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Ueda began working with producer [[Kenji Kaido]] in 1998 to develop the idea and bring the game to the [[PlayStation]].<ref name="hg101"/> ''Ico''{{'}}s design aesthetics were guided by three key notions: to make a game that would be different from others in the genre, feature an aesthetic style that would be consistently artistic, and play out in an imaginary yet realistic setting.<ref name="method development"/> This was achieved through the use of "subtracting design"; they removed elements from the game which interfered with the game's reality.<ref name="method development"/> This included removing any form of interface elements, keeping the gameplay focused only on the escape from the castle, and reducing the number of types of enemies in the game to a single foe. An interim design of the game shows Ico and Yorda facing horned warriors similar to those that take Ico to the castle. The game originally focused on Ico's attempt to return Yorda to her room in the castle after she was kidnapped by these warriors.<ref name="beta video"/> Ueda believed this version had too much detail for the graphics engine they had developed, and as part of the "subtracting design", replaced the warriors with the shadow creatures.<ref name="method development"/> Ueda also brought in a number of people outside the video game industry to help with development. These consisted of two programmers, four artists, and one designer in addition to Ueda and Kaido, forming the base of what is now known as [[Team Ico]].<ref name="method development"/><ref name="hg101"/> On reflection, Ueda noted that the subtracting design may have taken too much out of the game, and did not go to as great an extreme with ''Shadow of the Colossus''.<ref name="method development"/>
After two years of development, the team ran into limitations on the PlayStation hardware and faced a critical choice: either terminate the project altogether, alter their vision to fit the constraints of the hardware, or continue to explore more options. The team decided to remain true to Ueda's vision, and began to use the [[Emotion Engine]] of the [[PlayStation 2]], taking advantage of the improved abilities of the platform.<ref name="game design ico">{{cite conference | title = Game Design Methods of Ico | first = Fumito | last = Ueda |author2=Kaido, Kenji | work = Game Developers Conference 2004 | date = 2004-03-24}}</ref><ref name="game design ico slides">{{cite web | url =http://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20040329/ico.htm | title = Game Developers Conference 2004 - report | publisher = Game Watch | language = Japanese | date = 2004-03-29 | accessdate = 2008-10-09 | first = Hitoshi | last = Yasushi}}</ref> Character animation was accomplished through [[key frame]] animation instead of the more common [[motion capture]] technique.<ref name="nytimes review">{{cite web | url =
[[File:Ico north american cover.jpg|thumb|upright|The cover used for the North American release of ''Ico''. It has been called one of the worst video game cover arts in contrast to the cover used in other regions, and considered a contribution to weak sales of the game in North America.]]
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| IGN = 9.4/10<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/09/25/ico |title=Ico |publisher=''[[IGN]]'' |last=Smith |first=David |date=25 September 2001 |accessdate=11 September 2014}}</ref>
}}
''Ico'' received strong [[game critic|reviews]], becoming a [[cult following|cult]] hit among [[video game player|gamers]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3141616 | title = Top 10 Cult Classics | publisher = ''[[1UP.com|1UP]]'' | date = 2005-06-22 | accessdate = 2008-10-07 }}</ref> The game has an aggregated review score of 90 out of 100 at [[Metacritic]].<ref name="MC">{{cite web| url = http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ps2/ico | title = Ico (ps2: 2001) | publisher = ''[[Metacritic]]'' | accessdate = 2008-10-04 }}</ref> In Japan, ''[[Famitsu]]'' magazine scored the PlayStation 2 version of the game a 30 out of 40.<ref name="Famitsu">{{cite news | title = プレイステーション2 - ICO (PlayStation 2 - Ico) | work = [[Famitsu]] | date = 2006-06-30 | page = 90 | volume = 915(2) | language = Japanese }}</ref> The game is considered by some to be one of the greatest games of all time; ''[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]'' ranked ''Ico'' as the 13th top game in a 2007 listing,<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.edge-online.com/magazine/edges-top-100-games-of-all-time?page=0%2C0 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080803214313/http://www.edge-online.com/magazine/edges-top-100-games-of-all-time?page=0,0 | archivedate = 2008-08-03 | title = Edge's Top 100 Games of All Time | date = 2007-07-02 | accessdate = 2008-10-09 | publisher = ''[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]''}}</ref> while [[IGN]] ranked the game at number 18 in 2005,<ref>{{cite web | url = http://top100.ign.com/2005/index.html | title = IGN's Top 100 Games | publisher = ''IGN'' | year = 2005 | accessdate = 2008-10-09}}</ref> and at number 57 in 2007.<ref name="ign top 100 2007">{{cite web | url = http://top100.ign.com/2007/index.html | title = The Top 100 Games of All Time! | publisher = ''IGN'' | year = 2007 | accessdate = 2008-10-09}}</ref> ''Ico'' has been used as an example of a [[Video games as art|game that is a work of art]].<ref name="telegraph art"/><ref>{{cite web | url =
Some reviewers have likened ''Ico'' to older, simpler adventure games such as ''[[Prince of Persia]]'' or ''[[Tomb Raider]]'', that seek to evoke an emotional experience from the player;<ref name="telegraph art">{{cite web |url = http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/3358016/Why-videogamers-are-artists-at-heart.html | title = Why videogamers are artists at heart | publisher = ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' | date = 2008-07-26 | accessdate = 2008-10-09 | first = Tom | last = Hoggins }}</ref> [[IGN]]{{'}}s David Smith commented that while simple, as an experience the game was "near indescribable."<ref name="ign review">{{cite web | url = http://ps2.ign.com/articles/164/164833p1.html | title = Ico | first = David | last = Smith | date= 2001-09-25 | accessdate = 2008-10-07 | publisher = ''IGN''}}</ref> The game's graphics and sound contributed strongly to the positive reactions from critics; Smith continues that "The visuals, sound, and original puzzle design come together to make something that is almost, if not quite, completely unlike anything else on the market, and feels wonderful because of it."<ref name="ign review"/> Many reviewers were impressed with the expansiveness and the details given to the environments, the animation used for the main characters despite their low polygon count, as well as the use of lighting effects.<ref name="g4tv review"/><ref name="gamespot review"/><ref name="ign review"/> ''Ico''{{'}}s ambiance, created by the simple music and the small attention to detail in the voice work of the main characters, were also called out as strong points for the game. [[Charles Herold]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' summed up his review stating that "Ico is not a perfect game, but it is a game of perfect moments."<ref name="nytimes review"/> Herold later commented that ''Ico'' breaks the mold of games that usually involve companions. In most games these companions are invulnerable and players will generally not concern with the non-playable characters' fate, but ''Ico'' creates the sense of "trust and childish fragility" around Yorda, and that these leads to the character being "the game's entire focus".<ref name="wellplayed">{{cite book | title = Well Played 1.0: Video Game, Value and Meaning | isbn = 978-0-557-06975-0 | editor = Drew Davidson| year = 2009 | first = Charles | last = Herold | chapter = Ico: Creating an Emotional Connection with a Pixelated Damsel | publisher = ETC Press | url = http://www.etc.cmu.edu/etcpress/content/ico-charles-herold |display-editors=etal}}</ref>
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