The Cult Classic That Secretly Inspired The Game Industry

The most important game you don't know about

I'm European and I bought ICO as a 11 year old just because it had the cardboard box with that cool painting (so it wasn't that the whole west got that weird looking cover, that was just for the US I belive) and it ended up becoming one of the most special games I've ever played. I got stuck as a kid but finished the story years later. One problem with the European version is a particular jump that's not in the US version. I hate that jump section so much...

Anyway. I wish ICO would get more recognition. Definitely one of the most influential and best games ever made and with SOTC the best "art video games" imo. I wish they would remake ICO as they did with SOTC so more people get to see it.

Ico had a profound effect on me and elevated games into an art form

Ico was groundbreaking at the time but every time I try and revisit it the spark I wince had for it is gone I begin to get frustrated with the ancient mechanics and graphical representation. Is it just me?

Fumito Ueda's games are absolutely phenomenal. I just wish he and his team would make more and doesn't take a decade to make them!

She was truly a useless damsel in distress. 😅 This game is beautiful though, I really enjoyed it.

I didn't know that game before. You convinced me to play it. I'll tell you my thoughts on it when i'm finished

is that kings field the ancient city music im hearing lol? im having flash backs

ICO is basically a story about a horny boy simping for a girl

Never played it but hell yeah dude

i like cars they're cute

Also the reason for ICO's american box art being the way it is was because ICO was released in the US before Japan and Europe so they actually didn't have enough time to put the box art that we all know and the extra features from the japan and PAL versions I feel like there's this misconception that the US end up the way it is because of marketer's thinking americans are dumb when it was just tight deadline for being the reason for that not to say I prefer the US cover art more but just an fyi

ICO 😭🩵🩵🩵🩵

At the end of shadow of colossus the main character wanderer is reborn as a baby with horns could this be the same character as ico a boy born with horns on his head?

I really like type of game that shows how small you are instead of making you the big strong guy

been a fan of ico since it’s release. In my top five games of all time.

Man, somehow I always ignored this game whenever I saw it being sold in stores, and never even bothered looking info about it. What I've been doing with my life?...

Michiru oshima & Koichi Yamazaki - Heal is one of the most best relaxing video game save song that I've ever listen to.

Amazing video!!!

I grew up playing Shadow of the Colossus and have played through the game over 30 times. But I didn’t play Ico until a few years ago and hot damn was it amazing. It gave me that same feeling I had when I first played SOTC. Team Ico’s games are absolutely phenomenal

Great video, thanks. This is a game that's really stuck with me. Just in terms of atmosphere, I think it is one of the all-time greats, along with Riven and Majora's Mask.

If ICO was such a profound and foundational game....... Why isn't there's ICO 2?.......

Checkmate, ICO fans.

These are some of my favorite games ever, Ico & Shadow of the Colossus. I still need to get around to the last guardian tho

FUMITO UEDA, KOJIMA AND YOKO TARO IS REAL GENIUS ANS VISIONARY. ALL REST USA GAMES IS SHIT FOR IDIOTS.

Trying a little too hard to be like Jakey.

Started the video, because interested in ICO, stayed, because you pulled out Patrick's ass.
Come on, what kind of creativity is this, simulating manipulation of a video by your body movement. Cool idea :D

Ico is such a beautiful game, and underappreciated. I'm not even that into minimalism as an ideal, but Ico shows how it can really be used well. One idea at the core, with everything else acting in service to that idea. And even if in some areas it is a bit simple, it is still a really good video game. Wheras many, many other games held up as art tend to either downplay their gameplay, or the gameplay exists largely in a sperate bubble from the artistic parts.

I'm so glad others appreciate the charm of ico's atmosphere 🙏🙏🙏 it's a beautiful piece of art, and the music really adds to the loneliness of the castle and characters. It's hauntingly beautiful💖

Excelente video, cada vez mejor la producción de tus videos.

the english teacher 100% needed to say the n word, especially in huckleberry finn

I was busy playing soul calibur 2 with my cousins around the mid ps2 era and I feel like I missed out not knowing of this game being on the same console! I grew to ADORE storytelling games like Dreamfall, Final Fantasy, Legend of Dragoon, Okami, etc. Definitely would've remembered Ico.

