In a remote village there is a child, within every generation, born
with horns. This is considered an omen of great misfortune and any
problems that may occur, such as a draught or bad harvest, are blamed
on him. At the age of twelve this child is taken to an abandoned
palace and sacrificed to keep the spirits at bay. This unlucky fate
happens to fall on a boy named Ico. Accompanied by two villagers,
he rides on horseback and is escorted to the place of his confinement.
He is placed in a small tomb and left there to die. (Yes Ico, don't be
irate about being left to starve in a crypt. It's for the good of the
village.) After waking from his dream he struggles hard to break free.
The rock beneath miraculously gives way and he finds himself in a crypt
with many similar cells. It is up to him to somehow escape the castle
against all odds and discover the answers to the mysteries behind the
place. He will face many challenging obstacles and malicious spirits
along the way.
=====================
Hints and Tips
=====================
On combat /
---------
* Keep as close as possible to Yorda. Clasping hands with her might be
a good idea. Don't let the demons separate you from the princess,
and, if you can, try to force them all to one side.
* When battling demons, you will want to be fast and aggressive. Use
Yorda as bait and get in at least four good hits before going back
to protect her.
* Believe it or not, you will want to stay close to the portal. This
means you will have less distance to cover if you should have to go
and retrieve her.
* Fortress ghouls will often feign attacks. Strike at them as soon as
this happens.
* Combat situations are usually very predictable. Try to be prepared
before combat actually happens. If you are some distance away from
Yorda, plot out the quickest course to her if you expect combat.
* Idol doors will rid you of any nearby nuisances. Just have Yorda
open them. Don't fight if you don't have to.
* Stand just a small distance away from Yorda in order to lure the
shadow demons in. When one comes in to cart Yorda off, make it pay
with five or six good swipes.
* Shadowdemons like to come and cart Yorda off while you are at a
remote place pulling some switch. In some instances you can avoid
this by pulling Yorda to a safe distance while you are away from her.
This way, you only need battle them when you are ready.
On solving puzzles /
------------------
* Most puzzzles will involve pulling something or lighting something on
fire. Look around for bombs you can use if there is some weak
structure nearby. Also look for switches or other possible interactive
items.
* If there is a box, you will probably have to use it either then or
sometime later.
* You are not always going to get the red carpet treatment. Look around
for window sills or ledges you can climb to get to where you need to
go.
* Most of the puzzles in this game are fairly simple. Don't make things
more complex than they have to be.
On Guiding Yorda /
----------------
* Don't let Yorda out of your sight unless you must. If you find that
you have to, it should only be for a short period of time
(15-20 seconds).
* When guiding Yorda up ladders, you will have to continuosly call her
until she arrives at the top. Otherwise, she may start to climb back
down again.
* If you find that the princess that you recieved is mentally
defective, you may just have to drag her along.
=======================
Walkthrough
=======================
Part I: Tombs /
=============
The crypt /
---------
Note: All directions will be given from Ico's perspective
Ico awakes from his dream to find himself alone in a large room with
many similar contraptions around him. No need to explore here. Just go
straight up the steps located in the center of the room and you will
come to a Switch. ("Hmm...what does this switch do?" is not a bad habit
in this game.) Pull the switch and a door just below the stairs will
open.
Storage area /
------------
You will see a chain in the center. Climb up this chain and jump off
facing away from the ledge. Climb through the window and jump off.
Confinement tower /
------------------
To your right and left you will see two ladders. Take the one on the
right for now and climb the long terrace of steps. Look familiar?
Continue climbing until you reach the top. Ico finds a beautiful woman
locked in a cage suspended high above. You will have to get her down
somehow. There is a switch at the end of the stairway but unfortunately
the way is broken. You will have to take a small detour. Climb the
first ledge within your reach and jump outside and go around the bend
until you reach the very last window. Climb up and through it and
continue on until you reach the lever. Pull it and the princess will
descend to the bottom. You must now run all the way back down and free
her from her cage. Run back down the way you came and you will see her
in the middle of the room still suspended just a few feet above the
ground. Climb the opposite ladder and walk to the ledge just by the
cage. Jump on it and she will come tumbling out and a short cut scene
will commence.
