Released on the Playstation 2 in the US on September 24th, 2001, Ico was a unique and minimalist adventure game designed by a new group of developers known as Team Ico, led by game designer Fumito Ueda. The game centers around a simple narrative: A young horned boy named Ico, is taken and locked away in an abandoned castle. After a sudden tremor that frees Ico from his hold, players begin exploring the castle and discover another captive girl by the name of Yorda. Freeing this girl, the two search for a way out of this castle. The ways in which these two characters interact with one another to explore and solve puzzles is the heart of this clever, but simple gameplay. And it was a very intentional choice as designer Ueda wanted to focus on building a bond between these characters without any direct communication. This is directly felt in the mechanic in which players will grab the girl's hand to guide her through the castle. Occasionally, shadowy beings will gather in attempts to take back the girl, which players must find the means to fend off while keeping a watchful eye on their companion. And there are times when Ico must venture on his own by means only he is capable of, adding an unnerving sense of fear leaving your partner in such potential risk of danger. This game develops such an engrossing and rich relationship through such simple means of gameplay and interaction between the two.
In order to further the immersion of this world, the developers of this game also approached a unique design philosophy of "subtracting design". This meant simplifying and removing elements, such as user interface icons, to keep gameplay focused on these two characters and their escape from the castle. This immersion was furthered through the creation of a captivating world that is wondrously imaginative, but grounded in reality. With this simplified, but creative aesthetic, every location of this castle was beautifully framed and evoked a curious desire to learn more of the deep backstory this interconnected world seemed to hold. The game also features amazing detail when it comes to its animation, which is no surprise coming from Ueda's former experience as an animator. Perhaps one of my favorite animations, though it has little significance or value in gameplay, is when the girl, Yorda, sees birds on the castle grounds. The curiosity and wonder this character displays as she cautiously approaches and gleefully chases these birds is an endearing and memorable interaction to behold that makes this world feel all the more real.
We could talk much more about this game, such as with its fascinating ending or its lore / connection to the spiritual sequels of Shadow of the Colossus and The Last Guardian, but we'll save that for another time / post. If the above has peaked your interest, it's best to experience this artful adventure fresh and with unfamiliar eyes. As the designers of this game have demonstrated, sometimes less gives more to be enjoyed.
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