The ICO & Shadow of the Colossus Collection

 PlayStation 3
  • Publisher: SCEA
  • Release Date: Sep 27, 2011
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 696 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 592 out of 696
  2. Mixed: 47 out of 696
  3. Negative: 57 out of 696
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  1. Domdom21br
    Aug 7, 2022
    9
    Shadow of the collosus é um ótimo jogo, a trilha sonora é umas das melhores partes dos game, é impressionante que um jogo desse funcione no playstation 2, não tem como falar mal do jogo se sem uma unica palavra consegue nos fazer gostar dos personagens principais, fiquei muito triste quando o agro morre.
    ICO é um jogo lindo, nunca vou esquecer esse jogo, foi uma experiência de vida, vale    Shadow of the collosus é um ótimo jogo, a trilha sonora é umas das melhores partes dos game, é impressionante que um jogo desse funcione no playstation 2, não tem como falar mal do jogo se sem uma unica palavra consegue nos fazer gostar dos personagens principais, fiquei muito triste quando o agro morre.
    ICO é um jogo lindo, nunca vou esquecer esse jogo, foi uma experiência de vida, vale muito a pena joga-lo    … Expand
  2. SumTxDude
    Jul 3, 2022
    9
    Both of these titles I have such nostalgia for from PS2. Wonderfully created atmosphere with a music score that absolutely sucks you in to these worlds.
    Instant classics that magically put you in the shoes of the protagonist and living the adventure. These will always be part of top games in my memories.
    Highly Recommend.
  3. B00tador
    Dec 4, 2021
    8
    Two excellent games, both worth the price of entry alone. As a package it's great, but be aware SOTC can be found in remastered form on PS4 now.
  4. F3T1W
    Aug 20, 2021
    9
    ICO did not test, but the shadow is without exaggeration a masterpiece, a bunch of memorable titans, a cool open world
  5. HTGamer
    Nov 18, 2020
    8
    This collection includes two of the most unique games ever created, designed by Fumito Ueda and developed by Team Ico.

    Ico is an adventure where you have to escape from a castle along with a mysterious girl named Yorda. You solve environmental and platforming puzzles while also protecting Yorda from shadowy enemies who want to take her away. Shadow of the Colossus can be best    This collection includes two of the most unique games ever created, designed by Fumito Ueda and developed by Team Ico.

    Ico is an adventure where you have to escape from a castle along with a mysterious girl named Yorda. You solve environmental and platforming puzzles while also protecting Yorda from shadowy enemies who want to take her away.

    Shadow of the Colossus can be best described as a "boss rush game". The objective is to defeat 16 Colossi. There is an open map which you have to explore, with your magical sword guiding you to each Colossus after 5-10 minutes of traversal. Each Colossus is a platforming puzzle you have to solve, with most Colossi featuring literal platforms on their body, and you defeat them by stabbing their weak points.

