Oh hell yes. DF retro is amazing. You guys make me so happy to be an old school gamer (I'm 30). Keep hitting me with the waves of nostalgia, please. I think you guys have one of the best channels on TH-cam.
Hanniffy Dinn yeah they were really ambitious but I cant help the feeling that most PS2 Exclusives really suffered using this rather weak platform. I was multiplattform because PS2 had FF and this but boy would this game have been better on xbox, gamecube or even PC.
@@bingobongo1615 That lack of pixel shaders and lack of VRAM probably hurt more than just the performance. The massive fill rate and VRAM bandwidth of the PS2 enabled the fake motion blur, fur, volume shadows (these are very fill heavy compared to modern shadow mapping techniques) and heavy dust effects in play, which would probably buckle the otherwise-stronger Xbox. The Vector Units could be used as a psuedo Vertex Shader, which is probably what enabled the Inverse Kinematics to be used (pretty certain the
Thanks for the kickass series this year, John! Loved all of the episodes, although I have to say the DF Retro over Silent Hill 2 is probably my favorite.
I feel like the imperfections in the PS2 version were a huge part of the visceral experience of the game, neither the remaster nor the remake truly capture the atmosphere of the original.
Yeah definitely. I really would have liked it if the remake captured that muddy and desolate look of the original. I think what we ended up getting was too pretty and clear.
Lol imagine being a game dev, you pour your heart into the art of your game, you slave away at the combat and boss design, you craft an evocative, enduringly thought-provoking narrative, all of that just to see all your hard work handwaved aside by nostalgic doofs on the internet who for some reason attribute your game's worth to its single-digit framerate. Rose-tinted glasses are real.
Hey, thanks for the mention! Your video is very impressive in its technical details as how the colossi were created in the PS2 version. i.e. the lighting, shadow effects and colossi fur/skeletal models! Awesome work - loved the video ; )
HDR used in TVs actually is essentially the same technology in play here. Bloom filters are applied to compensate for highlights too bright to be displayed, but that only happens because internally those highlights are still being rendered at much higher levels. As such, if this game was released on PS4, for example, they could natively output those higher levels on an HDR TV without needing to apply the bloom filters, or at least change the cutoff point to where bloom gets applied to 1000nits or higher.
I just have to say that I subscribe to DF purely for these Retro videos. Sublime and expertly made, this really is a quality show. I love it! Even when you're talking about some random DOS game I've never heard of, I'm fascinated by your presentation. The history, the impact, variations and performance of the games... It's a genuinely impressive production each week. Please keep up this excellent work!
I think the best thing about digital foundry is df retro. No matter how long each episode is I always watch it in 1080p max brightness max volume it's just that gripping.
OMG i've been playing it this week for the first time on my PS3! It's already one of the most epic and majestic games i played on my whole life, just loving it! Only the last colossi left now 😊
I friggin LOVED this game. This was one of the games I played as a child that got me into the technicalities of video games. Seeing the huge open world, shading, animations, it was so amazingly beautiful for me. I have sunk many days worth of hours into this game, both on PS2 and PS3. Such an incredible experience, and I have been looking forward to The Last Guardian for what feels like forever. And honestly, I'm so happy that the game was released in my lifetime. The Last Guardian to me lived all the way up to my expectations I've had for the game over the years, and I appreciate the ability to play this trilogy in my life. So amazing :)
Man.. that music always gets me. You've analysed the game that has kind of changed my life, and I want to thank you for that. What a way to end a DF Retro season.
I probably sound weird here, but I actually like the low frame rate in the PS2 version. For me, it gave the game kind of an old movie feel to it, and I feel it meshes well with the game's aesthetic and presentation. I love what they did with the HD version, don't get me wrong, it's just that there was something unique about the PS2 version that isn't easily replicated in... well... any kind of game out there really.
As always John, great job! Very informative and well written and produced. You are making some of my favorite gaming videos on TH-cam. After playing The Last Guardian (and loving it), I really need to go back and play this game.
