Okami (PS2) Review

Alright, so I'm starting out with some games I've played recently and we'll go from there! Today, I was playing Okami for the PS2. I got this game for my birthday, I do believe and I haven't regretted it.

Review Breakdown:

Summary of the Story:
Okami is a game where you play as the goddess wolf, Okami Amaterasu. 100 years ago, Shiranui (the name the villagers called Ammy) and Nagi teamed up and defeated Orochi, the 8-headed serpant demon and sealed it away. In the present, someone foolishly unleashed Orochi and cause the entire land of Nippon to be plauged by his darkness once again. Sakuya, the tree spirit, does her best to protect the village of Kamiki until she revives Amaterasu from her statue form.

Now, Amaterasu must stop Orochi with the help of Issun, the wandering artist, and the power of the Celestial Brush powers.


Graphics: 7/10

While I do admire the Japanese art style used throughout the game--it really is special--often times, it makes for some difficulty. Often times, it's either too bright or too dark to see anything. But, the sophitication of cultural art with a hint of cartoony looks makes up for it. Plus, the artwork that you can unlocked for later viewing are simply GORGEOUS.

Gameplay: 8/10

This game flows quite well. In all honesty, you could probably blow through this game in less than a day. (I've done that several times without cheating.) However, all the extras you can go for provide fun challenges to go after. It requires some backtracking and some farming for money and Demon Fangs, but its something to do when the plot gets a little dull. Going after the 100 Stray Beads is definitely fun--and rewarding when you start a new game!

Mechanics: 6/10

The only reason this is lower is because I have a lot of trouble getting the camera to help me out. For the most part, it'll stay where I want it, but sometimes it'll wig out and give me awkward angles when I zoom in.

On the other hand, using the brush powers is easy to catch on to. Hold R1 to bring up the canvas and use Square or X, along with the left analog, to draw. And being able to adjust the camera while having the canvas up is SUPER helpful.

Characters/Plot: 10/10

Yes, perfect score. Why? Because for starters, the characters and unique and have interesting personalities. Susano, for example, is just funny yet weird. He comes in at those random times, and I just go, "*sigh* SUSANO..." then laugh. And Waka is mysterious yet somehow interesting. (My only question is: if this game is based off Japanese culture, why does Waka sometimes speak French? XD)

Then comes the plot. As you progress, you have to eventually defeat Orochi and save the village from utter destruction. But afterwards, you have a whole other section of the story to complete. Not only is main story concluded, but then it moves on to bigger, badder bosses and ultimately a conclusion as to why the monsters appeared. The ending is a little cheesy, but fulfilling.

Difficulty: Medium

It might take a while to get used to the mechanics of the game, but once it is mastered, the rest gets pretty easy. Rarely did I ever have to take a hit. Usually it was only when I rushed through things did I ever take damage. There is only maybe a small handful of extra hard challenges in the game, but they're mostly later on in the plot, or for extra powers/stray beads.

Replay Value: 8/10

It took me at least 6 complete playthroughs (five of them completed with all the stray beads) to even START getting bored with this game. After that sixth time however, I began to memorize where almost all the items were.

Overall Score: 9/10

It might be my eighth time playing through this game now, and I may know how to get pratically everything in the game, but I still love it. Okami is a great mix of Japanese culture and interactive gameplay. Making trees bloom, feeding animals and helping people is actually fun!

My advice: pick up this game. NOW. Great for girls and boys, and definitely recommened for people that enjoy everything Japan.