ICO

Old meets new in this stunning adventure...

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The graphics of ICO are subdued, intoxicating, beautiful, and literally awe-inspiring. Throughout most of the game, it’s you, Jorda, and the castle, with all of the scenery brought to life through the lighting, shadows, and the intricacies of the brain-teaser puzzle structure that one hopes would eventually lead our party to safety. The castle itself is the real star of this game, with its elaborate construction being complemented by the dead-on camera system. Whereas in some titles, the camera actually presents players with as big an obstacle as an end-boss might, in ICO it’s your best friend. The views are somewhat movable at times, but for the most part the forced perspective of the camera design is what assists ICO with its presentation, in terms of scenic beauty and gameplay elements. The entire world you have dropped yourself in can even be seen within the game, as the ingenious design affords players to see areas they’ve already passed through (including how they got to where they are now) when they reach loftier heights.

Another simple, yet beautiful trait of ICOs graphical prowess is its use of lighting. Not once does it ever feel like “Hollywood lighting,” nor does it ever seem to come from an un-natural source. Sunlight and torches are the sources here, and the gleam they produce envelops everything in such a naturalistic way that you almost begin to feel as if you’re looking at an actual place on earth. The light is “toyed” with slightly from the elements of a particular environment, so every area of the game feels different and unique.

The animation of the lead characters and enemies they encounter is breathtaking. In an era where any gamer’s eye is able to pick out the un-natural look of movement that sub-par animation presents, players will be hard pressed to find flaws in the physicality of the characters, and this holds true in terms of movement, and the way they react to things happening on screen. This holds true for all things animated within the title, whether it be a creature or a natural resource (water, fire, etc). Even things comprised of shadows are particularly breathtaking. Within a short period of gameplay time, players will forget they’re controlling animated characters, and will begin to feel like they’re actually guiding living, breathing people. I can’t imagine any game designer/animator striving for anything better than that.