What a glorious game. I can't praise Ueda and his team enough. Each game; ICO, Shadow of the Colossus and The Last Guardian, are games that were such AMAZING experiences. When I finished these games they stuck with me so long, longer than any other game ever has or will. I couldn't sleep last night because I was still thinking about ending to the Last Guardian. My buddy Trico.. ;_; My gosh, I love these games so much!!
It will, hopefully, get better over time, Remember how bad Unreal Engine 3 was when it first came out? every bit as bad, if not Worse, than UE4 is at the moment, now its one of the most.. "Solid" Engines out there... I am not making Excuses for UE4, it is an absolute Pile of Shit at the Moment I agree and in need of some serious Optimization Work! I am just saying it Should, Hopefully, get better! .
Long Tran I've genuinely meant to play it for years. Owned it briefly on PS2 but was burgled. I only ever owned PS3 at the end of the gen & never got to it.
Burgled is such an awesome word, sorry to hear that though, I feel it is the loss of the feeling of security that is the worst when burgled, not so much, the loss of possessions, though it sucks as well.
Great first season! My favorite DF videos :D Its amazing to see the framerate dips that by todays standards I think are terrible, however back when these games released I never gave it a second thought.
I never thought i would say this but the low frame rate on PS2 actually adds to the scenes. It feels like the world can't cope with the size of those things and makes them feel even heavier. It works a bit like slow-mo i would guess. Or maybe i'm crazy and need to revisit the game to see, it's been a long time since i played it but i remember not having a huge problem with the frame rate and i'm a frame rate person.
No, i was a frame rate guy even back then. I did notice the frame rate being bad. But unlike other games where it did bother me (Perfect Dark for instance) in this game i didn't mind it.
Easily one of my favorite series to watch on TH-cam. Looking forward to the Halo episode next year. Just hearing the music from Halo 1 brings back lots of good feels!
I will never forget how guilty I felt after killing that first Colossus. Considering that every other game at that point was all about making you feel like an absolute badass killing machine, how the light faded from that beasts' eyes just really got me. Really made me think about what life is worth; are 16 lives worth the chance of reviving a loved one? Also how dark Wander became through the game; literally. Every kill staining his character model (and soul) with a darkness.
Masterpiece, I always felt kinda bad when I killed each colossus, the animations are so good that you can feel the suffering and the pain and somehow feel guilty after those epic battles. Oh, and Agro is the best friend a game character could have.
I knew nothing about this game or ICO and bought it on a whim because the box art screenshots looked interesting. Little did I know, the game my PS2 just loaded was going to be one of the best games I have ever played in my entire life. I still remember the first time I ran into the first colossi...I believe I said something like "holy shit........" as it was walking towards be with his massive club, lol. #NeverForget
Great Series John ! I look forward to that look back at Halo (lot's of stuff to take in with that first game too). Much the same as Shenmue , I've always respected the vision present in Ueda's games more than the games themselves. Put simply - I never found Ico or SOTC much fun to play because of how the controls felt but I can still recognize their importance to modern game design.
I remember having this game when it come out, I think I was in 8th grade. My friend Austin asked to borrow it ,because literally no one else we knew had a copy.........He never gave it back.
@Spiral I have a ton more respect for the Ps2 now then I used to. Plenty of beautiful games on it. I was a bit salty of the systems huge success as a teen (gc and xb owner) and it kinda bled into adulthood until I've been playing so many more games these past 5 yrs on it. Tons of great content.
duuuude....get a ps3, the hd collection, fire up shadow of the colossus, turn up your sound system (for the love of god dont use your tv's standard speakers) its such a unique and interesting game, dont spoil yourself on how to beat the colossuses and you end up playing it a week straight. there is a reason why people are so crazy and hyped about the game and to put it simple they are right to be crazy or hyped about the game
At 14:00 you mention 3D. I've actually played the game in 3D & the depth you feel when looking around at the landscape & the feeling you get of being high off the ground while climbing around on a colossus or flying in the air while riding a hawk is definitely enhanced with 3D. VR has it's place, but it's not the same as 3D. I really wish SONY would start supporting 3D TV's & games again. Hopefully "Avatar 2" will start a resurgence in 3D popularity.
