify the buy . Just this amazing game is the very reason to own this cd . so why dont you buy it and enjoy a beautiful game ? Ps : it come with bonus content , two dinamic themes , I find it very pretty but the wierd effect like the old movies have just destroyed the theme . . . - . - there is also trophy for this game
        • 124   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) First of all , I have to say this game is not for everyone . If you like fast paced action game , like first person shooter or hack and slash , you wont find it in here . this collection is for people who have patience and enjoys a art of a game , I lack in the first department but I appreciate the art of a game . I played years ago the shadow of colussus on the ps2 , and I did totally love it , I havent played Ico on the ps2 , so this time is my first playthough for the game , and here is what I think of these two remastered in Hd edition of two of most high rated games on ps2 : Let start with Ico : Ico is about a boy who is going to be sacrificed because of he having horns . . . . xD . then something happens , and your mission is to get Yorda a girl , lucky u Ico ! ) out of the temple you are . the gameplay is a combination of puzzle and bit of slashing shadow , which can be somewhat repetitive . Ico although having a nice settings and cool environemnts is freaking frustating . Yorda , is . . . let say . . ok . . she is stupid . Her reaction a response are quite slow and frustating , most of the time you need to grab her to get her moving . puzzle are quite challenging which is good . graphics are in hd but still have those blocky section like the ps2 . I havent beat the game yet , is quite fun and beautiful , I would update these review as fast as I finish the game . For now I would give a 8.5 to Ico . Now with the main dish of the collection , Shadow of colossus = D I have to admit that this time didnt have the same impact I had when i played it one the ps2 years ago . Mainly because I know the story and what would happen next . In terms ofgraphics , it dint surprise me , it is far inferior to games like metal gear 4 , God of war 3 , Uncharted 2 and Mw2 . . . Still the art design is amazingly breathtaking . the gameplay still exciting . But if you are expecting a fast paced action , like i said before you would totally bored in this game . You would only see this game as climbing-stab-collosus kind of game . But if you know how to apreciate the art design and like to do puzzle , then this game is perfect for you . this game is kind of touching your character is fighting with everything he have just to save the one he love . . . awwww . . isnt it beautiful ? and again if you find this cheesy this game is not for you xD . For the amazing art desing , beautiful story , wierd vices but peaceful and exciting sundtrack and challeging gameplay I would give it a 9.4 . This is because this is my second play , if this was my very first time i would have given it a 10 , but it just dint have the same impact . . . In the end , this is a great collection , Ico may be some of frustating , but if you have patience then it is not a problem , but if you are a hasty person like I am , you would completly get frustated . But on the other Hand shadow of colossus justify the buy . Just this amazing game is the very reason to own this cd . so why dont you buy it and enjoy a beautiful game ? Ps : it come with bonus content , two dinamic themes , I find it very pretty but the wierd effect like the old movies have just destroyed the theme . . . - . - there is also trophy for this game
        • 125   First of all , I have to say this game is not for everyone . If you like fast paced action game , like first person shooter or hack and slash , you wont find it in here . this collection is for people who have patience and enjoys a art of a game , I lack in the first department but I appreciate the art of a game . I played years ago the shadow of colussus on the ps2 , and I did totally love it , I havent played Ico on the ps2 , so this time is my first playthough for the game , and here is what I think of these two remastered in Hd edition of two of most high rated games on ps2 : Let start with Ico : Ico is about a boy who is going to be sacrificed because of he having horns . . . . xD . then something happens , and your mission is to get Yorda a girl , lucky u Ico ! ) out of the temple you are . the gameplay is a combination of puzzle and bit of slashing shadow , which can be somewhat repetitive . Ico although having a nice settings and cool environemnts is freaking frustating . Yorda , is . . . let say . . ok . . she is stupid . Her reaction a response are quite slow and frustating , most of the time you need to grab her to get her moving . puzzle are quite challenging which is good . graphics are in hd but still have those blocky section like the ps2 . I havent beat the game yet , is quite fun and beautiful , I would update these review as fast as I finish the game . For now I would give a 8.5 to Ico . Now with the main dish of the collection , Shadow of colossus = D I have to admit that this time didnt have the same impact I had when i played it one the ps2 years ago . Mainly because I know the story and what would happen next . In terms ofgraphics , it dint surprise me , it is far inferior to games like metal gear 4 , God of war 3 , Uncharted 2 and Mw2 . . . Still the art design is amazingly breathtaking . the gameplay still exciting . But if you are expecting a fast paced action , like i said before you would totally bored in this game . You would only see this game as climbing-stab-collosus kind of game . But if you know how to apreciate the art design and like to do puzzle , then this game is perfect for you . this game is kind of touching your character is fighting with everything he have just to save the one he love . . . awwww . . isnt it beautiful ? and again if you find this cheesy this game is not for you xD . For the amazing art desing , beautiful story , wierd vices but peaceful and exciting sundtrack and challeging gameplay I would give it a 9.4 . This is because this is my second play , if this was my very first time i would have given it a 10 , but it just dint have the same impact . . . In the end , this is a great collection , Ico may be some of frustating , but if you have patience then it is not a problem , but if you are a hasty person like I am , you would completly get frustated . But on the other Hand shadow of colossus justify the buy . Just this amazing game is the very reason to own this cd . so why dont you buy it and enjoy a beautiful game ? Ps : it come with bonus content , two dinamic themes , I find it very pretty but the wierd effect like the old movies have just destroyed the theme . . . - . - there is also trophy for this game
        • 126   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) ON ICO When I first played Ico in 2001 , I was hooked . I played it at least three times a year every year up until now , and refused to give up my copy even after my PS2 bit the dust , so you can imagine how delighted I was to finally get my hands on this new , updated version , because it is absolutely fantastic . When I saw how clear the graphics were , my jaw actually dropped . I had always thought the scenery in ICO was beautiful , but when I saw the updated version , I was completely blown away . I played it from start to finish last night , taking about 4 1 / 2 hours . It usually doesn't take me this long , as I've played ICO so many times that I know every word of the dialogue , but I spent a lot of time looking at the gorgeous environments and also I was hunting for surprises that may have been added ( there weren't any ) . The only changes that I noticed were that the black spirits were a lot tougher to defeat than in the old version , maybe because nearly all of them have the ability to fly , and ICO stays on the ground longer when attacked by them . The other changes were some subtle puzzle changes , one of which kind of ticked me off because it involved bouncing on this peg that sends you flying straight up in the air , in the hope of catching hold of a wall where you shimmy up to get outside of the building . It took me at least ten minutes to jump at the exact time I needed to in order to get up to grab that ledge , by which time I was fuming , mostly because I really detest being hindered in a game I have probably beaten about 40 times . Other than that , I really had a ball . The details you see in the improved graphics add so much to the game . ON SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS I haven't played the new version yet , but I cannot say enough good things about this game , having played it at least twice a year since its release , but I am certain that I will enjoy it as much as I did ICO . ON BOTH GAMES IN GENERAL These two games have retained their places in the line-up of my top ten favorite games of all time . I have never played games that were so original , so simple , and yet so beautiful . When I play them , I really feel the sadness that Ico and Yorda and Wander are feeling . I feel as much a part of their worlds as they do , and want to explore every corner of every mountain and valley and building just like them . These games transport me to places that are so mystifying , so empty , yet so charged with emotion and excitement that I cannot get enough of them . For me , they are like walking straight into the most beautiful painting I ever saw , and playing a video game there . After awhile , I almost forget that I AM playing a game . These games do not follow the typical video game formula of inventories , endless weapon upgrades , torrents of dialogue , innumerable sidequests , etc . In each game , you are given a single quest . In ICO : Escape the castle . In Shadow of the Colossus : Destroy 16 Colossi to save your beloved . Both of them also have endings that leave you with more questions than answers , but they are still satisfying nonetheless . You really must try them ! Play ICO first . If you get stuck on a puzzle , there's always help on the Internet , but play it out till the end-you won't be disappointed ! And stick around till after the credits roll . . . I won't spoil the surprise .
