ICO

Fear & Friendship

Imagine inheriting something that sets you apart from your friends and family; a physical feature you cannot hide but which will see you cast out from your homeland. A tragic inevitability haunts your birth - you know you will never reach adulthood. Alone and entombed, exiled from your family as a harbinger of bad luck, isolation is your only friend...

Now imagine finding a kindred spirit in the darkness that surrounds you. Looking up and seeing a light so bright that it illuminates your path and asks for your help. Suddenly, escape seems possible. There are two of you now, and together you know much can be achieved. You know that a friendship like this can overcome whatever lies in your way...

Story

Ico is a story of a young boy who - born with an abnormality which, makes him grown horn - is destined to die, to ward off the 'evil eye' that his horn represent. Any misfortune that befalls his village is attributed to Ico, and when the boy turns 12, the villagers decide the time has come to erase his existence before more calamities befall them.

Ico is taken away to a secluded cliff-side on which lies a dank, dark and disturbing ancient fortress. Those that place Ico here intend to leave him to starve or freeze to death within these ruinous wall - only then will his curse be lifted from their village. The fortress is uninhabited, they believe, and if any should exist there, it will be in the form of malign spirit who will surely scare the boy to death if the cold and hunger don't get to him first.

But Ico is not alone. In his feverish, dreamy state, the vision of a ghostly female appears before Ico. And when he breaks free from his tomb, Ico learns that this was no dream or trick of the mind - the girl is flesh and blood, and is hanging above him like a delicate, celestial caged bird. As much as Ico needs her help, he soon realizes this mysterious girl needs his help, too.

So begins a journey which you, playing as Ico, support Yorda as you look for an escape route. For Yorda, this means freedom from an evil mother who intends to keep her imprisoned in the fortress forever more. For both of you, this means sealing the ultimate pact of friendship - without each others help, Yorda is doomed to be shackled down by shadowy spirits that lurk in the darkness and you are destined to fulfill your tragic fate. But together, you can overcome evil. Where Yorda is weak, you can be strong. When you don't know where to look, Yorda can point to the light. With each others encouragement, you can both wake up from your nightmares.

ATMOSPHERE

Ico is very different game. It's an adventure game but it has a look and feel that's world's away from many other adventure titles. The scenery drips with atmosphere and distracting music replaced by an evocative soundscape that includes characters' breathing, the flickering of candles and the melancholy chorus of early morning birds.

Never has before looked so ethereal in a game as it does in the shimmering, luminous dress worn by Yorda. And never has a game fused dreams and reality so seamlessly. It's this unique atmosphere that lends Ico a truly involving experience for the player - this is a game that totally transports you to another world where the ambiance is almost another character in its own right.

GAMEPLAY

The relationship between the young characters Ico and Yorda is at the heart of this game. You'll fall under the spell of the two friends as you take on the role of Ico and try to lead the fragile Yorda to safety. Ico's physical stamina must be enough for the two of them, and Ico must assist Yorda in overcoming a variety of different obstacles. If Yorda unable to climb a chain, Ico must find an alternative route; if Yorda is overcome by fear when contemplating a dangerous jump, Ico must use reassuring words to give her the confidence to make the leap.

Ico's gameplay is grounded in the concept of teamwork. The modern mantra of 'each man for himself' is replaced by an almost mythical idea of gallantry, a theme rarely seen in the most adventure games. As Ico and Yorda help each other traverse the perils of the fortress, their heroism, friendship and selflessness will offer you a truly emotive gaming experience.

PLAYABILITY

Ico is a game that's quick and easy to pick up. It's the title where the uncluttered environments (no distracting inventory or energy bars to worry about) are echoed in the intuitive game controls. Unlike many adventure titles, Ico doesn't call for arduous learning of button combination; instead, ease of gameplay means you can pick this up and get straight to the heart of the game - the perfect way to unwind at the end of the day.

GRAPHICS

All the in-game animation in Ico has been created by hand, not through motion capture. As a result, Ico and Yorda have a filmic grace to them - there are no sharp edges, stiff movements or glaring colors to these characters. Instead, you can almost feel Yorda's frailty thanks to the realistic animation that lies at the heart of the game.

Graphically, playing Ico is like looking at the soft tones of an old sepia photograph - subtle, evocative and melancholic. Harsh color are replaced with a beautiful palette of earthy tones which brings to life the fortress and the shadowy figures that populate it, as well as the unforgettable characters of Ico and Yorda.

Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1) by Eoin Colfer is a well-written, fun-filled fantasy for children. It tells the story of Artemis Fowl, a 12-year boy genius and anti-hero that sets out to outwit the race of fairies and steal their gold.