=======================Cutscene===============================
Princess Yorda approaches Ico and speaks to him in a language
that he does not understand. A brand of blazing wood drops
nearby. Meanwhile, something evil awakens and comes for the
princess.
==============================================================
Quickly pick up the brand and go over to the spirit and attack it until
it dies. From thi point on you will be stuck with princess mental defect (Who
shall henceforth be known as Yorda). Your goal is to guide her through the
castle and protect her at all costs. If you approach the idol door at the front
of the room she can open it for you.
Weathered Bridge /
----------------
Head outside and to your left you will find a glowing couch.
Sit down and make yourself comfortable. This is the save point of the
game. After you've saved go across the bridge which will crumble beneath your
feet. Help Yorda up and continue on. After you go through the door you will
come into a room with more spirits. Defeat them and move the box located in the
pit to the left. Move it anywhere.
Hall /
----
A stairwell will appear and bring you to another room. There are more
spirits here but you need not worry about them just yet. You can easily
move around in this room but Yorda can not. Leave her for just a second
and jump off the ledge and head left. Pull the lever located there and a door
will open allowing you to guide the Princess through. There wil be a chain next
to a ledge on the opposite side of the room. Climb the chain and jump off onto
the ledge. As soon as you land spirits will come to attack Yorda. Defeat them
and climb up again and push the box to the lower area and help Yorda up.
Part II: Fear of Falling /
========================
Head straight up the stairs to the left and around the bend. You will
encounter more wraiths. Make note of the glowing furniture nearby. Save
there once you've had a look from the top of the watch tower.
Go back down the way you came and you should see a track going around
the perimeter of the castle. Get to it and follow it until you arrive
at the trolley. Once on it, toggle the digital stick left to move it
forward. At the end of the track you can use it as a ladder and save
again.
Grab on to the fissure in the wall and shimmy to the right until you come to a
column. Pull the switch there and a large box will move towards Yorda. Guide
her onto the box, climb up the chain, and get back to the switch. Pull it again
and it will move back to it's original position. Guide Yorda off of the box and
jump onto the nearby column. Head to the next room, but before you do, take
note of the well placed couch.
Long hall /
---------
If you look directly overhead, you will notice a chandelier hanging just over
the bridge. Run straight across the bridge and jump over the pit. There is a
ladder nearby, but it is too high out of reach. Climb the windowsills and head
over to where the chandelier is. Remember the cage Yorda was in? Jump on the
chandelier now and it will come toppling down on the bridge. The supporting
pillar has been weakened. Hmmm...
Head back outside with Yorda and head down the spiraling flight of stairs close
to the couch. When you reach the bottom you will notice some bombs nearby. Take
one with you. Once inside, place the bomb on the closest side to the chandelier
(On the right, coming in). If, for some reason, you do not have your stick with
you, there are some over in the corner next to some pots. Set the stick ablaze
and ignite the nearby bomb. Don't worry about running to a safe distance. Ico
isn't bothered by exploding bombs the size of his head. The way is now clear
for Yorda. Head back up to the bridge entrance.
Ah...but it seems things have not been made so easy for you after all. A pack
of shadowdemons awaits you. Don't fight this one out. Just run quickly to the
spirit door and they will dissipate upon its opening.
Courtyard /
---------
There will be several spiders, ghouls, and sentries here. You have a couple
options. You could either beat them off with a stick for half an hour (like I
did), or you can break through to the idol door. This is no easy task either
way.
Main gate /
---------
The gates ahead are open and only a few feet stand between you and freedom! Or
maybe not. The gates close as soon as you arrive, and the queen appears before
you in person, warning you to stay away from her daughter. After this scene is
over, plop yourself on the loveseat nearby. Yorda seems to be moving about the
pillars as if suggesting something. Pull all eight pillars towards the center,
just in case you can't follow her clues.
