The Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection

Last updated
The Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection
IcoShadow.jpg
European cover art
Developer(s) Bluepoint Games
Publisher(s) Sony Computer Entertainment
Platform(s) PlayStation 3
Release
  • JP: September 22, 2011 [1]
  • NA: September 27, 2011
  • AU: September 29, 2011
  • EU: September 28, 2011 [2]
Genre(s) Action-adventure
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

The Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection (known in PAL regions as Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Classics HD) is a video game bundle that contains high-definition remasters of two PlayStation 2 games, Ico (2001) and Shadow of the Colossus (2005), for the PlayStation 3. Developed by Bluepoint Games, who assisted in the remastering alongside Japan Studio and its division Team Ico, the bundle provides support for high-definition monitors, higher frame rates, stereoscopic 3D, and additional features for the PlayStation Network. The two games, while fundamentally different in gameplay and story, are thematically connected, with Shadow of the Colossus considered a spiritual sequel to Ico. Both games were critically acclaimed on their original release, while the remastered collection itself was praised by reviewers.

Contents

Games

Within Ico, the player controls a boy named Ico, cursed by being born with horns on his head, and locked away in a remote empty castle by his village. Ico manages to free himself and comes across a young frail girl, Yorda, who is chased by shadowy creatures that try to drag her to a different realm. Ico helps Yorda escape, ultimately discovering that her mother is the Queen that resides in the castle and is trying to use Yorda to extend her own life.

Shadow of the Colossus is considered a spiritual sequel to Ico, and later stated by its creator, Fumito Ueda, to be a prequel set in the same world as Ico. [3] [4] The player controls a young man named Wander seeking to bring life back to the body of Mono, a woman that he cared for, by completing the task of killing sixteen monolithic beasts that wander the landscape. With his horse Agro, Wander locates each lair and destroys the beasts, slowly being overcome with dark energy, but fueled by the opportunity to reunite with Mono.

Remastered features

The core game and story for both Ico (2001) and Shadow of the Colossus (2005) remain unchanged with the remastered versions. For the remastering, both games have had a graphical overhaul to allow them to support modern high-definition displays up to 1080p. With the more powerful PlayStation 3, both games feature a fixed frame rate of 30 frames per second; the original PlayStation 2 version of Shadow of the Colossus was noted for pushing the limits of the older console and often suffered from framerate losses. [5] Both games support stereoscopic 3D, taking advantage of the original design of the games with considerations towards depth-of-field viewing, as evidenced by the large landscapes. [6] Both games in the collection support 7.1 surround sound. [7]

Ico's remastering is based on the European version, which features additional content that did not make it into the North America release of the original game, as well as some altered puzzles from these original releases. Specifically, upon completing the game, the player can restart to see the English translations of the mysterious language that Yorda, the player character's companion, uses, and a two-player mode with the second player in control of Yorda. [8] Though there was consideration for inclusion of PlayStation Move motion control support, [9] it was not released with it.

The collection includes bonus content, including two XMB Dynamic Themes and exclusive video content for Ico, Shadow of the Colossus, and Ueda's next game, The Last Guardian . [10]

Development

Prior to the announcement of the Collection, two other remastered collections of PlayStation 2 games had been made for the PlayStation 3: the God of War collection, and the Sly Cooper collection. There had been strong interest by Fumito Ueda, the project lead for both Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, to prepare such a collection for the Team Ico games. [11] Initially, Ueda was not "too excited" about porting the games, given that they were designed specifically for the PlayStation 2 hardware. [12] Ueda also noted that such a conversion may be difficult due to the complexities Team Ico had to create to push the technical limits of the PlayStation 2, but felt that it was still possible. [13] As the PlayStation 3 became more popular, and PlayStation 2 consoles became rare, Ueda reconsidered his position on giving players of other consoles the opportunity to play these games. [12] Ueda noted that such a release would depend on Sony's executives. [11]

Work on the conversion for the collection was done by Bluepoint Games, who had previously performed the remastering for the God of War collection. [14] The staff of Team Ico assisted in the process. Ueda considered Bluepoint Games "real craftsmen" in this porting effort, due to their understanding of the fundamentals of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus and passion for the games. [12] Though it was Team Ico's idea originally to provide stereoscopic 3D, Ueda praised Bluepoint for their work in fine tuning the 3D effect, taking advantage of the scale and camera provided by the existing games; Ueda stated that the developers "made it into something beyond what I imagined". [12] Team Ico considered adding new game content to both games. One example Ueda noted was adding in several colossi that were cut from the PlayStation 2 version of Shadow of the Colossus. Ultimately, Ueda and the team decided not to make any such content-oriented changes or additions, concerned that they might be considered "half-baked" by players, and instead opted to stay "faithful to the base work". [12]

