ICO Limited Edition

ICO was released in Europe in 2002, in this special paper box that comes with four art cards. It was re-released in 2006 in a normal PlayStation 2 case, and in 2011 on the PlayStation 3 as part of the HD Collection.

This game was quite rare and valuable for some time, especially before the re-releases. It sold 700.000 copies, most of which in Europe (which could be partially due to the horrible box art the US has in comparison), and was critically acclaimed and a cult hit amongst gamers. These factors contributed to the high prices the game garnered on eBay (about 70 euro for a used copy used to be the norm).

The box consist of an outer sleeve (see the photo above), with a fold out paper box inside it. This box holds the disc and the the manual, as well as art cards.

The entire set looks beautiful. The front is clearly based on the paintings by Giorgio de Chirico, and fit the lost and lonely atmosphere of the game very well (the title of the game could be a reference to his name). The rest of the box is covered in screens taken directly from the game, proving the visual mastery of the title. The soft paper material fits the hazy style of the game well.

As noted before, the extra’s shipped with this edition consist of four art cards, featuring ingame screens of the game.

While this game’s overall value has decreased significantly, it is still a great item to have for any video game collector. Apart from it being a great game, this is a beautiful box that I’m proud to have on my shelf.