Thanks for reminding us and putting those of us (me) who don't know onto Ico, I'm adding it to my "Play"list for sure.

p.s. nice to see the Castle in the Sky appreciation! That beautiful movie has such a special place in my heart and I can also see Pazu & Sheeta in Ico & Yorda

“Underrated” “hidden gem” no, it isn’t, its OVERrated, so many people act like this game is the best game to have ever been created, I doubt it actually is, don’t get me wrong now, it’s probably a good game, I’ll play through it, but it isn’t that good for sure and it certainly isn’t life changing, its just a game ffs

I've played SotC and TLG on PS4. The only one I'm missing is ICO to complete the Ueda trilogy. Recently I've seen the anime "Made in Abyss" and Reg reminded me a lot of how the boy looks in ICO: horns on his head, red cape, escorting a girl into a dangerous area and all that. Hope I can get to play ICO one day. I probably would need a PS3 to do that, and that's getting harder and harder nowadays.

Oh man I’ve been saying it Eye-ko all these years lol

Man idk if you’ve seen NakeyJakey but yall have a very similar passionate video essay vibe and really hit all my nostalgia in these great videos. I hope to see more and more of your videos. you’re doing a fantastic job and hope to join your patreon soon and consume as much of your content as possible ❤️

I like ur style❤

BRO YOU GOOD

What on earth are you wearing

Metal Gear Solid 3 visuals were also influenced by ICO.

When asked what one of my favorite pa2 games was I didn't hesitate to say Ico. SoTC gets all the hype by Ico was always my favorite. I wasn't aware of how much it influenced. Still hoping it gets remaster because it.deserves thay same treatment.

Just found your videos. Dude! Immaculate vibes.

Brilliant video. Absolute masterpiece of a game.

I finished Ico yesterday, and because of the gameplay that I didn’t like and some other things too, I gave it 6,5/1 overall. But for me the core mechanic (aka connection and interaction between Yorda and Ico) was 9/10 for me. When Ico fell down I was anxious because no weapon, no companion, don’t know where to go and much else. The scene where you go with the boat seemed so damn sad to me, because it seemed like if after all the game where you were protecting Yorda, now she saved your life remaining there because her true nature revealed or for some other reasons, leaving you alone. I was very happy not only for the ending that seems happy, but that in fact it didn’t end like I thought initially.
I remained very impressed by seeing how Ico influentially is for the gaming industry. I thought ok about TLOU or Brothers, but Dark souls 😳?
Anyway, I think the game is unique, but it’s too old and needs a good remaster or remake, which won’t change the core mechanic of the game, but only would improve it and everything else, making it more enjoyable to play for a modern gamer. But I doubt it will ever come out, sadly.

I've played through Shadow of The Colossus, and heard a lot of good things about Ico...
But the fact that you have to hold a button to keep holding hands... that information alone was a lightning strike moment of "oh that game is something else huh gawd damn"
And now I have to play it as well!

Man, your taste is impeccable. Next you'll tell me that you play melee

Ico is just one of those games where once you play it, you can’t forget it. i started out by watching my dad play this game, and i was hooked immediately. i picked it up myself for the first time when i was only 6 years old, and i never looked back. over the years, i’ve completed this game hundreds of times and know practically everything that there is to know about the game. i loved it so much, so when i was 8, my dad custom made me an Ico costume so i could be him for Halloween one year. i would even make my sister play it with me, not as in play the game, but as in i would drag her around my childhood apartment and pretend that she was Yorda and i was Ico. eventually my uncle found me some Ico shirts, (which were super rare and were pretty much nonexistent at the time, still almost nonexistent now, so i still don’t know he did it) and now my 5 year old sister wears them instead of me, and watches me play the game from time to time. so, yeah. i apologize for the long comment, i just had to jump at the chance to discuss the game that changed my life in so many ways. i’m definitely going to go boot up my old ps3 and replay it now.

So we can blame Ico for Ashley screaming "HELP ME, LEON!" in our ears is what you are saying?

something that is killing my gaming love and immersion is you can expect and predict accurately things because of how the contemporary games are trying to standardize mechanics, there has to be crafting, there has to be parrying, there has to be a way to upgrate weapons and modify them with attachments, there has to be a skill three, it has to be an open world, it has to be easy enough to be playable by casuals, it has to be infinite to keep the players the longest time possible, there has to be a lot of skins so the player is always trying to look different despite doing always the same thing.
I remember the time were games were unique experiences and those trying to standardize things were called clones and wannabes.