Oh hell yes. DF retro is amazing. You guys make me so happy to be an old school gamer (I'm 30). Keep hitting me with the waves of nostalgia, please. I think you guys have one of the best channels on TH-cam.
Scott Douglas Get a life.
***** Nah. I'm a zombie.
***** Zombie says "Run forest Run!!!"
Scott Douglas I tried doing something new. I do that daily.
holamoco It fits. Thanks man! Your tip worked!
People don't realise how clever and ambitious these games are.... It's how games should be.,pushing new boundaries.....
Hanniffy Dinn yeah they were really ambitious but I cant help the feeling that most PS2 Exclusives really suffered using this rather weak platform. I was multiplattform because PS2 had FF and this but boy would this game have been better on xbox, gamecube or even PC.
@@bingobongo1615
That lack of pixel shaders and lack of VRAM probably hurt more than just the performance. The massive fill rate and VRAM bandwidth of the PS2 enabled the fake motion blur, fur, volume shadows (these are very fill heavy compared to modern shadow mapping techniques) and heavy dust effects in play, which would probably buckle the otherwise-stronger Xbox.
The Vector Units could be used as a psuedo Vertex Shader, which is probably what enabled the Inverse Kinematics to be used (pretty certain the
Hanniffy Dinn there some ways to do this effectively... According to digital foundry you dont wanna push the console to the limit,.
Even the smallest things can make all the difference.
Take a look at Metal Gear Solid 2
The music always get overlooked. The soundtrack is so important to this game.
All the 3 soundtracks are beautiful. One better than the other.
This game's OST is godlike, truly an amazing achievement on it's own!
DF retro makes Sundays so much better.
Work tomorrow? back to the daily grind. We all know it :(
And I have a test tomorrow. :)
Happy Monday everyone. :)
Thanks for the kickass series this year, John! Loved all of the episodes, although I have to say the DF Retro over Silent Hill 2 is probably my favorite.
I feel like the imperfections in the PS2 version were a huge part of the visceral experience of the game, neither the remaster nor the remake truly capture the atmosphere of the original.
Yeah definitely. I really would have liked it if the remake captured that muddy and desolate look of the original. I think what we ended up getting was too pretty and clear.
If that atmosphere are implayable performance then yes.
@@StrazdasLT Beat the game many times on PS2 and many others have, so theres that.
@@Henry14arsenal2007 Theresp lenty of sadomasochists around.
Lol imagine being a game dev, you pour your heart into the art of your game, you slave away at the combat and boss design, you craft an evocative, enduringly thought-provoking narrative, all of that just to see all your hard work handwaved aside by nostalgic doofs on the internet who for some reason attribute your game's worth to its single-digit framerate. Rose-tinted glasses are real.
Enjoyed this on the PS3 collection and im really enjoying The Last Guardian on PS4, these games are like a work of art, amazing games.
RubberDuckerFuckerBerg get the fuck out of here.
Hey, thanks for the mention! Your video is very impressive in its technical details as how the colossi were created in the PS2 version. i.e. the lighting, shadow effects and colossi fur/skeletal models! Awesome work - loved the video ; )
A masterpiece on every level. The visual design, game design, sound design, and storytelling are all done so beautifully.
MGS3 and SoC are masterpieces of end era of PS2. Dear DF team can you deep-dive into MGS3 also?
HDR used in TVs actually is essentially the same technology in play here. Bloom filters are applied to compensate for highlights too bright to be displayed, but that only happens because internally those highlights are still being rendered at much higher levels. As such, if this game was released on PS4, for example, they could natively output those higher levels on an HDR TV without needing to apply the bloom filters, or at least change the cutoff point to where bloom gets applied to 1000nits or higher.
Seeing this game has me really interested to see a DF retro on MGS2's original release as well.
MGS 1-3 definitely deserve to appear in these series.
Agreed, MGS 1-3 please DF Retro
Cantabile I just finished playing through them, so I'd love that as well. Maybe even show a bit of the Twin Snakes version too.
MGS and then Gran Turismo 3/4 please.
