Although Prince of Persia puzzles have historically been focused on traps such as spike pits and running buzzsaws as opposed to intricately designed locking mechanisms, both games represent a cerebral take on the adventure genre. Ico owed a large debt to the Prince of Persia franchise with respect to two particular qualities long associated with Prince of Persia: its use of environmental puzzles and its outstanding animation. Trying to pick your way throw an enormous and foreboding castle, figuring out how to get from one room to the next is an extremely rewarding gameplay experience, if you’re willing to hang up the ubiquitous blood and sex for a moment. There are a number of reasons to love Ico, but chief among them is its reliance on environmental puzzles as a gameplay mechanic. I guess what I mean to say is I miss the sense of wonderment and discovery I experienced playing through Ico for the first time.
I suppose I could go back and play it at any time.