Courtyard /
---------
Go back to the front entrance and grab one of the bombs located to the
right of the entrance (Ico's left). Cart the bomb with you to the opposite side
where a pathway is loosely boarded up. The torches are all alight now so ignite
the bomb and continue on when it explodes.
Cemetery /
--------
This upcoming fight won't be that difficult if you are careful. Proceed
down the long pathway and save at the end. All normal strategy should
apply here and then some. Don't stray too far away from the portal as
this will make retrieving Yorda all the more difficult should she be
captured. Once you have defeated all of the spirits, go on down to the
lower level.
There is a door ahead that looks like it will open once weight
is applied to two pressure switches. There is a box against the wall behind
you. Grab it and move it onto one of the nearby switches and place Yorda on the
other one. The door should open now, but make sure Yorda doesn't move off the
switch. She should be alright so leave her for now.
Citadel /
-------
Climb up the ladder located on your left and jump onto the nearby chain. Once
up, head outside. There is the other, much needed, box! Push it to the ground
and jump down yourself. A few spirits will arrive to stop your progress. Defeat
them and push the other box on to the other switch and take Yorda inside.
It's up the ladder, up the chain, and back outside for you. Only this
time head around the bend to your right and head back inside. There
should be a switch nearby so pull it. Head straight across to the
opposite side of the room and climb on to the projecting rock and
carefully head over to the ladder and jump onto it. Once at the top,
you will have to jump backwards and land on the chain. Begin swinging
on it (pressing O) and swing back and forth by alternately pressing up
and down until you can jump onto the other side.
Watch out, because as soon as you hit ground, a horde of wraiths will
come for Yorda. If you can grab her and help her up immediately, great!
You can run for the spirit door and kill them without fighting one.
However, if they grab her and start to cart her off, you will have to
jump down into the pit and fight them all.
Windmill /
--------
If you look to your right you will see a switch. No switch so far has
done anything but lead you to your next destination. You might also
notice that the path leading to the switch ends at the top of the
windmill. You're going to have to get up there somehow. From the
entrance, go to the left side of the windmill and go up the small
set of stairs. Notice the clefts in the wall. Climb up until you reach
a space where you can walk. You are going to have to hitch a ride up, and
the rotating blades are the only way you are going to do that.
Stand to the side where the blades begin to go up. It's probably a good
idea to stand in the very back for timing purposes. This will make it much
easier. As soon as the top of a windmill blade reaches the floor, run quickly
to the edge and jump. This will be a trial and error kind of deal, so it may
take a while. Once you're on, begin shimmying over to the right until you are
near the narrow part of the blade. When the narrow part is about 30-35º from
being horizontal, shift over to that area. The camera will shift when it is
safe to jump.
Carefully make your way over the destroyed portion of the bridge and
go straight to the switch. Pull it and a bridge will come out, but not
all the way. Yorda will have to make an assisted leap. Then you can
guide her to the spirit doors, but not before heading over to the
couch you passed earlier.
Sewers /
------
You will come to the base of what is basically a large pit. Shadowdemons will
attack you here, so defeat them and climb up the nearby chain. You will come to
a grassy area with several sewage holes. There is a ledge that leads to another
chain but it is out of reach for now. One of these is not covered. Jump down it
and you will find Yorda waiting for you on the other side of the gate. Head
right (Ico's left) and stand on the platform there. Yorda will come at your
call once the gate is open. Have her stand on the adjacent platform. Then run
quickly to the opposite gate.
Climb the nearby pipeline and leap across the sewage pit and go back over to
the
open sewage hole. Get close to it and call Yorda. Pull her up and head to the
spirit door.
Stone Pillar /
------------
Head up the elevator shaft and you'll soon notice that Yorda is stuck.
Take the paths that Yorda cannot. There should be a lower pillar up ahead and
go
across the protruding rock until you reach another slim column. Jump back up
and head over to the nearby box. As soon as you push the box down to help her
you will have to do some fighting. After all is finished, head over to the
couch and save.
