Ico Preview

Considering all the talk about the PlayStation 2's DVD capabilities, movielike graphics, and exorbitant game development costs, it's refreshing when a game like ICO comes along to show us that Sony hasn't let all its PR speak go to its head. Sony Computer Entertainment's ICO is the antithesis of its PS2 hype. Part action, part adventure, and part puzzler, ICO ignores gratuitous but nonfunctional camera angles and cans full motion video in favor of straightforward, classic gaming action.

ICO's puzzler-adventure gameplay centers on the quest of a young boy to rescue a princess who is trapped in a fantastic castle. The castle is filled with challenging puzzles and hidden dangers. Standard stuff, so far. Rescuing the princess is just the start of your adventure, though. You must then lead the near-blind princess out of the castle and to safety. This will prove to be the most difficult aspect of ICO and the crux of the adventure. The severely impaired princess will often become lost and unwittingly imperil herself. You'll need to closely tend to the princess if you expect to survive the trials of the game's many levels unscathed.

Gameplay generally follows the basic platform standards, but that isn't to say there won't be innovation in ICO. Besides the prerequisite capabilities of the main character to run, jump, duck, dodge, and perform multiple attacks, perhaps the most striking element is what's not in the game - any text or dialogue whatsoever. In a unique move - especially when you consider its puzzler nature - SCE is attempting to use a dynamic camera system to narrate the story of the game. This means that the camera will zoom in on important details and focus itself on certain items to give visual clues. This more subtle approach to the storytelling will be a refreshing change if it is accomplished with the grace the developers promise. Of course, it could also lead to gameplay headaches and a distant feel to the story if the style comes off as vague or dispassionate. Early indications, however, show that - despite the Tomb Raider feel of the standard camera angle - there are plenty of instances where the camera, coupled with visual signs, succeeds at providing the silent narrator Sony envisions.

Graphically, the game is currently in a state of limbo. Pictures at E3 were discouraged because the title was still undergoing a massive conversion from the original PlayStation format to the PlayStation 2. Textures still appeared fuzzy because they were shown in a low resolution, and no anti-aliasing was apparent. Despite these shortcomings, though, many graphical effects stood out. In particular, a recurring villain, a dark mass, would appear out of the shadows with foreboding menace. Thanks to some PS2 lighting techniques, and movements that were humanlike in their grace and purpose, the shadowy figure looked eerily real and contrasted well with the rest of the environment. Also of interest was the architecture of the castle - windows would cast amazingly realistic light patterns across the floor, and several of the rooms shown featured intricate detail that appeared to be due more to some detailed polygon work rather than texture application.

Sony promises that the game's textures have since been redone in high resolution and that the title is well on its way to being fully converted for the PS2. Whether ICO makes it to the crowded PS2 launch, though, is another matter altogether. Though ICO is still listed by many retailers as a launch title, this information may be incorrect. Sony has confirmed that there is no available timetable for when ICO will be finished.

With a provocative combination of action, adventure, and puzzle elements, ICO's throwback appeal could easily make it one of the hidden surprises in the PS2 launch lineup - if Sony can indeed ready the title in time. Unless we hear confirmation from Sony saying otherwise, look for ICO at the PS2 launch on October 26.