The collection was formally announced at the 2010 Tokyo Game Show. [15] In the months prior, the collection's existence was hinted at by industry rumors and appearances of the collection in online vendor catalogs. [16]

In North America and Europe/PAL regions, the two games were released as a single collection. [17] This version features a reversible cover insert, with the original PlayStation 2 cover art for both games on the inner side of the case. Because of the criticism of Ico's original North American cover art, the North American version of the collection used the European/Japanese cover by Ueda. However, bilingual copies from Canada do not include the reversible artwork, they have a blank white interior. [18]

In Japan, they were released as separate titles, [19] though retailers sold a boxed collector's set containing both games and additional material. [20]

Reception

The collection received strong positive praise from critics on release, based on the original titles as well as on the improvements made in the high definition port. [24]

During the week of its release, the game was the top selling game across all platforms in both North American and Japan, based on sales data from Amazon.com. [25]

Related Research Articles

<i>Ico</i> 2001 Japanese action-adventure video game

Ico is an action-adventure game developed by Japan Studio and Team Ico and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2. It was released in North America and Japan in 2001 and Europe in 2002 in various regions. It was designed and directed by Fumito Ueda, who wanted to create a minimalist game around a "boy meets girl" concept. Originally planned for the PlayStation, Ico took approximately four years to develop. The team employed a "subtracting design" approach to reduce elements of gameplay that interfered with the game's setting and story in order to create a high level of immersion.

<i>Shadow of the Colossus</i> 2005 action-adventure video game

Shadow of the Colossus is a 2005 action-adventure game developed by Japan Studio and Team Ico, and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2. It takes place in a fantasy setting and follows Wander, a young man who enters an isolated and abandoned region of the realm seeking the power to revive a girl named Mono. The player assumes the role of Wander as he embarks on a mission that might entail Mono's resurrection: to locate and destroy the colossi, sixteen massive beings spread across the forbidden land, which the protagonist traverses by horseback and on foot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fumito Ueda</span> Japanese video game designer

Fumito Ueda is a Japanese video game designer. Ueda is best known as the director and lead designer of Ico (2001) and Shadow of the Colossus (2005) while leading Team Ico at Japan Studio, and The Last Guardian (2016) through his own development company GenDesign. His games have achieved cult status and are distinguished by their usage of minimal plot and scenario using fictional languages, and use of overexposed, desaturated light. He has been described by some as an auteur of video games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Remote Play</span> Video game console remote control function

Remote Play is a feature of Sony video game consoles that allow the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 to transmit video and audio output to another device; previously this could only be a PlayStation Portable or PlayStation Vita. In 2014, it was expanded to include the use of PlayStation TV, Xperia smartphones and tablets, and PlayStation Now. In 2016, it was expanded to Microsoft Windows PCs and macOS. In 2019, support for Android and iOS devices was eventually added. Support for remote play of PlayStation 5 games to other devices was added in November 2020 just prior to the new console's launch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Team Ico</span> Former Japanese video game developer

Team Ico was a Japanese video game development studio led by game designer Fumito Ueda. It was part of Sony Interactive Entertainment Japan Studio's Product Development Department #1, and had developed the games Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, both for the PlayStation 2. The team was also initially responsible for The Last Guardian before Ueda's departure in 2011 and the formation of a new company taking over development in 2014. Their games are usually characterized by minimalist storytelling and gameplay, an atmospheric use of bloom and high dynamic range rendering (HDR) lighting, and use of fictional languages. Their products are frequently cited as examples of video games as an art form.

<i>Super Stardust HD</i> 2007 video game

Super Stardust HD is a downloadable shoot 'em up video game that was released for the PlayStation 3 by Sony Interactive Entertainment, developed by the Finnish company Housemarque. In Asian regions, it is known as Star Strike HD. In 2015, a port for the PlayStation 4, called Super Stardust Ultra, was released. In 2016, Super Stardust Ultra VR, a PlayStation VR compatible version that contains Super Stardust Ultra, was released for the PlayStation 4. It is also available as paid downloadable content for Super Stardust Ultra.

Japan Studio was a Japanese video game developer based in Tokyo. A first-party studio for Sony Interactive Entertainment, it was best known for the Ape Escape, LocoRoco, Patapon, Gravity Rush and Knack series, the Team Ico games, Bloodborne, The Legend of Dragoon, and Astro's Playroom. In April 2021, Japan Studio was reorganized and merged with Team Asobi and other SIE studios.

Bluepoint Games Inc is an American video game developer based in Austin, Texas. Founded in 2006 by Andy O'Neil and Marco Thrush, the studio is known for video game remasters and remakes, such as Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection (2015), Shadow of the Colossus (2018), and Demon's Souls (2020). Sony Interactive Entertainment acquired the company in September 2021, making them a first-party developer for PlayStation Studios.