    These games didn't sell too well when they launched during the PS2 era, but they both paved the way for the rise of many artistic games with a minimalist narrative, left open to interpretation by the players. These games had some drawbacks on PS2 (floaty and imprecise controls for both, rather short both of them at ~6 hours to beat, horrible frame rate for Shadow of the Colossus), and the PS3 remasters are a notable improvement in the image quality department, but the imprecise controls are still here. Bluepoint Games chose not to touch the games' code in these ports, but they are much more playable and enjoyable than the original versions. Bluepoint Games would later go on to remake Shadow of the Colossus from the ground up for the PS4.    … Expand
  6. SamirMrtnz
    Oct 6, 2020
    8
    Yo lo recomiendo mas que todo por Shadow of the collosus que es super divertido, que aunque el juego está compuesto por puros jefes, y la exploración es ir de punta A al B aunque no es sencillo ya que los combates no son puros golpes, tiene estrategia y te hace pensar
  7. frederik1478
    Jun 4, 2020
    10
    This game is worth getting a PS3 for I cannot recommend enough, ICO is one of the sweetest and best small stories I have seen, The theme song is so amazing that I have it on my my phone and I have listened to it in the last 7 years. Shadow of the Colossus Is one of the most sombre in emotion filled adventure you can have, everytime you fight a Colossus it is a Arsenal you will neverThis game is worth getting a PS3 for I cannot recommend enough, ICO is one of the sweetest and best small stories I have seen, The theme song is so amazing that I have it on my my phone and I have listened to it in the last 7 years. Shadow of the Colossus Is one of the most sombre in emotion filled adventure you can have, everytime you fight a Colossus it is a Arsenal you will never forget puzzle. two of the greatest PS2 games in one package just go out and buy it… Expand
  8. BeboFett
    Jan 10, 2020
    8
    Without having previously played the games in its original version on PS2, this is a great collection to try these great titles. You could write more thoroughly about each game, but I'll be brief; both videogames are good for their challenge, their characters and their narrative, they can leave a lot to the interpretation of the gamer, they are very moving and challenging. A great epicWithout having previously played the games in its original version on PS2, this is a great collection to try these great titles. You could write more thoroughly about each game, but I'll be brief; both videogames are good for their challenge, their characters and their narrative, they can leave a lot to the interpretation of the gamer, they are very moving and challenging. A great epic experience at the end. His bad points is that Team Ico doesn't know how to perform a correct physics of the characters and their mechanics, and the camera ends up being frustrating and become another enemy. These two weak points almost ruin the gameplay experience.… Expand
  9. Tyler_Ready
    Nov 24, 2018
    10
    Dying to buy the new remaster. SotC has completely changed the way I think about video games and given me feelings that I thought were long forgotten. 11/10
  10. antenneone
    Sep 18, 2018
    9
    Una remasterización hd en condiciones. Dos juegos maravillosos para tu ps3
  11. KiraL4389
    Jun 24, 2018
    10
    Ico, un juego bastante hermoso gráficamente y con un mecanismo muy bueno, junto con la banda sonora del juego.... Le da un toque especial que es perfecto. Ico tiene todo lo que me gusta y no lo puedo negar, su historia es muy buena y combinar todo lo que dije anteriormente, da el resultado de perfección. A pesar de que sus gráficos son muy antiguos son bastante buenos y el arte del juegoIco, un juego bastante hermoso gráficamente y con un mecanismo muy bueno, junto con la banda sonora del juego.... Le da un toque especial que es perfecto. Ico tiene todo lo que me gusta y no lo puedo negar, su historia es muy buena y combinar todo lo que dije anteriormente, da el resultado de perfección. A pesar de que sus gráficos son muy antiguos son bastante buenos y el arte del juego muy exquisito... Diría muchas cosas pero sobrepasaría los 5000 caracteres.… Expand
  12. BlakDak666
    Jun 28, 2017
    10
    You very rarely will find a remaster this good that changes and adds only what is required for the previous to be better. In the case for Ico and Shadow of The Colossus, the remaster is able to improve on all outlets without sacrifice to the experience. Ico now has co-op to control Yorda, the final blow Wander deals to the Colossus is slowed down to be climatic and both of their frameratesYou very rarely will find a remaster this good that changes and adds only what is required for the previous to be better. In the case for Ico and Shadow of The Colossus, the remaster is able to improve on all outlets without sacrifice to the experience. Ico now has co-op to control Yorda, the final blow Wander deals to the Colossus is slowed down to be climatic and both of their framerates are now consistent at 30 FPS. A trophy system is added too, but if you are not big on achievement systems than it won't bother you.

    On top of that you get 2 excellent games that still provide outstanding art, music and an experience that feels entirely different than most games even still today. The issue for this however is this will not appease everyone. As all games people have a certain preference for how they play their games. If you want shooters, big open worlds filled with quests and such, or anything like that then these games will not likely be played or want to be played by you. The calmness and more art-like style they bring is what Fumito Ueda (director of those games) wanted.

    If you are a art gamer and have yet to play this, then buy this or rent this on a PS3 or PS4. You will honestly love the experience for both. Taking a girl out of a castle or riding in a landscape taking down 16 giants might not sound exciting, but sometimes less is more and every confrontation and event feels far more powerful as you progress. They are not long either, but length has always been a dirty term for games saying if it isn't giving you 60+ hours of content it isn't worth your time. This is not even close for Ico and Shadow. They both are superb at what they accomplish and achieve with such little to go off of. It brilliantly allows your own interpretation to take place where it's never trying to be too smart or witty with itself. It respects the ideas and conversation players will come up with universally and that is really special to me and many of Team Ico's fans.

