• ID = PS0389
• STYLE = Adventure Puzzle
• DEV. = Sony CEJ, Inc.
• PUB. = Sony CEA, Inc.
• R-DATE = Sep-26-2001
• ESRB = T / For Teen
• PLAYERS = 1 player
• LIST PRICE = $39.99
  

Ico incorporates elements from puzzle, adventure, strategy, fighting, and role-playing-game genres. It's the tale of a courageous young boy on a heroic journey through an unknown castle to save a princess and discover his own mysterious fate. Faced with numerous puzzles, ranging from simple mazes to complex brainteasers, Ico invites gamers into a deep, mysterious story line with beautiful, dreamlike graphics.

As the story goes, a boy is born once every generation with horns. Thought to be the minion of an evil spirit, the innocent Ico was captured at age 12 by the village's leaders and brought to a deserted castle to be sacrificed for the good of the community. After the villagers bury him alive in a castle tomb and leave him for dead, he is able to break free of his confines. He then learns of a beautiful young princess who is likewise held captive. From there he embarks on a challenging course through the castle ruins to save her.

Description 2:
Venture back to a simpler time about 500 years ago when witches and demons were perceived as very real. A remote village seems to be cursed by an unknown force, because in every generation there is a boy born who sprouts a set of panic-inducing horns, and is given the name ICO. Thought to be the spawn of evil, the child is ritually locked in a castle and left to die. You play the role of Ico, and if you’re going to live, you must escape from the castle.

As you wander through the enormous structure, you discover a young girl who doesn’t speak your language. Taking her under your wing, it’s up to you to lead her to safety through all kinds of obstacles and enemies. Armed with a relatively ineffective stick as a weapon, you must battle the wicked creatures that lie in waiting throughout the dark and dank castle. You’ll also be faced with many puzzles and platforming challenges but you must keep your female companion safe at all times.

• You’re Ico, a boy who’s been banished to a dark castle.
• You must help a mysterious young girl escape from the castle.
• All kinds of platforming challenges.
• Watch out for evil creatures that lurk in the shadows.

Amazon.com Review
Ico weaves the tale of a young boy trying to escape his imprisonment in a large, vacant castle. Along the way, he discovers another captive--a beautiful princess named Yorda. Players control Ico with the goal of escaping the castle with the princess safely in hand.

Although it looks like an adventure game and has some rudimentary action sequences, Ico is mostly about solving puzzles. Players will run, jump, and climb their way through the gargantuan castle as well as figure out which objects and environments are interactive. Yorda is very much a damsel in distress, and isn't nearly as capable as Ico.

A great deal of the puzzles require the player to create a safe path for Yorda, who isn't physically able to get to the places Ico can. The puzzles are quite brilliant, although a few are so tough that players will feel like ditching the princess.

Graphics, particularly the lighting effects and animations, are fantastic. The developers did a superb job of conveying the enormity and beauty of the castle. When Ico and Yorda move and interact, their actions seem totally lifelike.

The ambient soundtrack and simple controls let the player focus on the tasks at hand. Sony has crafted a very unique game that anyone can play. Few games are as elegant in their simplicity as this puzzler from Sony. --Raymond M. Padilla

Pros:
Excellent puzzle design
Aesthetically and stylistically brilliant
Appropriately understated sound

Cons:
Most players will finish it in fewer than 10 hours
Battles are too easy

Hidden Game, Hidden Weapon!

Hidden Game. Late in the game you will be in an outside courtyard with a huge tree and a crate next to the water flow.
If you have your sword, swipe at the tall tree, and a ball will fall out of it.
Take the toy back up the stairs into the open room and leave it.
Now locate the area between the two stairs leading to the second floor, and you should see 3 arches.
Push on the middle one to reveal a hidden room.
Go back and grab the ball and Yorda, and head into the new room.
Take Yorda and have both of them stand on the pedestal. This will cause a basket to appear.
Now you can shoot some hoops!

Hidden Weapon If you stand on the same level the basket is on, stand a few steps from either side wall and try and make a shot.
If successful, a Mace will come crashing through the window.
The Mace is stronger than the sword, but it will take more swings to cut rope.