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A Classic Goes to the Wii

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 30 / 31
Date: April 17, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Pros:

+Reissue of one of the best Playstation 2 games.
+A good storyline
+A beautiful and stylish game
+Incredible soundtrack
+Wii Controls work well

Cons:

-There aren't any Wii Exclusive Extras
-No voice acting, though this isn't a big issue
-If you own this game on the Playstation 2, the new controls probably don't justify buying the game

In 2006, Capcom released Okami. It's a game that didn't have a long lifespan, despite being on the PS2. It has commonly gone on to be labeled one of the most underrated (and probably underplayed) games of all time. However, it quickly garnered a cult following. For anyone who missed the Playstation 2 version, here's a chance to play it on the Wii. Even if you played the Playstation 2 version to death, Okami on the Wii is worth giving a try.

You play as Amaterasu. She's the Sun God of Japan and must now save the it from being overtaken by an evil curse that has spread across the land. Amaterasu is joined by her companion Issun. The overall story of Okami is brilliant. It's told through text dialog with no voice acting to speak of. While there's some garbled gibberish going on when the words appear on screen, there's no voice acting whatsoever. This is forgivable, though. What may throw some people however, is that some of the games cutscenes are pretty long, and they're pretty text heavy.

When it comes to graphics there are some games that put style over substance and some that put substance over style. Okami manages to do both. Not only is the game one of the most beautiful looking games ever released on a video game platform, it's also incredibly stylish, colorful, and detailed. Despite being released in 2006, Okami still manages to be one of the best looking games out there. Even today, there are few games that look as good as Okami does. From time to time you may just want to stop your progress and admire the game's beauty.

In terms of gameplay, Okami is very reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda games. You'll go into dungeons and villages and battle bad guys and solve puzzles most of the time. Combat itself is fairly simple, and the Wii controls are actually pretty good here. You'll flick the Wii Remote to attack and you can use the Nunchuck to dodge. For the most part, the controls are pretty similar to The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Combat is also pretty simple. Even against the bosses. It's very unlikely you'll die even once through Okami. The biggest draw to Okami, however, and the main reason it makes sense to release this game on the Wii, is the Celestial Brush.

The Celestial Brush is more than just a gimmick. You'll need it to get through much of the game's moments and you'll find you have to use it very often. Using the brush you can do things like, make the sun come out when it's dark, or cut through stone. You'll gather more skills as you traverse through the game. You'll even need to use it in combat to defeat enemies. What makes the Wii Version so much better is that actions with the celestial brush can be executed much faster than could be done on the Playstation 2 version. The moment you start using the Wii Remote as a paint brush, you probably won't want to go back to using an analog stick for the task again.

If there was any problem concerning the gameplay, it would be that the controls take time to get used to and that they do not always respond. The controls work well, but stringing together attacks can be a problem sometimes. When you finally get the rhythm down, though, the controls are pretty solid.

There may not be any voice acting in Okami, but there is a fantastic soundtrack at work. There are still few games that sound as good as Okami does. Part of what helps the music, however, is that it really gets you absorbed into this world. More so than most video games. The adventure also lasts for quite some time, but it isn't boring and just when you're positive you've mastered everything there is to master, the game throws in another mechanic to keep it interesting.

The only major thing holding Okami back, really, is the lack of Wii exclusive extras. It's worth trying the game if you played through the Playstation 2 version. On the other hand, it might not be worth buying just for the controls alone if you've still got your original copy.

The good news, however, is Okami has aged well. Even by today's standards, the game is fresh.

Beautiful

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 24 / 25
Date: April 17, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Too often we read about "good graphics" in techincal jargon; 1080p, 60FPS, or 9,000,000 polys. If any game proves that visual beauty can't be quantified in numbers, and should instead be described with color, line, and form, it's Okami.

The reason is simple. Okami is the most beautiful game that's ever been made, an opinion shared with major magazines when it was heralded as Game of the Year in 2006 (it was competing with Zelda: Twilight Princess and Gears of War for the title, and won). Now in 2008 and released for the Wii, still no game has surpassed the artwork in Okami. After you rescue the first sapling, you'll understand why.

