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!
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.
@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.
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.
Whether it’s stand alone or not. Separate from the original or not. Someone else, is taking the original work and covering it up with a new engine, completely erasing all of the handmade, painstaking, detail Ueda’s original team put into this world.
New game: "Oh lets plop some grass here, use some pre-generated rock textures here, take out the fog they had here…
I really don’t care if people say just view it as a separate game entirely apart from the original. The game is still being tampered with against Fumito Ueda’s wishes and without any kind of input or direction from him, or his team. And without any new content there is not a good enough reason to spend $60 dollars again. I can admire the original graphics more than this game, because that is the original vision not a re-skin of Unreal Engine, someone is making for a fast cash-in opportunity.
If they had a few old Team Ico members helping out or handling certain aspects of the remake, I would be completely fine with it and excited! But, anyone else touching Team Ico’s work feels taboo to me. It’s like you admire the full trilogy of Team Ico’s work and then some guy takes one of the games and makes it according to his own vision.
I guess the only up side or purpose is to maybe expose more people to the game who haven’t played it or heard of it…But people had 2 chances to play it across two console generations!..And it’s not like the game didn’t sell well or wasn’t positively accepted, hence the reason for this quick and easy cash-in!
My advice… don’t spend $60 again. I’m probably not going to. We can appreciate the merits (or lack of them) of this remake without the intention to play it.
To answer @Draikin’s question: does it need to be remade? The differences between this remake and the original aren’t going to be as noticeable as, say, the Final Fantasy VII remake. As mentioned earlier, many gamers found Team Ico’s games to be inaccessible for one reason or another. That shows that there’s a sizeable number of gamers who probably missed out on the original experience and might give this remake a try (which they wouldn’t if the PS3 remaster was simply ported to PS4). A question to ask is whether Shadow of the Colossus should be remade for this reason.
Someone also made a side-by-side video comparing the new footage to the PS3 version:
The main thing that bothers me about this new version is the lack of fog. One of the charms of the original was not knowing what was up ahead and then suddenly seeing a colossus step out the mist. Now you can see what’s ahead for what looks like miles. The colossi look too prominent against the background rather than blending in. They are meant to feel like part of the scenery; there isn’t meant to be a clear distinction between a colossus and the landscape which the fog helped to reinforce in the PS2 and PS3 versions.
If you look at footage of The Last Guardian, fog is still very prominent, even though the game is running on PS4. The main theme of Ico is even called “Castle in the Mist”, showing just how important this is to the series.
I never played the original game but I’m looking forward to get my hands on this “monument”.
God of War 2018 is also on my list as I never played the original games.
This, and another concern: loss of the original design. Some structures and designs have been completely “paved” over with new designs. And you’re right the loss of fog takes away from some of the atmosphere and mystery of the Forbidden Lands. Also now the Colossi stick out like a sore thumb. I think I’ll be sticking to the original!
Fumito Ueda would be a great choice for a collaboration or the lead of a new Panzer Dragoon, don’t you think ?
He seems to have a great taste and elegant artistic direction in his games.
Just me having loud thought
Well, Ueda can be a bit too monochromatic at times. Lots of greys and brown colors… I think there is just a little bit more color in the Panzer Dragoon world to rely on his style. Don’t get me wrong I do love Ueda’s designs though.
Panzer Dragoon Saga is full of all kinds of different environments. From: forests, valleys, waterfalls, ruins, deserts. But these places are highly stylized and have there own vivid, expressive art style. Also, all of the textures were hand made by Team Andromeda!
You probably know his work more than I do but I thought when I saw the games he worked on, that each of his games seems to have a consistent visual identity, not overcrowded. And he seem to have a style that I like. Unlike for instance the FF games, those perfectly looking faces are not really my cup of tea ^^
Now, regarding colors, you may be right. I didn’t think about this aspect. Not sure this is part of what Fumito is and if he will never change on that, but yea my thought cam from a different perspective.