What a delightfully quiet game! A shame I paused for almost a year because of pestilent shadows that demand many uninspired whacks, fly off with Yorda to the opposite end of the room, and knock you unplayable for three seconds when you rush to free her or inattentively mash the spank button. Stick with it, however, and the sword you eventually receive makes the game far more enjoyable, if perhaps too peaceful. The mechanics reinforce the narrative as a video game's mechanics ought to, and while much of its magic has faded over the years, there's still a good heart here. Ico may lack the majesty of its successor, but its design facilitates an undistracted, sometimes beautiful experience.