Review Sadaharu_TR 4/5 · Mar 15, 2026
I mean it's alright.
Aged badly for sure. Played it only for the gaming culture.
Had fun? Yeah. Annoyed? Yeah.
Without gameplay videos.. bruh.. old games are painful.
Still a good game tho.
Ico (2001)
4.06 from 1292 ratings
3109 members have it in their collection · 77 playing now · 1106 backlogged · 901 wish listed
How long? Main story 9h · with extras 6h · 100% 7h (from 26 logged playthroughs)
Details
Release dates
- Sep 25, 2001 (North_America) PlayStation 2
- Dec 06, 2001 (Japan) PlayStation 2
- Mar 22, 2002 (Europe) PlayStation 2
- Feb 17, 2006 (Europe) PlayStation 2
Also available on
- ICO: Limited Edition (2002) · PS2
- Ico (2012) · PS3
Featured in lists
Rating distribution
5 stars
513
4 stars
456
3 stars
226
2 stars
79
1 star
18
Community All Reviews Statuses
Review SnakeyDave 5/5 · Jun 28, 2025
Only gets better with age
Replayed this for umpteenth time and it remains wonderful. Beautiful, muted visuals give the game a gently melancholic tone, and the delicate animation work makes every interaction feel significant and fraught; it so captures the clumsiness of being a child, their fragility, and the bond between Ico and Yorda. The near-absence of music and the diagetic soundscape make the castle …
Replayed this for umpteenth time and it remains wonderful. Beautiful, muted visuals give the game a gently melancholic tone, and the delicate animation work makes every interaction feel significant and fraught; it so captures the clumsiness of being a child, their fragility, and the bond between Ico and Yorda. The near-absence of music and the diagetic soundscape make the castle feel real; the intricate yet grounded level design and sense of isolation call back to Tomb Raider and echo forward to Dark Souls.
The fights with the shadows are the only blemish, as they go on a shade too long. But the peril of those fights is palpable, as is the tension they imbue to the moments when Ico and Yorda must separate.
A beautiful, touching adventure.
Status olivania May 7, 2025
ICO is my favorite video game, it's just so beautiful and whimsical, the whole experience is delightful. The world of ICO is like jumping into a painting, there is no part of this game that isn't gorgeous. I've played through it a few times and I've yet to get bored of it, even though I don't think there's any replay …
Read moreICO is my favorite video game, it's just so beautiful and whimsical, the whole experience is delightful. The world of ICO is like jumping into a painting, there is no part of this game that isn't gorgeous. I've played through it a few times and I've yet to get bored of it, even though I don't think there's any replay value or new game plus. It's just worth every minute you spend with it.
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Status shinespark Oct 22, 2024
I never finished Ico back on my old PS2, and the alphabet challenge had me thinking about games that start with "I", so I took a few hours to revisit it last week. Still love the stark, sun-blasted art direction and sound design, but more than anything I was struck by how directly it was inspired by Another World, and …
I never finished Ico back on my old PS2, and the alphabet challenge had me thinking about games that start with "I", so I took a few hours to revisit it last week. Still love the stark, sun-blasted art direction and sound design, but more than anything I was struck by how directly it was inspired by Another World, and how directly it went on to inspire Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. From the central conceit of spending a whole game with a single NPC, all the way down to nitty gritty details of level design and cutscene direction, these are three games in clear conversation with each other, which is really neat to see.
Unfortunately though, I found Ico to be outclassed by both its forebear and its successor. Even disregarding its mediocre combat and puzzles, which arguably aren't the main draw, the core experience of forming a relationship with a partner character just didn't work as well for me here as it does in Another World and Sands of Time. Yorda's interactions in the game world are so limited, and so passive, that she ended up feeling less like a teammate and more like a puzzle piece that I was shifting around the board. I wish she was allowed to be a more active participant in the adventure.
Status El_Diegote Feb 12, 2023
Yell at someone else and they will struggle to follow your commands. Lead by gently taking their hand and everything will be faster and smoother.
I am only saying this because I noticed after 1 hour that you could actually take their hand and guide them to do what you need. Way less infuriating game after you know that little …
Yell at someone else and they will struggle to follow your commands. Lead by gently taking their hand and everything will be faster and smoother.
I am only saying this because I noticed after 1 hour that you could actually take their hand and guide them to do what you need. Way less infuriating game after you know that little fact.
Review westonm02 5/5 · Sep 22, 2022
ICO the wander/wonder.
I loved this game. It was eerie yet inviting. Having a companion along the way that you have to keep up with and protect made you really think through some of the puzzling gameplay. Satisfying cutscenes when completing milestone tasks, music that really knew how to set the tone and lead the experience to another level, and subtle story telling …
Read moreI loved this game. It was eerie yet inviting. Having a companion along the way that you have to keep up with and protect made you really think through some of the puzzling gameplay. Satisfying cutscenes when completing milestone tasks, music that really knew how to set the tone and lead the experience to another level, and subtle story telling without much of any dialogue that still portrayed the story. The controls of an early ps2 game was actually really intuitive. I liked (for the most part) how the creators wanted you to explore and experiment to learn all of the simple controls. You would think walking around a blurry, empty, maze like castle with a painfully slow mandatory companion, completing puzzles that at times have no rhyme or reason would be awful, but team Ico put an IP together that truly stood the test of time. for now. PS. I did play the Ps2 version on original hardware.