        • 127   ON ICO When I first played Ico in 2001 , I was hooked . I played it at least three times a year every year up until now , and refused to give up my copy even after my PS2 bit the dust , so you can imagine how delighted I was to finally get my hands on this new , updated version , because it is absolutely fantastic . When I saw how clear the graphics were , my jaw actually dropped . I had always thought the scenery in ICO was beautiful , but when I saw the updated version , I was completely blown away . I played it from start to finish last night , taking about 4 1 / 2 hours . It usually doesn't take me this long , as I've played ICO so many times that I know every word of the dialogue , but I spent a lot of time looking at the gorgeous environments and also I was hunting for surprises that may have been added ( there weren't any ) . The only changes that I noticed were that the black spirits were a lot tougher to defeat than in the old version , maybe because nearly all of them have the ability to fly , and ICO stays on the ground longer when attacked by them . The other changes were some subtle puzzle changes , one of which kind of ticked me off because it involved bouncing on this peg that sends you flying straight up in the air , in the hope of catching hold of a wall where you shimmy up to get outside of the building . It took me at least ten minutes to jump at the exact time I needed to in order to get up to grab that ledge , by which time I was fuming , mostly because I really detest being hindered in a game I have probably beaten about 40 times . Other than that , I really had a ball . The details you see in the improved graphics add so much to the game . ON SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS I haven't played the new version yet , but I cannot say enough good things about this game , having played it at least twice a year since its release , but I am certain that I will enjoy it as much as I did ICO . ON BOTH GAMES IN GENERAL These two games have retained their places in the line-up of my top ten favorite games of all time . I have never played games that were so original , so simple , and yet so beautiful . When I play them , I really feel the sadness that Ico and Yorda and Wander are feeling . I feel as much a part of their worlds as they do , and want to explore every corner of every mountain and valley and building just like them . These games transport me to places that are so mystifying , so empty , yet so charged with emotion and excitement that I cannot get enough of them . For me , they are like walking straight into the most beautiful painting I ever saw , and playing a video game there . After awhile , I almost forget that I AM playing a game . These games do not follow the typical video game formula of inventories , endless weapon upgrades , torrents of dialogue , innumerable sidequests , etc . In each game , you are given a single quest . In ICO : Escape the castle . In Shadow of the Colossus : Destroy 16 Colossi to save your beloved . Both of them also have endings that leave you with more questions than answers , but they are still satisfying nonetheless . You really must try them ! Play ICO first . If you get stuck on a puzzle , there's always help on the Internet , but play it out till the end-you won't be disappointed ! And stick around till after the credits roll . . . I won't spoil the surprise .
        • 128   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) i played both ico and shadow of the colossus on ps2 . i really enjoyed them . and now , it's hd remastered ver . if you haven't played original ver yet , you should try this . you'll see why so many ppl give 5 stars on this .
        • 129   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) i played both ico and shadow of the colossus on ps2 . i really enjoyed them . and now , it's hd remastered ver . if you haven't played original ver yet , you should try this . you'll see why so many ppl give 5 stars on this .
        • 131   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Buying these upgrades ( that's really what they are ) was well worth my money , as a big fan of the original games . The immersive quality that HD has added to the already superb , atmospheric PS2 graphics is very intense , moreso than most games designed for the PS3 . These are games for which you bring your chair up as close to your big HDTV as you dare , because of the gorgeous ( but never garish ) eye-candy , and the feeling of really being there even though the perspective is 3rd-person . It's worth mentioning that subtle game-play issues have been upgraded as well as the graphics . Notably , a few of the battles in ICO are tougher than they were , and at least one of the puzzles has been significantly improved .
        • 132   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Buying these upgrades ( that's really what they are ) was well worth my money , as a big fan of the original games . The immersive quality that HD has added to the already superb , atmospheric PS2 graphics is very intense , moreso than most games designed for the PS3 . These are games for which you bring your chair up as close to your big HDTV as you dare , because of the gorgeous ( but never garish ) eye-candy , and the feeling of really being there even though the perspective is 3rd-person . It's worth mentioning that subtle game-play issues have been upgraded as well as the graphics . Notably , a few of the battles in ICO are tougher than they were , and at least one of the puzzles has been significantly improved .
        • 133   Buying these upgrades ( that's really what they are ) was well worth my money , as a big fan of the original games . The immersive quality that HD has added to the already superb , atmospheric PS2 graphics is very intense , moreso than most games designed for the PS3 . These are games for which you bring your chair up as close to your big HDTV as you dare , because of the gorgeous ( but never garish ) eye-candy , and the feeling of really being there even though the perspective is 3rd-person . It's worth mentioning that subtle game-play issues have been upgraded as well as the graphics . Notably , a few of the battles in ICO are tougher than they were , and at least one of the puzzles has been significantly improved .
        • 134   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Even without the HD coat of paint , these games would still be a steal at this price . The behind the scenes videos are just awesome , and really show how much care went into making these classics . I'm sure The Last Guardian will recieve the same treatment , not only the time and effort put in from the creators , but the support and appreciation of the long-time fans . Great buy for newcomers and full trophy support gives veterans another reason to go through these adventures again and again . Don't let talk of control / camera issues or outdated graphics steer you away . These games are just as enjoyable now as they were on the PS2 , and the graphics still impress . Ico - 5 stars Shadow of the Colossus - 5 stars Collection - 10 stars
        • 135   Even without the HD coat of paint , these games would still be a steal at this price . The behind the scenes videos are just awesome , and really show how much care went into making these classics . I'm sure The Last Guardian will recieve the same treatment , not only the time and effort put in from the creators , but the support and appreciation of the long-time fans . Great buy for newcomers and full trophy support gives veterans another reason to go through these adventures again and again . Don't let talk of control / camera issues or outdated graphics steer you away . These games are just as enjoyable now as they were on the PS2 , and the graphics still impress . Ico - 5 stars Shadow of the Colossus - 5 stars Collection - 10 stars
        • 136   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) These two remastered games are the epitome of art in video games . From stunning visuals to epic storytelling to magical soundtracks , these games cover all aspects of what makes a masterpiece . I think it's great for Ueda to decide to re-release these games in HD because it helps remind the gaming community how great video games can be and how they're not just about shooting enemy soldiers , aliens , or zombies with a shotgun .
        • 137   These two remastered games are the epitome of art in video games . From stunning visuals to epic storytelling to magical soundtracks , these games cover all aspects of what makes a masterpiece . I think it's great for Ueda to decide to re-release these games in HD because it helps remind the gaming community how great video games can be and how they're not just about shooting enemy soldiers , aliens , or zombies with a shotgun .
        • 138   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) One of the main reasons I had my PS2 modded was so I could play the European version of ICO . I beat the game which opens up the possibility upon replay for a second player to join in . The second player's role as the girl is pretty limited though . This time through is substantially more familiar ( a negative ) but the graphics and the bonus content are rewarding . What a vision Mr . Ueda the creator has for creating these single player experiences . When both of these games were released there was more info embedded in the code than the PS2 could handle - - thus the remastering is largely a liberation of existing detail originally existent . It is not ( however ) like playing them for the first time . It is a re-experience of how they were meant to be played in totality . I gave this collection 4 stars for fun . I had already beaten ICO once and SoC twice on the PS2 . Therefore the fun rating . There are only a handful of PS2 games that are worthy of this kind of remastering . These are two of them . I would not mind seeing the Norrath series remastered since I believe there is more detail to be revealed and several existing bugs that need repair . Perhaps Dark Alliance I could be a good candidate as well . I would be interested in hearing what others might say about games they would like to see remastered for the PS3 .
        • 139   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) One of the main reasons I had my PS2 modded was so I could play the European version of ICO . I beat the game which opens up the possibility upon replay for a second player to join in . The second player's role as the girl is pretty limited though . This time through is substantially more familiar ( a negative ) but the graphics and the bonus content are rewarding . What a vision Mr . Ueda the creator has for creating these single player experiences . When both of these games were released there was more info embedded in the code than the PS2 could handle - - thus the remastering is largely a liberation of existing detail originally existent . It is not ( however ) like playing them for the first time . It is a re-experience of how they were meant to be played in totality . I gave this collection 4 stars for fun . I had already beaten ICO once and SoC twice on the PS2 . Therefore the fun rating . There are only a handful of PS2 games that are worthy of this kind of remastering . These are two of them . I would not mind seeing the Norrath series remastered since I believe there is more detail to be revealed and several existing bugs that need repair . Perhaps Dark Alliance I could be a good candidate as well . I would be interested in hearing what others might say about games they would like to see remastered for the PS3 .
        • 140   One of the main reasons I had my PS2 modded was so I could play the European version of ICO . I beat the game which opens up the possibility upon replay for a second player to join in . The second player's role as the girl is pretty limited though . This time through is substantially more familiar ( a negative ) but the graphics and the bonus content are rewarding . What a vision Mr . Ueda the creator has for creating these single player experiences . When both of these games were released there was more info embedded in the code than the PS2 could handle - - thus the remastering is largely a liberation of existing detail originally existent . It is not ( however ) like playing them for the first time . It is a re-experience of how they were meant to be played in totality . I gave this collection 4 stars for fun . I had already beaten ICO once and SoC twice on the PS2 . Therefore the fun rating . There are only a handful of PS2 games that are worthy of this kind of remastering . These are two of them . I would not mind seeing the Norrath series remastered since I believe there is more detail to be revealed and several existing bugs that need repair . Perhaps Dark Alliance I could be a good candidate as well . I would be interested in hearing what others might say about games they would like to see remastered for the PS3 .
