Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #390 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Capcom
• Released on: 2008-06-13
• Platform: Nintendo Wii
• Original language: German

Amazon.co.uk Review

Unfairly ignored when it was released on the PlayStation 2, Okami gets a second chance on the Wii, a platform where it shines even brighter. The best Zelda-style game not to come from Nintendo, you control the sun goddess Amaterasu in wolf form and help her bring colour back to an ancient version of Japan cursed into darkness. The already innovative combat is improved further thanks to the Wii’s controls, and the game remains one of the longest and most-varied adventures ever seen. The stunning graphics, which look like moving watercolours, elevate Okami above other games into a true work of art.

Amazon.co.uk
Okami tells the story of a mythical sun god who sets out to restore a dismal world, decimating the forces of evil who stand in the way by commanding the elements and mythical abilities the deity possesses. Mixing Japanese folklore and a stunning traditional Japanese art style, players must utilize an inventive control scheme to overcome the challenges and evil that await. By enhancing the unique gameplay, visual style and story line of Okami with the control of the Wii Remote, it is sure to be the ultimate version of the game.

Originally designed for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and released in 2006, Okami now comes alive in an entirely new way on the Wii with its visually stunning art style and beautiful scenic 3D levels that have the appearance and texture of paper scrolls brushed with watercolor-like calligraphy art. Throughout the vibrant and distinctive surroundings, players must use the Wii remote to interact with a dynamic world and cast of characters. The blend of stylized graphics, movements and unique gameplay will result in a rich and dynamic experience never seen before.

Features:

* Innovative gameplay and control scheme optimized for the Wii - Defeating monsters requires both motion-controlled physical attacks, but also use of the Wii Remote as Amaterasu's 'Celestial Brush' to paint the desired powers for decimating enemies and solving puzzles.

* Utilize various gameplay styles - In addition to the Celestial Brush, Amaterasu can wield three types of offensive weaponry, each with their own unique abilities and effects. Depending on how a weapon is equipped, it can be used as the main or sub weapon:

o Reflectors - These well-balanced weapons are suited for close range combat.

o Rosaries- Sacred magatama beads are great for quick long range attacks.

o Glaives - These can be charged up to unleash powerful close range attacks.

* Intriguing main character - Assume the role of the sun god, Amaterasu, who descends upon the earth in the form of a wolf. The Japanese translation of the word wolf is "Okami".

* Original visuals and revolutionary design- Vibrant and inspiring graphics, reminiscent of traditional Japanese art created on paper scrolls, produce a large variety of stages with a watercolor-esque appearance.

Customer Reviews

An essential Wii game
The Zelda franchise has always been my Nintendo favourite. Now, 37 hours into Okami, it has a serious rival. Okami is, quite simply, the best Wii game I have played since it's release, and I got mine the day they came out. If you are looking for PS3 pin sharp graphics then forget it. What Okami offers is a tapestry of swirling colours and images that truly represent the feel of Japanese mythology that is the basis for the story. The controls, whilst a little awkward to start with, quickly become second nature and don't let any adverse review put you off. Okami will immerse you in a sprawling, adventurous universe, without your heroes being child like sprites with their annoying cool, irritating dialogue. The best game I have played for ages and thoroughly recommended.

As fun as it is beautiful
Put quite simply, Okami is the most balanced, intuitive, enjoyable and beautiful game I have played in a long time. Below is a more detailed breakdown of the game:

Gameplay:
The gameplay of Okami is seamless. Travelling the vast and wonderful land doesn't become a chore due to the ease of the controls and the fact that they just work. Ready At Dawn have done a fantastic job to make the control scheme so simple yet so intuitive. The world is entirely free-roaming with the combat being contained to a ring when contact is made with a demon scroll. This, to any Zelda fans (like myself), initially seemed like a drawback to the game having experienced Wolf Link, however, I personally think th the containment of these combat episodes actually works very well and allows the player to more freely explore the world without the constant threat of attack from all angles. The Celestial Brush, despite the opinion of some reviewers, I found to be very effective and thought it worked incredibly well with the Wii Remote - I can't imagine how it worked without it!

Story:
The story is actually one set quite deeply in real Japanese legend (a statement that doesn't work as legends, by their own nature, cannot be real). After conducting some research I found that Amaterasu (the main protagonist) is a real Japanese deity, the goddess of the Sun - as she is in the game, only in Okami she is embodied by a white wolf. There are endless references to other elements of Japanese folklore and legend and I would strongly recommend anyone who enjoyed the game to do some research into it - Issun for example is the equivalent to our Tom Thumb (His actual name is Issun-boshi meaning One Inch Boy) I won't talk about the plot here so that it remains a surprise for those of you who haven't yet played it.

Visuals:
The visuals of Okami are truly breathtaking. After roaming through the world and rejuvenating many blossom trees you are surrounded by scenery which looks as though it has been taken straight out of a Japanese artist's work. It looks beautiful but not in the conventional, well represented and realistic way. Instead it boasts an air of actual artwork which has come to life in your hands.

In conclusion, Okami has solid and well thought-out controls which are simple to grasp but still require some practice to perfect, many hours of gameplay through the expansive storyline which is, in places, humorous and finally it has the best art style that I, personally, have ever seen in a game. It is simply a masterpiece.

Overated?
I feel inclined to write a review because all the reviews i have seen for Okami seem terribly one-sided and not very informative.

I have had this game for about a week now, and have to say after reading the reviews and seeing the beautiful imagery on adverts, i feel really dissapointed.

Although i agree that the game is visually stunning, its not unlike the PS2 game XIII (13), CellDamage and dreamcast game JetSet Radio, in its cartoon/brushstroke graphics. It's been done before, and in Okami i felt sometimes the graphics made it hard to see what was going on.

The story was also really good and really set the atmosphere. As did the characters and small tasks you're set, but I can't help but think: "Zelda?" which incidentally achieved this in a far more beautiful fashion.

The fight scenes are extremely repetitive and get tedious very quickly, also most of them seem to not acheive anything at all.

As for the celestial brushstrokes, yes it is a very nice addition to the game and makes good use of the wii remote and kind of makes you feel good as you add bloom to the trees, it is VERY hard to use.

My final and most important complaint about this game is the RIDICULOUSLY ANNOYING little "artist/bug" guy that lives on you. He pops up CONSTANTLY, telling you about stuff that either you already know or that is common sence. This makes everything you do seem completely pointless as your being led step by step through the whole game and makes the game very unrewarding.

I felt this has completely let the whole game down as the other cons of the game were not that bad and are to a large extent were overshadowed by the magic of this game, but being told what to do constantly by something very obnoxious is not my idea of fun and gives you no freedom.

My advice is to buy Zelda: Twilight Princess, it has basically all the same aspects but executed 100 times better with more charm and depth and magic than Okami.