Project TRICO: A Team ICO Production

We know it’s not on Xbox 360, but a project by Sony’s in-house Japanese studio Team ICO is more than worthy of note, regardless of what format we usually cover. Today, a leaked proof-of-concept trailer emerged on PlayStationLifestyle.net, unveiling the team’s new PS3 title, Project Trico.

The video shows a large, flying cat-like creature chasing a small boy through some ruins (including a snapshot of the giant chain seen on Team ICO’s recruitment page), before it’s revealed that the creature is, in fact, friendly. We then see a montage of the creature helping the boy navigate a series of ICO/Shadow of the Colossus-style environments, to the sounds of a notoriously Team ICO-esque score.

We believe the reason Project Trico wasn’t unveiled until today is due to finesse – the trailer has existed within for well over a year, now, implying that the developer was conscious about adding visual detail before showcasing it to the public. Certainly, the protagonist looks to be within the PS2′s capabilities, so when the game is finally unveiled, perhaps there will be a few key changes to the look of the game.

Alternatively, the game’s concept could have changed entirely since the video was made; franchise fans with a good memory will remember the ‘NICO’ trailer released before Shadow of the Colossus, detailing a multiplayer-style experience and slightly askew visual look that the final game didn’t incorporate. The music, however, remained the same.

For Sony, it’s a coup – the ICO universe has always been a critical darling and cult success. Though it’s never been a commercial hit, Microsoft hasn’t replicated anything quite as remarkable on an Xbox console. Still, we own PS3s, on X360, so that won’t be a problem for us.