History YMMV / Ico

* UncannyValley
** Ico in the game's concept video looks weirdly human.
** The Queen's lips don't seem to match her words.

* GuideDangIt:
** Getting the secret weapons requires you to throw a ball into a large container. You could spend 1 minute to 1 hour trying to do this. The other way is to put the ball on the spot where the container rises from, then activate the floor switch.
** Finding the secret weapons. If you are not informed (or don't look at the trophies in the [=PS3=] edition), you won't even ''suspect'' there are secret weapons! After all, weapons don't really have much importance to begin with and ''ICO'' isn't the kind of game where you would expect such Easter eggs.
** When you enter the East Arena for the first time, it will seem like you've hit a dead end. It turns out that the door to the next room is hidden in the shadows. It doesn't matter how high you turn up the brightness in-game or on your television screen. The corner of the room with the door is pitch-black. You can be stuck for hours looking for hidden switches and whacking everything with your stick.

* CompleteMonster: [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen The Queen]] has been [[AbusiveParents emotionally abusing her own daughter]], Yorda, for her entire life, imprisoning her in a small cage hanging from a ceiling as well as manipulating her into thinking that she'll die if she ever leaves the castle, effectively breaking her spirit. It's implied that this is the reason why Yorda is so passive during the game; it's not because she's weak, it's because she's broken. She's also been manipulating a village into [[WouldHurtAChild sacrificing their children]], with said sacrifice involving sealing those children inside of coffins until they die; it's also implied that she controls their spirits after death as her shadow-monster servants.

* GoddamnBats: All the shadows are this. They won't do any significant damage (except if they push you off a ledge), but will get in your way, and you spend much time waving your stick in the air while trying to hit them.

%%* TearJerker: The ending sequence.

* DisappointingLastLevel: Inverted. At the end of the last level, Ico and Yorda get separated. Some players will find themselves breathing a sigh of relief, as it means an end to the annoying and frustrating EscortMission so the game can instead focus entirely on being a free-flowing CinematicPlatformer.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation:
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC-1Bdk_Fkc "Well, basically the story is about a horny kid trying to escape from prison with a curvy white chick while beating up black guys with a stick."]]

* GoddamnBats: All the shadows are this. They won't do any significant damage (except if they push you off a ledge…), but will get in your way, and you spend much time waving your stick in the air while trying to hit them.

** Also, Yorda.

* IronWoobie:Ico has been through a lot. He's been taken away from his family to be sacrificed for God knows what reason, he is trapped in a castle without knowing a way out, and he probably hasn't eaten or drank in a while. However, he is still strong-willed enough to find a way out of the castle, fight monsters, and help a girl--whom he doesn't even know--from getting her body taken over by her powerful and evil mother even if he has to fight her.

%%* IronWoobie:
** Ico has been through a lot. He's been taken away from his family to be sacrificed for God knows what reason, he is trapped in a castle without knowing a way out, and he probably hasn't eaten or drank in a while. However, he is still strong-willed enough to find a way out of the castle, fight monsters, and help a girl--whom he doesn't even know--from getting her body taken over by her powerful and evil mother even if he has to fight her.
%%** Yorda.

* GenreTurningPoint: ''VideoGame/{{Ico}}'' is credited with ushering in the arthouse game, and for its mammoth influence on visual and environmental storytelling over cutscenes and dialogues. The mix of puzzles, platforming, and combat in both games was a huge influence on the revived ''[[VideoGame/PrinceOfPersiaTheSandsOfTime Sands of Time]]'' trilogy of ''Prince of Persia'' and the ''VideoGame/{{Uncharted}}'' games, as well as codifying the importance of a supporting NPC companion, inspiring the likes of Alyx Vance (''VideoGame/HalfLife2''), Elizabeth (''VideoGame/BioshockInfinite''), and Ellie (''VideoGame/TheLastOfUs''). Its cinematic presentation, heavy emphasis on art direction and visuals for atmosphere and setting has likewise been cited as a major influence on Creator/FromSoftware's ''Dark Souls'' and ''Bloodborne''.