    The Ico and Shadow of The Colossus Collection serves as a bundle of great art games that deserve your attention if you like that certain type. The updates and fixes the previous might have had add more to the greatness those games bring. While not graphically great when held to modern standards it has concepts that far exceed those same standards with ease. Shadow of The Colossus especially is one that I consider to be one of the best games of all time and even playing new games today, they are only shadows to this colossus of a game.    … Expand
  13. marcelus
    Mar 17, 2017
    10
    Shadow of the Colossus is one of the best games ever. Go play it. Buy or download the soundtrack. Dream about the forbidden lands. And ICO is one hell of an underrated game. And I'm saying this after playing The Last Guardian. I think ICO is the second best game of Fumito Ueda over TLG. I really love this HD Collection. Is a must for all PS3 owners. 10!
  14. Jaleo
    Jan 13, 2017
    9
    Well, my score is for Shadow of Colossus, for I haven't had the chance to play ICO properly (I have the original one, and I was too young to even complete an hour of it).
    I bought it right on release years ago (the PS2 version) despite I hadn't heard anything about it (we didn't have all those fancy gaming websites back then, just magazines that came up monthly). So I played it, totally    Well, my score is for Shadow of Colossus, for I haven't had the chance to play ICO properly (I have the original one, and I was too young to even complete an hour of it).
    I bought it right on release years ago (the PS2 version) despite I hadn't heard anything about it (we didn't have all those fancy gaming websites back then, just magazines that came up monthly). So I played it, totally naive of what I was going to find during the journey, and I absolutely loved it. Yes, it's so empty, the game was bringing the PS2 to the maximum without exploding, due those huge creatures moving and trying to defend their lives (yes defend, not attack you). It was empty, but was that kind of beautiful emptyness, letting you know that place was at the very end of that world, a forbidden land forgotten by the hand of the men. And you are fighting those creatures with a sole sword wielded by an inexperienced boy, all to resurrect his beloved girl... with that fatale end for the boy. The story wouldn't catch your attention, but it didn't need to, with those challenges ahead. Even with that, you end up worrying about your poor horse, knowing that is digital you can't help but feel sad at the end. Damn even some colossus you don't want to kill, because they are innocent creatures and some of them won't even fight you, all to save their own lives. Oh but also there's the music... THAT is music. Even if the scenes aren't great, don't have impressive cutscenes, nor dialogues, that music speaks for the game. I havent tried the HD version, not I will, I don't want to ruin those memories back in 2005. This is one of those games that, like Journey, isn't looking for everybody's attention or approval. This kind of games has its own public, not a mainstream game.    … Expand
  15. brockcheese
    Dec 29, 2016
    9
    This is a wonderful collection that features two of the greatest games ever made by the legendary director, Fumito Ueda. Shadow alone is enough to make this worth your while.
  16. Rewswiss
    Nov 14, 2016
    9
    ICO:
    Weniger kann so viel mehr sein: Ein Junge und ein Mädchen traumwandeln in "Ico" Hand in Hand durch eine Burgruine. Sie können einander nicht verstehen und kommunizieren, allein durch Gesten. Das Game lässt den Spieler ebenso im dunkeln wie die Hauptpersonen. Und knüpft so ein emotionales Band, das weit über das normale Verhältnis zu Spielfiguren hinausgeht. Man kann dem Spiel zwar    ICO:
    Weniger kann so viel mehr sein: Ein Junge und ein Mädchen traumwandeln in "Ico" Hand in Hand durch eine Burgruine. Sie können einander nicht verstehen und kommunizieren, allein durch Gesten. Das Game lässt den Spieler ebenso im dunkeln wie die Hauptpersonen. Und knüpft so ein emotionales Band, das weit über das normale Verhältnis zu Spielfiguren hinausgeht. Man kann dem Spiel zwar die träge Steuerung in der B-Note abziehen und sich über den Minimalismus mukieren aber dann ist "Ico" ein Meisterwerk des Minimalismus, das fast komplett auf Story, Musik oder aufwendige Gegner verzichtet und so seine zauberhafte und einzigartige Poesie entfaltet.

