Game

ICO

2001

Platforms: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2Genres: Action, Platformer

4Score

Peak Gaming

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Game metadata from RAWG.

Is ICO Woke? Quick Answer

ICO scores 4/100 on the IsItWoke scale and falls into Peak Gaming.

That is the story-first end of the scale for this game.

Dialogue serves the atmosphere rather than a message. Characters feel integral to the narrative, not just symbolic.

See the full breakdown below.

Woke profile

How the score is shaped

Eight stored dimensions, each scored from 0 to 20.

Message

Characters

Story

Legacy

Politics

Lead

Tradition

Norms

Column height is the stored score out of 20

Message-first dialogue
2/20
Tokenistic characters
1/20
Ideology over story
1/20
Legacy rewriting
0/20
Modern politics injection
0/20
Protected protagonist pattern
2/20
Anti-traditional framing
0/20
Cultural normalization framing
0/20

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Why it received this score

Based on: Published title analysisConfidence: MediumLast updated: 2026-09-27

Key reasons

Dialogue serves the atmosphere rather than a message.
Characters feel integral to the narrative, not just symbolic.
Storytelling prioritizes emotional engagement over ideology.

View full breakdown

No significant alterations to existing lore or franchises.
The game maintains internal logic and consistency throughout.

Score signals

Signal	What was measured	Strength	Impact
Message-first dialogue	How much the dialogue, monologues, or character interactions feel driven by overt messaging, moral lecturing, ideological framing, or making a point instead of serving the story naturally.	2/20	+1
Tokenistic characters	How much characters feel inserted or shaped primarily for symbolic representation, political signaling, or demographic checkbox value rather than narrative depth, organic fit, or strong characterization.	1/20	+1
Ideology over story	How much the overall storytelling prioritizes ideological framing, message delivery, social commentary, or activism-coded narrative choices over pacing, conflict, immersion, and entertainment.	1/20	+1
Protected protagonist pattern	How much the protagonist fits the protected-protagonist pattern (agenda-driven character construction) rather than competence fantasy. Score HIGH only when: competence appears unearned or unexplained; protagonist rarely faces consequences; antagonists exist mainly to demonstrate protagonist superiority; narrative treats protagonist as symbolically superior; plot shields protagonist from vulnerability. Score LOW when: competence is grounded in training, profession, or past experience; protagonist suffers damage or setbacks; real physical danger and survival tension exist (normal action storytelling). Do not penalize competence fantasy.	2/20	+1

AI cultural analysis

A short read on tone, themes, and messaging — not a plot synopsis.

AI read

ICO stands out as a masterclass in storytelling through minimalism, where every element serves the emotional journey rather than an ideological agenda. The dialogue is sparse, allowing players to immerse themselves in the atmosphere without overt messaging.

Characters like Ico and Yorda are crafted with depth, avoiding the pitfalls of tokenism, as their motivations and relationships feel earned and organic. The game does not indulge in contemporary political discourse or modern cultural signaling, instead focusing on universal themes of companionship and freedom.