You're pretty good
I just have to say that I subscribe to DF purely for these Retro videos. Sublime and expertly made, this really is a quality show. I love it! Even when you're talking about some random DOS game I've never heard of, I'm fascinated by your presentation. The history, the impact, variations and performance of the games... It's a genuinely impressive production each week. Please keep up this excellent work!
I played this from start to finish without rest. I couldn't put it down. It was glorious.
Truly a work of art.
DF Retro is hands down the best series on TH-cam. Absolutely love it. Keep up the work John!
I think the best thing about digital foundry is df retro. No matter how long each episode is I always watch it in 1080p max brightness max volume it's just that gripping.
OMG i've been playing it this week for the first time on my PS3!
It's already one of the most epic and majestic games i played on my whole life, just loving it!
Only the last colossi left now 😊
The amount of work you put into this DF Retro videos is simply outstanding. Highly entertaining stuff, thanks a lot!
I friggin LOVED this game. This was one of the games I played as a child that got me into the technicalities of video games. Seeing the huge open world, shading, animations, it was so amazingly beautiful for me. I have sunk many days worth of hours into this game, both on PS2 and PS3. Such an incredible experience, and I have been looking forward to The Last Guardian for what feels like forever. And honestly, I'm so happy that the game was released in my lifetime. The Last Guardian to me lived all the way up to my expectations I've had for the game over the years, and I appreciate the ability to play this trilogy in my life. So amazing :)
That Bluepoint port, they are just the best.
Great video.
True Pride I dont remeber that FPS issues in MGS3, and I played in xbox 360.
DF Retro has become my favorite part of this channel. Can't wait for more in 2017
Honestly I'm still amazed at how the PS2 version managed to run as well as it did
DF retro is the best thing that ever happened to digital foundry
Man.. that music always gets me.
You've analysed the game that has kind of changed my life, and I want to thank you for that.
What a way to end a DF Retro season.
I probably sound weird here, but I actually like the low frame rate in the PS2 version. For me, it gave the game kind of an old movie feel to it, and I feel it meshes well with the game's aesthetic and presentation.
I love what they did with the HD version, don't get me wrong, it's just that there was something unique about the PS2 version that isn't easily replicated in... well... any kind of game out there really.
One of my favourite games of all time, it really is a great achievement,
A really special game.
Loving Digital Foundry, the work you guys been doing for the last years makes the difference and it´s completely necessary. Keep it up.
I remember buying this game purely based on the box art - and I LOVED this!
I hope they do an HD remaster on ps4 someday.
As always John, great job! Very informative and well written and produced. You are making some of my favorite gaming videos on TH-cam. After playing The Last Guardian (and loving it), I really need to go back and play this game.
Hold on... ICO, NICO, TRICO?
Actually TRICO have sense, TR (Third) chapter of ICO. N-ICO can means New ICO, so, yes, it's connected in some way.
it was called Nico because Ni actually means two in Japanese, so that Trico thing seems to be on purpose.
QUADCO?
Quintco, and of course.... SEXCO
What a glorious game. I can't praise Ueda and his team enough. Each game; ICO, Shadow of the Colossus and The Last Guardian, are games that were such AMAZING experiences. When I finished these games they stuck with me so long, longer than any other game ever has or will. I couldn't sleep last night because I was still thinking about ending to the Last Guardian. My buddy Trico.. ;_; My gosh, I love these games so much!!
This videos are among my favorites of this channel. And this is saying a lot, bien DF what it is. Congratulations for the hard work
I absolutely love these df retro videos, it's fascinating looking back on older games and the tech that was used.
Thanks, John. This series has been nothing short of brilliant. See you in the new year :)
Masterpieces like this will never come to PC
Andrew dude get out from your cave.. pcsx2 exists
Reyhan Farabio Good luck with shitty old ps2 version which looks even worse on pcsx2
Lmao at thinking Shadow of the Colossus is clunky or a walking sim
well, dark souls eventually made it. But yeah, this likely won't.
Fuddy Duddy Dark Souls was never an exclusive.
outstanding video! Team Ico pushes the PS2 hw beyond to its maximum... even issues like low framerate , SOTC is so impressive for that time.