    Shadow of the Colossus:
    Unendlich alt und ebenso schön ziehen die Kolosse ihre Kreise durch das Land am Ende der Welt. In ihrem Blick ruht das Vertrauen auf Unsterblichkeit, wer sollte schon kommen, um diese Giganten zu töten? Du. Du sollst kommen und sie erklettern, bezwingen und zu vernichten. Sollst ihnen dein Schwert in die Ferse, den Kopf, die Handrücken stoßen, immer wieder, bis sie tot zusammensacken. Deine Belohnung sind schwarze Schatten, die in dich eindringen, deine Seele peitschen, bis du bewusstlos zusammensackst. Du willst die Kolosse nicht töten! Aber du musst, du musst leiden, um die Liebe des Helden zu retten, um diese wunderbare Geschichte erleben zu dürfen.
    Es gibt Gamer, die dem Spiel die Endlos erscheinenden Reitstunden auf der Suche nach eurem Ziel und die gefühlten 1000 Anläufe die man braucht um es dann zur Strecke zu bringen, vorhalten aber es ist wie ein Buch, dessen Seiten dich jedes Mal in den Finger schneiden, wenn du weiterblätterst doch du kannst trotzdem nicht aufhören es weiter zu lesen. Aber du liest nicht, was passiert, schaust nicht zu, du handelst. Wirst zum Täter, zum Verbrecher, belädst dich mit Schuld. Kein Film, kein Buch kann so was. Das können nur Videospiele - und tun es viel zu selten. "Shadow Of The Colossus" hat es am besten gemacht.    … Expand
  17. XxJoseManuelxX
    Aug 16, 2016
    10
    The Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection is a video game bundle that contains high-definition remasters of two masterpiece of PlayStation 2 for the PlayStation 3.
  18. josesueiro
    Apr 15, 2016
    10
    The Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection is a video game bundle that contains high-definition remasters of two masterpiece of PlayStation 2 for the PlayStation 3
  19. NicolasThe17th
    Mar 16, 2016
    10
    I do not have much to say about this game, except that it is one of the best I've played. The excitement, the soundtrack and everything it conveys. This game deserves to be called a masterpiece.
  20. BasilZero
    Mar 1, 2016
    8
    Game: Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection
    Genre: Adventure
    Developer: Sony Computer Entertainment Japan System: Playstation 3 (PS3) Total Score: 82/100 Value Score: 8.2/10 • Story: 7/10 • Characters: 7/10 • GamePlay: 8/10 • Graphics: 8/10 • Sound: 9/10 • Music: 9/10 • Length: 7/10 • Replay Value: 8/10 • Player Value: 9/10 Pros +Consists of two games: Ico and Shadow    Game: Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection
    Genre: Adventure
    Developer: Sony Computer Entertainment Japan
    System: Playstation 3 (PS3)
    Total Score: 82/100
    Value Score: 8.2/10

    • Story: 7/10
    • Characters: 7/10
    • GamePlay: 8/10
    • Graphics: 8/10
    • Sound: 9/10
    • Music: 9/10
    • Length: 7/10
    • Replay Value: 8/10
    • Player Value: 9/10

    Pros
    +Consists of two games: Ico and Shadow of the Colossus
    +Also includes additional bonus content such as game development documentaries, etc
    +Remastered in HD
    +Trophy Support

    Cons
    -Games can be very short
    -Story is a bit weak    … Expand
  21. SileSixEcho
    Aug 11, 2015
    9
    I recently played through both of this gems for the first time and I would play them again. I have to say that I played Shadow of the Colossus first and despite some unresponsive controls, I really loved the game. It's just a great sense of achievement to defeat these well designed bosses in this world and I also love that the game doesn't hold your hand to much.

    Ico came second and I    I recently played through both of this gems for the first time and I would play them again. I have to say that I played Shadow of the Colossus first and despite some unresponsive controls, I really loved the game. It's just a great sense of achievement to defeat these well designed bosses in this world and I also love that the game doesn't hold your hand to much.

    Ico came second and I was expecting a less spectacular experience because I read through some reviews first. I had some rather annoying moments with this game, because yorda's got the AI you would expect from an 13 years old game. Nevertheless, I don't regret playing this awesome puzzle plattformer.

    I think the games still hold up pretty amazing and deserve to be experienced by all of you.

