Sony today announced the North American release of The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection, available exclusively for PlayStation 3. Developed by Fumito Ueda, The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection remasters the critically acclaimed PlayStation 2 titles for the current console generation, adding in features such as full 1080p HD, improved frame rates, stereoscopic 3D graphics, 7.1 surround sound, bonus video content, dynamic themes and Trophy support.
“ICO and Shadow of the Colossus are two of PlayStation’s most beloved games,” said Scott A. Steinberg, VP SCEA. “By bringing these two titles to the PS3, we are excited to introduce a whole new generation of gamers to these timeless classics. With bonus video content, Trophies, stereoscopic 3D support, and HD graphics, we’re also giving fans of the original games the chance to experience the wonder of both adventures all over again in an entirely new way.”
ICO, originally released in North America in the Fall of 2001, is a revolutionary action-adventure/puzzle game that truly immerses players into the world crafted by the development team at Sony Computer Entertainment JAPAN Studio. A cult hit, this twist on a “boy meets girl” tale won over the hearts of critics and gamers alike and has been atop many gamers’ and critics favorites lists ever since. Utilizing a minimalistic artistic approach to gameplay and the narrative, it became one of the first video games ever to be considered a work of art. The tragic yet powerful story puts players in the role of a young boy with strange horns on his head as he protects and escorts a mysterious princess on a daring escape from a maze-like castle. As a bonus to seasoned fans of the title, The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection features the full ending to ICO, never before released in North America.
The spiritual successor to ICO, Shadow of the Colossus was released four years later by Fumito Ueda and his team, building on many of the concepts that made the previous title so beloved, while redefining the concept of “action games” by drilling to the core of the genre, the monumental boss fights, and stripping away excess elements. Shadow of the Colossus features a new anonymous protagonist on a quest to bring a mysterious girl back to life by defeating sixteen gigantic beasts. Navigating a vast, minimalist landscape and discovering these majestic creatures in their natural habitat, the struggle to slay the each colossus is both an intense and saddening experience, helping the team’s second game rise to critical acclaim yet again.
