The Tragedy of Betrayal: How the Design of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus Elicits Emotion

Tom Cole argues that Ico and Shadow of the Colossus produce unusual emotions such as guilt, grief, and loneliness through ludic and mechanical design as much as through narrative. Using close textual analysis grounded in cognitive theories of emotion, the analysis centers on ambiguity and the deliberate violation of player expectations. Its scope is limited to two landmark action-adventure titles, examined as case studies of how games can move beyond conventional power fantasy.

Visual, character, and sound design establish the emotional groundwork. Vulnerable figures like Ico, Yorda, and Agro invite protective concern, while Wander's blank affect lets players project themselves onto him. The colossi are individualized and largely peaceful, which casts doubt on the morality of killing them. Audio reinforces this: Ico is nearly devoid of music, conveying isolation, and Shadow of the Colossus substitutes mournful minor-key scores and a requiem-like cut-scene after each kill for the triumphant combat themes typical of the medium. This denies players the "fiero" of victory and replaces it with guilt.

Level design and mechanics deepen the effect. Ico's interconnected, ambiguous castle and the vast Forbidden Land foster investment and a sense of smallness through long shots and precarious traversal. Ico's hand-holding button, Wander's grip button, and Agro's idiosyncratic controls build what are termed alterbiographical emotions. Both endings defy player desires: Yorda's sacrifice, Wander's possession, and the doomed final fight against Wander-as-Dormin heighten grief, failure, and empathy. The protagonists never grow stronger, and Wander's inevitable pull into the vortex and Mono's uncertain resurrection contradict the conditioning that rewards completed objectives.

The central conclusion is that emotional power emerges from combining mechanics, explicit narrative, and representation. Cole calls for more close textual analyses and for applying cognitive emotion theories from Frijda, Ekman, Ben-Ze'ev, and Barrett to games, arguing that such work would help games earn recognition as art on par with other media.