Before you head on, jump back down and shove the box towards the switch. When
you've pulled it, bring the box back and climb up again. A chain will be let
down on the other side. Shift across the ledges above the pit. Spirits will
begin to emerge from the depths but continue on. Climb down the chain and deal
with them. Push one of the boxes in the window out and you will be back at the
sewer.
Sewer /
-----
Remember that pathway that was out of your reach? Push the box to the
corner now and climb up. Run on down the passage until you reach the
chain and climb up.
Stone Pillar /
------------
Climb up the ladder just ahead and jump onto the chain. You'll have to
do some swinging action here, but not much. Once on the other side, pull the
switch. You'll have to get back down quickly! Spirits have started to cart
Yorda off. Slide down the chain and pull Yorda out of the darkness (as you will
most likely have to). No fighting will be necessary here. Just drag Yorda to
the idol door and proceed.
Part III: Symmetry /
==================
Don't bother climbing up the ladder. Just head straight down and take a
left. There's nothing of real interest here, for right now.
East Coliseum /
-------------
Help Yorda up the ladder and watch out for the few spirits that lurk about.
Make
use of the nearby couch. There is only one room to go to from here, and that is
the room on ground level to the right from the entrance.
Eastern Idol Stairs /
-------------------
There is a platform located at the bottom of the pit. Step on it and guide
Yorda onto it. It will sink into the ground and steps will appear, leading to
the large circular opening. Watch out for a pack of wraiths here as well.
When your fight with the wraiths is over, go over to the switch and pull it.
The shape of the nearby spheres will change. Hmmm...there are torches nearby.
You will need to light the newly made torches in order for the opening to
appear.
East Reflector /
--------------
Take Yorda outside and help her down from the opening. You will notice
a strange contraption in the center of the grassy cliff. That will
become of use later so don't worry about that for now and guide Yorda
up the nearby ladder and back inside.
East Coliseum /
--------------
Back in here again, you will come to an upper portion of the same room
you were just in. There should be a switch near by. Pull it. The same
thing happens with the other opening but the torches are too far away.
You will just have to use the torch in your area. Set your stick on
fire and go over and light the torches. If the fire goes out you can
just use the other torch you just lit. The circular door will open and
you will receive your first sword. This will make battles much easier
as it has twice the attacking power.
Gates will rise up and surround you and the princess. It looks like the
gate can be lowered by cutting some ropes with your new found weapon.
Just go over to each side, climb up, and attack the rope. And now for
door number 2...but the question is...how to get in? Climb up the
stairs by the blocked door and slice the rope at the very top. Now the
way is open. As you come in, you will notice a very watery slope. You
won't be able to go on like this. Begin climbing the series of
intricate ledges located to Ico's right. This might take a few falls,
but once you're on top go outside and to the right. Open the pressure
door and make a U turn, hopping over the pit in the walkway. As you go
along, you will notice some ropes. Cut all four and pull the switch at
the very end and go back and get Yorda and lead her across the bridge.
You'll head on to what appears to be a balcony but if you walk near the
edge a bridge will appear. Continue walking and more segments of the
bridge will show up. Open the idol door, head left, and pull the switch
located at the end. Looks like you have more torches to light. Head back down
by way of the elevator shaft at the opposite side and grab
a stick near the original entrance. Don't forget to get your sword
when you leave. Go back up and light the stick at the torch just by
the elevator. Head back down and light both torches. Once again, if
the fire burns out you can always run back to the torch you just lit.
=======================Cutscene===============================
Light floods into the reflector and hits an orb from far off.
It reflects off of the orb and hits the nearby gate. A door
opens from above an enormous ladder.
==============================================================
As you head back outside, watch out for a small group of shadow wraiths. Be
sure not to let any of them cart Yorda off, because if
they fly off with her, you will have no chance of retrieving her.
Once you have defeated all of them, head up the walkway and to the ladder.
Climb up and call Yorda after you.
