Anyone who has ever played ICO, Shadow of the Colossus, or The Last Guardian has felt the fascinating effects of legendary creator Fumito Ueda's unique design philosophy. From Ico's castle-climbing crusade, to Wander's morally grey colossus-scaling antics, to a nameless boy's heartwarming journey with a griffin-like companion, Ueda has always placed emotional resonance at the center of his story-sparse yet altogether touching tales.
One thing I don't think Japan Studio's games are as frequently praised for is the nuts-and-bolts mechanics of their gameplay. There are sparks of greatness to be found, but broadly speaking, Ueda's works have less to say in terms of revolutionary gameplay concepts. Just the same, it's a bit eye-opening to catch one of gaming's true auteurs expressing genuine appreciation when the creator of Katamari Damacy tells him that his own new game, To a T, "lacks any special mechanics".
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In an interview with the Japanese website Denfaminicogamer (translated into English courtesy of Automaton), Ueda recounts a time when he asked Keita Takahashi, the Katamari Damacy visionary, what exactly one does in...