The gameplay is more original than magazine reviews would lead you to believe. They all agreed it's great, but said it's similar to Zelda, though I found it to be much more original, adult, and the gameplay to require more skill and depth. Pulling off a 4-strike combo, for example, takes the timing of a Guitar Hero veteran.

Okami was originally a PS2 title, but don't let that turn you off. It belongs on Wii. This had to have been made for the Wii, there's no other explanation. The brushstrokes, which are used for nearly every fight and obstacle, come so naturally to the wiimote, that it's impossible to remember how it was ever done with a gamepad.

What's sad is that Okami bombed on PS2. It had great reviews and a Game of the Year title, a strong fanbase, but for some strange reason nobody bought it, and the development studio went bankrupt.

I hope Wii owners prove to be different. This is hands down the better version of an already great game, and deserves to finally be played.

Still spectacular, a must own

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 26 / 28
Date: April 20, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Back in 2006, Capcom and now defunct developer Clover quietly released a game for the PS2 that ended up being one of the most original, inventive, and addicting masterpieces that ever graced the system. That game was Okami, and now it is here on the Wii, and it is certainly a match made in heaven. For those unfamiliar with Okami, you play as the goddess Amaterasu, who has been reincarnated in the body of a mystical white wolf. Armed with a celestial paint brush that is used to progress through the game and take out enemies, Okami never ceases to amaze even to this day. Though the story and quest elements borrow heavily from Legend of Zelda, Okami features an engaging narrative and interesting and charming characters to come across. The game is still a gorgeous sight to behold, and the quest itself is quite lengthy with plenty of side quests and collectibles to be found as well. On the Wii, Okami makes solid use of the motion controls when using the paint brush, and it works pretty well. If there are any downsides to Okami, it is the same single flaw that the game featured when it was originally released: the combat may be found to be too easy for some. That aside, Okami is still a masterpiece of modern gaming, and now that it has hit the Wii, a whole new audience of gamers can discover just how wonderful this game really is. If you missed out before and you own a Wii, don't miss out on Okami again.

Beautiful, stunning, epic... flawed yet still great

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 17 / 21
Date: April 17, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Okami is probably the most stylistic and artistically engaging game on the Wii, to date. The bright, bold colors and amazing art style feels like a Japanese painting. Some people will disagree with me, but I feel the graphics are superior on the Wii compared to the PS2 version, although the parchment paper filter is no where near as pronounced in this game. That's a shame, but unless you've played the PS2 version, it isn't that big of an issue.

The game is impossible to play without drawing comparisons to Zelda games, and it is a fair and obvious comparison. Playing as Amaterasu the sun goddess, you interact with the world through her white wolf avatar and by using the celestial brush. The celestial brush is downright cool. You will draw a manner of objects to complete puzzles and can even use some of your drawings as attacks. There is a bit of a learning curve and it requires a steady hand, but the mechanic works.

As you adventure through the game your actions will gradually rejuvenate and rebuild a devastated world that has been consumed by evil. As you fight enemies and use the celestial brush to build bridges, draw rivers, complete constellations, and grow trees, the world becomes more and more lush as you play. It is a visual feast and what is even better is that you actually have some control over how portions of the world look.

All is not well in Okami, though. For example, the combat controls. Those take getting used to. For those of you that played Zelda: Twilight Princess, the combat controls will be a bit of a rude awakening. They aren't broken, but they are not nearly as accessible as Twilight Princess. Timing your melee attacks is very important if you want to chain your combos together. It will take some practice. Or, you can do like I do and attack everything with the celestial brush drawings.

Okami Pros:
===> Stunning stylistic graphics.
===> A huge adventure based upon Japanese legend and myths.
===> The celestial brush is just plain cool.
===> Awesome boss battles that require using all of your celestial brush skills. Definitely a highlight of the game.

Okami Cons:
===> Camera control is kind of clumsy and could have been implemented in a better manner.
===> Melee combat controls are stiff and difficult to master. You'll probably resort to using the celestial brush more than anything else in combat.
===> Clover Studios, the original developer is no longer in business and we will not be seeing any sequels to Okami. That is just sad and makes kittens cry because Clover Studios was a brilliant development house.