Courtyard balcony /
-----------------
Nothing much of interest here. The sword stuck in the ground is identical to
your own. Pull the switch and the drawbridge nearby
will come down. Go back out from where you came and climb down the ladder. Head
over the drawbridge and over to the left. If you haven't been following
walkthroughs to the tee, you probably messed around
with this earlier. Go over to the far left corner and pull the box up to the
first column. Jump up and jump over to the next column and cut the rope. Now
you have access to the left wing widows. Head back into the long hall.
Long Hall /
---------
If you head to the left and up the side, a group of shadow demons will come for
Yorda. Head back over to the chain in case they manage to get her. Once they've
been defeated, you can head back out into the courtyard, but it would probably
be a good idea to save at the couch you first saved at, oh, so many ages ago at
the column.
Courtyard /
---------
Leave Yorda here and head for the rope you just let down. Don't bother swinging
into the first floor window. Climb on up to the second floor window and swing
on in. Pull the box out and push it down and out to help Yorda up. Open the
idol door and continue on.
Part IV: Water and wood /
=======================
Waterfall /
---------
Take Yorda across the bridge and jump down to the next level. Call
Yorda down after you and you can go across the bridge and save at the
love seat. Nothing dire should happen between now and your next
chance of saving. It's just good habit. Go through the opening into a
small outer pit and leave Yorda at the bottom. The elevator to the right will
take you back to the top but leave Yorda there for the time being. After you
reach the higher bridge again you can go out the nearby exit for a rather
beautiful view of the lands below but it will prove quite useless. If only you
could somehow get higher. Go back inside and jump onto the rather large window
that keeps flooding in blinding light. Climb up and out.
There is a chain nearby that was somewhat out of your reach on the lower level.
Jump on to it, carefully, and swing across to the other side. Climb down the
ladder and help Yorda up the cliff. Help her up the ladder and up another one
and head through the pressure door. There
will be another pressure door. Go through it and you will come to a
rather large room. If you look up you will notice railings going around
the perimeter of the room to another exit. You will have to take that
route. Head left via the pipes until you reach a small window and jump
out.
(Geoff Blakey has provided an explanation for those of you that
need additional help on this section and have been sending me e-mails about it)
==========Water and wood as explained by Geoff Blakey=========
In the room with the rails around the top.
Follow the rails round till you get to the ledge with the lever. Pull
the lever to start the bouncing beam mechanism in the corner of the
room. Use the broken ladder at this ledge to get down to the ground
floor again.
Stand on the bouncing beam facing the gratings and try pressing jump at
certain times till Ico does a high enough jump to grab the ledge. Climb
up the ledges and out of the window. You can now climb down into the
outside courtyard area where the river is.
Outside you do not need to cross the river. It's an easier camera angle
to climb onto the wooden platform and jump onto the waterwheel from
this
side of the river. Jump from the waterwheel onto the pull up bar and
onto the roof of the building. Here you can turn the waterwheel off,
draining the river. You now need to push the block into the river bed
and continue with the 'normal walkthrough'
The 2 jumps needed here are the only really infuriating parts of the
entire game. They do take a great deal of practice. Thankfully if you
fall in the river, you can climb straight back out onto the banks and
are not swept downstream over the waterfall.
=====================================================================
Once outside, push the box into the river so you can jump across.
(Note: it's not really necessary for you over achievers out there.)
Once across, head atop the dam and rotate the switch counterclockwise
until the floodgates shut.
Optional Side quest
------------------
This side quest will give you a weapon that will make combat a very
small concern. The mace can take out a standard ghoul in about three
blows.
After you reach the outside of the room at last, head over to the
set of steps and attack the nearby tree. A ball will fall out and
the door that was once shut will now open. Take it back inside
and get Yorda. Between the two flights of steps should be three
segments of wall. The middle one is of slightly different color.
It's a secret room so push on one of the sides and take Yorda
with you. If you stand with Yorda on the mysterious circular thingy
a box should rise in a divine fashion, and now for a little game of
makeshift basketball.