Still better frame rate than ARK in consoles
It will, hopefully, get better over time, Remember how bad Unreal Engine 3 was when it first came out? every bit as bad, if not Worse, than UE4 is at the moment, now its one of the most.. "Solid" Engines out there... I am not making Excuses for UE4, it is an absolute Pile of Shit at the Moment I agree and in need of some serious Optimization Work! I am just saying it Should, Hopefully, get better! .
I still haven't played this, an error I intend to fix over the holidays.
Great video as always
Play it...your gaming life gonna be changed forever...
Long Tran I've genuinely meant to play it for years.
Owned it briefly on PS2 but was burgled. I only ever owned PS3 at the end of the gen & never got to it.
Burgled is such an awesome word, sorry to hear that though, I feel it is the loss of the feeling of security that is the worst when burgled, not so much, the loss of possessions, though it sucks as well.
I believe that music is one of the gems of the game.. One of the best scores ever
Best "Experience" I had in a game ever was playing SotC. Love it.
Amazing episode. Please continue your DF Retro series. They are just so fascinating!
John please don't stop with DF retro. I really enjoy it!
Thanks for making this video, John. Shadow of the Colossus is my favourite game of all time and I found the video really interesting.
DF retro is one of the best gaming youtube shows out there.
As always, outstanding quality work here! DF has become my go-to place :)
Great series and video. Thank you for making it, and for covering these two incredible games specifically.
I am a nostalgic man, I see Shadow of the Colossus, I like.
Happy to own PS3 and both Ico and SotC remasters, these are legendary and unforgettable games.
Thanks for your hard work on DF Retro, really enjoyed it.
Thanks John! I look forward to seeing more DF Retro next year!
I love these DF retro videos. This game is incredible, I own the PS3 version and I'm going to have to replay it again.
Didn't expect that shoutout to Nomad's channel. I spend countless hours watching his theory videos back in the day
Best TH-cam video of the week right here!
Fantastic video John, DF Retro is now the highlight of my weekend :-)
We need to get hanging on Colossi's back with VR!
Great job you guys. DF retro is exceptional. you're really making a dent here. keep up the good work
So much respect for Bluepoint. That Halo music gives me shivers...such good times :D
Still have the demo disk! So glad I was introduced to this game series; amazingly well made
played this game in 2007 when i was 8 and it was a truly amazing experience, wish i could go back
Honestly one of my favourite series on youtube
Great first season! My favorite DF videos :D Its amazing to see the framerate dips that by todays standards I think are terrible, however back when these games released I never gave it a second thought.
I LOVE this game, it's so unique I wish there was another game like it.
Great GREAT video. One of my favorite game of all time.
The DF Retro series has been really great. And OH MAN!! HALO IS NEXT. YES!
Keep it up man. DF Retro is pretty awesome. I hope this series continues! :)
I never thought i would say this but the low frame rate on PS2 actually adds to the scenes. It feels like the world can't cope with the size of those things and makes them feel even heavier. It works a bit like slow-mo i would guess. Or maybe i'm crazy and need to revisit the game to see, it's been a long time since i played it but i remember not having a huge problem with the frame rate and i'm a frame rate person.
Imgema sounds like nostalgia goggles excusing the fact that a lot of classic games ran much worse than any game released today...
No, i was a frame rate guy even back then. I did notice the frame rate being bad. But unlike other games where it did bother me (Perfect Dark for instance) in this game i didn't mind it.
I loved this game.
Easily one of my favorite series to watch on TH-cam. Looking forward to the Halo episode next year. Just hearing the music from Halo 1 brings back lots of good feels!
Best channel on youtube. DF retro is my favorite series.
Great stuff John - what a great year of DFR!
Really loving your DF retro. Keep it coming!!
Still one of the best games ever, still more ambitious and innovative than most games today.
Absolutely excellent work. I love the content of DF retro. Keep it up.
I will never forget how guilty I felt after killing that first Colossus. Considering that every other game at that point was all about making you feel like an absolute badass killing machine, how the light faded from that beasts' eyes just really got me. Really made me think about what life is worth; are 16 lives worth the chance of reviving a loved one? Also how dark Wander became through the game; literally. Every kill staining his character model (and soul) with a darkness.
