Okami
One of the best games for the PS2 – ever.
Tags: Okami Categories: PS2 Reviews, Reviews
Posted by Daniel "monk" Pelfrey on Oct 2nd, 2006
| Title | Players | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Okami (title page) | |||
| Developer | Publisher | Genre | Online |
| Adventure | No | ||
Capcom has delivered one of the most beautiful games to come along in a long time. Thankfully, that beauty extends beyond the visuals and into the gameplay.
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Okami has players taking on the role of the sun god in wolf form – Amaterasu. Honestly, the story is almost irrelevant. Not to imply that it isn’t important, because it is very essential. To go into it would really ruin the immersion that Okami brings. I will say this – long a protector, and after a long absence, the world is once again in need, and the player delivers that hope to a land that has been plunged into darkness. It may seem cliché, and to a certain extent it is, but so well executed here that one is able to look past the standard story machinations and see the true heart of the matter – a wonderful story with a wonderful heart.
The story is served by the characters, and the “annoying sidekick” is a generic staple of the genre. Here, however in this game that is based on real Japanese mythology, more attention needs to be paid to such a pivotal role. Thankfully Clover Studios really used the tiny artist as not only comic relief and mission helper, but to give a grounded voice to this otherworldly almost ethereal title character.
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Players go from place to place vanquishing demons of one form or another, and that’s a fairly simple button mash – the combat is not deep at all here in that respect. It would have been nicer has there been more, but it was very clearly not the focus o the game. Instead players are given a brush with which to “paint” onto the game world. Bridges created, enemies sliced in half, obstacles removed, etc.
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It is this brush technique that grows over time with added skills that does a great deal in setting apart Okami from much of the rest of the games in this genre. At any time players are able to hold down a shoulder button, and draw on the screen.
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The real emphasis is however on restoring the world to its natural state – again done through brush techniques. These techniques are the real heart of the game, and serve not as gimmicks, but as an integral part of the story, gameplay, and mythology behind the game. Not only will night become day (there is a difference in enemies) and areas open up, but combat is greatly affected as well. Taking a large obstacle and slicing it in half to remove it is only the beginning. While combat is fairly basic (one button press) using the brush techniques in combination gives some depth, and provides a nice variation to the standard button combo system, which is implemented here, but isn’t the emphasis.
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Visually Okami is very distinct. While cel-shading is isn’t anything new, the use of it in combination with a more traditional Japanese watercolor technique is not only new, but provides a unique style that I hope doesn’t get overly copied which would dilute its beauty. There is a very clear distinction between the living world and that which need restoration, night and day, friend and foe. Okami’s visual presentation is such that it could singularly make the case for games as art.
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On an auditory level, Okami shines as well. The voices in the game are a made up language, which helps both to convey the mythological aspect of the story, as well as being equally accessible to gamers from every nation. Some may have wanted a more traditional Japanese vocal soundtrack, but what we have is great just the same. The music, however, is outstanding. I don’t know if a soundtrack is planned to be released, but it should be. Traditional Japanese instrumentals really help to set the tone for the events in the game.
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Mostly and adventure game (go here, do this, talk to this person, go to the next place, complete this puzzle, talk to the next person, etc.) Okami plays like an action game. There are areas to unlock and explore, skills to gain, the usual trappings of videogames. What makes Okami different is the presentation, not just in the audio or visuals, but in how the game is played out. There is a certain “ease” to allow players of lesser skill to get through the game, and enough items to discover and collect for the more hardcore to gain a rewarding experience.
Players will do a bit of backtracking to take a newly gained skill to use it where previously needed. With a fairly linear path to completion, the game pretty much holds the player’s hand throughout if needed (even going so far as giving out hints through Issun). This isn’t a bad thing, as more experienced players will already be a step ahead of such devices. It’s nice to see that Clover Studios developed a game with a wider audience in mind.
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A mix of artistry and exploration, Okami is one of those games that needs to be played to truly be understood. It’s not a short game (more experienced gamers can blast through in about 30 hours) but it doesn’t feel overly long either. The intro movie may put players off (it is the one area that is overly long) but it’s important to set up the story as well as cut out any lengthy cut scenes later in the game.
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To say Okami is a great game would be an understatement. One of the best games of this platform generation. All the words will not do this game justice – it needs to be played to be understoon and apreciated.
| What Works | Score |
|---|---|
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+ Visually stunning + Enchanting score + Wonderful story + Good length without wearing thin |
9.7 |
| What Doesn't | |
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- Overly long intro - Game length can be a double edged sword |
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| Under the Shrink-wrap | |
| A singluar game that proves videogames can be artistic. It must be played. | |
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Tags: Okami
Posted by Daniel "monk" Pelfrey on Oct 2nd, 2006 and is filed under PS2 Reviews, Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can post a comment, or trackback from your own site.
