Yoko Taro Praises ICO as Game-Changing Masterpiece

Yoko Taro, the visionary mind behind NieR: Automata and Drakengard, has shared profound insights about ICO's game-changing influence on video game artistry. Originally launched in 2001 for PlayStation 2, ICO gained cult status through its elegant simplicity and expressive visual storytelling.

A Hand-Holding Revolution

Taro emphasized how ICO's central mechanic—gently guiding character Yorda by the hand—rewrote contemporary game design principles. "Had ICO simply asked players to drag a suitcase-sized object, the experience would have been exasperating," Taro observed. He stressed how this humanized interaction shattered conventional player engagement methods.

During that era, game design success was frequently measured by whether mechanics remained compelling when stripped to basic geometric shapes. ICO boldly prioritized emotional connection and thematic richness over formulaic gameplay innovations. For Taro, the game established that narrative and artistic vision could become fundamental gameplay elements rather than supplementary features.

Redefining Interactive Storytelling

Taro called ICO "a watershed moment" that permanently altered game development philosophy. He celebrated how it proved video games could communicate profound meaning through atmospheric details and meaningful interactions.

Beyond ICO, Taro highlighted two other industry-shaping titles that inspired his creative process: Toby Fox's Undertale and Playdead's LIMBO. These games, he noted, expanded the emotional and intellectual potential of interactive media, demonstrating games' capacity for deep artistic expression.

These reflections offer valuable perspective for fans of Yoko Taro's unique storytelling approach. His commentary also reinforces video games' continuing maturation as a multifaceted artistic medium capable of rich, meaningful experiences that transcend traditional entertainment boundaries.