Looks really impressive. The visuals go way beyond what was featured in the PS3 remaster.
Edit: I originally watched the trailer on my phone and it looked so true to the original I thought it was a really nicely done remaster. Watching it again on a larger screen it’s clear that this is a full remake.
In my opinion it just looks off to me. Like they covered up all of Team Ico’s work with something like the Unreal Engine. In this version, Upon close inspection, things look too shiny and certain details within the stonework, found within the original version, Ueda’s team crafted are missing. Feel free to disagree with me but that’s how I see it.
It’s like taking the Mona Lisa and touching it up and giving her eyebrows!
Now, I’m not against playing through this version. But, I won’t buy it unless they add in some interesting new features like the unused Colossi!
I agree that it looks a bit less “rough” in places, although in other places the PS4 game has a lot more detail. Maybe they will add some more detail to the textures before the release. It probably is using the Unreal Engine; it’s expensive to develop a new engine from scratch. There might not have been a remake otherwise. What I’m hoping is that the controls are tightened up a little to make the game less frustrating to gamers used to modern games (the ones who complained loudly about The Last Guardian’s controls), while still having enough natural movement to feel like a Team Ico game.
We will always have the original version and the PS3 remaster if this remake loses too much of the original game’s soul, but based on this trailer it looks to be very true to the original Shadow of the Colossus.
Some more info: you can play with both the original controls and “a more modernized way to play”. Good that players have a choice, but it will disappointing in the modern controls don’t capture at least some of the natural movement of the original controls.
Also, they are apparently not changing the content: “The game content is the same as the original version, but all the assets are being remade.”
That’s a shame…But I would assume a different team other than Team Ico/GenDESIGN are re-making the game. So, how would they implement the un-used Colossi and add additional areas to the Forbidden Land without Fumito Ueda’s direction? It would probably be a disaster…
Well, what I mean is: It’s not in some capacity, under Fumito Ueda’s advisement/direction or under any kind of development from previous Team Ico members. So, adding in any unused Colossi or expanding the Forbidden Lands would just be someone else s idea’s and without having no input from Ueda…
So in reality, you would know deep down it wasn’t even what Ueda had originally intended…
I’m glad we are getting a new rendering of the game…whether it has faithful as it could be or not. Because the original version I played was a mess performance wise. One of the few games where it actually detracted from my enjoyment and the feeling of immersion at times.
I’m not really against the remake, I just don’t like any other members besides Team Ico/Gendesign handling it…
The PS3 remaster resolved the performance issues of the PS2 version; I consider it to be the definitive version of a game that the PS2’s hardware clearly couldn’t handle. I’d like to see Bluepoint bundle the PS3 remaster with this new remake so that new players can try both versions, but they probably won’t do that.
Regarding a different team working on it, Ueda has left Sony and I can’t imagine he would come back to a old game. And do we really want him spending time on revisiting the past rather than working on a new concept? Other members of the former Last Guardian team are working on Vane which looks good.
And this is why everyone should ask themselves:“Did they really “need” to remake this?” There was no need for Ueda to have to come back and remake his game all over again lol!
With no new content, it’s just a pretty face lift that covers up Team Ico’s original work. If nothing else, this seems like a quick, lazy, cash grab. What reason is there to replay it? Just to go “oooooh” “Aahhhh”. look at the pretty graphics…?!
No new content, no new Colossi, no expansions to the Forbidden Lands. If people want to separate this version from the original as it’s own stand alone re-imagining, all of the new content should be added. Else, I see no reason to revisit this…(But I just might anyway lol!)!
I think part of the reason is to make the gameplay more accessible to modern gamers. Many people will have heard of Shadow of the Colossus, but won’t play it due to the controls. The game is quite challenging in places, even frustrating, particularly towards the end, and that is largely due to the controls. A lot of gamers give up before completing it. People complained that The Last Guardian felt too much like a PS2 game. Well, this is a PS2 game.
I don’t know if the controls were intentional, but part of the reason for Wander’s awkward movements/animations was to show he was just a normal guy made to do extraordinary things. He would trip over himself, or he would swing his sword like a novice. Well, because he was a novice!
I guess a definite smoother experience cant hurt…
Yeah, a smoother experience is what I’d like to see, while still making Wander’s movement feel natural. There’s a continuum between the original controls and making him control exactly like Nathan Drake.
It’s worth it for me because I’ve never played SOTC so will almost certainly pick this up.
I could do with a remake of Ico for the PS4 for those same reasons…
@UrbanReflex IMO, play The Last Guardian and this SOTC remake (assuming it turns out to be close enough to the original, as the trailer indicates) on Playstation 4 Pro. If you like those games a lot, then look into getting hold of a PS3 to play Ico on - you can treat it as another (optional) story set in that world. I don’t think it’s worth getting a whole console for the least important game in the series, unless you already really like the series. Also, Shadow of the Colossus is a prequel to Ico, so it is fine to play it first.
I think what PS4 I get depends on the prices when I buy… but seeing as The Last of Us II probably won’t be released until at least next year I have some time to wait.
Is Last Guardian a sequel to Ico then?
To be honest, I’m not sure. There are hints that The Last Guardian might be connected to the other two games, and I have my own theory about an overarching story, but I’m not aware of any explicit connection.
To be honest I still haven’t played this game, despite owning the PS3 remaster. However, I can’t say I found the new trailer to be all that impressive. I initially thought it was another remaster rather than a remake. One has to question if this is remake is really needed.