This is rather hard. Try standing at one of the far ends of the basket
and shoot for the center as accurately as you can. It will take several
tries but once you get it in, you will be justly rewarded. A mace will
descend in a divine fashion, once again, and land just a small distance
from the platform you just stood on.
Waterfall (continued) /
---------------------
Head back outside and push the box towards the brink of what once was
the waterfall. It will land on the walkway, which is not quite where
you need it. Push it down once again. Head down to the bottom yourself
and beat up the three demons you will find there. Head straight to the
idol doors and open them.
Gondola /
-------
Walk along the rock pathway until you come to something that looks like
it was built by civilization. Make use of the nearby love seat. Head
down the steps and continue straight on until you come to a set of
steps. They lead only into empty space right now. Something seems to be
missing. Whatever the architect designer's priorities of the castle had
in mind, convenience was not one of them. Climb up the nearby pipe and
run along until you come to a small tower. It looks like it can be
moved. Move it to the end of the track where you just came from and
climb up the ladder on the front side. Jump onto the platform located
on your right and pull the switch there. Hope you pulled multiple
portals if you haven't. This means that guarding Yorda is essential
because if they start to cart her off, you will have little chance of
getting her out again. Once they are defeated, head over the bridge and
up the elevator shaft.
Water Tower /
-----------
Push the handle bar counter-clockwise and the elevator will start to go
up. You've got a lot of revolutions to make so it'll be a while. Once
you reach the top go around and use the nearby sofa. Save and make a
leap across a pit with Yorda. You can't go on with her so you'll just
have to leave her there. Climb down the wooden planks and you'll have
to climb some wall. Climb down the nearby ladder and jump off and then
jump onto another chain. You'll notice the drawbridge in its upright
position. You'll have to knock it down by swinging off of the chain
and onto it. Once it's down, you can help Yorda across. Take her back
to the walkway and go all the way. You can leave her here again if you
like. Jump down and head right (Ico's left) and you'll come to a small
storage room. Inside are some sticks and eight bombs. Pick up a bomb and
put your weapon down and pick up a stick. Carry it outside and set the
bomb down in the middle of the platform. Go over to the torch and light
her up. Ignite the bomb, pick it up, and throw it across to the tower to
form a makeshift bridge. You may not get it the first time and you'll have
to be careful not to jump off the platform, have the bomb explode in your
face, and fall to your death. (Don't tell me you haven't done that!)
After going back for your weapon, head across the newly made bridge. Leave
Yorda once again and climb the nearby chain. Push the box located at the
end of the walkway down the other side and jump down yourself. Push the
box to the left side where the switch is and climb up and pull it. A large
crate will move to the center of the pit and you can help her to the other
side. Ah, but what fun would this game be if spirits didn't come to cart
Yorda off when you happen to be at an awkward location. Jump across the
crate, kill all the beasts and help Yorda to the other side.
Part V Symmetry II /
===================
Western Walkway /
---------------
Head through the idol doors and right on the balcony until you come
to...another set of idol doors. Open them and head down the long
walkway until you come to the Western arena.
Western Arena /
------------
Things are pretty much the same here as they were in the Eastern Arena.
In fact they are reversed with a few small differences here and there.
Head over to the left and slice the rope to go through the next room.
Western Idol Stairs /
-------------------
Same procedure here as the Eastern Idol stairs. Just step onto the
platform at the bottom and stairs will appear. Pull the switch at the
top and set the two torches alight on either side of the vault. Spirits
await you from outside and you've got a stick. Spoiled person that you
are, take Yorda and go on back to your wonderful mace. You may have to
spend a few minutes fighting off shadow demons. Once all is done, open
the other door in the same manner via the torch near the switch which
opens the torches near it.
Western reflector /
-----------------
Something seems amiss here. The reflector is not in the position it
should be in. Turn it so it faces the opening and head up the right
hand ladder.
Western Idol Stairs /
-------------------
There will be a chain you must jump onto and climb up. Head around
the banister and jump over the pit. Go up the stairs, chopping ropes
as you go until you reach a pressure door at the very end. Pull the
switch to stop the flowing water in the next room and grab a bomb.