I would rate the game as family friendly. In fact, it is almost as much fun to watch as it is to play. It is a good game for players of most ages, but I think the learning curve would be a little too steep for younger children and the plot would be a little too obscure for most. There are a couple of very tame sexual innuendo references and numerous references to alcohol and alcoholism, sake wine to be specific, but it isn't overt. Some parents may be surprised, but honestly there are Disney, Pixar, and Dreamworks movies that are infinitely more offensive. Half an hour of prime-time television would damage a child's psyche more than this game ever could.

Overall, I highly recommend this game to fans of the Zelda franchise, anyone who enjoys Japanese culture, or anyone looking for a unique gaming experience. I won't say that it is better than Zelda, but it compares favorably.

A modern classic revisited

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: April 20, 2008
Author: Amazon User

It frequently happens when a game or a movie comes out that everyone seems to love yet nobody even bothers to go see it. Sometimes they have the good sense to know when something is awful so they avoid but then on other occasions they don't support it enough even though the general attitude is how incredible it was. When Okami was coming out for the PS2, it became one of those anticipated titles thanks to its unique and utterly beautiful visual style but despite the acclaim and awards, it wasn't a success and the studio, Clover Studios, had to close down. But fans kept speculating that the unique gameplay involving the brush could work well on the Wii or DS and pretty soon a Wii-port was announced. With some enhances features, the game is just as good on any system.

Story: The people of Kamiki Village used to live in fear of the 8-headed demon Orochi, who demanded a sacrifice from one of the village maidens during their festival. But the swordsman Nagi, who secretly loved the maiden chosen, had enough and decided to fight him off but couldn't damage him in anyway until Shiranui, a mystical white wolf, appeared and together, they banished Orochi away but Shiranui succumbed to his injuries. 100 years later, Orochi seems to be resurrected so the wolf, reincarnated as Amaterasu, is brought forth to restore beauty and peace to the land.

Graphics: A lot of times sayings like "work of art" when it comes down to graphics is usually because of how shiny and sharp it is but when you say Okami is like a painting come to life, it's literally the case. Done in Japanese watercolor style, the game is filled with beautiful moments and rarely does the game ever get boring to look at. With the progressive scan on and the game running in 16:9, this is bound to be one of the more gorgeous games in your collection.

Sound/Music: Another successful feature of the game was its soundtrack which seems to marry traditional Japanese instruments and melodies with more grandiose arrangements and using synthesizers and it's one of the more memorable soundtracks on the PS2 and the Wii. Unfortunately, rather than using just text or voice acting for the dialogue, they opted for a more "Animal Crossing"-type vibe where it's gibberish which you can't turn off and while scenes can be skipped the story goes with it so you have to suffer through that chipmunk chatter in order to get the story and listen to the music.

Gameplay: It's hard not to compare Okami with the 3D installments of the Zelda series and indeed memories might flood in of playing as the wolf from Twilight Princess. But the game is so immersive that you don't even bother noticing. With puzzles to complete, sidequests, praise to get (do a good service and you can get points to level up certain attributes) and even animals to feed, there's lots to do and that's not even including the main quest. Only thing that might turn gamers off is that first initial hour or so which feels slightly sluggish but once you start beating bosses, exploring and restoring the land, it's very easy to get into.

What made Okami so unique was the idea of the "Celestial Brush" where the screen would turn into a canvas and drawing certain shapes could bring special events. Draw a circle during nighttime and it transforms instantly to day, do the same to a dead tree and it magically comes to life. Others such as drawing a straight line either to cut enemies and things in the environment or swirls to represent wind are just some of the special techniques you can do with the brush. Thanks to the Wii-controls, it's also more accurate and quicker and not sluggish like the PS2; however it's very easy to have a drawing fail and it actually took me a couple tries to draw a line through an enemy so even if it is more accurate, it can also be a bit picky.

The other slight nitpick people might have is during combat where instead of button presses, shaking the Wii-mote has you attack and it takes a bit of getting used to and timing tends to count for a lot this time. It's kind of a weird situation when the accuracy in the drawing is better in one version but the combat mechanics were better in the other. Go figure. Oh and also: slight nitpick though it's not as serious but there was a slight paper effect on the screen on the PS2 so that it really made it look like the game came to life on paper but here it's not as pronounced but the game looks incredible anyway so complaining about a paper effect seems kind of trivial.

