Overall Rating

ICO (PS2) - 1Every now and then, a title comes along that shocks you with its quality and elegance. Often, such a title will stand as one of the defining moments of the console on which it appears. People will point to it years after the demise of said console and say, "That game is why I still own that system." These games are, naturally, few and far between. A list of such titles might include "Chrono Trigger," "Metal Gear Solid," "Panzer Dragoon Saga," "Jet Grind Radio," and "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time." The latest addition to this pantheon is Sony's "Ico."

Storyline and gameplay
"Ico" (pronounced "EE-ko") takes place in a fantastic yet oddly familiar world, in which a boy born with horns on his head is sent to an ancient castle as a sacrifice to ward off curses from his village. Within this castle is an evil queen who drains the spirits of her victims to rejuvenate herself. While he is encased within one of dozens of prison cells, a fortunate accident topples Ico's cell and frees him. After some exploration, Ico rescues Yorda, an unearthly young girl also imprisoned as a sacrifice. She has strange powers that allow her to manipulate the doors in the labyrinthine fortress. Ico is strong enough to fight off the shadow monsters that attempt to recapture her. Together, they attempt to escape the castle and its queen.

It is difficult to describe in words the true beauty of "Ico's" design. Essentially a 3D update of "Prince of Persia," the gameplay focuses on spatial puzzles involving climbing, leaping, switch-throwing, and creative block placement. The catch is that Yorda depends on you to clear the way for her, as she is weakened by her time in captivity and can't climb or jump as well as Ico can.

Often Ico must leave Yorda behind while he moves ahead in an attempt to open a gate or lower a bridge for her. You must be careful not to leave her for too long, however, as the evil queen's shadow creatures can appear at any time to drag Yorda into black portals that will seal her fate and end your game. When confronted with such threats, Ico can wield wooden planks and the occasional sword to combat them and defend his newfound friend. One of the most visceral elements of "Ico" is the feeling of guardianship that develops in the player's mind toward Yorda.

Graphics and details
"Ico" sports arguably the most jaw-dropping visuals on the PS2. The right analog stick allows you to pan the camera left to right to view areas, and R2 zooms in for a closer look. The environment and architecture of the castle is so perfectly realized that it can be difficult to believe you're looking at real-time graphics. Textures are rich and clear, and the detail is unreal. Trees have individually modeled leaves. The gorgeous pools of water not only ripple and react to Ico's splashing about, but also reflect their surroundings in real time.

ICO (PS2) - 2The inhabitants of Ico's world are no less detailed, sporting amazing motion-captured animation work and even excellent acting through body language. Traveling with Yorda typically entails taking her hand and pulling her along with you. Through clever use of the Dual Shock's vibration feature and an amazing feeling of weight and inertia in the motions of the two characters, "Ico" manages to create an uncanny illusion of actually pulling another person along by the hand.

Ico himself moves more realistically than nearly any other game character. Also worthy of note is the inky shadow matter the queen's creatures are made of, which is rendered so well it almost seems you could reach out and squish it between your fingers.

Sound
Perhaps even more impressive than the visuals is the sound scape. There is little music in "Ico," and it's mainly heard in menus and to warn you of attacking shadow beasts. For the most part, you'll be hearing chirping birds, rolling ocean waves, and wind howling over impossibly high towers. The aural aspect of the game is so carefully crafted that it's almost subliminal, but it is what puts you firmly inside the world of "Ico."

All but one of the characters speak a language created for the game, subtitled in English. Yorda, however, has her own hushed and melodic tongue, with subtitles in an alien hieroglyphic script. Originally, finishing the game would unlock the option to sub Yorda's speech in English on subsequent playthroughs, but this feature was removed for the final version. Whether this choice was a stylistic one or a function of time constraints is debatable, but it does add to the ethereal girl's mystique. Thankfully, it's rarely difficult to guess what she means in context of the scenes.

ICO (PS2) - 3Its flaw: length
If "Ico" has a flaw, it's that it ends too soon. It will likely take most players seven to 10 hours to puzzle out the enigmatic castle the first time, and perhaps half that for a replay. Additionally, the urge to press on further into the breathtaking world of the game is so strong, many will finish "Ico" in one or two sittings. This does not detract to any great degree from the most well-designed game in years, but it does impact replay and longevity enough to knock the playability score down a notch or two.

Some may balk at paying full price for "Ico," considering the length. Whether you buy, rent, or borrow it, though, get your hands on this title. Anyone who has ever felt and savored that certain transcendent escapism that comes from a game that does everything right owes it to him or herself to experience "Ico." The moment Ico first takes Yorda's hand in his is as organic and human as anything seen in interactive entertainment. Sony has created a classic that is both a stunning technical achievement and a perfect example of a videogame as art. Play this game.