        • 141   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) These are 2 of my all time favorite games , and I remember thinking how great it would be if they were remade in HD long before this collection was announced . And the remake is a high quality one , not a quick and easy cash in . Things like textures look great , and ICO in widescreen makes a huge difference . These games share an ethereal quality and atmosphere unlike any other game out there , and are rightly considered by many to be works of art . Both games are now locked at 30fps which is a massive improvement , especially in Shadow of the Colossus . I probably would have paid over $100 for this collection , so at $40 it's a definite buy .
        • 142   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) These are 2 of my all time favorite games , and I remember thinking how great it would be if they were remade in HD long before this collection was announced . And the remake is a high quality one , not a quick and easy cash in . Things like textures look great , and ICO in widescreen makes a huge difference . These games share an ethereal quality and atmosphere unlike any other game out there , and are rightly considered by many to be works of art . Both games are now locked at 30fps which is a massive improvement , especially in Shadow of the Colossus . I probably would have paid over $100 for this collection , so at $40 it's a definite buy .
        • 143   These are 2 of my all time favorite games , and I remember thinking how great it would be if they were remade in HD long before this collection was announced . And the remake is a high quality one , not a quick and easy cash in . Things like textures look great , and ICO in widescreen makes a huge difference . These games share an ethereal quality and atmosphere unlike any other game out there , and are rightly considered by many to be works of art . Both games are now locked at 30fps which is a massive improvement , especially in Shadow of the Colossus . I probably would have paid over $100 for this collection , so at $40 it's a definite buy .
        • 144   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) You cannot go wrong with these titles . Beautiful detail work and enchanting stories . If you never played Ico or Shadow of the Colossus , now is the perfect time to do so .
        • 145   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) You cannot go wrong with these titles . Beautiful detail work and enchanting stories . If you never played Ico or Shadow of the Colossus , now is the perfect time to do so .
        • 147   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) SOTC and Ico are two of the best games of the PS2 era . This collection has high resolution visuals , a vastly improved frame rate for SOTC and two platinum trophies . There isn't much to be said that hasn't been said about these classics , but as far as HD remasters go this one is top notch . If you never played these games before , now is the perfect time . If you have played them , they are worth again playing with the uprezed visuals and the silky smooth 60fps . Now we need an Onimusha collection !
        • 148   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) SOTC and Ico are two of the best games of the PS2 era . This collection has high resolution visuals , a vastly improved frame rate for SOTC and two platinum trophies . There isn't much to be said that hasn't been said about these classics , but as far as HD remasters go this one is top notch . If you never played these games before , now is the perfect time . If you have played them , they are worth again playing with the uprezed visuals and the silky smooth 60fps . Now we need an Onimusha collection !
        • 149   SOTC and Ico are two of the best games of the PS2 era . This collection has high resolution visuals , a vastly improved frame rate for SOTC and two platinum trophies . There isn't much to be said that hasn't been said about these classics , but as far as HD remasters go this one is top notch . If you never played these games before , now is the perfect time . If you have played them , they are worth again playing with the uprezed visuals and the silky smooth 60fps . Now we need an Onimusha collection !
        • 150   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) this is from my sons wish list . I know he will love it . He makes my gift giving easy.I just go to his wish list and order then i am done .
        • 151   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) this is from my sons wish list . I know he will love it . He makes my gift giving easy.I just go to his wish list and order then i am done .
        • 153   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) I rated 2 stars just for the innovative story of the game . Problem about the game is while this guys improving its display , they have forgotten to improve its playability . It is really frustrating to control the character and to ride the horse . Marketing Ps3 versions of the old games should ` t be developing just the HD resolution .
        • 154   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) I rated 2 stars just for the innovative story of the game . Problem about the game is while this guys improving its display , they have forgotten to improve its playability . It is really frustrating to control the character and to ride the horse . Marketing Ps3 versions of the old games should ` t be developing just the HD resolution .
        • 158   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) This package is AWESOME ! Includes both Ico and Shadow of the Colossus in HD ! Two exceptional games without equal . Go ahead , just buy it and enjoy ! !
        • 160   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) I was hesitant to buy the Team Ico collection . I had never played Ico , and in fact , I had generally stayed away from it mostly due to crushing expectation given to it from critics and fans ( Breathtaking ! This game is art ! and the like ) . To each his own , sure , but the game had fanboy stink all over it . I had once owned Shadow of the Colossus , but wasn't nearly as impressed as others , and traded it in soon thereafter . But , as both games together were $39.99 , I decided to purchase them , to see if maybe I had missed the boat on them the first time around . And the answer to that is . . . kind of . Anyway , let me review each game separately : ICO : Ico is a nice 3rd-person game in which you control a boy who is attempting to escape from a castle-like structure . On the way , you encounter another person , the affable Yorda . Much of the game has you figuring out how to get Yorda to follow you to the exit of rooms , often by taking her hand and dragging her behind you . Honestly , this is a fantastic idea for a game , and it should have been a slam dunk . But , it's just a lay-up in the end , which does score , but doesn't wow . The problem ? The game is way too short . I don't want to call it easy , per se , but it's just too short . A beginning player ( like myself ) will beat the game in 4 - 5 hours , with absolutely no outside help . There is actually a trophy for beating the game in 2 hours or less , so that tells you what you need to know . As the second title of a $19.99 collection , this is OK , but I would have been gravely disappointed if I had spent full price on this in 2001 , particularly alongside other games like MGS2 and FFX . This game ( as well as its sequel ) sells itself on its art and ambience . Atmosphere is everything , and it's pretty nice . The game is very quiet , which makes sense given the nature of what you're trying to accomplish . Control is mostly OK , although Ico will do strange stuff sometimes ( particularly when jumping ) . There was one particularly annoying segment ( involving a water wheel ) where I felt control really got in the way , but mostly , I thought it was OK . The music in the game is OK , but not stellar . I know some people rave about it , but I found it to be mostly throwaway ( and paling in comparison to its counterpart , SotC ) . The visuals are pretty dated . I'm not even sure how they compare with contemporaries ( it's hard to compare with my FFX , e.g . , as that game has yet to be released in HD ) . But in the end , I was disappointed that I beat the game in one night . All in all , the game gets decent ratings for fun , but the length hurts it overall . Fun : 4 stars Overall : 3 stars Shadow of the Colossus : This game , when it goes , is one of the most fun games I've ever played . Unfortunately , often , it goes nowhere . The premise of this game is simple : there are 16 colossal giants out there , and you've got to beat them all down . At its core , this game pits you against a monster , one on one . Each monster has one ( or several ) vital point ( s ) , which is the only place to deal damage . Unfortunately , you are often the size of an ant compared to these towering creatures , and so you've got to figure out how to get to these vital points . And man , is that fun . Each and every battle is memorable , and no two battles are the same . Some people might complain that there are only 16 battles , but with the originality present in each one , I can't number myself among them . The story is mostly throwaway , regarding some guy ( with the name of Wander - nothing like subtlety ) who wants to raise a girl ( I don't remember her name , and am not sure if we're ever told who she is ) back from the dead , and so ventures to the Forbidden Land . Most of this is told to you in the opening sequence . I still do not understand this stuff about breaking bounds in storytelling none of us knew existed ( to quote a review from the games original release ) . There's not much here - I can't imagine how people feel much emotion for the mostly-mute main character , or the dead girl , etc . etc . Imaginations run wild , I guess . I did think of my own story to follow the game , but it's a little silly and . . . racy for Amazon . However , I will give credit where it's due : there are some cool visual effects in the game , which loosely tie to the story . As you kill colossi , your character seems to become . . . corrupted . He starts off looking like some silly anime character , but looks incredibly cool by the end . If there is one thing that draws an emotional response , it is the amazing music . I admit - I DID miss the boat on this one . The music in this game is stellar , and has not aged one bit . Battles with colossi , which are already outstanding , become epic due to the soundtrack . When that music changes its sound , you know that you are doing well . At times , it put me on the edge of my seat , literally . There is one huge problem with this game , however . While the battles against the 16 colossi are epic , the part in-between is anything but . At BEST , you can hunt for lizards and fruit . At worst ? You are traveling for long stretches with no real landmarks , no music , and no fun . The travel segments are among the worst I've ever seen in a video game . I can understand the loner feeling that the developer was trying to convey , but it's just too much . Exacerbating the situation is the horrible control for the horse . I can't even begin to describe this utter failure , but let's just say - you'll hit buttons much more trying to spur the horse than for every battle combined . However , I will say that overall , the control seems better than when I played the game a few years back - with the exception of the horse , which is just as bad today . The visuals of this game hold up even today . The graphics remain amazing . Also , this game is longer than its predecessor , but some of that is due to the travel time . Even with that , you can beat this game in less than 10 hours . If there was just a little more to this game , it would be 5 - stars all around . The fun factor when fighting the colossi is still 5 - star stuff . But the terrible travel filler brings the overall score down . So , Fun : 5 stars Overall : 4 stars
