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ICO

Review · Action · PlayStation 3 · PlayStation 2

ICO

Reviewed: 30 Apr 2026

PlayStation 3 · PlayStation 2

Team Ico · 2001

Ludograph rating

A

Recommended

74 /100

Automated review

ICO is an action-platformer that builds problem solving and spatial awareness through environmental puzzles and cooperative play.

06010030Benefit →Low risk →B 59 · R 0
The Ludograph reading, plotted from the published benefit and risk sub-scores.

Growth (BDS)

59

Risk (RIS)

0

Daily limit

120min

Age guidance

13+

Developmental benefits

B1Cognitive
0.52
B2Social-emotional
0.73
B3Motor
0.55

ICO fosters problem-solving, spatial awareness, and critical thinking through its intricate environmental puzzles and platforming challenges. The core mechanic of guiding and protecting Yorda cultivates strong empathy, teamwork, and positive social connection, despite minimal dialogue. It offers a deeply emotional and engaging narrative experience.

Design risks

R1Compulsion-loop pressure
0.00
R2Monetization
0.00
R3Social risk
0.00

ICO presents minimal risks. Its one-time purchase model and lack of online features mean no monetization pressure, compulsion-loop design, or social risks. Content risks are low, limited to fantasy violence against shadow creatures and unsettling narrative themes of sacrifice and body-snatching, consistent with its Teen rating.

Content (not in risk score)

R4.1Violence Level
0.67
R4.2Sexual Content
0.00
R4.3Language
0.00
R4.4Substance References
0.00
R4.5Fear / Horror
0.33

Content risk is displayed separately and does not affect the time recommendation.

Regulatory design checks · DSA — Assessed: meets criteria·GDPR-K — Assessed: meets criteria·ODDS — Assessed: meets criteria

  • DSA:What Ludograph checks: whether the game's design gives minors the transparency the EU Digital Services Act expects: plain terms, honest defaults, and clear reporting routes.: Estimated from review data. No dark pattern or child-targeting concerns found.
  • GDPR-K:What Ludograph checks: whether age assurance and consent flows are designed for under-16s, in the spirit of GDPR Article 8.: Estimated from review data. No privacy or child-targeting concerns found.
  • ODDS:What Ludograph checks: whether paid random-reward drop rates are disclosed, as required in China, Japan and South Korea.: Estimated from review data. No paid random-reward mechanics found, so drop-rate disclosure requirements do not apply.

These reflect Ludograph's assessment of the game's design practices against each framework's criteria, not a legal compliance determination.

ReviewedApr 2026Report a data error →How scores are calculated →

Parents ask…

Is ICO safe for kids?

Ludograph gives ICO a rating of 74/100, recommended for ages 13 and up. It scores well on developmental benefits with manageable risks.

What age is ICO appropriate for?

Ludograph's rubric recommends a minimum age of 13+ for ICO, based on benefits, risks, and content review.

How long should kids play ICO?

Our session recommendation for ICO is up to 120 minutes per day. It is derived from the game's own structure (natural stopping points, compulsion-loop design, monetization pressure, and social dynamics), not from a universal screen-time dose.

Session recommendations are design-based heuristics. Evidence linking specific daily durations to child outcomes is limited, and context matters as much as time; treat this as a starting point for household rules, not a clinical threshold.

What are the main risks of ICO?

ICO presents minimal risks. Its one-time purchase model and lack of online features mean no monetization pressure, compulsion-loop design, or social risks. Content risks are low, limited to fantasy violence against shadow creatures and unsettling narrative themes of sacrifice and body-snatching, consistent with its Teen rating.