ICO Director Suggests Gameplay Innovation Isn't the Only Key to Great Games

07/20/2025 Game Design

The guy behind ICO and Shadow of the Colossus, Fumito Ueda, thinks we might be past the point of needing totally new gameplay mechanics. I found this pretty interesting because it's coming from someone who's made some seriously influential games.

In a chat with Keita Takahashi, the mind behind Katamari Damacy (another quirky and awesome game), Ueda praised Takahashi's game, "To a T," for not focusing on crazy new mechanics. Apparently, when Ueda first saw "To a T," he even called Takahashi to ask if it had any complicated gameplay. When Takahashi said no, Ueda's response was simply, "That's great!"

He elaborated by saying that maybe we're too focused on gameplay these days. It's not about reinventing the wheel with every single game. Instead, Ueda suggests focusing on the game's vibe, art style, and story, even if the mechanics are familiar.

Think about it: how many games have you played where the core mechanics are pretty similar to something else, but the game still feels fresh and unique? It's often the atmosphere, the characters, or the narrative that really grabs us. For example, many adventure games share similar puzzle-solving mechanics, but each one offers a distinct experience through its world and story.

Ueda really enjoyed "To a T" because, instead of trying to create groundbreaking gameplay, it focused on its visuals and telling a story about living with a disability.