        • 161   I was hesitant to buy the Team Ico collection . I had never played Ico , and in fact , I had generally stayed away from it mostly due to crushing expectation given to it from critics and fans ( Breathtaking ! This game is art ! and the like ) . To each his own , sure , but the game had fanboy stink all over it . I had once owned Shadow of the Colossus , but wasn't nearly as impressed as others , and traded it in soon thereafter . But , as both games together were $39.99 , I decided to purchase them , to see if maybe I had missed the boat on them the first time around . And the answer to that is . . . kind of . Anyway , let me review each game separately : ICO : Ico is a nice 3rd-person game in which you control a boy who is attempting to escape from a castle-like structure . On the way , you encounter another person , the affable Yorda . Much of the game has you figuring out how to get Yorda to follow you to the exit of rooms , often by taking her hand and dragging her behind you . Honestly , this is a fantastic idea for a game , and it should have been a slam dunk . But , it's just a lay-up in the end , which does score , but doesn't wow . The problem ? The game is way too short . I don't want to call it easy , per se , but it's just too short . A beginning player ( like myself ) will beat the game in 4 - 5 hours , with absolutely no outside help . There is actually a trophy for beating the game in 2 hours or less , so that tells you what you need to know . As the second title of a $19.99 collection , this is OK , but I would have been gravely disappointed if I had spent full price on this in 2001 , particularly alongside other games like MGS2 and FFX . This game ( as well as its sequel ) sells itself on its art and ambience . Atmosphere is everything , and it's pretty nice . The game is very quiet , which makes sense given the nature of what you're trying to accomplish . Control is mostly OK , although Ico will do strange stuff sometimes ( particularly when jumping ) . There was one particularly annoying segment ( involving a water wheel ) where I felt control really got in the way , but mostly , I thought it was OK . The music in the game is OK , but not stellar . I know some people rave about it , but I found it to be mostly throwaway ( and paling in comparison to its counterpart , SotC ) . The visuals are pretty dated . I'm not even sure how they compare with contemporaries ( it's hard to compare with my FFX , e.g . , as that game has yet to be released in HD ) . But in the end , I was disappointed that I beat the game in one night . All in all , the game gets decent ratings for fun , but the length hurts it overall . Fun : 4 stars Overall : 3 stars Shadow of the Colossus : This game , when it goes , is one of the most fun games I've ever played . Unfortunately , often , it goes nowhere . The premise of this game is simple : there are 16 colossal giants out there , and you've got to beat them all down . At its core , this game pits you against a monster , one on one . Each monster has one ( or several ) vital point ( s ) , which is the only place to deal damage . Unfortunately , you are often the size of an ant compared to these towering creatures , and so you've got to figure out how to get to these vital points . And man , is that fun . Each and every battle is memorable , and no two battles are the same . Some people might complain that there are only 16 battles , but with the originality present in each one , I can't number myself among them . The story is mostly throwaway , regarding some guy ( with the name of Wander - nothing like subtlety ) who wants to raise a girl ( I don't remember her name , and am not sure if we're ever told who she is ) back from the dead , and so ventures to the Forbidden Land . Most of this is told to you in the opening sequence . I still do not understand this stuff about breaking bounds in storytelling none of us knew existed ( to quote a review from the games original release ) . There's not much here - I can't imagine how people feel much emotion for the mostly-mute main character , or the dead girl , etc . etc . Imaginations run wild , I guess . I did think of my own story to follow the game , but it's a little silly and . . . racy for Amazon . However , I will give credit where it's due : there are some cool visual effects in the game , which loosely tie to the story . As you kill colossi , your character seems to become . . . corrupted . He starts off looking like some silly anime character , but looks incredibly cool by the end . If there is one thing that draws an emotional response , it is the amazing music . I admit - I DID miss the boat on this one . The music in this game is stellar , and has not aged one bit . Battles with colossi , which are already outstanding , become epic due to the soundtrack . When that music changes its sound , you know that you are doing well . At times , it put me on the edge of my seat , literally . There is one huge problem with this game , however . While the battles against the 16 colossi are epic , the part in-between is anything but . At BEST , you can hunt for lizards and fruit . At worst ? You are traveling for long stretches with no real landmarks , no music , and no fun . The travel segments are among the worst I've ever seen in a video game . I can understand the loner feeling that the developer was trying to convey , but it's just too much . Exacerbating the situation is the horrible control for the horse . I can't even begin to describe this utter failure , but let's just say - you'll hit buttons much more trying to spur the horse than for every battle combined . However , I will say that overall , the control seems better than when I played the game a few years back - with the exception of the horse , which is just as bad today . The visuals of this game hold up even today . The graphics remain amazing . Also , this game is longer than its predecessor , but some of that is due to the travel time . Even with that , you can beat this game in less than 10 hours . If there was just a little more to this game , it would be 5 - stars all around . The fun factor when fighting the colossi is still 5 - star stuff . But the terrible travel filler brings the overall score down . So , Fun : 5 stars Overall : 4 stars
        • 162   Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) I was expecting HD quality meant that they would reskin all the landscapes . Really , this game is about being emmersed in an environment . On the PS3 this thing looked like the old one but worse because the HD quality brings out all of the weaknesses in the old textures . Retread only , if you don't have it on PS2 then OK .
        • 163   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) I was expecting HD quality meant that they would reskin all the landscapes . Really , this game is about being emmersed in an environment . On the PS3 this thing looked like the old one but worse because the HD quality brings out all of the weaknesses in the old textures . Retread only , if you don't have it on PS2 then OK .
        • 165   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) All i can say is WOW ! to this amazing collection . Theses games individually were an awesome experience by themselves , but now that they are together and better than ever with the enhanced digital imagery , it makes it all the more awesome ! I'll start off with shadow of the colossus . If you thought that the visuals of this game on the ps2 before were great , then you'll be shocked to see them now on the ps3 . Everything has gotten a lot more detailed and vivid . The graphical enhancement really does add to the overall experience of the game . For the game play , nothing much has really changed , everything is just as it was before , so there are no complaints about changes in the story or the game itself . As for the ICO , there is one qualm I had , and that was the water wheel . It seems that they've made some changes to this segment of the game which really frustrated me . Anyway , at the part where you have to jump on the water wheel and from there to the bar , it seems to be almost impossible for I have tried a countless amount of times . The rest of the game is fine and has a few tweaks from the original , but this really stood out to me in a bad way . Some things are better off untouched . Other than that , the game is just as fun as it was before . So that about sums up my review . Overall i thought this collection was great and well worth it and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a great action / adventure gaming experience . Please leave a positive vote if you found this review helpful . Thanks
        • 166   All i can say is WOW ! to this amazing collection . Theses games individually were an awesome experience by themselves , but now that they are together and better than ever with the enhanced digital imagery , it makes it all the more awesome ! I'll start off with shadow of the colossus . If you thought that the visuals of this game on the ps2 before were great , then you'll be shocked to see them now on the ps3 . Everything has gotten a lot more detailed and vivid . The graphical enhancement really does add to the overall experience of the game . For the game play , nothing much has really changed , everything is just as it was before , so there are no complaints about changes in the story or the game itself . As for the ICO , there is one qualm I had , and that was the water wheel . It seems that they've made some changes to this segment of the game which really frustrated me . Anyway , at the part where you have to jump on the water wheel and from there to the bar , it seems to be almost impossible for I have tried a countless amount of times . The rest of the game is fine and has a few tweaks from the original , but this really stood out to me in a bad way . Some things are better off untouched . Other than that , the game is just as fun as it was before . So that about sums up my review . Overall i thought this collection was great and well worth it and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a great action / adventure gaming experience . Please leave a positive vote if you found this review helpful . Thanks
        • 167   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Got this game at Bestbuy for $25 , and I must say ; it's one of the best PS2 games . Definitely a worth buying .
        • 172   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) ITS AMAZZZZZZING ! ! Buy it now ! This is something every gamer should experience . This is pure art and nothing else is like it . Do your self a favor and experience these timeless classics .