<i>The Last Guardian</i> 2016 video game

The Last Guardian is a 2016 action-adventure game developed by Japan Studio and GenDesign and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4. Players control a boy who befriends a giant half-bird, half-mammal creature, Trico.

Sony has released a number of previously released PlayStation video games, remastered in high-definition (HD) for their newer consoles, a form of porting. A number of related programs exist, the most prominent two being "Classics HD" and "PSP Remasters". The former consists of multiple PlayStation 2 games compiled on one Blu-ray Disc. The latter are individual PlayStation Portable games republished on Blu-ray. These games are not direct ports, but remastered versions in high-definition, to take advantage of the newer consoles' capabilities. The remastering of the games include updated graphics, new textures, and Trophy support, and some of the remastered games released on PlayStation 3 have included 3D and PlayStation Move support. Some HD remasters have also been released individually or in bundles as downloads on the PlayStation Store; others are released exclusively as downloads.

<i>Metal Gear Solid HD Collection</i> 2011 video game compilation

Metal Gear Solid HD Collection is a compilation of remastered ports of Metal Gear video games released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2011 and PlayStation Vita in 2012. The compilation contains Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater on all three platforms, plus Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker on the home console versions, with the individual games all branded as HD Edition. Bluepoint Games handled the conversions of Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3, while Genki worked on Peace Walker.

<i>Ratchet & Clank Collection</i> 2012 video game

Ratchet & Clank Collection is a high-definition remastered collection. The collection includes the original 3 PlayStation 2 games: the first game, Going Commando/Locked and Loaded, and Up Your Arsenal, all at 720p in 60 frames per second, and includes stereoscopic 3D support at 30 frames per second. It also includes the multiplayer of Up Your Arsenal over the PlayStation Network. The PlayStation 3 Multiplayer Servers were terminated on February 15, 2018. It includes a Trophy set for each game. All of the games in this collection have been re-rated E10+ by the ESRB; they were originally rated T since the E10+ rating didn't exist at the time these games were released on the PlayStation 2.

<i>Silent Hill HD Collection</i> 2012 video game compilation

Silent Hill HD Collection is a 2012 video game compilation of remastered video game ports of Silent Hill 2 (2001) and Silent Hill 3 (2003) developed by Hijinx Studios for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles. Silent Hill 2 centers on widower James Sunderland who travels to the titular town after receiving a letter from his dead wife, while Silent Hill 3 is a direct sequel to the first Silent Hill game and focuses on Heather Mason, a teenager who finds herself in conflict with the town's cult. Both games are categorized as survival horror and share gameplay elements with each other. Published worldwide by Konami beginning with North America in March 2012, the compilation features a graphics overhaul, new voice acting, and Xbox achievements and PlayStation trophies.

God of War is an action-adventure video game series, the first era of which was loosely based on Greek mythology. Debuting in 2005, the series became a flagship title for the PlayStation brand and the character Kratos is one of its most popular characters. The series consists of nine games across multiple platforms; the first seven make up the Greek era of the series. Five of the Greek era games have been re-released through three separate compilations for the PlayStation 3 (PS3) platform: God of War Collection (2009), God of War: Origins Collection (2011), and God of War Saga (2012). With the exception of God of War III in the God of War Saga, each collection features remastered ports of the games that were not originally released on the PS3. God of War III was later remastered as God of War III Remastered and released on PlayStation 4 (PS4) in July 2015. God of War: Betrayal, God of War: Ascension, God of War (2018), and God of War Ragnarök are the only installments that have not been remastered for a newer platform or included in a collection.

<i>Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster</i> Remastered video game

Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster is a high-definition remaster of the role-playing video games Final Fantasy X (2001) and Final Fantasy X-2 (2003), originally developed by Square on the PlayStation 2 in the early 2000s. It also features story content previously only found in the International versions, and a new audio drama set a year after the events of X-2. The collection saw graphical and musical revisions and is based on the international versions of both games, making certain content accessible to players outside of Japan for the first time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stereoscopic video game</span>

A stereoscopic video game is a video game which uses stereoscopic technologies to create depth perception for the player by any form of stereo display. Such games should not be confused with video games that use 3D game graphics on a mono screen, which give the illusion of depth only by monocular cues but lack binocular depth information.

<i>Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection</i> 2015 video game compilation

Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection is a 2015 action-adventure video game compilation developed by Bluepoint Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. It includes remastered versions of the first three main games in the Uncharted series: Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (2007), Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (2009) and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (2011), all of which were originally developed by Naughty Dog. The Nathan Drake Collection was released in October 2015 exclusively for PlayStation 4. Players control Nathan Drake, a treasure hunter who travels the world to uncover various historical mysteries.