    I feel now well prepared to get my hand on the last guardian when it hopefully arrives in 2016.    … Expand
  22. chesaro
    Apr 12, 2015
    10
    Both games are really great, ICO was very short but it felt complete when i finished, SotC was just amazing... I just regret i didn't play any of them on the ps2
  23. RiotKnight
    Apr 6, 2015
    9
    First off, Ico is about a boy of the same name. First thing I noticed was that he had horns. Unusual, but I wasn't questioning where he got the horns. Apparently having horns in his village is a bad omen, so these two village elders ship the boy off to some ruins and lock him up in a prison. Ico doesn't know what is going on and neither do I! Luckily, the prison has worn away and begins toFirst off, Ico is about a boy of the same name. First thing I noticed was that he had horns. Unusual, but I wasn't questioning where he got the horns. Apparently having horns in his village is a bad omen, so these two village elders ship the boy off to some ruins and lock him up in a prison. Ico doesn't know what is going on and neither do I! Luckily, the prison has worn away and begins to crumble when Ico tries to break free. After some struggling, the boy falls out and smacks his head on the stone floor. As he helps himself up and gathers his surroundings, I noticed that there are several of these prisons. Seems like a lot of children had horns and were forced to exile. Now this game is one of those types that has virtually no tutorials. I like these kinds of games. The player doesn't need someone telling them how to move or jump unless it is done through an unusual method such as hitting two buttons at once. The controls were pretty simple, so figuring out things as I go was a cinch. Eventually Ico stumbles across a dark and eerie room with a few cages hanging here and there. In one of them is a girl, probably older than him as she seems to be taller than Ico, and she just looks so sad. Ico calls out to her and she seems to notice, but looks so helpless as if she was completely overcome with hopelessness and dread. This girl, Yorda, just doesn't think she can escape. Fortunately, we are here to prove her wrong.

    Since it has been over a year since I played this I have to try and remember what happened next. I'm sure a stick was involved and some creepy shadow creatures attack you, but basically you manage to set Yorda free. This part just gets me every time: to progress through this game you must hold Yorda's hand and guide her through the entire castle and break free of the time-weathered walls. Sure, she could just follow you, but sometimes you just have to hold her hand so she can keep up. It's just so touching. It's the little things like this that make gamers grow attached to the characters. Trust me, the rest of the game is puzzles that require both people to solve, shady creatures to fight, and moments that tug at your heart strings and make you weep! Difficult? Maybe if you rely on tutorials a lot. Fun? Loads of fun. Aesthetically pleasing to the eye? I see nothing that comes close to this game. The graphics aren't meant to be realistic. The game has it's own art style and everything just looks so smooth. Imagine this: there is a painting before you and you think "What if I could interact with this painting?" Ico feels just like that. A beautiful series of paintings that makes the player feel enlightened, calm, and just so happy. And that's just the first game. The spiritual successor to Ico, Shadow of the Colossus delivers so much more!

    SoTC, as some call it, lives up to Team Ico's expectations. Graphics are in a similar style, controls are simple, the goal is pretty apparent, and the story grabs the player and doesn't let them go for even a moment. SoTC starts off with a young man named Wander. He's just minding his own business (as I am lead to believe) and some voice from above tells him to kill some Colossi running around. Seems legit. Wander takes his sword and his faithful horse Agro. Now as a player, Agro is going to be very helpful in taking down these Colossi as the horse is useful for travel, moving and shooting arrows, and excellent for reaching certain areas. The game has nothing else in between the Colossi. No other enemies, no mini dungeons, no puzzles. Just a starting point and the expansive land surrounding it. Wander uses his sword to reflect the sun's light and this somehow shows the way to the Colossi that needs to die next.

    Never have I seen gameplay like this. Pure boss fights that are amazing, exciting, and filled with sheer, epic combat. Wander must climb the Colossi, find a glowing symbol, hold his sword ready, and thrust it deep within the creature's flesh! Of course the Colossus isn't going to just let you kill it. They shake, they swipe, they run, they do all they can just to make Wander fall off. Keeping a good grip is necessary to winning the fight. Each fight is different, too. Yes, they all require the player to climb, but bringing the Colossus down requires strategy. I will never forget each and every fight I had with these things. Sometimes I got a vague hint when fighting, but figuring it all out for yourself is the most rewarding feeling in the world.