        • 174   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) I played both of these games back when they first came out on the PS2 and remember kinda enjoying them . Given all the effulgent gushing and kiss-blowing from so many other reviewers on various websites , I felt like I probably enjoyed both games more than I had remembered , and ended up buying this remastered collection . Turns out , I guess I had it backward , as both ICO and SOC ended up being very frustrating game experiences for me , each in their own ways . ICO There exists a small group of dedicated and vocal gamers who seem to really like the concept of videogames as art . While I don't have a problem with the fundamental idea ( I loved Okami ) , I do have a major problem with development studios who hide poor game and programming design behind artsy camera angles and atmosphere , and try to pass it off as a videogame masterpiece . After having played through ICO ( and also SOC ) my opinion of Team ICO is that they are obviously very interested in creating art , but lack the technical knowlege required to craft a playable video game around it , and ultimately would be better off shooting an independent film or painting a series of pictures and then staring at them pensively . Did I like anything about ICO ? Yeah , I like the environmental puzzles , where the goal is always to figure out how to open a door or reach a certain ledge , and most of the solutions are logical ( as environmental puzzles should be ) . That's about it though , as just about everything else in the game frustrated me almost to the point of quitting early ( I didn't though , as I wanted to unlock all the trophies ) . The things that crippled the game experience for me were the controls , the camera , the friendly AI , and the horribly boring and repetitive fights . The controls lack responsiveness and feel sluggish . Grabbing a hold of ladders or dangling chains is often far more difficult than it needs to be , and if a torch and switch are next to each other , it's not unusual to see your character grab the one you don't intend for him to grab . Repeatedly . The controls are also constantly locked in mortal combat with the semi-fixed camera angles . What this means is since your character moves in direct relation to the direction you're pushing , if you're holding right and running down the hallway and the camera decides to swing more to the right to face you , you'll end up running into the wall since the wall is now directly to your right and that's still the direction you're pushing . It's lazy programming , and most other third person game developers have figured out how to deal with this irritation . The camera also has the annoying habit of swivelling around to face your character as he's moving , so that you can't see what's coming up without using the right analog stick to move the entire camera frame to the right ( the only real camera control the game allows the player ) , leaving your character out of the picture , and providing a terribly disorienting angle on the gameplay . It's just bad design , and no other game that I can think of has this set-up . The friendly AI is an abject failure of videogame programming . What more can be said ? Yorda has serious issues with following commands , and it's all too common to see her struggle with climbing onto ladders or even continuing to climb up ladders without inexplicably reversing tack and climbing back down . She can't drop down a 4 foot ledge in one room , but she can drop down a different 4 food ledge in another room . And God forbid you get in a hurry , as Yorda has the nasty habit of strolling along when you need her to run quickly ( like in battles ) . The whole thing is incredibly irritating and makes it feel like your main goal of the entire game is to babysit a slow child . . . which I guess it pretty much is . Battles are boring and one dimensional and involve wailing on wave after wave of shadow creature with your trusty 2x4 or sword . Some battles can be avoided , fortunately , but avoidance frequently leads you into an even greater battle as the controls and camera once again tagteam your escape efforts . Honestly , the battles should've just been removed . They add nothing to the game and only detract from it . Can't comment on the music since there really isn't any . If you get a hard-on listening to endless feet clacking on stone , or wind rustling , or the odd phrase bon swah repeated over and over and OVER AGAIN , then you're in luck . I can't help but feel like this game would be better served as a downloadable title for like $10 max . SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS I spent more text than I thought I would describing ICO , so I'll keep the SOC part briefer . Overall , it's a better game than ICO , but it has its very own set of design flaws which seriously maimed a game experience that should otherwise be amazing . There is little doubt that Team ICO made this game , given their efforts with ICO . You have full camera control this time around , but it's not what I thought it'd be . Most third person games provide the player with limited camera control in which the game keeps the camera behind your character and moves accordingly as you move your character , but still allows you to move the camera yourself if necessary . In SOC , there is no automatic camera control by the game . What this means is that if you're doing more than moving in a straight line , you're going to have to have one thumb on the right analog stick moving it AT ALL TIMES . Take a break for a second , and you'll find your character moving to the side of the screen or facing you , providing you with absolutely no warning of what's coming up . Pull out your bow while running toward the screen ( toward you ) and your character aims / shoots at you instead of the colossus in the background ( which is indescribably backward compared to other games in which your character usually immediately faces the enemy ) . Controlling the horse while using the camera is also bizarrely overcomplicated and has you doing thumb aerobics switching back and forth between the X button for speed up horse and the right thumb stick for camera control . The control / camera set-up is poorly thought out and should have been simplified . . . . especially for a game that prides itself on its relaxed atmosphere . The controls ( like ICO ) are sluggish and don't feel very responsive . Button presses while climbing / battling a colossus are treated by the game as less of a distinct command and as more of a polite request . . . . a request that is often blatantly ignored . While some of the time it's the game simply not responding to input by the player , oftentimes it's because your character is too busy flopping around on the colossus like a edematous skin tag to pay attention to anything you're asking him to do . Please jump from the colossus's arm to his back . Sorry can't do that , as he's breathing heavily right now , and for some reason I can't stop seizing like an epileptic when the colossus is doing anything other than standing completely still . Where this becomes really stupid is when a colossus gets stuck in an endless loop of shaking , essentially rendering you immobile ( yet floppy ) until your grip runs out , and you fall to the ground , only to begin the climbing process yet again . Considering that the vast bulk of the SOC game experience revolves around this kind of stuff , I quickly found myself getting frustrated , bored , and not having fun . And videogame are supposed to be fun , right ? If you don't believe this , you're playing them for the wrong reason . I'll stop there , as this is getting too long already . What makes SOC game so annoying is not the individual design problems in isolation , it's how they conspire against you all at once , and throughout the entire game . Seriously , if the controls and camera were improved , intuitive , and responsive , then I would've rated this game much higher . Both games , in fact . But just a few design flaws can ruin a game if they're frustrating enough . Life's too busy to waste this kind of time on poor / lazy game design . * * The music is incredible , by the way , and is some of the best I've experienced in the medium . For this reason , I bumped the overall rating from one star to two . Really , I should've just bought the official SOC soundtrack and saved myself the wasted time . Hindsight's 20 / 20 . - - - - - - - So that's my differing opinion on the ICO / SCO collection . Not that it's going to persuade anyone to avoid these games , but I find it's always refreshing to hear a viewpoint different from that of the majority . Do what you want with it .
