Intro

Developer: SCEA
ICO official page: http://www.scea.com/games/action_game.asp?GID=1803

A note from the Editor

No doubt you've noticed a bit of expanded console coverage here at FS. While we are and will continue to be PC-centric, a great game is a great game regardless of its platform, and hopefully a little exposure to the "other side" will help broaden horizons a bit. Our policy on console game coverage is pretty simple. We're only going to cover topics that we think you, the predominantly PC gamer, will be interested in. That is, we'll never review a console game without good reason. For the most part, this means means you'll be seeing coverage of topics such incredibly popular games as Gran Turismo 3 and Metal Gear Solid 2, or extraordinarily innovative or well-polished titles that fall under the general gaming radar. What we won't do however, is bore you with umpteen reviews of every new PS2 or Gamecube title under the sun.

Ico certainly falls into the "extraordinarily innovative" segment, with incredibly fluid animation, an enormous sense of scale, and a hauntingly beautiful game environment. As the hype is starting to build around this internal Sony game, this is certainly a title we'd recommend reading more about. With that, let's pass the buck back to Alan and see why this title has the console world abuzz!

Coffins line the wall of the castle

Rush bsite!

Once upon a time

The game begins in a medieval Western-European era when superstition and intolerance are rampant. In a small village, a young boy named Ico has mysteriously developed horns from his head - something that has quite understandably never happened before. The villagers believe the boy is evil and according to village tradition, he is to be banished. The boy is escorted to a strange castle and brought to a room filled with dozens of large green egg-shaped stones.

Where am I?

Stretching

When the executioner brings the boy to one of the stones, the hieroglyphics on the egg start glowing and it opens up. Ico is to be buried alive. Without a word, the executioner shoves Ico into the coffin and it seals him in.

Luckily, Ico is able to rock the egg back and forth until it tips over and cracks, allowing him to escape. Ico begins to explore the castle, searching for a way out when he comes across a young girl named Jorda, trapped in a cage. As soon as he frees her, two monsters seemingly composed of black smoke with glowing blue eyes fall from the sky. The monsters begin attacking the both of them - though they are clearly after the girl.

A damsel in distress

Help!

Although this may seem like a clichéd "rescue the princess from the dungeon" game, it is actually far more intricate.