** Finding the secret weapons. If you are not informed (or don't look at the trophies in the [=PS3=] edition), you won't even ''suspect'' there are secret weapons! After all, weapons don't really have much importance to begin with and ''Ico'' isn't the kind of game where you would expect such Easter eggs.

%%* IronWoobie: Ico ''and'' Yorda.

* SpiritualAdaptation: The castle of Ico, with its vast spaces and {{Bizarrchitecture}} and the difficulties in leaving it is a good substitute for Literature/{{Gormenghast}}.

** Is Ico simply using Yorda for selfish reasons, not really caring about her until the Queen turned her into stone? Throughout the whole game, he has to periodically yank her to get her to move, and he always opts to do that rather than waiting for her patiently or reasurring her in any way.
*** This element is actually dependant on player choice, as if you move the controls slowly or gently enough, Ico WILL move to carefully take her hand instead of yanking her. You are also free to simply motion for her to follow you at her own pace. You can even let her play around outside for some time. While the constant danger your in WILL force you to rush at times, how patient or impatient Ico is, is ultimately in your hands.

* CompleteMonster: [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen The Queen]] has been [[AbusiveParents emotionally abusing her own daughter]], Yorda, for her entire life, imprisoning her in a small cage hanging from a ceiling as well as manipulating her into thinking that she'll die if she ever leaves the castle, effectively breaking her spirit. It's implied that this is the reason why Yorda is so passive during the game; it's not because she's weak, it's because she's broken. She's also been manipulating a village into sacrificing their children and that said sacrifice involves sealing those children inside of coffins until they die; it's also implied that she controls their spirits after death as her shadow-monster servants.

* CompleteMonster: [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen The Queen]] has been [[AbusiveParents emotionally abusing her own daughter]], Yorda, for her entire life, imprisoning her in a small cage hanging from a ceiling (which was actually considered a form of torture in medieval times) as well as manipulating her into thinking that she'll die if she ever leaves the castle, effectively breaking her spirit. It's implied that this is the reason why Yorda is so passive during the game; it's not because she's weak, it's because she's broken. Then, there's the fact that she's been manipulating a village into sacrificing their children and that said sacrifice involves sealing those children inside of coffins until they die. And it's ''also'' implied that she controls their spirits after death as her shadow-monster servants.

** The ending song [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFX2bDATGU4&hd=1 You Were There]].

* NightmareFuel
** The shadows are [[spoiler:the souls of horned people entombed alive in the castle. Including children]].
*** The ones in the pod room are different to those seen in the rest of the game. [[spoiler: They're child-sized and shaped, aren't interested in you, and only want to look at the petrified Yorda. But you have to kill them, anyways.]]
*** [[{{AndIMustScream}} Think about what they were doing when the Queen doesn't need them]].
** Ico's intended fate at the beginning of the game. He's not only condemned to a tomb but also ''shackled''. Alone and trapped in the dark, with only luck saving him from either suffocation or dehydration, whichever came first.
*** The walls of the tomb room are packed full of identical pods, indicating that Ico's intended fate isn't exactly unique.

* PlayerPunch: [[spoiler:Returning to the hall of pods where you started the game from after you're separated from Yorda -- only to find her surrounded by shadows of horned boys like yourself and turned to stone. Then, killing all those shadows who mean you no harm at all.]]

* ScrappyMechanic: Some players think that the EscortMission aspect of the game is no better implemented and just as annoying as in any other title, significantly damaging a potentially quite effective platforming game.

** Ico in the game's concept video.

* Getting the secret weapons requires you to throw a ball into a large container. You could spend 1 minute to 1 hour trying to do this. The other way is to put the ball on the spot where the container rises from, then activate the floor switch.

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome: More on the developer's part. The fact that they were able to take [[EscortMission one of the most reviled tropes in video games]] and make it one of the best parts of the game.
* CrowningMusicOfAwesome:
** "Castle in the Mist" and "Beginning" are incredibly beautiful pieces of music, both fitting for a game like ''Ico''.
** The ending song [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFX2bDATGU4&hd=1 You Were There]].

%%* SoCoolItsAwesome