        • 175   I played both of these games back when they first came out on the PS2 and remember kinda enjoying them . Given all the effulgent gushing and kiss-blowing from so many other reviewers on various websites , I felt like I probably enjoyed both games more than I had remembered , and ended up buying this remastered collection . Turns out , I guess I had it backward , as both ICO and SOC ended up being very frustrating game experiences for me , each in their own ways . ICO There exists a small group of dedicated and vocal gamers who seem to really like the concept of videogames as art . While I don't have a problem with the fundamental idea ( I loved Okami ) , I do have a major problem with development studios who hide poor game and programming design behind artsy camera angles and atmosphere , and try to pass it off as a videogame masterpiece . After having played through ICO ( and also SOC ) my opinion of Team ICO is that they are obviously very interested in creating art , but lack the technical knowlege required to craft a playable video game around it , and ultimately would be better off shooting an independent film or painting a series of pictures and then staring at them pensively . Did I like anything about ICO ? Yeah , I like the environmental puzzles , where the goal is always to figure out how to open a door or reach a certain ledge , and most of the solutions are logical ( as environmental puzzles should be ) . That's about it though , as just about everything else in the game frustrated me almost to the point of quitting early ( I didn't though , as I wanted to unlock all the trophies ) . The things that crippled the game experience for me were the controls , the camera , the friendly AI , and the horribly boring and repetitive fights . The controls lack responsiveness and feel sluggish . Grabbing a hold of ladders or dangling chains is often far more difficult than it needs to be , and if a torch and switch are next to each other , it's not unusual to see your character grab the one you don't intend for him to grab . Repeatedly . The controls are also constantly locked in mortal combat with the semi-fixed camera angles . What this means is since your character moves in direct relation to the direction you're pushing , if you're holding right and running down the hallway and the camera decides to swing more to the right to face you , you'll end up running into the wall since the wall is now directly to your right and that's still the direction you're pushing . It's lazy programming , and most other third person game developers have figured out how to deal with this irritation . The camera also has the annoying habit of swivelling around to face your character as he's moving , so that you can't see what's coming up without using the right analog stick to move the entire camera frame to the right ( the only real camera control the game allows the player ) , leaving your character out of the picture , and providing a terribly disorienting angle on the gameplay . It's just bad design , and no other game that I can think of has this set-up . The friendly AI is an abject failure of videogame programming . What more can be said ? Yorda has serious issues with following commands , and it's all too common to see her struggle with climbing onto ladders or even continuing to climb up ladders without inexplicably reversing tack and climbing back down . She can't drop down a 4 foot ledge in one room , but she can drop down a different 4 food ledge in another room . And God forbid you get in a hurry , as Yorda has the nasty habit of strolling along when you need her to run quickly ( like in battles ) . The whole thing is incredibly irritating and makes it feel like your main goal of the entire game is to babysit a slow child . . . which I guess it pretty much is . Battles are boring and one dimensional and involve wailing on wave after wave of shadow creature with your trusty 2x4 or sword . Some battles can be avoided , fortunately , but avoidance frequently leads you into an even greater battle as the controls and camera once again tagteam your escape efforts . Honestly , the battles should've just been removed . They add nothing to the game and only detract from it . Can't comment on the music since there really isn't any . If you get a hard-on listening to endless feet clacking on stone , or wind rustling , or the odd phrase bon swah repeated over and over and OVER AGAIN , then you're in luck . I can't help but feel like this game would be better served as a downloadable title for like $10 max . SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS I spent more text than I thought I would describing ICO , so I'll keep the SOC part briefer . Overall , it's a better game than ICO , but it has its very own set of design flaws which seriously maimed a game experience that should otherwise be amazing . There is little doubt that Team ICO made this game , given their efforts with ICO . You have full camera control this time around , but it's not what I thought it'd be . Most third person games provide the player with limited camera control in which the game keeps the camera behind your character and moves accordingly as you move your character , but still allows you to move the camera yourself if necessary . In SOC , there is no automatic camera control by the game . What this means is that if you're doing more than moving in a straight line , you're going to have to have one thumb on the right analog stick moving it AT ALL TIMES . Take a break for a second , and you'll find your character moving to the side of the screen or facing you , providing you with absolutely no warning of what's coming up . Pull out your bow while running toward the screen ( toward you ) and your character aims / shoots at you instead of the colossus in the background ( which is indescribably backward compared to other games in which your character usually immediately faces the enemy ) . Controlling the horse while using the camera is also bizarrely overcomplicated and has you doing thumb aerobics switching back and forth between the X button for speed up horse and the right thumb stick for camera control . The control / camera set-up is poorly thought out and should have been simplified . . . . especially for a game that prides itself on its relaxed atmosphere . The controls ( like ICO ) are sluggish and don't feel very responsive . Button presses while climbing / battling a colossus are treated by the game as less of a distinct command and as more of a polite request . . . . a request that is often blatantly ignored . While some of the time it's the game simply not responding to input by the player , oftentimes it's because your character is too busy flopping around on the colossus like a edematous skin tag to pay attention to anything you're asking him to do . Please jump from the colossus's arm to his back . Sorry can't do that , as he's breathing heavily right now , and for some reason I can't stop seizing like an epileptic when the colossus is doing anything other than standing completely still . Where this becomes really stupid is when a colossus gets stuck in an endless loop of shaking , essentially rendering you immobile ( yet floppy ) until your grip runs out , and you fall to the ground , only to begin the climbing process yet again . Considering that the vast bulk of the SOC game experience revolves around this kind of stuff , I quickly found myself getting frustrated , bored , and not having fun . And videogame are supposed to be fun , right ? If you don't believe this , you're playing them for the wrong reason . I'll stop there , as this is getting too long already . What makes SOC game so annoying is not the individual design problems in isolation , it's how they conspire against you all at once , and throughout the entire game . Seriously , if the controls and camera were improved , intuitive , and responsive , then I would've rated this game much higher . Both games , in fact . But just a few design flaws can ruin a game if they're frustrating enough . Life's too busy to waste this kind of time on poor / lazy game design . * * The music is incredible , by the way , and is some of the best I've experienced in the medium . For this reason , I bumped the overall rating from one star to two . Really , I should've just bought the official SOC soundtrack and saved myself the wasted time . Hindsight's 20 / 20 . - - - - - - - So that's my differing opinion on the ICO / SCO collection . Not that it's going to persuade anyone to avoid these games , but I find it's always refreshing to hear a viewpoint different from that of the majority . Do what you want with it .
        • 176   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Always wanted to play ICO never could find it , now this is the version I needed to play , i dony have to say aniything , these games are sooo good , love them
        • 177   Always wanted to play ICO never could find it , now this is the version I needed to play , i dony have to say aniything , these games are sooo good , love them
        • 178   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) This review is coming from someone who's never played the originals on the PS2 and is comparing these games to current gen games available . If you are in a similar boat , perhaps you may find this review helpful because I'm sure this will be thumbed down due to the loyal fans of this game who subscribe to the same group-think . Objectively , if they were to remove the lens of nostalgia , this game is nothing but average by today's standards . The graphics are not very good , the gameplay and controls are archaic and frustrating - - it is what it is and that is a cleaned up version of PS2 games . But , you will hear all the arguments for this game , e.g . , that this game is different , a thinking man's game if you will , or that it is comparable to art . Well , too many games have come since that incorporate similar puzzle elements that it really isn't all that different ; you will have experienced most of these puzzles if you game frequently . The art argument really baffles me though . It must have been a pretty game for its time , but I wouldn't put it on a pedestal that it has been lifted upon . You can expect a different art direction , but don't expect a walk through the Louvre or anything . The reviews treating it as a Mona Lisa really are a kick in the pants . In conclusion , I understand that we hold certain memories sacrosanct , so if you're a fan of the game and add 2 stars to this , I won't argue with you . If you haven't played this before and want to play a retro-game , then by all means try it for yourself . I've realized that for myself , I'll keep my gaming memories as memories because replaying past games just tarnishes those memories . I wasn't going to write this review but I just wanted to provide a divergent opinion that others may not want to offer .
        • 179   This review is coming from someone who's never played the originals on the PS2 and is comparing these games to current gen games available . If you are in a similar boat , perhaps you may find this review helpful because I'm sure this will be thumbed down due to the loyal fans of this game who subscribe to the same group-think . Objectively , if they were to remove the lens of nostalgia , this game is nothing but average by today's standards . The graphics are not very good , the gameplay and controls are archaic and frustrating - - it is what it is and that is a cleaned up version of PS2 games . But , you will hear all the arguments for this game , e.g . , that this game is different , a thinking man's game if you will , or that it is comparable to art . Well , too many games have come since that incorporate similar puzzle elements that it really isn't all that different ; you will have experienced most of these puzzles if you game frequently . The art argument really baffles me though . It must have been a pretty game for its time , but I wouldn't put it on a pedestal that it has been lifted upon . You can expect a different art direction , but don't expect a walk through the Louvre or anything . The reviews treating it as a Mona Lisa really are a kick in the pants . In conclusion , I understand that we hold certain memories sacrosanct , so if you're a fan of the game and add 2 stars to this , I won't argue with you . If you haven't played this before and want to play a retro-game , then by all means try it for yourself . I've realized that for myself , I'll keep my gaming memories as memories because replaying past games just tarnishes those memories . I wasn't going to write this review but I just wanted to provide a divergent opinion that others may not want to offer .
        • 180   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) I would only suggest purchasing this game if you want to play through it once then trade it for something with actual replay value . Both games are typical dated puzzle-platformers , although Shadow of the Colossus has some action elements added . Both games also suffer from an empty , lifeless environment that was no doubt the writer's intent but doesn't make for very exciting gaming . Ico in particular gets extremely boring as you yank some girl around by the arm through a crumbling castle , looking for ladders and and hidden passageways . This gets extremely repetitive , especially when you finish one half of the castle and have to repeat the same unlock procedure on the other half which is an exact mirror image ( yes , really ) . I don't know if it is just me , but the slow pace and emotional focus of the game is extremely draining to play , luckily the game is short and can be beaten in one sitting . The The HD service given to Ico seems incomplete as well ; when running through these simple Super-Nintendo graphics you suddenly come upon a single rusty pipe or chain redone with a 1080p texture that looks so clean and sharp that the rest of the screen suddenly appears ridiculous . The lighting effects are also so poor that when brightness is set to maximum , a few of the doors are completely within shadows that make them impossible to see whilst the girl will look so bright and washed out that she will be almost invisible when outdoors . . . another indicator of a poorly made HD refinishing . Shadow of Colossus looks much better : the horse in particular , while not being on par with Red Dead or Assassin's Creed , looks very smooth and lifelike . The gameplay is very bumpy however , involving traversing across massive landscapes that I'm sure were breathtaking in 2005 or whenever . The problem is that there is literally nothing in this land besides rocks and trees , so you are just holding the forward button and trying to stay awake long enough to reach your next target . The boss battles are all basically the same as well : just puzzle out how to get ahold of the boss ' fur somewhere , climb on his back and stab him a bunch of times . . . do this sixteen times and the game is over ( thankfully ) . I cannot in good conscience recommend that anybody purchase this half-assed collection , but if you must have it I would wait a bit since it is bad enough that it should plummet in price quickly like Brink and Duke Nukem did .
