The game's environments seal up the visual package and provide a brilliant stage for the activities throughout. Far from the geometrical playgrounds found in most 3D adventure games, ICO's environments feel like they've been hewn from stone or laid out on soft green earth. Rather than compromising a believable world by including gratuitously placed geometry, the developer has managed to imbue the environments' otherwise cosmetic elements with tons of gameplay potential. So instead of shimmying across neat parallel bars, for instance, you'll do so on the edges of balconies and the rails of stairs. While it's easy to understate the effect of this in text, it makes a world of difference when it comes to immersion within the actual game. It's hard to describe the effect of the game's scale; indeed, many games pull it off just as effectively. But the level of detail present in ICO's environments makes them feel ever more grand and imposing, which is something that few, if any, games have achieved.
The environments also look marvelous. Light is masterfully used throughout most sequences, either saturating the environs with its presence or accentuating the ambiance when darkness rules the moment. A soft haze permeates the game, keeping the mood soft yet heavy, even during its brightest moments. Further, a subtle bit of noise has been tastefully added, which does much to distance ICO from the sterile look found in many 3D games. The effect is somewhat reminiscent of the view from a surveillance camera. Soft, well-proportioned shadows contribute to the moody whole, doing much to weave the character models into the world. The characters themselves are relatively simple in terms of poly count, but their brilliant animations truly bring them to life. As they run through the expertly textured and masterfully constructed worlds, you'll be taken aback many times. The game's look is definitely the quality that leaves the strongest impression. Taking into account the game's lush ambient effects and a creeping, minimalist score, the whole of the production is inspired in ways that games seldom are.
Anyone interested in witnessing the cutting edge of art direction and atmospheric design in games will want to check out ICO. Few games are as seamless, and none are more elegantly bold, from a visual standpoint. ICO serves as a strong testament to the potential of video game aesthetics and boldly asserts that a strong production can indeed drive a game, when it's coupled with solid play mechanics.
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ICO (PlayStation 2):
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