Thanks 4 the great content!Keep it up next year!:)Happy holidays DF team and all!
Such a great episode. Now i have an itch to go looking for the Colossus they didn't have in the game
Masterpiece, I always felt kinda bad when I killed each colossus, the animations are so good that you can feel the suffering and the pain and somehow feel guilty after those epic battles. Oh, and Agro is the best friend a game character could have.
I knew nothing about this game or ICO and bought it on a whim because the box art screenshots looked interesting. Little did I know, the game my PS2 just loaded was going to be one of the best games I have ever played in my entire life. I still remember the first time I ran into the first colossi...I believe I said something like "holy shit........" as it was walking towards be with his massive club, lol. #NeverForget
you guys should do a Df:retro on silent Hill 3
I really should get a PS3 and that HD collection. SotC is a true masterpiece, I've played through it soooooo many times on PS2.
Yes!! Finally!!! a DF Retro video about Halo. I really need to play this games too, probably will get them with a used PS3 eventually.
Great Series John ! I look forward to that look back at Halo (lot's of stuff to take in with that first game too). Much the same as Shenmue , I've always respected the vision present in Ueda's games more than the games themselves. Put simply - I never found Ico or SOTC much fun to play because of how the controls felt but I can still recognize their importance to modern game design.
I remember having this game when it come out, I think I was in 8th grade. My friend Austin asked to borrow it ,because literally no one else we knew had a copy.........He never gave it back.
A technical masterpiece on PS2.
If this is a technical masterpiece for Ps2 then wow, I'd like to know what Ninja Gaiden and F-Zero Gx on the Xb and GameCube are.
@Spiral I have a ton more respect for the Ps2 now then I used to. Plenty of beautiful games on it.
I was a bit salty of the systems huge success as a teen (gc and xb owner) and it kinda bled into adulthood until I've been playing so many more games these past 5 yrs on it. Tons of great content.
HOLY SHIT That Halo Ending with the music was SO FUCKING HYPE
17:20
THANK YOU!!!
I was about to get mad if you didn't recommend people to BUY these games.
Awesome series, looking forward to the next season!
climbing that castle back up, getting on the bridge and running back ALL the way on foot.....worth *-*
When SotC was released I was playing Oblivion on 360; this retrospective makes me want to finally playing it.
duuuude....get a ps3, the hd collection, fire up shadow of the colossus, turn up your sound system (for the love of god dont use your tv's standard speakers) its such a unique and interesting game, dont spoil yourself on how to beat the colossuses and you end up playing it a week straight. there is a reason why people are so crazy and hyped about the game and to put it simple they are right to be crazy or hyped about the game
17:55 "The game that boosted Ueda to the top"
In the video - "he's up here somewhere"
Nice one DF!
just played this a couple months ago on a ps2. still just as fun! ahhhh, the days when frame rate didn't matter!
SOTC in 3D on the PS3 is amazing. I hope if they ever remake it for the PS4 they include the 3D option.
I really enjoyed 3D, to bad it didn't catch on with the mainstream.
Agree. I think especially in videogames it looks awesome, even more so than in movies.
Yeah... and that 14 fps fluid experience in 3D mode.
DF Retro is the best show ever!
Thank you so much for your hard work this year! See you in 2017!
I've always said there is no better horse in a game than in SOtC. Agro had so much character and controlled brilliantly.
The rendering for close vs far is exactly what VR is going to do by tracking your eyes.
At 14:00 you mention 3D. I've actually played the game in 3D & the depth you feel when looking around at the landscape & the feeling you get of being high off the ground while climbing around on a colossus or flying in the air while riding a hawk is definitely enhanced with 3D. VR has it's place, but it's not the same as 3D. I really wish SONY would start supporting 3D TV's & games again. Hopefully "Avatar 2" will start a resurgence in 3D popularity.
I always enjoy the techno sorcery that is pulled off on the PS2 when it comes most games
Thanks for an awesome series!
I'd love to see an episode on the evolution of the _Burnout_ franchise.
I've still got this when it was free on ps plus back in. 2013