        • 181   I would only suggest purchasing this game if you want to play through it once then trade it for something with actual replay value . Both games are typical dated puzzle-platformers , although Shadow of the Colossus has some action elements added . Both games also suffer from an empty , lifeless environment that was no doubt the writer's intent but doesn't make for very exciting gaming . Ico in particular gets extremely boring as you yank some girl around by the arm through a crumbling castle , looking for ladders and and hidden passageways . This gets extremely repetitive , especially when you finish one half of the castle and have to repeat the same unlock procedure on the other half which is an exact mirror image ( yes , really ) . I don't know if it is just me , but the slow pace and emotional focus of the game is extremely draining to play , luckily the game is short and can be beaten in one sitting . The The HD service given to Ico seems incomplete as well ; when running through these simple Super-Nintendo graphics you suddenly come upon a single rusty pipe or chain redone with a 1080p texture that looks so clean and sharp that the rest of the screen suddenly appears ridiculous . The lighting effects are also so poor that when brightness is set to maximum , a few of the doors are completely within shadows that make them impossible to see whilst the girl will look so bright and washed out that she will be almost invisible when outdoors . . . another indicator of a poorly made HD refinishing . Shadow of Colossus looks much better : the horse in particular , while not being on par with Red Dead or Assassin's Creed , looks very smooth and lifelike . The gameplay is very bumpy however , involving traversing across massive landscapes that I'm sure were breathtaking in 2005 or whenever . The problem is that there is literally nothing in this land besides rocks and trees , so you are just holding the forward button and trying to stay awake long enough to reach your next target . The boss battles are all basically the same as well : just puzzle out how to get ahold of the boss ' fur somewhere , climb on his back and stab him a bunch of times . . . do this sixteen times and the game is over ( thankfully ) . I cannot in good conscience recommend that anybody purchase this half-assed collection , but if you must have it I would wait a bit since it is bad enough that it should plummet in price quickly like Brink and Duke Nukem did .
        • 182   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Here is my breakdown . I played ICO first , and started Shadow of Colossus afterwards . ICO By far the worst game I ever forced myself to play through to the end . Some people call this game art ; I call it a game with no story , no music , poor fighting mechanics , poor controls , bad camera control , dumb AI , and pretty much horrible everything else . There is very few redeeming qualities to this game . Here is a quick summary so you never have to suffer through the game ( Spoilers ? ) : From the very start , your are given absolutely no instructions or back story . You make your way out the only possible door you can go through and find some chick in a cage ( Yorda ) . You break her free for some reason and , once you figure out how , you proceed to drag her around aimlessly . Then you find a stick , some smoke monsters pop up , they try dragging her into some mysterious holes , you beat them with a stick , and they disappear . You move some boxes , climb some ladders , and when your not holding Yorda's hand , your screaming maaaaaah , maaaaaah , ooompha , ooompha , maaaaaaah , ooompha , ooompha , ooompha , and that is pretty much 99% of your dialog with her . Then it is pretty much this same thing repeated until the end of the game . There is probably 5 minutes total of actual story dialog , half of which is complete untranslated gibberish . I can see how people might consider this art because it makes you think , but after I finished the game I concluded it was just pure laziness . Here was my though process : Why is this chick in this cage ? Why am I dragging this chick around ? Why am I in this castle in the first place ? Why is this castle so damn big ? , whoever designed it went way overboard and it would have been much cheaper to build it about 1 / 100 the size . . . Why do these smoke things not want to kill me so much ? Why is the only piece of furniture in the entire castle a couch ? Who lives here ? What am I yelling at Yorda , and why does it look like I'm trying to shoo her away ? Why is there no decorations , or rugs , or any other furniture ? How does this castle stay lit so well with so little light fixtures ? Why am I still dragging this chick around ? Why am I still playing this game ? Why am I still playing this game ? Why am I still playing this game ? etc . . . It is a decent puzzler , but as every puzzle has one clear path you must go and only one way to get there , it usually just makes it a mindless journey . I did get stumped in two locations though and had to look at a guide out of pure frustration . Once when I had no idea you could pull Yorda out of the sewer , and another when your supposed to jump off that flipper thing at the point that makes the least amount of sense . I am sure the sure size of the levels was impressive back in 2000 something on the PS2 and it seems like they spent a lot of time on them as they are pretty well thought out . But it seems like all the budget was blown on that . There is pretty much no music to be had in the entire game , you spend most of your time listening to the wind blow and birds chirping . The fighting is tedious and not the least bit fun . The controls can be frustrating at times , especially with the uncontrollable camera rotating wildly around you . I recommend this game to people who find sitting with their grandma , piecing together a jigsaw puzzle fun . It is about on the same level as that . I give this game a fun value of 0 , and an overall value of 0 . There is nothing good about this game what-so-ever . Shadow of Colossus This game looks really cool . It actually has some what of a story , it briefly explains the controls , it has music ! Looks like they actually spent some time on this game ! The Colossi look really great as well ! It had so much going for it ! . . . . but then there is the controls . . . . the awful , awful controls . They actually give you camera control this time around , which is great , but they are still wonky and trying to make your character move the way you want is difficult ( especially trying to control the horse ) . I honestly couldn't pinpoint why they were so bad , it just wasn't intuitive and didn't flow right . Also , be prepared to hold down the R1 button a lot , and then get frustrated as the same button combination that jumps and grabs also ducks and rolls . Yes , two opposite movements are controlled by the same two buttons . I think they could have been better off if they just had it auto grab things for you like ICO , then just have a button to drop ( you know , like every other game out there ) . I honestly didn't make it past the first Colossi though ; partially due to the maddening controls , and partially because of the previous disappointment that was ICO . I normally don't give a review of something I haven't beaten , but in this case I am going to give it the benefit of the doubt and rate it an overall of 2 stars . These games are definitely not for everyone , so purchase carefully .
        • 183   Here is my breakdown . I played ICO first , and started Shadow of Colossus afterwards . ICO By far the worst game I ever forced myself to play through to the end . Some people call this game art ; I call it a game with no story , no music , poor fighting mechanics , poor controls , bad camera control , dumb AI , and pretty much horrible everything else . There is very few redeeming qualities to this game . Here is a quick summary so you never have to suffer through the game ( Spoilers ? ) : From the very start , your are given absolutely no instructions or back story . You make your way out the only possible door you can go through and find some chick in a cage ( Yorda ) . You break her free for some reason and , once you figure out how , you proceed to drag her around aimlessly . Then you find a stick , some smoke monsters pop up , they try dragging her into some mysterious holes , you beat them with a stick , and they disappear . You move some boxes , climb some ladders , and when your not holding Yorda's hand , your screaming maaaaaah , maaaaaah , ooompha , ooompha , maaaaaaah , ooompha , ooompha , ooompha , and that is pretty much 99% of your dialog with her . Then it is pretty much this same thing repeated until the end of the game . There is probably 5 minutes total of actual story dialog , half of which is complete untranslated gibberish . I can see how people might consider this art because it makes you think , but after I finished the game I concluded it was just pure laziness . Here was my though process : Why is this chick in this cage ? Why am I dragging this chick around ? Why am I in this castle in the first place ? Why is this castle so damn big ? , whoever designed it went way overboard and it would have been much cheaper to build it about 1 / 100 the size . . . Why do these smoke things not want to kill me so much ? Why is the only piece of furniture in the entire castle a couch ? Who lives here ? What am I yelling at Yorda , and why does it look like I'm trying to shoo her away ? Why is there no decorations , or rugs , or any other furniture ? How does this castle stay lit so well with so little light fixtures ? Why am I still dragging this chick around ? Why am I still playing this game ? Why am I still playing this game ? Why am I still playing this game ? etc . . . It is a decent puzzler , but as every puzzle has one clear path you must go and only one way to get there , it usually just makes it a mindless journey . I did get stumped in two locations though and had to look at a guide out of pure frustration . Once when I had no idea you could pull Yorda out of the sewer , and another when your supposed to jump off that flipper thing at the point that makes the least amount of sense . I am sure the sure size of the levels was impressive back in 2000 something on the PS2 and it seems like they spent a lot of time on them as they are pretty well thought out . But it seems like all the budget was blown on that . There is pretty much no music to be had in the entire game , you spend most of your time listening to the wind blow and birds chirping . The fighting is tedious and not the least bit fun . The controls can be frustrating at times , especially with the uncontrollable camera rotating wildly around you . I recommend this game to people who find sitting with their grandma , piecing together a jigsaw puzzle fun . It is about on the same level as that . I give this game a fun value of 0 , and an overall value of 0 . There is nothing good about this game what-so-ever . Shadow of Colossus This game looks really cool . It actually has some what of a story , it briefly explains the controls , it has music ! Looks like they actually spent some time on this game ! The Colossi look really great as well ! It had so much going for it ! . . . . but then there is the controls . . . . the awful , awful controls . They actually give you camera control this time around , which is great , but they are still wonky and trying to make your character move the way you want is difficult ( especially trying to control the horse ) . I honestly couldn't pinpoint why they were so bad , it just wasn't intuitive and didn't flow right . Also , be prepared to hold down the R1 button a lot , and then get frustrated as the same button combination that jumps and grabs also ducks and rolls . Yes , two opposite movements are controlled by the same two buttons . I think they could have been better off if they just had it auto grab things for you like ICO , then just have a button to drop ( you know , like every other game out there ) . I honestly didn't make it past the first Colossi though ; partially due to the maddening controls , and partially because of the previous disappointment that was ICO . I normally don't give a review of something I haven't beaten , but in this case I am going to give it the benefit of the doubt and rate it an overall of 2 stars . These games are definitely not for everyone , so purchase carefully .
