BulletMagnet wrote:I have heard some say that the games are more graphics than gameplay,
It's a cheap way to criticize both.
1) gameplay it's not something you can measure and "add more". Does Resident Evil have "more" gameplay than Pac-Man? And if so, if gameplay is defined by game rules etc, does that make Resident a better game? I think it's safer to talk about different approaches to gameplay, instead of "less" or "more" gameplay.
Ico's director stated more than once that his philosophy was to subtract rather than to add - therefore a simple gameplay suits better his games. And a simple gameplay is something that a shmupper should cherish, too.
And 2) since their creation, videogames always strived to achieve better graphics. Both games do that wonderfully, creating not only wonderful visuals, but a great atmosphere. To emphasize this, they draw camera techniques from cinema, and rightly so. But non-interactive cutscenes are kept to a minimum so, I don't really see where the critic comes from.
Or wait, I do see from where - it's the typical envy of those who are unable to enjoy such masterworks.