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ICO for PlayStation 2
ICO for PlayStation 2 is an action adventure about two prisoners trying to escape together from an abandoned castle. You control Ico, a horned boy who has been banished by his village. Inside the fortress he finds Yorda, a girl who does not speak his language. You take her by the hand, help her across gaps and seek a route through halls, courtyards and tall towers. In return, Yorda can open doors that remain closed to Ico.
The puzzles are part of the building itself. You move blocks, operate levers, climb along ledges and discover how different rooms connect. A path that Ico can negotiate alone must then be made passable for Yorda as well. Meanwhile, shadow creatures appear and try to drag her away. You keep them at bay with a stick or another weapon you find. Exploring therefore means continually considering how long you can safely leave her on her own.
You play the first adventure alone with an ordinary DualShock 2. Completing the European PS2 version unlocks a second playthrough in which another player can control Yorda; this requires a second controller, not a Multitap. The camera stays focused on your shared escape. Most of your time is spent observing, establishing routes and waiting for each other. Wind, footsteps and the movement of two hands convey a great deal without lengthy conversations.
Region and language
Our PlayStation 2 games are PAL editions and come with a Dutch or English box, unless stated otherwise. By default, you receive the version for the European market. We note it in the product details if the region is different or the box is in another language. In almost all cases, the game is playable at least in English, and often in the other five common European languages too.
Manual
ICO for PlayStation 2 includes the manual unless the product title states otherwise. If the booklet is missing, the title says “No Manual”. This lets you see before ordering whether the game comes with a manual.
The manuals included with our games usually contain at least English and often around six European languages. The exact languages vary by edition, so Dutch is not always included. The booklet explains the controls and the main rules. You can use it to check how to control the game, which actions are available and how its different features work.
The history of ICO
Sony released ICO for PlayStation 2 in North America and Japan in 2001; Europe followed in March 2002. The game came from Sony's Japanese studio under Fumito Ueda's direction. His team built the adventure around a simple encounter between a boy and a girl. Their relationship was meant to develop through play, by opening doors together, crossing distances and not leaving one another behind. The castle provided both the obstacle and the setting in which their trust grew.
Ueda chose restrained storytelling. The main characters speak different languages and much of the explanation stays off screen. Instead, animations, camera angles and taking Yorda's hand show what the pair mean to one another. The rooms also demand attention without a screen full of gauges and instructions. When a passage becomes recognisable from another angle, you work out how the building fits together for yourself. This connects the story directly to the way you solve its puzzles.
The original European release included, among other features, unlockable control of Yorda during another playthrough. This belongs to the PS2 version, rather than something first introduced by the later HD release. The development team subsequently made Shadow of the Colossus, again with little spoken explanation and considerable meaning in movement and space. Within that body of work, ICO remained the most enclosed journey: not a large map full of objectives, but one castle that you gradually learn to understand together.
Similar games for PlayStation 2
Shadow of the Colossus shares ICO's quiet storytelling, solitary structures and attention to movement. Its puzzles, however, are living giants that you must climb, scattered across a vast landscape. ICO keeps you inside a castle and ties almost every route to Yorda's abilities. Here you are not looking for the next creature on the horizon, but for a passage that two vulnerable people can negotiate together.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time also has you finding your way through a palace along walls and ledges. The difference lies in the pace and your hero's abilities. The prince performs long acrobatic sequences and can undo mistakes with his dagger. Ico moves more cautiously, must bring Yorda along and has no comparable time power. The same question of reaching a ledge therefore becomes a shared route puzzle here.
Like ICO, Primal builds an adventure around two characters who can overcome different obstacles. There you switch between Jen and Scree yourself, with demonic combat and four expansive worlds. During ICO's first playthrough you control only the boy and must account for Yorda as an independent companion. Their bond develops mainly through helping, waiting and protecting, with much less spoken explanation.
Beyond Good & Evil combines exploring an unusual world with puzzles and help from companions. Jade also has a camera and investigates a conspiracy, making information gathering and stealth important activities. ICO limits its task to escaping from a castle. Whereas Jade wants to bring evidence to the outside world, here your immediate concern is reaching the next door without the shadow creatures catching Yorda.
God of War also uses temples, moving mechanisms and climbing routes as elements of an action adventure. Kratos, however, is an experienced fighter with an extensive range of attacks and a strong emphasis on spectacular battles. Ico defends himself more simply and usually fights to keep Yorda out of the shadows' hands. Buildings determine progress in both games, but here the focus is on understanding and crossing the space together.