    I think that just about sums up the two games without spoiling anything critical. Both show emphasis on companionship and look amazing to boot! I highly recommend anyone reading this to try out these revived classics sometime. It will be worth every minute of your time.    … Expand
  24. beatlemnkyhuman
    Nov 27, 2014
    10
    If I could give it a 20 then I would.

    Ico is a 10 and shadow of the colossus is a 10.

    I dare you to finish either of these games and think differently.

    These games are so good that they validate video games as an art form and prove the difference between film and video games.

    They are landmarks.
  25. Awooga
    Nov 5, 2014
    10
    Shadow of The Colossus is the greatest game ever period (in my opinion) and when I saw the remastered HD version for PS3 I had to get it (having ICO on the same bundle as well is a massive bonus).

    Shadow is as near to perfect as a game can get in my opinion. Is it the best looking game ever, no but the sheer sense of scale you feel as you travel the land is great and the scale and size    Shadow of The Colossus is the greatest game ever period (in my opinion) and when I saw the remastered HD version for PS3 I had to get it (having ICO on the same bundle as well is a massive bonus).

    Shadow is as near to perfect as a game can get in my opinion. Is it the best looking game ever, no but the sheer sense of scale you feel as you travel the land is great and the scale and size of the colossi is breath taking when you come up against them.

    The game is essentially 15 boss battles with little to nothing to do in between other then travelling from the temple to hunt down these beasts now that may sound boring to some people but for me it wasn't you don't need to fight hoards of enemies the colossi are enemy enough and the stars of the show,

    As I said before the colossi are amazing to look at and you are just the small speck of a guy up against these giants with your only help being your trusty horse Agro (who is amazing!) and the puzzle/strategy element is trying to figure out just how you will bring them down. It was odd as well in a game where the colossi are labelled as the enemy for you I felt slightly guilty each time as I downed them and they fell to the ground.
    Even though the controls can be a little annoying at first and the graphics are not amazing but it just didn't matter to me for some reason as the gameplay was amazing and I wanted to defeat these 15 colossi to see what would happen in the end. It's simply my favourite game ever.

    I had never played ICO before so it was a bonus this was included and I must say although I did not like it as much as SOC it's a great game and very enjoyable.    … Expand
  26. AlienSpaceBats
    Sep 26, 2014
    9
    2nd pass. ICO: 9/10. SotC: 7/10. Of the two, I enjoyed ICO a lot more. Puzzles were lucid, gameplay was enjoyable, next to no troublesome mechanics or anything to annoy the player, near-perfect. Though I prefer the aesthetic of SotC, I found it repetitive and frustrating, mostly due to the horrendous camera and the troublesome controls, which a lot of the time were greater foes than the2nd pass. ICO: 9/10. SotC: 7/10. Of the two, I enjoyed ICO a lot more. Puzzles were lucid, gameplay was enjoyable, next to no troublesome mechanics or anything to annoy the player, near-perfect. Though I prefer the aesthetic of SotC, I found it repetitive and frustrating, mostly due to the horrendous camera and the troublesome controls, which a lot of the time were greater foes than the colossi themselves. Poetic and artful, beautiful, even, but not a great game.… Expand
  27. MrDavidBen
    Sep 15, 2014
    10
    A nostalgic return to two of the most beautiful games ever made, proof that games can be a form of interactive art with such a broad use of emotions often through the most simple of means. This is definitely a game for the generation adores something deeper, something more immersive, not the simple game/CoD generation who need everything handed to them on a plate with lush "grafficks".A nostalgic return to two of the most beautiful games ever made, proof that games can be a form of interactive art with such a broad use of emotions often through the most simple of means. This is definitely a game for the generation adores something deeper, something more immersive, not the simple game/CoD generation who need everything handed to them on a plate with lush "grafficks".

    With the HD sheen the graphics do look improved, both games also make a brilliant use of extreme lighting to really set a dark atmosphere with piercing light coming in from outside. Ico depends more on the emotion, the urge to protect thus the gameplay has a lot of co-op style mechanics whilst SotC is a more wide open adventure with character stat growth and progression through eating fruit and lizard tails.

    Personally I didn't experience the same problems with the camera, since you simply press the position reset button and regained control of it, I actually found the disorientation felt more realistic either way when you were tossed to the ground by one of the colossi.

    Ico's controls are simple with SotC adding more mechanics due to the variety of colossi and the need to climb, jump and stab.