<i>Shadow of the Colossus</i> (2018 video game) 2018 video game

Shadow of the Colossus is a 2018 action-adventure video game developed by Bluepoint Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4. It is a remake of the original game developed by Team Ico and released in 2005 for the PlayStation 2, using ultra-high definition art assets. The remake's development was led by Bluepoint, who developed the earlier PlayStation 3 remaster, with assistance from Japan Studio. The developers remade the assets from the ground up, but Shadow of the Colossus retains the same gameplay from the original title aside from the introduction of a new control scheme. The game received critical acclaim.

References

  1. ↑ Joscelyne, Svend (2011-06-03). "Team ICO Remakes Dated for Japan". SPOnG. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
  2. ↑ Lynch, Phil (2011-06-07). "ICO & Shadow of the Colossus Classics HD Coming 28 September". Sony Computer Entertainment Europe . Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ↑ GameSpot site staff, ed. (2005). "The Long-Awaited Spiritual Successor to ICO Arrives Mid-February in Europe". GameSpot . Retrieved July 1, 2006.
  4. ↑ McNamara, Andy & Berghammer, Billy (2006). "Colossal Creation: The Kenji Kaido and Fumito Ueda Interview". Game Informer . Archived from the original on April 27, 2006. Retrieved July 9, 2006.
  5. ↑ Leadbetter, Richard (2011-09-08). "Ico/Shadow of the Colossus: PS2 vs. PS3". Eurogamer . Retrieved 2011-09-10.
  6. ↑ Gallagher, James (2010-09-16). "Fumito Ueda Interview". Sony Computer Entertainment of Europe . Retrieved 2010-09-16.
  7. ↑ Banks, David (2011-09-08). "Two Classic Games Get Facelifts and a PlayStation 3 Release". Wired . Retrieved 2011-09-08.
  8. 1 2 Juba, Joe (2011-09-08). "Ico and Shadow of the Colossus Collection". Game Informer . Retrieved 2011-09-10.
  9. ↑ Anderson, Joe (2010-09-19). "PS3 Ico and Shadow of the Colossus may support Move". VG247 . Retrieved 2010-09-19.
  10. ↑ Orry, Tom (2011-07-21). "Ico & Shadow of the Colossus PS3 to include bonuses". Videogamer.com. Retrieved 2011-08-01.
  11. 1 2 Leone, Matt (2009-09-25). "Fumito Ueda Wants To See ICO and Shadow of the Colossus on PS3". 1UP.com . Retrieved 2010-05-26.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 Gifford, Kevin (2011-09-14). "Fumito Ueda Reflects on Ico, Shadow of the Colossus Remakes". 1UP.com . Retrieved 2011-09-14.
  13. ↑ Tolito, Stephan (2009-09-29). "Shadow Of The Colossus Creator Hints At Movie Involvement, Wants PS3 Ports". Kotaku . Retrieved 2010-05-26.
  14. ↑ Leadbetter, Richard (2011-09-10). "Tech Analysis: Ico and Shadow of the Colossus Collection HD". Eurogamer . Retrieved 2011-09-10.
  15. ↑ Orland, Kyle (2010-09-13). "Retail Listing, Media Report Point To Team Ico PS3 Collection". Gamasutra . Retrieved 2010-09-14.
  16. ↑ Pigna, Kris (2010-05-26). "Ico, Shadow of the Colossus HD Collection Rumored for Q1, 2011". 1UP.com . Retrieved 2010-05-26.
  17. ↑ Shuman, Sid (2010-09-16). "Ico and Shadow of the Colossus Collection hits PS3 Spring 2011 with 3D". Sony Computer Entertainment of America . Retrieved 2010-09-16.
  18. ↑ McElroy, Griffin (2011-09-08). "Ico and Shadow of the Colossus has reversible boxart, Last Guardian not at TGS". Joystiq . Retrieved 2011-09-10.
  19. ↑ Gantayat, Anoop (2010-09-14). "Ico and Shadow of the Colossus Remakes Confirmed". IGN . Retrieved 2010-09-14.
  20. ↑ Spenser (2011-06-17). "Ico And The Shadow Of The Colossus In A Deluxe Package Just For Japan". Siliconera. Retrieved 2011-06-18.
  21. ↑ "The Ico and Shadow of the Colossus Collection (PS3)". Metacritic . Retrieved 2011-09-10.
  22. ↑ Dorlan, Christian (2011-09-08). "Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection HD - Review". Eurogamer . Retrieved 2011-09-10.
  23. ↑ Clements, Ryan (2011-09-08). "Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection Review". IGN . Retrieved 2011-09-10.
  24. ↑ Cowan, Danny (2011-09-28). "Critical Reception: The ICO & Shadow of the Colossus Collection". Gamasutra . Retrieved 2011-09-28.
  25. ↑ Cowan, Danny (2011-09-30). "Saling The World: ICO & Shadow of the Colossus Collection Heads Domestic Charts". Gamasutra . Retrieved 2011-09-30.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.