Games Worth Remembering - [1/4] "Ico & Shadow of the Colossus"

This is a video essay about Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, two of the most highly regarded games of the last decade (source - http://www.ign.com/decade/ ). Both are created by Fumito Ueda, an artist and game designer. All of his games have two key elements: a subtractive design, and a focus on relationships.

This video discusses the design philosophy of Fumito Ueda, and the beginning analysis of Ico.

Category:

Gaming

Tags:

• Ico
• Shadow of the Colossus
• HD Collection
• The Last Guardian
• Fumito Ueda
• Games Worth Remembering
• Episode 4
• relationships
• subtractive design
• PS2
• Playstation 2
• Gameplay
• Analysis
• Review
• Playthrough
• Trailer
• video essay

[TheNamelessPharaoh]

This is a wonderful video, mate.

You forgot to mention one relationship though: Wander and the Colossus. The sense of fear and admiration you will feel towards those giants, and the guilt you feel after you defeat them is part of what made SotC so great. Each one of them has a certain dignity to them.

Ueda is certainly one of the greatest storytellers in any medium.

[TheGameLocker]

@TheNamelessPharaoh I'm glad you're tracking with me, because that's exactly what I'm going to address in part 4!

[because88]

I'm not a gamer, but I found this analysis very moving. I'm a film aficionado, and while the passivity of experience can be frustrating, I assumed it was the best I could hope for in terms of accessible emotional intensity. Newly learning of Ico's emphatic empathy conditioning in the forced co-dependence, I find myself eager to explore Ueda's emotionally intelligent, sensitive, and nuanced creations. This is an influential and potent piece of art journalism, for which I am most, most grateful.

[TheGameLocker]

@because88 Thank you for the comment! I love nothing more than being able to show these games to new audiences. Just wait for Ueda's third, Last Guardian, I have no doubt it will be as important as his previous works.

[jordaniangamer]

What a great video! So lucky I found this. You're quite an intellectual, and I always admired the developers of Shadow of the Colossus. To hear the director's style of game design through an individual like yourself is such a treat! That's cool how you inserted Eternal Darkness into this video as reference. I love that particular cutscene in the beginning of the game. No doubt, the minimalist form found in SotC and Ico are unsurpassed.

[Orchidbase]

Really great cheers, I love these games. I did want to say however that I think Yordas obvious lack of upper body strength is the only visual clue I needed to tell me she wasn't able to climb chains.

[gilgamesh310]

@TheGameLocker except there is no part 4 and never will be.

[theachtungtree]

Thanks, this is the best essay on videogames i've ever saw on yb, thank you very much....reminds me of scorsese while talking about otto e mezzo or something

[son12509]

this is a very interesting video. made me think

[ikea156]

u still dont have part 4 -__-



[skatemeiser]

i remember playing shadow of the collosus with my brother like we played almost every day and we like completed it in total 53 times until our mom trew the cd away -.- i still have the special edition cards hanging in my room :D if shadow of the collossus ever gets remaked or whatever and its on the ps3 ima spend all that money only to play sotc

[execthegaming]

I'd like to know the one person who disliked this video. And by "know", I mean "hit over the head with a wooden stick".

[yersimapestis]

@893kiryu there is a FAQ somewhere that does a whole lot of story stuff about it. there are a lot of clues towards that like the fact that mono doesn't know agro.

[mirtek713]

love those games cant wait to the PS3 HD remake