Fumito Ueda, the visionary behind ICO and Shadow of the Colossus, believes the era of introducing brand-new gameplay mechanics with every title is over.

In a recent interview with Denfaminicogamer, Ueda praised Keita Takahashi’s latest project, To a T, for not relying on complex or innovative control schemes. Instead, the game focuses on visuals and storytelling.

“When I learned that To a T had no new mechanics, I said, ‘That’s great!’ I probably thought the age of gameplay mechanics had already passed. This is not the time to release new devices or offer new mechanics with every game,” – Ueda explained.

Rather than chasing novelty, Ueda suggests that developers should refine existing mechanics, emphasizing atmosphere, artistic direction, and narrative depth:

“Even if there’s nothing new in terms of mechanics, you can make a game stand out with a certain vibe or artwork. It’s better to give existing gameplay more definition,” – he added.

This philosophy is why Ueda enjoyed To a T, a game that tells a heartfelt story about living with a disability without reinventing gameplay systems. (Thanks Automaton Media)

Interestingly, Eurogamer’s Chris Donlan had a different experience:

“Over the five or six hours it takes to play To a T, I’ve had a series of revelations that built to one giant revelation: I had the wrong idea about everything here. I wouldn’t truly understand any of it until the credits rolled. In fact, I’m still thinking about it,” – he wrote.