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**shuzo** · 21-10-2005, 08:11

This game is just SO awesome I can't find the words! After playing the demo a gazillion times the first section of the game is pretty much the same - with only a very minor difference that I could find. Played it for a couple of hours and my jaw must have dropped every minute or so because the game is just so beautiful to look at. Certain elements are very ico-esque and I love that, the story hasn't developed much so far for me, but you can tell that the end is going to be good.

Each time you get to a colossi you're just amazed at how huge they are (even though you expect it) and they look simply amazing. The controls can take a little getting used to and the awkwardness they create ultimately adds to the tension in a battle.

As expected the music is great, similarly to Ico while you're riding around the only sounds you hear you and your horse - which really helps empahises how baren the landscape is. When you're fighting a colossi the music kicks in - a different piece for when you're running around them and also when you're climbing onto them. It works perfectly when you're playing.

Ok I think I've gone on for long enough now, hope I didn't bore anyone but think I managed to get across what most people know already - this is an absolutely brilliant game.

**Duddyroar** · 21-10-2005, 08:15

Thanks for the impressions shuzo - sounds brilliant.

Can't wait for this, I've got a PAL PS2 and Feb 2006 feels so far away

**Hombre** · 21-10-2005, 10:04

Need some help...

Will this work with Swap Magic?

**JamFDUK** · 21-10-2005, 10:07

Why must Europe get permanently screwed over with release dates? NEED THE PRETTINESS NOW!

*explodes*

Grr stoopid old model UK PS2.

**forpey** · 21-10-2005, 10:15

The delay means we will get 60hz, like Ico.

Whoop! Whoop!

**Kevvy Metal** · 21-10-2005, 10:16

PAL Ico has a 60Hz :n00b:

**Zanza** · 21-10-2005, 10:20

I must say, this game is totaly mind blowing.... I don't know how they got so much goodness out of the PS2, the landscapes are HUGE!!

Firstly intro movie shocked me abit, as it basicaly aliased to crap, with some very low res textured objects in the scene, that said it was still very exciting and atmospheric. At the end of the initial cut-scene there is abit where you pull a blanket off Wanda and it looks abit like you just pulled a piece of cardboard off her. Anyway thats all I could complain about because this game is mind-blowing. After a good long explore, some rock climbing, and afew daring jumps I had found my first colossus. It was just that too, bloody huge!! Although I knew what I had to do in a way, it took me a while to get this beast down, about an hour infact, mainly spent clinging to the guys foot for dear life. Once I had taken the guy down, I felt quite bad about it, almost sad, like I had gone out of my way to find some poor creature, minding its own business, and then sacrafice him for a selfish need

**jimmbob** · 21-10-2005, 10:32

Well, looks like i'm stuck at work all day, they have no sympathy for me here, non I tell you!

Zanza, I've not played the demo, would you mind giving us a run down of the controls and the saving method, i.e are they the same as ico? Or has the analogue control been sorted out? Or what...
I'm so pissed off, I just wanna go home and play this.

**eastyy** · 21-10-2005, 10:37

Must admit that is quite a large delay for the pal release

Dont see why really

Is there much to explore before you battle the colossus? Well i suppose more importantly is there anything to find when you are exploring?

**shuzo** · 21-10-2005, 11:07

Originally posted by Zanza

Once I had taken the guy down, I felt quite bad about it, almost sad, like I had gone out of my way to find some poor creature, minding its own business, and then sacrafice him for a selfish need

I totally agree with you there, I feel bad once I do manage to kill the colossi and I think thats another great feat of the game itself.

**Robster** · 21-10-2005, 11:17

can we keep the thread on topic please peeps , (im just grumpy as my order got screwed

)

cheers

**Kotatsu Neko** · 21-10-2005, 11:58

I know what you mean about killing the Colossi, they seem like big gentle giants at times and yet here I am, killing them just to save my girlfriend!

I've killed the first 5 so far, and I must say this really is an astonishing piece of work. The art direction is just unmatched, and the atmosphere is so desolate and bleak, it's truly an amazing achievement. The soundtrack helps enormously too, a must buy on CD for sure.

To compare it to ICO, well, ICO is a much deeper game. Colossus is a one trick pony - it's an amazing amazing trick, but it's settling into a pattern of find Colossus, climb up Colossus, kill Colossus, repeat. Perhaps the environments will play a bigger part later on, becoming more ICO like, but so far I haven't had to do too much climbing in the world itself.

Another slight negative aspect is that it's on a PS2. It's just too much for the old clanker and the frame rate is usually 20fps or below when battling a Colossus. There is also a lot flickering/shimmering in the textures and some very visible LOD (level of detail) switching in the environment. BUT, the game is so much fun, and the art direction so sublime that these flaws don't damage the game.

It also seems very easy so far, I killed 5 Colossi in about 2 hours, but the difficulty does seem to be ramping up a little now. Part of the challenge is definately just finding a way to get onto the Colossi and how to get to their weak points.

Must play more...

**jimmbob** · 21-10-2005, 12:02

Are the controls easy to get to grips with?

I just wanna say to all those that are currently playing this while I'm stuck at work. I hate you all.
:nosmilieiwasn'tjoking:

**Kotatsu Neko** · 21-10-2005, 12:10

Originally posted by jimmie2k

Are the controls easy to get to grips with?

I just wanna say to all those that are currently playing this while I'm stuck at work. I hate you all.
:nosmilieiwasn'tjoking:

The controls and character movement are okay, they work, but they're not that fluid. I guess the best way to describe them is to say they are jittery, scratchy, a little unsure of what to do sometimes.

Triangle is jump and also get on/off Arrow (your horse). R1 climbs or grabs onto something. You also have buttons to stab with your sword/use your bow, call Arrow, and hold your sword up to point the way to the Colossi. And the dpad changes between the bow and sword.

The niggle I have with the control is clinging onto something and trying to jump from that position. It's very unresponsive at times and the character can get a bit jittery with it's animations.

Comparing it to say, Sands of Time, there's a big difference between the fluidity and smoothness of it all. The low frame rate in Colossus doesn't help of course.

It's not a huge thing though, just something that could have used a little more polish.

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