Comparing "Portal" and "Ico"
Ah, Portal and Ico, two of my favorite games. They seem drastically different at first glance, but as I got thinking about it, I realized how similar they were. Sure, one is Sci-Fi and the other is Fantasy, but bear with me here.
--> The protagonists (Chell and Ico) and their companions (Companion Cube and Yorda)
- Both prisoners in a large, complex building
- Both meant to die in that building
- Many people like them (prisoners) have come before them
- Neither of their names are said in-game.
- Both wear orange XD
- Both have a companion that is vital to their success (Companion Cube and Yorda)
- Both companions are created by the antagonists
- The player is made to care for this companion
-The companion has the ability to open doors, but can do little else.
- This companion dies/appears to die in a heartbreaking scene
- Neither are very strong physically; they succeed because of their intellect and detirmination.
--> The antagonists (GLaDoS and The Queen)
- Both female
- Neither are human, but have human-like qualities.
- Both have extensive control over their "domain" (Aperture Labs, The Castle)
- Both think very lowly of the protagonist
- Both want to kill him/her for personal gain, not revenge, etc.
- Both must be faced in an epic final battle, which is the only "boss battle" in the game.
- Both are killed with a weapon found inside their domain.
- Neither are seen very often throughout the game.
--> The setting (Aperture Science Labs, The Castle in the Mist)
- Both are very old/in disrepair
- Both are isolated from the outside world.
- Both designed in a convoluted/puzzling way
- Both are destroyed at the end of the game
--> The enemies (Smoke Men and Turrets)
- Both are single-track minded
- Neither are human
- Neither are alive
--> The gameplay
- Both focused on puzzle-solving, with a secondary focus on combat
- Both are relatively short games.
...That's all I can think of for now. I'm a nerd, I know.