Ico

Classic hit released on PS2 which together with its spiritual successor – Shadow of the Colossus – creates one of the most original and best-reviewed series in the history of video games. Ico was released in September 2001, developed by a Japanese studio – Team Ico.

Story

In the game, the player controls a boy named Ico. Ico is marked with a mysterious curse due to which he is born with weird horns on his head. The ancient tradition of his village sentences the boy to a cruel fate – he is to be captured by a couple of riders and imprisoned in a dark and dangerous fortress where the only faith that awaits him is death. One day, Ico notices an imprisoned girl. She uses a language that he can’t understand. It is revealed that the girl, named Yorda, is a princess, the daughter of the cruel queen that rules the castle. The protagonist decides to help Yorda. Together they began to fight for survival and to escape from the trap.

Gameplay

Ico is a third-person perspective action-adventure game. The objective of the game is to help the two escape from the castle filled with many traps and merciless demons. What makes the game exceptional is a strong emotional relationship between Ico and Yorda that develops as the game progress. The protagonist is taking care of the princess, protects her from monsters and saves her from falling into a precipice. When playing Ico, the player can feel what loneliness means and what it is like to be responsible for another being.

Last updated on March 10, 2016