Ico

I was cautiously optimistic about ICO: Castle in the Mist, with a strong emphasis on ‘cautiously'.

On the one hand, ICO is one of the more memorable videogames I've ever played. A haunting, ethereal experience, but one that could only really be expressed through its medium.

On the other hand, the relationship between the protagonists is (unusually) enhanced due to the language barrier between the two of them. Would adding dialogue ruin this?

Simply put, the book is not the videogame - a point that Miyabe labours in the foreword. And it's much stronger for it.

If the book had simply been a retread of the game, it would be, frankly, quite boring. ICO is an interactive experience based on climbing, problem solving, and the mystery of the interactive world.

At times, ICO: Castle in the Mist falls into the trap of describing platforming sections of the game, but I was pleasantly surprised by how infrequently this happened.

Instead, the Miyabe's adaptation of the game does a marvellous job of fleshing out historical context and characters' backgrounds, withing stealing the magic of the game's rather implied narrative.

ICO: Castle in the Mist is not perfect. It's very clearly a translation, and a little clumsy in parts as a result, but it's a charming fairytale that shows it can appeal to those unfamiliar with the videogame, whilst also offering additional lore for longtime fans.