Customer Reviews: Read 132 more reviews...
 Amazing. October 12, 2008
Simply the one of the best looking games for PS2.
Over 40h of gameplay, and after you finish it, you're gonna feel like playing it all over again.
A must have game, a masterpiece from Capcom.
 You Should Know.. September 25, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This game has just been re-released as a Greatest Hits game and I picked mine up at Best Buy for $19.99! I have a Wii and I was interested in playing that version but this one's half the price plus I don't have to deal withy any iffy Wii waggle controls!
Breathtaking. September 14, 2008
This is, hands down, the most artistic game I have ever seen. I could not possibly stress how much I adore this game in its entirety: Storyline, graphics, music, characters, everything about it.
Story: Absolutely stunning. You play as a reincarnation of the Shinto goddess of the sun, Amaterasu, in the form of a beautiful white wolf. You exist to restore peace and order, by reviving trees and breathing life back into the land. Many aspects of the game refer to Shinto mythology, including the 8 headed serpent who poisons the land, and many, many other Shinto legends. This story brings me to tears every single time I play through it, and it was a much more unexpected plot than I had imagined at first.
Gameplay: Being an RPG, this is a very puzzle oriented game - however, they are quite easy. The main feature of the game is your "Celestial Brush" - a paint brush that turns the world into parchment and allows you to paint anything form the sun, moon, stars, wind, fire, trees, and rain into the landscape, as well as paint the missing parts of broken bridges or revive dead trees. You gain "praise" by helping people, reviving trees, feeding animals, and a number of other good deeds that restore the world faith in you.
Visuals: The graphics are absolutely beautiful. You are living in a moving Japanese sumi-e ink painting. The landscapes are beautiful and very painterly, and the characters can be anywhere from charming to comical. When you are introduced to a new enemy, it shows you a beautifully painted scroll with an illustration of the enemy, and once you defeat them, they turn into a bed of flowers.
Music: The music is stunningly composed and played with traditional Japanese instruments. It is truly worth buying the soundtrack. Orchestrated, not synthesized. It really affects the game and sets the mood. Remarkably well done.
Controls: For a normal gamer, the controls are very intuitive. The camera is almost never a problem, and there are no overly complicated attack sequences or anything of the sort. This is definitely a game to help you relax, not stress out.
This game was a must-have for me. Definitely worth renting. It is truly a work of art.
A Classic September 11, 2008
Are you tired of the same old RPGs? Are you looking for a unique story, fantastic characters, and gorgeous graphics? Then is this the game for you!
The story rotates around the Japanese goddess Amaterasu and her journey to defeat the terrifying 8-headed Orochi. She battles using the Celestial Brush -- literally her tail-tip dipped in ink -- with which she "draws" attacks. For example, drawing a line through an enemy will cut him in half. As the game progresses, she gains more and more brush techniques to aid her in battle. It's a race against time; she must find all of the old brush techniques in order to save ancient mythical Japan.
The gameplay is heavily reminiscent of Legend of Zelda. One collects skills and items, goes from dungeon to dungeon (many of which are elementally themed), and travels throughout the land destroying evil. However, it becomes much more than that thanks to its story, characters, and graphics.
This game is set in mythological Japan (Nippon); if you're familiar with any Japanese folktales, you will see many of the characters from those stories wandering about! The plot is the best part, however. Unlike the Zelda games, which have a formula -- each area has its major dungeon -- the dungeons of Okami are plot-dependent and have no set formula. This threw me for a loop when I first played it. However, it's also incredibly enjoyable! You never know what you're going to see next or how the plot is going to turn, and thus, you never know what kind of dungeon you're about to trot into next. It's a wonderful change of pace!
The plot itself is your basic fairytale-esque "save the world from evil" romp, but it's a marvelous trip. It's carried by some of the funniest dialogue I've ever seen, and I laughed aloud many, many times -- something a game hasn't done for me in years. It's also heavy on the Japanese culture, which is fascinating in its own right. Because it's so entrenched in Japanese culture, it's not so simple to guess plot points ahead of time, many characters and monsters appear as shocks and delights.
Which leads to the characters themselves. Every single character is memorable. That's right: every single one, from the smallest NPC to the final boss. You'll find the womanizing Issun -- a Navi-esque advisor who narrates for you -- an adorable and enjoyable partner in particular.
Another notable quality of this game are the graphics. The art style is so beautiful and unique! Based on a Japanese painting style, every part of the landscape looks as though it has been copy and pasted from some ancient Oriental scroll. It was a downright pleasure to wander through every level -- sometimes, I just stopped to look at the scenery.
Controls are intuitive and the brush works like a charm.
One of its cons, however, is its heavy reliance on walls of text that narrate the story after major plot points. I adore reading, but even this was too much for me. Another con is the final boss, who was downright irritating and too time-consuming, and that some baddies' weaknesses were difficult to figure out. That said, it was very rewarding to finally figure out each villain's weak spot. And yet another con: some areas close off permanently after you venture through them. I know it makes sense for some of these areas to disappear, but if you weren't thorough enough, you'd miss a lot of great loot.
Also, just for parents: this game has mature humor. The very first cutscenes involve Issun sneaking into a goddess's kimono, and double-entendres abound.
This game has a lot of depth and so much to offer. It is a must-play, end of story. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.
Best. Game. Ever. September 11, 2008
This is the first real game I actually finished and the only game I consistently play. The game is remarkably original and fun, but on top of that, it's strikingly beautiful and inspiring. Rather than obsessing over the game itself, I obsess about the art, music, characters, etc. This is the only game for which I've found myself buying merchandise. It even inspired me to play piano again.
Okami is a truly epic journey through a fantasy version of ancient Japan. You play as Amaterasu, the Shinto sun goddess, in the form of a white wolf. Sure, you have weapons: bludgeoning mirrors that blaze with solar fire, whip-like rosaries, and giant piercing swords that can sort of act as hoverboards... despite this powerful arsenal, your greatest weapon is the Celestial Brush, with which you can paint the world with flowers, wind, fire, etc. You can slash boulders in two and warp the very fabric of time and space, even controlling the movements of the sun and moon. All of this happens in a beautiful world with the feel of a sumi-e painting.
The game starts out with you on a mission to save the villagers of Kamiki Village. That mission soon becomes a quest to save the land, and so the game has a heavy focus on the environment and really opens your eyes to the beauty of nature. (Who knew a video game could do that??) Battle your way up from meager imps to world-destroying demons vying for control of Nippon, and go from saving a village to saving the world, on the way finding stronger weapons and gaining more and more brush powers and physical abilities.
And when you're done, start a new game and realize just how powerful you really were. Also note how much fun being so powerful is. :P
The end of the game is beautiful. It has some of the best music and a truly moving scene that makes me cry every time I watch it. This is the only game that's ever been able to move me so, and I think even my friends and family admit that it's done good things for me. I have friends who haven't even played it and still love it.
Okami is pretty easy, so don't expect too much of a challenge... however, it is easy enough to keep youself challenged (don't boost your health, ink, use items, etc.), and there are quite a few difficult but fun sidequests. This game has a huge scope that actually feels like a fully developed world, and you're always wanting to explore more. There are no flat characters, and a lot of them, even minor ones, are fully rounded. Even the heart of darkness feels like a strong character. When everyone feels like a real person (even demons!), it's easy to get lost in this world.
Here's wishing Okami a future as bright as the sun.
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