Artemis Fowl is set on a family estate on the outskirts of modern day Dublin, Ireland. Artemis Fowl Senior, a wealthy Irish crime lord, wanted to go straight and gain respectability as a legitimate businessman. Unfortunately, he disappeared when his ship, the Fowl Star, sank in an attempt to deliver 250,000 cans of cola to Siberia. His wife, Angeline Fowl, went insane and moved into the manor's attic. His son, Artemis Fowl Junior, the book's hero and his father's sole heir is convinced that his father is still alive and spends all his time and almost all the family's fortune trying to find him. When the money began to run out, Artemis devised a plan to steal gold from the race of fairies living underground and known as "The People." His plan was simple. He would kidnap a fairy and hold it for ransom. Unfortunately for him and fortunately for the author and the reader, he did not count on the ingenuity of Holly Short, the fairy he kidnapped. Holly Short is a captain of the LEPrecon (Lower Elemental Police Reconnaissance) an elite force trained in dealing with the "Mud People" (humans). Julius Root, the commander of the LEPrecon, utilizes a unique group of resources to release Holly including, Foaly, a techie centaur, Mulch Diggums, "a kleptomaniac dwarf", and contrary to his wishes, a dimwitted troll. Artemis has on his side Butler, his trusted bodyguard, and Julie, Butler's sixteen-year old valley girl sister. Artemis has the fairies outwitted at every turn until he makes one devastating mistake.

Artemis Fowl is riding on the popularity of Harry Potter, but is unique in its own way. First, Artemis Fowl is an anti-hero. He is the supposed villain in the series, yet while he is smug and obnoxiously spoilt rich kid, he is delightfully likable. Second, unlike Harry and his friends at Hogwart, Artemis is completely human. Although he is a genius and very, very rich one at that, he has only human skills for outwitting the fairy race. Finally, unlike Harry who has his teachers to pull him out of every sticky situations, Artemis has only his loyal human servants, Butler and Julie, to help him. Artemis must, in effect, not only save himself but also save them.

COUNTERFEIT SON

What would it be like to be the son of a serial killer? Fourteen-year-old Cameron Miller knows. He helps his father bury the boys who won't listen when Cameron tells them to do what Pop wants. He attends school without saying anything. He keeps Hank Miller's secret for years. Pop teaches him well; he teaches him to keep silent, telling him that he will kill him if he ever tells anyone anything. "They'll know. They'll know how bad you are," Pop tells him over and over again.

Pop keeps records of all the boys he kills. Locking himself in the cellar, hidden away until Pop is done with his latest boy, Cameron spends his time going through the file cabinet, planning his escape. Finally, he chooses the boy he would most like to be. He chooses Neil Lacey, mainly because of the sailboats, and he waits for his chance. It comes on a day when, after Cameron leaves for school, his father is killed in a shoot-out with the police. Cameron walks into a police station, and Neil Lacey returns from the dead.

Detective Simmons isn't easy to convince. "'Why did he keep you alive?' he demands. 'He killed over twenty boys -- why were you special?' 'Because I did what he said,' Cameron whispers. He wants to tell the police that he'd bought the right to stay alive, bought it with nights of white-hot pain and days of aspirin-choked silence. He paid the price because he dreamed that someday Pop would finally tell him he was good, and the nightmare would stop."

Money, sailing, mother, father, brother, and sister --- Cameron has it all. He desperately wants to belong to this family. Not for the money, not even for the sailing, but because for the first time in his life he is happy and secure. No one will add to the scars already etched on his back by the beatings with a metal belt buckle; no one will tell him he is bad; no one will threaten to kill him. He is part of a family who loves him. However --- convincing Diane and Stevie that he is their long-lost brother is harder than he thought it would be.

Just as he is beginning to think that maybe he can pull this off, Cougar, Pop's friend and accomplice, shows up. Cougar needs money and figures Cameron can get it for him. He threatens to take Stevie if Cameron doesn't help him. Will Cameron be able to stand up to Cougar and protect Stevie at the same time?

Elaine Marie Alphin has written a chilling novel about a man who preys on young boys. Will his son's search for a new life destroy those around him? The final chapter of COUNTERFEIT SON will surprise even the most astute reader.

Star Ocean First Departure

Space Date 346: The crew of a Terran Federation ship arrives on the planet Roak. With the help of a stalwart band of local heroes, the crew must work together to unravel a mystery and halt a galactic war.

First Departure is a remade version of the very first Star Ocean, created anew with 3D graphic and CG cutscenes. Initially released toward the end of the Super Famicom's life cycle, and never before localized for North America, the origin of the Star Ocean series receives a total makeover for the PSP system. Additional scenarios and characters, integrated 2D and 3D graphics in the style of the PS One game console sequel, fully animated movies, and other bonus features transform the game into a completely new experience.


Star Ocean Second Evolution

Space Date 366: A young Federation officer finds himself transported to a mystical planet, where he is suddenly anointed as the Hero of Light. He begins a journey to fulfill a prophecy and save a newfound race.

Continuing the franchise for Star Ocean fans, this PSP release of the classic RPG delivers the same epic storytelling and dazzling art style. Set 20 years after the events of its predecessor, Star Ocean 2 receives special treatment in its PSP incarnation to further entice gamers to relive the adventure. The title takes the next step with fully animated movies, all-new character designs, extra playable characters, fully voiced dialogue, and more.