While I really doubt Okami will have the success of Brawl or Twilight Princess, this game really should be in the hands of a lot more gamers than it'll probably get. Very recommended.

Astounding!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: April 22, 2008
Author: Amazon User

This game is absolutely astounding in almost all aspects.

The story is immersive, original, and provides a great window to Japanese culture, specifically: the Japanese religion of Shinto and its surrounding mythology. Dialogue is lively and interesting, albeit a little slow at times, but in the end it all adds to the storyline.

Graphics are amazingly beautiful: this is probably the most beautiful game on the Wii (rivalling Mario Galaxy, for sure), and definitely the most original visual style of any game on any console in the past couple years. Landscapes are detailed to the smallest aspect and I can agree with a common view: the game itself is a piece of art. Framerates and camera are all solid, though the camera can be slightly clunky at times, but nothing major at all.

Gameplay is great, with a wide variety of side missions to take on between dungeons, plenty of items and upgrades available, and big, challenging dungeons. The fighting is fun and rewarding especially as you unlock and use more of the celestial brush moves, stringing combos and specials together. Some say the controls are a bit hard, but for me, they took less than half an hour to get used to, and I rarely have problems now. Controls overall are very smooth, again, rivalling those of Nintendo's games.

At $40, this game is an absolute steal, good fun for almost anyone with a liking for adventures and epic stories. The learning curve is there, but not very steep, and the game holds your hand through all the initial stages. Various reviews have given it a 9+ out of 10, and I'd agree, it's definitely at least a 9.5. For $40, you're getting at least 40-50 hours of solid, brilliantly crafted gameplay, set in an immersive environment of colorful artwork and deep culture.

Fantastic, few flaws

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: April 24, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Amazing game.

If you missed out on the PS2 game and own a wii, buy this. Now.

The graphics are unique and creative, gameplay is solid (with only slight control problems), and the music is fantastic. It supports 420p and widescreen, which even improves the great look of the game even further. The story is good and presented fantastically. It has a great deal of similarities to Zelda, but is still very different, which things like the celestial brush. Only problems with it are the slight control problems within combat and a difficult camera system.

Overall, great game.

What a fantastic game!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: May 28, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I am not usually an adventure gamer...I am a huge fan of Maxis-type games (Sim City, The Sims) and Mario-style platformers where the violence consists of natural disasters or bopping enemies on the head. Even in Mario Galaxy, I generally hand the controller off to my boyfriend when there is a boss level, and he defeats Bowser, so I can move on. Okami takes bosses and battles and makes them FUN!
I heard great things about the PS2 Okami, so when it came out for Wii, I thought I would give it a try...Now I am immersed in the beautiful adventure game. Last night I had a blast defeating an eight-headed monster, and I was thrilled to find out the game has so much more to it. I can't believe one of the reviewers complained at the length of the game...it should just tell you - don't rent it, buy it!
The Wii controls are fantastic...I admit the painting styles and the melee attacks took some getting used to. I had some frustration with the "power-slash" at the beginning of the game, but as it is probably the most common brush stroke for later battles, I was glad to have plenty of practice! The camera angles can be a bit goofy, but can easily and quickly be corrected, even during intense battles.
I'm sure to some gamers, this plot will be a little too deep, the graphics too much like a watercolor...but to me, this made the game much more compelling.
Highly recommended!

For the Uninitiated, an Amazing Experience

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: April 29, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Play Okami for fifteen minutes and you'll definitely get the sense that this game is different. From classic style sumi-e paintings used during cut scenes to kanji characters flying at you from all directions during special effects, Okami does more than remind you that many video games originate in Japan -- it might just give you culture shock.

Yet, at the same time, the perspective the player takes allows an easy and almost total immersion into this world of Japanese mythology. You are a god -- that's really all you need to know. Given the open avatar of Amaterasu, it's easy to start to fall in love with the game world whether or not you identify with the cultural motifs present. The story is superbly polished, and probably the game's greatest draw. It's a whopper, full of twists and turns, and very well written. It's amazing the pains to which the dialogue goes to stay consistant, often times minutely changing depending on the order in which you visit certain (seemingly trivial) locations.

