[merylsilverburg]

Originally Posted by Redpyramidhead

OK, here's my question. In an early preview of the game I read that the only enemies in the game were these Collossi. It is hard for me to imagine a game with only boss-like enemies.

Well, SCEA was just trying to do something different...I mean, what about "ICO", did you imagine a game where you drag around a helpless chick to be fun at all? Didn't sound like it, did it? But it ended up to be one of the best games for the PS2.

Originally Posted by Redpyramidhead

Somebody mentioned above that they like to take time in the game to explore the worlds in between the Collossi... that is somewhat comforting to know the worlds are worth exploring, but my quesiton is this: Is this world in fact barren in the final version of the released game or are is it populated with actual creatures and perhaps even non-playable characters to talk to and possibly villages to explore and interact with?

If you desire a game where it's populated by villages, people, and various wildlife (like an RPG) then this isn't the game for you. I explored every area fully and carefully all over the map; the enviroment isn't exactly "worlds" because it's only 1 massive world that's divided into very different and contrasting areas. For example, to the west, there is a dry desert, then to the southeast, there are beautiful green valleys and fields. The different areas transition beautifully with one another...one minute, you're riding through a dreamy green field then the next minute, you're riding on a rocky plain that's dark and barren. And to answer your question, no, there are no villages, there are no people, but there are some wildlife, like hawks flying in the air while you're riding, doves circling the fields and gathering at the shrine, a turtle at the very south in one of the collosi areas, and geckos scampering around the save shrines (trying eating the ones with the glowing tail ). But that's about it. I actually love it this way; sure, it may be dull and boring as hell to some people, but I love the simplicity, the serenity, the mystery, the beauty...you actually feel like you've been transported to some magical and dreamy land in another world...and isn't that how games should make you feel?

Originally Posted by Redpyramidhead

The idea of a game with only a main character and his horse and 16 or so Collossi to fight sounds strange to me. If that is the case, I am wondering where the depth is in the gameplay besides the actual battles with these gigantic creatures. I do trust that it is an enjoyable game at any rate based on what I have read, though.


_RED_ stuff

There isn't much depth to the gameplay, since you're right: all you do is ride around and chase after these collossi and kill them. And after you figure out the strategy to getting them, the game becomes a whole lot easier, that's true. But the idea of the game is to be a work of art and to show the beauty of this magical world and this love story and the simplicity. What's wrong with simple games anyway? Unlike an RPG where you're fighting through 150 levels of dungeons and mazes and traps just to get, what, a single gold key? And then you have to take that gold key all the way back to this other area where you have to traverse through mountains and crap and fight a huge monster before you can finally use the key to open a chest and get this magical power-up which you have to find some kind of spell to unlock its powers, oh, but before that, you have to level up to a certain point before you can use the power-up. And no, this isn't an "anti-RPG rant" because I do like RPGs, but what I said is the truth, so there's nothing wrong with a simple game like "SotC." And what about "ICO"? SCEA created "ICO" too and that game was also simple and beautiful; sure, if it weren't for the puzzles and the shadow people and the story then there's not much to the game...but so is "SotC." There is strategy/puzzle involvment when fighting against the collossi and there is the odd (and tragically annoying) story about the boy and the girl and the result of them both, but it's still all good. And besides, after you finish the game once, you unlock the Hard mode and the Time Attack (which I'm doing right now) and if you beat the collossi in the Time Attack, you get items and stuff to use in the game.

But, if the idea of a guy and 16 collossi still seems rather dull then I seriously would say to just rent the game and check it out rather than buy it.