Head back to the area blocked off by boards. Set the bomb down and
pick up a stick located at the top of the stairs. Set it on fire and
make the bomb explode. Head back down and take Yorda back down to the
coliseum and through the right hand room.
Head up the slope and take Yorda around the bend and through the
opening and across the bridge. Have her open the idol door and pull
the switch located nearby. Take a left and head down the elevator
shaft. Grab a stick, head back up and set the stick on fire. Go back
down and set the torches on fire. Enjoy the brief vut scene here.
Western Walkway /
---------------
Head back down the rather long walkway and up the ladder, calling
Yorda after you. Head through the door and pull the switch and the
final drawbridge will be let down. Now you can go back down and
investigate the main gate! Do so.
Main Gate /
---------
The entire gate is a bright yellowish orange. Head up to the gate and
open it. Afterwards, head left and make yourself comfortable on the
loveseat. This is the last save point of the game. Yorda will be weak
from her efforts of opening the gate so walk slowly with her across
the bridge.
==================Cutscene=================================
An electrical force will begin to pulse through Yorda and
the two will be separated. The bridge begins to draw apart.
Ico jumps and Yorda barely manages to catch him. Yet the
queen is too powerful. Yorda fades into the darkness and
Ico falls to the depths of the sea.
===========================================================
Part VI: The Sea /
================
Hanging Prison /
--------------
If you time everything just right, you shouldn't see the continue
screen too much. If you look carefully, you'll notice that the cells
are swinging ever so slightly. You'll have to take that into
consideration as well. When a cage reaches its closest point to the
proceeding one, that is your cue to jump at that time.
Wheels and Cogs /
---------------
Once you reach the mountainside, take a left and head down until you
come to another fork. Take a right. You'll come to the right side of a
gate with two switches. Pull the switch located in front and a chain
will come down. Push the box into the channel. Grab your box and swim
over to the other ladder and climb up, pulling the switch there as
well. The gate will open, so head through it, and carry your box with
you.
Align the box with the chain you just let down and jump onto it. Swing
onto the platform and push the trolley device all the way back. Wheels
will begin to work. Remember what you did at the windmill? The same
solution lies here. Hitch a ride up on one of the rods and hop off
when you reach the top. Grab the pipe and make your way over to the
other side. If you look ahead. You will notice two chains. Yep, you
will have to jump from chain to chain onto a somewhat distant platform.
Ah, if only you had paid attention in Acrobatics training...Climb to
the top of the pipe and press triangle. Don't worry. This portion is
done for you. Catch the chain and swing on over to the next one. Make
one more swinging leap. Climb up the ladder and carefully make your way
around the revolving cogs.
Mountainside /
------------
This is pretty much a direct path, but you will have to be careful not
to fall. Be especially careful during leaps. Once you've reached the
pipes, head straight on until you reach the elevator tower.
Elevator Tower /
--------------
From above this might look familiar. Head across the bridge and make
your way down the chain located on the left. Leap onto the ledge of
the tower, heading across another bridge and taking a left turn. Leap
onto the metal tracks on the opposite side of the entrance and pull
the trolley towards the outer wall. Head down the chain you just let
down. Don't worry about the ladder here. Head along the outer wall to
the right yet again until you come to another ladder. Head down this
one and position yourself to the right of the ladder. Leap as
accurately as you can, pressing triangle, and hopefully you'll grab
the ledge. If not, just hit continue and start over from the pipes.
Climb down the various ledges until you reach the bottom and head
through the outer door. You can't open that idol door just yet....
The Idol Sword /
--------------
Outside you will see several tumbled pillars. A small boat lies next to
the dock. There really isn't much for you to do here though. Head up
the slope and take the sword from its altar and....take a few moments
to bask in the glory ^_^. The end is near.
Elevator shaft /
--------------
You can now open Idol doors with ease. This place should really look
familiar now. Open them and head inside. Pull the switch and head up
to where you first escaped from your tomb.
