Wow, that's really...neat. I like the concept!

 

I love the game. But the online component is getting to me a bit. I have a number of gripes with the co-op aspect to the game, and I think the majority of them come about because of my expectations of co-op play as a western gamer..

1) theres quite a faff about to get a co-op game sorted

* a) you have to be a revived human to draw others into your game, if you want this, you have to have recently killed a Demon, and not died. Easier said than done in this game.

* b ) you have to have your friends in a soul level range -10 from your main, revived character.. and you have to tell them somehow which unmarked summon point in which level area to meet up.

* c) they have to all be in phantom form to join your game, and be within 10 levels and be at the same place

* d) you can't talk to them within game, easily.

* e) you take them through the level, they get nothing but a share of the souls, you get everything loot wise and a share of the souls

* f) If they die, they're booted. If you die, they're all booted. Repeat and rinse the whole getting together scenario, only this time, you're a phantom, and you'll have to wait till one of your mates beats a demon boss to be revived to invite you.

2) Pick Up Groups are easy to join

* a) You can pick up virtually anyone, if your alive, and they drop their stone somewhere you can find.

* b ) Most players rush through the levels without thought or concern about you

* c) Most players seemed to be tooled up whilst you're a level 6 ranger with a rubbish scimitar

* d) If you die you're booted, if they die, you're booted. The only way to relay any thoughts or feelings is by a ratings scale which is artbitrary to say the least. Most rank you S or A, unless they didn't like what you did, then they rank you D.

* e) If you summon someone into a game, but you've cleared quite a few of the nasties, then you're dragging them along just for the boss ride... I unintentionally did this, and on the way to the boss the guy charged out and got himself killed, so he got no souls reward, and he didn't make it to the part of the level where we could have faced enemies together, let alone have a stab at the boss. With a die once, and you're out policy its very harsh on the summoned player.

3) Black Phantoms (PvP) are a pain

* a) If you're a revived human, you've managed to summon two other phantoms into your team, with all the jiggery pokery that that involves, and then a Black Phantom invades your game, stalks you, and takes you out, thus kicking the other players.. you then have to try and be summoned into a co-op game, or beat a demon boss to get to the point where you left off, before this Black Phantom griefer turned up.

*b ) You can sometimes hear them coming, but most of the time, they're beefed up, who take you in a hit or two. No level playing field, just added threat, to a game that already exudes threat and loss, particularly in the online game.

So, as a single player game with some "Fable 2 like" ghosts and shadows its great, the messages are a cool idea, the limited death replays are cool. But as a multiplayer game it lacks persistancy between the party assembled, the forming of a party requires quite a hefty starting price, that can be lost so very easily, the joining of a co-op game as a phantom results in little rewards apart from shared souls.. but if you make it to the end and the boss fight, you can then host your own co-op game and draw upon other souls. However, there is always the danger that a Black Phantom will turn up and mess it all up for everyone involved. Theres no method of direct communication, and the party assembled is disbanded if the host dies, and any invited phantom who dies is lost forever. But you can pin a more or less meaningless rating upon that player that will affect their co-op game uptake in the future.

As a single player game and an action RPG with top notch twitch based strategic control, and an artistic bent that ICO itself would be proud of, its brilliant, and well worth the extra money for import, or as a buy. As an online co-operative multiplayer game, it lacks features severely and what it does provide it does badly (compared with most western multiplayer co-operative and competitive console games out there)...

 

I CAN NOT wait for this game. Collector's Edition on day-one for me.