Of course, the graphical feel of the game, from the cel-shading to the excellent animation (few games seem to get wolf animations to the point where they actually appear realistically graceful), is almost the game's claim to fame. The game is as close to a living painting as I've seen interactive entertainment get. Despite being a few years old at this point, it stands up amazingly well thanks to its reliance not on polygon count but on effective creative decisions, such as the stylized mountains that serve as a backdrop to the game's first village. The aural and visual reward you get for completing simple tasks, such as revitalizing a dead tree, make simply exploring the over-world a treat.

The gameplay is fairly reminescant of the Zelda series, to an uncanny degree at times (such as the "you solved a puzzle!" sound, and dungeon camera pans). However, the Celestial Brush gives the game something truly unique, and might even make you feel like an artist of sorts as you draw your way across a crevass or through a solid wall. Drawing with the wii-mote makes me wonder how anyone ever used a joystick to do the same thing, although it takes a little practice to get the lines straight.

The combat is where the flaws of the Wii controls stand out; things can get rocky with certain weapons, as the motion sensitive controls do not always make the most sense for timing precise attacks, especially when you need to hold a certain position to charge an attack and then move to release it. Still, all the weapons are usable with practice, although it's true that the dodge move bought at the Dojo (which you can choose not to buy, with no penalties) rarely goes the direction you move the Nunchuck. However, the quickness with which you can draw using the Celestial Brush outweighs this disadvantage in my opinion, although I have not personally played the PS2 version.

In conclusion, for those new to the game, I would give my highest recommendation. For those who already caught it on the PS2, without any new content it's hard to justify the purchase just for the control change. Looking back at the sad story of Clover Studio's disbanding, it's truly a pity we aren't playing a sequel instead of a port, even if a game like this is hard to top.

EDIT: An addendum. Of note to those playing this game on the Wii is the fact that Capcom has cut the original staff credits/epilogue at the end of the game, a beautiful 5 minute cinematic set to the "Reset" song (japanese lyrics). Apparently this was simply because the cinematic contains the clover studios logo, which they do not own the rights to. The credits cinematic is an essential part of the ending I feel, and I am saddened that Capcom did not include it. If you beat the game, I would recommend you find it on Youtube as soon as the ending sequence they left in concludes.

Beyond Epic

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: May 11, 2008
Author: Amazon User

This game is an incredible work of art and imagination. It is unfairly compared to Zelda games, yet it occupies a space of its own. It does not follow the familiar Zelda pattern of travel/dungeon/item/boss/heart. The feel is more open, and yet you never get lost.

The one thing that nobody can deny is that this is an amazing game to look at. Every frame looks like a hand drawn Japanese painting.

The game is extremely long and deep - perhaps even too much so. And yet there is a constant supply of new characters and locations, all meticulously detailed. As an example, even though the typical warp locations are available to move from point to point, I prefer to travel only by foot, because there will always be something I missed - and even if not, it's just nice to look at.

Some have complained about the controls. For combat, I use the rosaries and have never had a problem with getting the desired response. The game can be hard-headed about recognizing the intention of your ink strokes at times. However, you will discover that the practice of playing the game eliminates this as an issue. (I struggled with multiple power strokes and making trees bloom at first, but now those moves go off without a hitch - somehow you just lock in with the game)

As mentioned, the game is very long, and can be chatty at times. Sometimes you'll wish your little companion would let you figure things out on your own. However, it does eliminate the problem that plagues most games of this type - vague or misleading clues. No need to refer to internet guides here.

The music is wonderful and complements the game perfectly.

I should also say something about the enemies - although you acquire a number of brush techniques, weapons, scrolls etc. there is a great variety in enemy weaknesses and attack patterns. You can't just power button mash your way through. So save at every opportunity, because the game doesn't take you back to any place other than your last save spot. Also, the save "mirrors" are scattered quite unevenly. It would be better to have a Resident Evil 4 style continue system, but if nothing else, it increases the urgency of encounters.

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