Ico 2001

Is it still worth playing?

Sony Computer Entertainment Japan's 2001 adventure for the PlayStation 2, directed by Fumito Ueda, with an HD version in a PlayStation 3 collection in 2011. You solve puzzles and platform through a castle, where Yorda can only open certain doors and only Ico can climb, lift and push, taking her hand to pull her along. Shadow creatures try to drag Yorda away, and Ico fends them off with a stick or sword. There is no on screen interface such as health displays, no quest log or minimap, and the camera watches from a distance. It won three Game Developers Choice Awards in 2002, for level design, visual arts and game innovation. No HUD, a distant camera and one relationship between two characters still make it feel unlike later, larger games.