Ico is a game that was originally developed for the Playstation video game console, eventually ported to the Playstation 2, leaving the Playstation with a demo that actually used pre-rendered animation scenes. The game was created by a team of developers known as the "Team Ico", a branch of Sony Computer Entertainment, by whom it was published in the year 2001 in North America (September 24) and Japan (December 6). In Europe Ico was released on March 22, 2002, followed by a re-release on February 17, 2006. The game was designed by Fumito Ueda, a critically acclaimed Japanese game designer whose unique washed-out graphics style has influenced the visual design of several other games. The same team led by Fumito Ueda was also responsible for developing another game similar in style to Ico, called Shadow of the Colossus. Even though Ico had not seen commercial success in North America, it received critical acclaim from game review magazines and won several awards.

Fumito Ueda is an exceptional game designer with an eye for detail. He says, "Basically, I seemed to be interested in things that moved", when he talks about his career as a character animator and animation director. Indeed, Ico moves the player not only by its stunning graphics and its brilliant subtle soundtrack that matches the painting-like graphics, but importantly, the emotional attachment that is felt between the characters of the game and the player. Peter Molyneux, a game design industry veteran (Bullfrog, Lionhead Studios) had previously pointed out that one of the next steps in game design is developing relationships between the player and game characters. Ico is an excellent example.

The plot of this game takes place in a fantasy world filled with fields, woods, rivers and large cliffs. You play as a young boy named Ico who was born with a pair of horns. It seems that Ico is captured by the authorities of the village he lived in and later brought to the castle on a desolate island. The warriors who bring Ico to the castle tell him, "Do not be angry with us. This is for the good of the village" as they put him in a tomb. It can be interpreted that because the boy had horns the land would be cursed. As the introduction animation continues, we see that there are many more tombs, suggesting that Ico is not the first. When the warriors leave, part of the castle must rise to open the front gates. Incidentally, this creates something short of an earthquake and as the door of his tomb flies open Ico is knocked unconscious when he falls out onto the castle's floor. He sees a strange dream that drives the plot further.

Following his escape Ico encounters a girl who is trapped in a cage. The attention to detail of the game plot development here is incredible. The image of Yorda is first introduced to us in a dream that Ico has when he is knocked unconscious by the fall from his sarcophagus. He dreams of climbing a staircase, at the top of which he finds a dark silhouette of what seems to be a girl. Ico's dream ends when he is chased by the shadow-like creatures. When he awakens, the reality starts to resembles his dream. He climbs the same stairs. He sees the same cage. But this time the figure inside the cage is different. Her skin is pale and she is wearing a light dress that clearly stands out from the otherwise dark environments of the castle. Ico releases Yorda from the cage. It turns out that Yorda possesses supernatural powers, such as being able to open doors by moving large blocks of stone without having to touch them. It appears that Yorda doesn't have any knowledge of the outside world because she is entrapped in the castle by her mother who wears a black shadowy cloak and do anything in her power to interrupt Ico's journey to get Yorda out of the castle.

A unique element of the game is that Ico is capable of dragging Yorda by her hand as she follows, but it seems to be up to the player to decide whether the player wants to have her around. Interestingly enough, the bond developed between the player and the characters of the game can make the player feel guilty for leaving Yorda behind. Yorda is constantly pursued by dark shadow-like creatures that seem to appear out of nowhere and consume Yorda in their shadow unless Ico protects her.

The game offers several interesting visual effects attention to detail of which is no less than stunning. Clothes of the characters are animated in a way to indicate that they are affacted by the fluid gusts of wind. Lightning effects outside of the castle create a unique gloomy atmosphere. The overall hand-made character animation is exceptionally well done and makes one question whether human models with motion detectors were used. Cinematic scenes are designed with care and the camera angles are brilliantly positioned as Ico enters and leaves different areas of the game world.

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