More details and screens have emerged on Wanda and the Colossus, the latest project by the team behind the PlayStation 2 cult classic Ico. And with Wanda set to be unveiled at this week's Tokyo Game Show, producer Kenji Kaido and art designer Fumito Ueda have spoken out to elaborate on what fans can expect.
Speaking to the Japanese press, Ueda broadly described the core premise of the gameplay as 'fighting a giant enemy'. Playing as a young hero on horseback, the aim of the game is to resurrect a young girl (the eponymous Wanda possibly?) who's lost her soul to a shrine over a giant bridge. To do this, the player is given the task of defeating a series of giant beasts that wonder the lands where the game is set.
Rather than the hack-and-slash combat mechanics of Ico however (let's face it, a stick isn't going to do a terrible amount of damage to an enemy this size), battle in Wanda seems like it could be rather more ambitious. According to Ueda, each colossus the player encounters will possess a specific weak point, one that's only uncovered once the player manages to scale to the top of the creature, something that can only be achieved after overcoming a series of puzzles and conundrums. Attacking a specific part of certain creatures will change the layout of the colossus, leaving the player to search for an alternative route. It sounds intriguing to say the least.
The horse the hero is riding will also play a part in combat, with Ueda informing Japanese journalists, "The horse is like Ico's Yorda. In addition to being the main character's companion, he has a supporting role in battle." Speedier enemies such as birds and other creatures will require tracking on the horse, and whilst the horse-riding is an aspect of the title that sounds far removed from Ico and Yorda's adventure, there are similarities also. Like Ico, Wanda and the Colossus is set to be a lonesome experience, and the relationship between the youthful hero and the lifeless girl apparently remains deeply ambiguous.
Kaido makes no apologies for the lack of a true Ico sequel either, explaining that, "When we finished Ico, we of course had to think about our next production. Normally, there would be talk of a sequel, but here, there was some opposition to that, along the lines of Ico being more than complete both in terms of gameplay and story, thus making production of a sequel very difficult, and also questions about whether users actually wanted a sequel. After much consideration, we decided to try a new game," Kaido explained.
As always, more news as it comes.
Christophe
20 Sep, 2004
20 Sep, 2004
More Wanda and the Colossus screens and gameplay details released
PS2 News | Curious as to what the spiritual successor to Ico will entail? Wanda no longer. New screenshots inside.
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Australian Release Date:
16/02/2006 (Released)
Standard Retail Price:
$99.95 AU
Publisher:
Sony Computer Entertainment
Genre:
Action Adventure
Year Made:
2006
Read more...
16/02/2006 (Released)
Standard Retail Price:
$99.95 AU
Publisher:
Sony Computer Entertainment
Genre:
Action Adventure
Year Made:
2006
Read more...
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