        • 184   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) Ugh . Talk about ruining a cherished gaming experience . I played Ico years ago on PS2 and absolutely adored it . When Sony announced this remastered bundle for PS3 , I was ecstatic . As soon as I got it , I loaded it up , started Ico , and fell in love with it all over again . I freed the mysterious Yorda from her cage , held her hand as we stumbled through the castle together , fought off the shadow creatures that kept trying to snatch her away . And I had an absolute blast doing it all again . Then I got to the water wheel . Apparently this is not exactly the same Ico I played all those years ago . This is the European version , which has a few changes from what North American gamers experienced , the most noticeable of which is an infuriating segment where players have to get Ico to jump onto a rotating water wheel , and from there to a metal bar . I wasted almost an hour of my life trying and failing at this , and I'm now convinced it's impossible . Oh , I've read forum posts from equally frustrated players who claim to have finally done it , but I just don't see how . If I jump too soon , Ico doesn't catch the side of the wheel , and falls in the water . If I jump too late , by the time Ico climbs up onto the wheel , it's rotated too far for him to keep his footing and make the second leap , and he . . . falls in the water . Any other possible outcome eludes me . There does not appear to be a just right time to jump . Over and over I tried , again and again . Climb up , wait , jump , miss , fall . Climb up , wait , jump , miss , fall . Never any progress to give me any hope of success . Never any indication that I'm evem on the right track . Heck , I had to search for a walkthrough just to make sure I wasn't missing something else I should have been doing instead . This single moment has managed to drain away all enjoyment of Ico , and has permanently soiled my memories of this once-beloved classic . I no longer have any desire to play it ever again . My advice to North American players is to boycott this until Sony releases a patch that either fixes the impossible timing , or reverts the game back to the way we remember it . My own copy is going back to the store for a refund . I didn't even try Shadow of the Colossus . One spoiled experience is quite enough .
        • 185   Ugh . Talk about ruining a cherished gaming experience . I played Ico years ago on PS2 and absolutely adored it . When Sony announced this remastered bundle for PS3 , I was ecstatic . As soon as I got it , I loaded it up , started Ico , and fell in love with it all over again . I freed the mysterious Yorda from her cage , held her hand as we stumbled through the castle together , fought off the shadow creatures that kept trying to snatch her away . And I had an absolute blast doing it all again . Then I got to the water wheel . Apparently this is not exactly the same Ico I played all those years ago . This is the European version , which has a few changes from what North American gamers experienced , the most noticeable of which is an infuriating segment where players have to get Ico to jump onto a rotating water wheel , and from there to a metal bar . I wasted almost an hour of my life trying and failing at this , and I'm now convinced it's impossible . Oh , I've read forum posts from equally frustrated players who claim to have finally done it , but I just don't see how . If I jump too soon , Ico doesn't catch the side of the wheel , and falls in the water . If I jump too late , by the time Ico climbs up onto the wheel , it's rotated too far for him to keep his footing and make the second leap , and he . . . falls in the water . Any other possible outcome eludes me . There does not appear to be a just right time to jump . Over and over I tried , again and again . Climb up , wait , jump , miss , fall . Climb up , wait , jump , miss , fall . Never any progress to give me any hope of success . Never any indication that I'm evem on the right track . Heck , I had to search for a walkthrough just to make sure I wasn't missing something else I should have been doing instead . This single moment has managed to drain away all enjoyment of Ico , and has permanently soiled my memories of this once-beloved classic . I no longer have any desire to play it ever again . My advice to North American players is to boycott this until Sony releases a patch that either fixes the impossible timing , or reverts the game back to the way we remember it . My own copy is going back to the store for a refund . I didn't even try Shadow of the Colossus . One spoiled experience is quite enough .
        • 186   This review is from : The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection ( Video Game ) I never thought this day would come , being the avid gamer that I am , but this is the worst collection Sony has put out to date , and I am happy to report that this game is on its way to Amazon via UPS as I type . ICO is the most frustrating experience I've ever had the ( dis ) honor of playing on the PS3 system . The controls are absolutely sluggish : Ico does not walk where I want him to walk , and Princess Yorda does not obey his calls accurately . In fact , making Ico having to call Yorda in order to progress through this game is a ridiculous element in any video game that I've played thus far . Ico's calls of bon-swa , bon-swa were also VERY annoying . I completely agree with the other 1 - star reviewer about the windmill part , too . Luckily , I nailed it , but I considered bringing this game back about 10 tries into it ! Little did I know that the windmill experience was just a prelude to the final outcome . . . What threw me over the edge was the fact that when you die , you start over from where you last saved at the couch . RIDICULOUS ! Why couldn't they have you start over after the latest cutscene event ? After I died in the waterfall section , I absolutely had it . No way was I going to start at the couch and do everything over again . This was the first 3D game I played after recently purchasing a new Acer 27 3D monitor , and the 3D effects were not that hot either . Nothing really popped out of the screen , except for when the flying black spirits were coming down in the foreground . Sure , the environments looked beautiful , but there was nothing awe-inspiring at all . With that said , I originally bought this game at Best Buy as part of a Buy 2 PS3 Collections Get $20 Off deal . So in reality , I got this collection for $29.99 . Now that I've traded it in to Amazon , I should be getting $24.30 back . That would make my final purchase actually $5.69 . . . . not too bad at all , and that's not a lot of money spent on such an awful game . I'm going to use my new Amazon gift card balance to get another game , for sure ( maybe Mafia II or something ) . And like the other 1 - star reviewer , I also did not even bother playing Shadow of the Colossus . I just ejected the disc , went on Amazon , printed the return shipping label , and speedily drove to my nearest UPS drop-off store . This game SUCKS .
        • 187   I never thought this day would come , being the avid gamer that I am , but this is the worst collection Sony has put out to date , and I am happy to report that this game is on its way to Amazon via UPS as I type . ICO is the most frustrating experience I've ever had the ( dis ) honor of playing on the PS3 system . The controls are absolutely sluggish : Ico does not walk where I want him to walk , and Princess Yorda does not obey his calls accurately . In fact , making Ico having to call Yorda in order to progress through this game is a ridiculous element in any video game that I've played thus far . Ico's calls of bon-swa , bon-swa were also VERY annoying . I completely agree with the other 1 - star reviewer about the windmill part , too . Luckily , I nailed it , but I considered bringing this game back about 10 tries into it ! Little did I know that the windmill experience was just a prelude to the final outcome . . . What threw me over the edge was the fact that when you die , you start over from where you last saved at the couch . RIDICULOUS ! Why couldn't they have you start over after the latest cutscene event ? After I died in the waterfall section , I absolutely had it . No way was I going to start at the couch and do everything over again . This was the first 3D game I played after recently purchasing a new Acer 27 3D monitor , and the 3D effects were not that hot either . Nothing really popped out of the screen , except for when the flying black spirits were coming down in the foreground . Sure , the environments looked beautiful , but there was nothing awe-inspiring at all . With that said , I originally bought this game at Best Buy as part of a Buy 2 PS3 Collections Get $20 Off deal . So in reality , I got this collection for $29.99 . Now that I've traded it in to Amazon , I should be getting $24.30 back . That would make my final purchase actually $5.69 . . . . not too bad at all , and that's not a lot of money spent on such an awful game . I'm going to use my new Amazon gift card balance to get another game , for sure ( maybe Mafia II or something ) . And like the other 1 - star reviewer , I also did not even bother playing Shadow of the Colossus . I just ejected the disc , went on Amazon , printed the return shipping label , and speedily drove to my nearest UPS drop-off store . This game SUCKS .
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