    The soundtrack on both games is also immense, especially on SotC with the music changing depending on the stage of the battle, it had the knack of making you feel you really were facing a towering fiend.

    A very unique set of games where you really do get the feeling they were trying for something different in an experience unlike companies who pump out the same games over and over with a lack of originality... yet they get brilliant reviews and sell by the bag load.    … Expand
  28. asjklasjklas
    Apr 22, 2014
    10
    The HD hasn't made ICO or Shadow of the Colossus appear any newer, however, when it comes to Team ICO, age doesn't exist. The classics that helped capture the PS2 era and visualize it, in case you missed them, ICO and Colossus give gamers -- casual and traditional -- the opportunity to mine into their dazzling beauty and simplicity. And despite the demographic maybe missing your averageThe HD hasn't made ICO or Shadow of the Colossus appear any newer, however, when it comes to Team ICO, age doesn't exist. The classics that helped capture the PS2 era and visualize it, in case you missed them, ICO and Colossus give gamers -- casual and traditional -- the opportunity to mine into their dazzling beauty and simplicity. And despite the demographic maybe missing your average action/adventure audience on a more rewarding scale, there's no denying the impact they'll leave during your experience.

    Pros? The HD helps introduce ICO and Colossus to the newer era, whilst retaining all the glory experienced during their debuts, respectively; cleaner, crisper pixels; widescreen; breathtakingly beautiful visuals, especially the Colossi sequences during Colossus; excellent -- and eerie -- sound design, specifically the whistling winds while exploring the dungeons in ICO and the vast expanses in Colossus; simple, yet emotionally involving concepts; excellent trophy system; great value.

    Cons? The camera and controls in Colossus are annoying at first glance; ICO and Colossus share a minimalist concept that might seem sketchy to some players.    … Expand
  29. mrnice
    Mar 31, 2014
    8
    The HD updates are done perfectly. The convincing colossi look as though created for PS3, and the trophies add meaningful challenge and invite for a deeper exploration of the games. The box-art can be turned inside-out revealing all-page artwork for ICO (front) and SotC (back). The extras are not remarkable. A few themes that look PS2-y and a few video clips that take up much HDD space,The HD updates are done perfectly. The convincing colossi look as though created for PS3, and the trophies add meaningful challenge and invite for a deeper exploration of the games. The box-art can be turned inside-out revealing all-page artwork for ICO (front) and SotC (back). The extras are not remarkable. A few themes that look PS2-y and a few video clips that take up much HDD space, and you can find on Youtube.

    As for the games, how much bland gameplay are you willing to sit through for the unique, sublime peaks of these two games? I'm talking about the mediocre combat and the less exciting puzzles in Ico, as well as the transportation and more awkward climbing moments in SotC. The peaks show unique qualities. The beautifully simple logical coherence of Ico, and the impressively grand and inventive fights of SotC. They would be even better if the player had a chance to work in different ways towards a solution. But the games are designed to be solved linearly, with every next step lying more or less obviously before the player. Plot is not the focus of these games, but they both end with generously well told cutscenes.

    Each game clocks in at less than 10 hours (ICO only 7-8 hours), so in full, they don't feel like quantitatively more value than any regular 'big' PS3 release. However, when these games work, they are uniquely atmospheric, lyrical and mythical. They are as far from the FPS/sports segment as you can come on the PS3, and in bursts they revive your faith that video games can express a sense of otherwordly magic.    … Expand
  30. Ecco94
    Jan 19, 2014
    9
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Awards & Rankings

6
#6 Best PS3 Game of 2011
27
#27 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2011
12
#12 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
92

Universal acclaim - based on 58 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 58 out of 58
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 58
  3. Negative: 0 out of 58
  1. Push Square
    Feb 2, 2012
    100
    If video games aren't art, then ICO & Shadow of the Colossus Collection is not a video game. It's a staggering compilation of two of the most creative, intimate and emotional pieces of interactive entertainment ever conceived.
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  2. Play UK
    Nov 27, 2011
    94
    They're absolutely, without a doubt, worth buying. [Issue#210, p.78]
  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Nov 15, 2011
    90
    High Def remake is one of the shiniest gaming jewels – this conversion is an extraordinary and unique game that is a must have for any PlayStation 3 owner. [Nov 2011]
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