[Legolas813]

A good game for adventure gamers wanting to try something different is Beyond Good and Evil. The combat is pretty simple and easy. It's a short game, but a lot of fun. I wish I hadn't sold my copy on Xbox.

[Junkface]

Originally Posted by Stoofa

You guys have me intrigued. How long would it take to complete ICO? I don't have a PS2 but I can borrow one for a couple of weeks. Also, are ICO's action bits easy enough for a nervous nellie like me? I suck at action games because I overreact and am easily startled.

Somewhere between 5 and 10 hours. Most people probably around 7. The action is fairly easy (I found so at least.) The fighting's very simple; you basically just have to face towards enemies and press the attack button when they come near you... no fancy combos or anything.

And, I consider it a platform game due to the emphasis on platforming, though admittedly there is also more of an emphasis on puzzles than in the average platformer, even if they usually are present in at least some form in most platform games.

[voltaire]

I LOVE ICO and know so many people who played and loved it, too. It's a great game! It's pretty much an adventure puzzle type game, it's now considered a classic although it sold so poorly, they did not do another one.

[Dale Baldwin]

Originally Posted by voltaire

it's now considered a classic although it sold so poorly, they did not do another one.

Unless you count its spiritual successor Shadow of the Colossus, of course...

[Spiwak]

So I started the game this morning, but every now and then I run into this problem where it'll just take me to the PAUSE screen in the middle of what I'm doing and freeze there, so I have to reset and start from the last save point. Is this a common issue? or is it the used copy I bought, perhaps?

[Intrepid Homoludens]

I think your used copy is f***ed up. I never had a problem with mine.

[Spiwak]

Damn that sucks. I can probably get my money back, but the most frustrating thing is that I wouldn't be able to finish the game.

[NcroManiac]

Before you return it, perhaps it's your controller? Old analog sticks on the old black workhorse have been reported to become faulty with age.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Playstation controllers are notorious for being crappy and frail. It didn't take long before I had to replace mine for my original PS.

[Spiwak]

That's possible. I'll try my other controller.

And if that doesn't work I'll try it with vibrate turned off.

[Terramax]

Originally Posted by Intrepid Homoludens

Playstation controllers are notorious for being crappy and frail. It didn't take long before I had to replace mine for my original PS.

Ive had my PS2 pad (for my PC's PS2USB converter) for over 2 years now. The pad still works fine. And I've gotta tell ya, this thing has had its fair share of bumps and bashes in that 2 years.

Back to the main topic, You could call ICO an Adventure, but only just. The game requires you to run around and pull levers. I mean, it's no more adventure than Resident Evil seeing that ICO has battle elements too.

That's not to say I dislike the game, it was terrific, and the ending gave me goosebumps. I'll buy Colossius when it's cheap enough.

ICO sold poorly, but it was recently rereleased in the UK for bargain price and I think it even reached the top 10.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Originally Posted by Terramax

Ive had my PS2 pad (for my PC's PS2USB converter) for over 2 years now. The pad still works fine. And I've gotta tell ya, this thing has had its fair share of bumps and bashes in that 2 years.

Then YOU are one of the lucky ones. The Japanese need to learn a thing or two from the Americans and Europeans about toughness and resiliency.

[Terramax]

Americans huh? That explains the high majority of Xbox360s that broke down at its US launch...

And we all know Sony like their items to break quickly anyway (not the only company, many PC hardware companies do it on purpose) so we go out and buy new ones every now and then.

Unlike Nintendo, their stuff last forever.

[Fairygdmther]

Originally Posted by Stoofa

You guys have me intrigued. How long would it take to complete ICO? I don't have a PS2 but I can borrow one for a couple of weeks. Also, are ICO's action bits easy enough for a nervous nellie like me? I suck at action games because I overreact and am easily startled.

Stoofa, I was unable to conquer the huge amount of fighting in this game, but ICO is such an amazing story in a gorgeous environment, that I had to get through it somehow. My friends came over to help me and liked it so much, they started it back at the beginning to see the whole thing. From the beginning with an experienced gamer (not me, that's for sure), it took close to 30 hours. My previous post about the game here said we couldn't get my PS2 to work, so we borrowed one for a couple of days to finish the game. At the 3/4 point, it took close to 8 hours to finish it.

ICO is probably the first video game I would call art - in story and in graphics it is beyond amazing. The story of this 12 year old boy and a slightly older girl who are trying to escape this castle, and neither can speak the other's language, yet manage to communicate to each other and us, are intertwined in an absolutely beautiful and emotional "game". I consider it an adventure with fighting. Every time he tries to bring her to a new section these black wispy wraiths appear and try to steal her away from him, so he must fight them, perhaps as many as 50 times during the game.

Please don't let me discourage you - find someone who can help you with the fighting, and play this game - it is well worth the effort. You will, I'm sure, enjoy this memorable game.

Lynsie

[Spiwak]

The fighting in the game, considering I'm not that far into it, is rather simplistic and easy to get through. It's definitely not the kind of fighting that'll get you all tense if you're the type. I mean, there's only one attack button, and it's basically just a matter of getting the spirits off Yorda.

Oh, and turning off the vibration seems to have done the trick. One of my controller's vibrator thing is definitely malfunctioning but I thought the other was fine. Oh, and I've had the same controllers since we got a PS2...that was probably around 2000 or 2001 (I think it was the first Christmas after it's release, whenever that was.) So they're not that bad.

[Fairygdmther]

Wait till you get to the part where

Spoiler:

the flying wraiths drag her off to a different spot, and you can't get away to rescue her till you kill the ones with you.

[oubliette]

I've just put a copy of the limited edition with artcards on ebay and it's still at 99p with 2 days left if anyone wants it?

I'm skint beyond belief.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ico-PS2-PAL-Limited-edition-with-4-artcards_W0QQitemZ8282635386QQcategoryZ11321QQrdZ1 QQcmdZViewItem

[Spiwak]

Sorry to hear that. Bidding generally tend to blow up in the last day, if it makes you feel better.

I'm guessing an American (NTSC) PS2 couldn't play a UK version (PAL) of the game?

[oubliette]

Originally Posted by Spiwak

Sorry to hear that. Bidding generally tend to blow up in the last day, if it makes you feel better.

I'm guessing an American (NTSC) PS2 couldn't play a UK version (PAL) of the game?

Nah not unless it's modded I'm afraid.

[Spiwak]

Beat it finally. Not that it was hard but I got distracted by other games imbetween. Took me around 7 hours I guess, my last save was fro around 5:50 hours but theres wasnt any way to save for a long time after than till the very end. It was fun--the puzzles weren't crazy difficult but still required several minutes of thought. Also, the level of design was incredible, puzzles late in the game meshing with rooms I had completed very early on, etc. I don't know for sure but it seems to me that the castle was actually developed as a whole to fit together and then just split up into partitions for gameplay purposes. Rather than simply creating rooms existing a vacuum with their own puzzles independent of the rest of the castle. Every thing felt very unified as a result. And the relationship between Ico and Yorda was very cute, two kids unable to communicate but working together to get out. Toting Yorda around all the time did get a little frustrating at times because she always slowed the process down....but not to a point that really made the game less fun, and I figured it was just a part of the game's unique qualities.

All in all, I recommend the game to anyone that likes games a little more avant-garde than usual fare, and looking for an atmospheric, intriguing experience. Anyone that played SotC and liked thta would definitely love this game.