Watching the Playstation conference at Gamescom, one expects to see quite a few surprises throughout the presentation. But one of the biggest surprises to me came at the announcement of Rime from Tequila Works. Leading off from the successful indie title Deadlight, Tequila Works seems to be delivering a pseudo-homage to Ico, a title developed by Team Ico and released for the Playstation 2 and re-released in an HD package along with Shadow of the Colossus for the Playstation 3.

Revealed to be an open-world adventure title, Rime does look eerily reflective of the gameplay dynamics found within Ico, with the trailer showcasing a young character traversing rock cliffs, vibrant landscapes, and even carrying a torch. For anyone who has any familiarity with Ico, those elements were some of that title’s most noticeable.

While we’re not really sure if the developers at Tequila Works may be fans of Ico, Rime’s open-world structure will set the game apart from the former and, at least in my eyes, is turning out to be probably one of the most visually distinctive Playstation 4 titles to be announced at the conference. While Team Ico’s The Last Guardian may be in development purgatory, Rime may be a title that will appease those gamers looking to scratch that illusive Team Ico itch.