Good Game Get! ICO & Shadow of the Colossus Collection
It’s not quite a consolation for the numerous delays and shows in which The Last Guardian wasn’t even mentioned, but a budget priced high definition collection of two of my favorite games is welcome.
Fumito Ueda, Kenji Kaido and Team Ico’s Ico and Shadow of the Colossus are quintessential play for any gamer. Their work is truly masterful, and for Ico and Shadow of The Collosus they took a minimalist approach that is not seen very often in modern games.
Unabashedly these two games pull at the minimalist inside of me, and I appreciate the simplicity and linearity of the titles. Their design forces them into a niche that not everyone can appreciate, but it’s a niche that sits comfortably off the natural mainstream path of game developmental history. They remain classical because they did not try to follow any trends, and remain true to a designer’s vision through and through. You will find no evidence of a creator’s magic snuffed by non-understanding executives and investors.
Numerous reports say that the gaming industry will be approaching $70 billion dollars by next year. This is undoubtedly a good thing, but as profits soar, it will take bigger profits to measure a game’s worth through investor eyes.
What is proven through ICO and Shadow of the Colossus (and Sony’s generous re-release of the titles) is that these amazing types of games can co-exist with the Call of Duty’s and Angry Birds of the world. Deep, engaging, and beautiful single player experiences will never go away, and as we move towards more collaborative and competitive popular gaming, we must remember that games are so much more than games. They represent a collaboration of art, technology, and every other critical component of all other entertaining mediums.
Video games are video games, and games like ICO & Shadow of the Colossus are sensational.
- Kyle
How much is a game worth to you?
After reading Matt’s newest post about his second favorite video game of all time, I wondered how much the original Japanese version of Ico with it’s awesome boxart would cost.
Turns out, a lot. Even if you want to buy the US version of the game, it’s probably going to run you about $25. I got my copy of Ico at Walmart a few years back in the clearance bin for $6.99. Of course, I got lucky.
So when does gaming cross that line from being a hobby to being something that you collect? Should it even cross that line?
I also sometimes wonder whether or not it’s okay to find an ISO file of Ico and burn it to a DVD-R and play it on the PS2 using some sort of ByPass disk and device. I mean, Sony isn’t selling Ico anymore, so what would be the point of buying it from the dickfaces at Gamestop when the creators aren’t seeing any of the money.
Of course Sony hasn’t manufactured the game for more than five years, and I think that could probably warrant some piracy if you really didn’t want to pay idiots premium price.
I think it’s okay to acquire a game rom or ISO if it’s no longer in production. It’s better than getting dimed and nickeled by a third party, and someday if the game is released again, I’ll most likely pay for it.
Currently I’m playing Earthbound, yet I have no way to purchase it new and no way to buy it so Itoi gets the money. So, I’m not going to buy it and I’ve been playing it with an Xbox 360 controller on my Mac. Not the same as playing on a TV with an SNES, but close enough.