Boss Fight /
==========
Spirits are congregating around Yorda. This isn't too difficult. The
shadowdemons wilt in one slash. A tomb will light up for each demon.
Once they are all alight. The platform will rise and you can now
confront the queen.
The Queen /
=========
After some dialogue about the queen using her daughter as a spiritual
portal, she assumes you have a death wish and cloaks herself in a
force field. There are two pillars which shelter you from her wave of
darkness attacks. Each time you hit her, your weapon will go flying
out. Be sure to pay attention to details or this could be quite a pain.
Just Stand behind one of the pillars and as soon as one of her waves
passes over, make a dash for your sword. You are immune as long as you
have your shiny new weapon. After five strikes, the force field should
dissipate and your sword will be flung back far in the center of the
room. She also begins to cast her attack more frequently. Notice the
area that glows a pale green when her attack hits the pillars? Stand
right on the edge of the right one and run for it as soon as the wave
is passed. Grab it and thrust the weapon through her heart. Ico's horns
are cloven and the castle begins to come crashing down.
Epilogue /
========
Yorda's spirit carries an unconscious Ico to the boat near the dock and
thrusts him out into the sea. After long sailing, (and flashbacks) he
wakes to find himself on a long stretch of beach. You're back in
control. Run along the surf to the left until you find Yorda's body
there.
-Fin-
=======================
Enemy list
=======================
1. Spider wraiths-Spirits that scuttle madly about without attacking
Yorda. They may approach her at times, but are too weak to carry her
off to the portal. Make killing them your top priority though, as they
morph into replacements when others are killed.
2. Fortress Ghouls-Spirits that can knock Ico clear across a room. They
will often try to corner him while another carries Yorda off to a
portal.
3. Sentries-Spirits that are the size of a grown man that will try to
separate Ico from Yorda before throwing her over the shoulder and
carrying her off.
4. Winged spirits-These are the winged variety of the standard wraiths.
Be extra careful around these, as they can make off with Yorda very
quickly. You will usually have a few seconds to catch up with them
before she is pulled in.
5. Spider hybrids-Skinny insect/ghoul hybrids that are usually faster
than their normal brethren.
1. Stick- This is Ico's first weapon and proves rather weak. It can be
set on fire and used to ignite bombs, ect.
2. Sword- Twice as strong as the stick, this is far more handy in
combat. It can be used to slice through ropes and gain access to places
that were out of your reach otherwise.
3. Mace- A secret weapon found on his journeys, it is the strongest
weapon in the game and can knock off a ghoul in about three hits.
4. Bombs- You will encounter these on and off throughout your journey
through the castle. They are usually around when some structure needs
to be destroyed.
If you want to contact me with concerns about this FAQ, please do so at
Magus36618@yahoo.com. Suggestions, ideas, and criticism are always welcome. I
will, of course, try to answer e-mails as promptly as possible.
These people have done much to influence the FAQ and its content.
All credit is given to them here:
* CJayC for hosting this FAQ.
* The staff at Neoseeker
* Playstation Cheat.net
* Posters at the Ico message boards. It was here that I discovered
about the mace side quest.
* Geoff Blakey for providing a detailed explanation to Water and Wood,
a section in my memory that was somewhat dim.
The following sites have hosting privileges:
GameFAQs-www.gamefaqs.com
Playstation cheats.net-www.psxcodez.com
Neoseeker-www.neoseeker.com
Cheat Code Central -www.cheatcc.com
http://hk.geocities.com/icofan/
Feel free to e-mail me with suggestions or problems with this FAQ
for inclusion in the credits.
=======================
Copyright:
=======================
This document and the contents therein are copyright 2002 to
Josh "Bbishop" Wheeler and may only be distributed, reproduced,
posted, etc. with the direct consent of the original author. It is
intended for private, personal use. Any reproduction of this
walkthrough will lead to legal action being taken. I will most likely
give permission if credit is given where it is due, the walkthrough is
reproduced IN ITS ENTIRETY, and I am informed of where it is to be
posted.