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Review Witt997 1/5 · Dec 27, 2021
orribile
io detesto ICO: non capisco come fa la gente ad amarlo. grafica soottotono, persino su ps3, controlli ingestibili, yorda talmente stupida da correre verso i nemici invece di scappare, per non parlare della sua non collaborazione. bella la trama e il level design sottrattivo Voto: 5.5/10
Review DirtyMidnighter 4/5 · Apr 23, 2020
I Wanna Hold Your Hand
Utterly beautiful and restrained, ICO is one of the games that brought video games closer to art in the minds of those who played it. At times the camera pulls so far back that your character is a mere speck lost within a massive, imposing labyrinth. Notably, this game launched the Ueda-verse, of which Shadow of the Colossus and The …
Read moreUtterly beautiful and restrained, ICO is one of the games that brought video games closer to art in the minds of those who played it. At times the camera pulls so far back that your character is a mere speck lost within a massive, imposing labyrinth. Notably, this game launched the Ueda-verse, of which Shadow of the Colossus and The Last Guardian, also great games, are a part. The only knock against it is that like the other two, the gameplay can be frustrating and a bit vague. Just be patient and observant and you'll enjoy this quiet, mysterious and very pretty little game.
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Status StrictSnow Feb 15, 2020
Playing Ico. 2001. Seamless cutscenes to gameplay transitions. Wow. So thoughts so far. It exudes a lot of the alien and almost creepy aspects of Shadow of the Colossus, which I played before. For a 2001 game it doesn't look bad. Also that seamless cutscene to gameplay is amazing.
Status cemakkartal May 1, 2018
I wanted to play this game for so many years and finally had the time to sit and play. But of course, when you play a 17 old game, reality may differ from expectations. The game looks beautiful, has a good atmosphere, makes you curious about the story, but... The gameplay was too challenging for me and I just didn't …
I wanted to play this game for so many years and finally had the time to sit and play. But of course, when you play a 17 old game, reality may differ from expectations. The game looks beautiful, has a good atmosphere, makes you curious about the story, but... The gameplay was too challenging for me and I just didn't have the patience. Wish they changed the check point system in a more casual way when they remastered it. And also they could have tweaked the fight mechanics to make the game easier.
Anyway, decided to watch it on Youtube after playing for 1 hour or so. Certainly not a flawless masterpiece, but a solid and challenging game.
Review QDB 4/5 · Jul 1, 2017
Team Ico's First Opus
A minimalist masterpiece in the form of a game that excels at puzzles and making the player care about the damsel in distress you escort through a hauntingly beautiful castle. Unfortunately the lackluster combat becomes especially noticeable due to it's frequency. But in spite of this small flaw, Team Ico's first game stands the test of time.
4/5
A minimalist masterpiece in the form of a game that excels at puzzles and making the player care about the damsel in distress you escort through a hauntingly beautiful castle. Unfortunately the lackluster combat becomes especially noticeable due to it's frequency. But in spite of this small flaw, Team Ico's first game stands the test of time.
4/5
Review killerstar 5/5 · Feb 28, 2017
This game is delightful. Is one of those rare instances where every part blends masterfully to build a cohesive whole. The character designs, the castle, the music (or lack thereof). I love how there's a very solid sense of place; that you ate not going through a series of unconnected puzzle chambers, but that every sector fits perfectly like a …
This game is delightful. Is one of those rare instances where every part blends masterfully to build a cohesive whole. The character designs, the castle, the music (or lack thereof). I love how there's a very solid sense of place; that you ate not going through a series of unconnected puzzle chambers, but that every sector fits perfectly like a lego piece.
I played the PS2 version and the only thing that really hasn't age well is the aweful camera. While I appreciate the fact that it's deliberately placed, I still often found it cumbersome and annoying.
Status Please...callmeYork Dec 28, 2016
1 hour in: I think I am in love. It is such an absorbing experience. Even the flawed combat has an immediacy to it. It really captures the hopelessness of a child fighting shadows with a stick. The hand-holding mechanic is clever and fosters a sense of care for, and a need to protect, Yorda. I look forward to spending …
Read more1 hour in: I think I am in love. It is such an absorbing experience. Even the flawed combat has an immediacy to it. It really captures the hopelessness of a child fighting shadows with a stick. The hand-holding mechanic is clever and fosters a sense of care for, and a need to protect, Yorda. I look forward to spending more time with this gem.
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Review theWellRedMage 5/5 · Sep 2, 2016
Ico (2001)
Shadow of the Colossus' less popular brother is worthy of greater fame... https://thewellredmage.wordpress.com/2016/02/27/ic...
Review Pale 3/5 · Mar 17, 2014
Ico is a wonderful idea combined with a pleasant art style mixed with a bunch of gameplay flaws. I'm glad I finally played it through to the end but I don't see myself going back to it. The story is charming. The characters are nicely developed. Some of the scenes are awe inspiring. But... ugh. This game begins with puzzles …
Read moreIco is a wonderful idea combined with a pleasant art style mixed with a bunch of gameplay flaws. I'm glad I finally played it through to the end but I don't see myself going back to it. The story is charming. The characters are nicely developed. Some of the scenes are awe inspiring. But... ugh. This game begins with puzzles that are nearly impossible to solve on your own. Once solved, you start to understand how the designers think and design the stages. Then all of the puzzles toward the end of the game feel incredibly telegraphed and simple. Any part that relies on platform jumping is intensely frustrating. I hope things are improved in Shadow of the Colossus as I plan to eventually get around to playing that.
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Status Pale Jan 30, 2014
Played some more Ico last night. Sadly, I really don't think this game is very good. I spent a good half hour on a "puzzle" before going to a FAQ online only to discover that I didn't realize I could hold down a button to swing on a chain. Thanks for somehow explaining that game!
Status joethehuman Oct 9, 2013
Ico reminds me of Zelda a bit. Love the art style and the minimalist presentation.
