Every frame a painting.
PS2 version reviewed.
Ōkami is an action adventure game published by Capcom and developed by Clover Studios for the Playstation 2, Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Xbox One, Wii and PC.
Before I get into it, I advise you to play this game before reading, as you'll probably get the best experience going in hardly knowing anything, which is what I did. Just know that this game works.
This review has spoilers!
Now I actually played this game in 2015, rather than 2006, and I recall saying that I'd given Skyrim full marks because there was no such thing as a perfect game and it was the closest I'd ever play to such a thing. Incredibly, I was wrong. Somehow this game ticked all the right boxes and is actually perfect. Perhaps even more crazily, I can't fathom how incredible this masterpiece would have been in its year of release, as it's still superior to games coming out now.
GAMEPLAY
Unique and simply outstanding, Okami brings a whole new idea
to the table with its inspiring brush mechanics, painting your way past any
obstacle. You can deal with enemies in almost limitless ways, or even just
ignore the brush and use your paws or swords. Okami is an action adventure game
at heart, but takes many ques from platformers and RPGs, seamlessly blending
them all together fantastically.
The levels are masterfully designed, from the more open ended areas to the other. I can't even pick a specific one as my favourite because they were all beyond outstanding. The puzzles were interesting, the gameplay stayed fresh throughout with the different approach each level takes, the combat was brilliant and only builds into more and more fun. The game is just immensely enjoyable and brings out this incredible sense of wonder. Success felt satisfying, exploring the beautifully crafted world felt rewarding, everything felt just right.
The pacing is sublime and you'll never feel overwhelmed by all the new abilities you pick up because the brush mechanic is so open and accessible. Before I played the game I was concerned that the brush mechanic might be annoying, or get in the way of things, but it's at the forefront of why this game just works so well. It's really impressive how well the game reads what you're trying to paint too. If I could summarise the gameplay - it just works.
The game isn't just about getting rid of demons, restoring the world and learning new brush techniques, a lot of the time you'll hardly actually find yourself in battles but instead solving puzzles or exploring the world of Nippon. The brush mechanic helps to keep things fresh but the game does a great job of throwing well designed yet varying levels at you.
The boss fights were extraordinary, especially the final one which is probably my favourite battle in a video game. The way everything you've learned comes into use and how I was having to throw everything I had into the fight, as well as all the brush techniques and melee combat I was using anything I had left in my inventory to try and gain an extra advantage, no matter how little impact it had. It really felt like a proper climax and made the ending that much more satisfying.
The boss rush before hand is probably the weakest part of the game but it does help remind you of the brush techniques and serves as practice before the final boss where all of them will come in use.
The other praises I have to sing about the boss fights was how they essentially tested how good you were with your newly acquired technique that you've had the time to practice with throughout a level - It really helps hammer home that you're learning and mastering all these new things. Then you have how each boss ties into the story as well as the emotional and physical battle they each add for certain characters development and their arcs. You end up with the combination of a compelling narrative with well designed bosses - a recipe for something truly special.
I've seen some people complain that the game is too easy, and whilst I felt I was pretty good at the game isn't that how you're supposed to feel? Amaterasu is a God and the developers even said that the game wasn't supposed to be a massive challenge and was supposed to feel pretty accessible to most people, at least the main story, because of them wanting plenty of people to just experience what is why trying to present. Besides, I wonder how many people who complain about the difficulty actually tried all of the game out, because not all the bosses are easy and plenty of the side quests can be challenging, such as fighting the trained up Canine Warriors or completing all the Challenge Gates.
Something I think is worth mentioning is that NPC's in this game are actually useful. They are actually helpful when in boss battles with you and escort NPC's actually move at the same speed you do, rather then moving too slowly or running off too quickly. Why so many games fail at something as simple as escort NPC's time and time again just boggles the mind however Clover actually went to that extra effort to make them work perfectly. Take note other games.
The levels are masterfully designed, from the more open ended areas to the other. I can't even pick a specific one as my favourite because they were all beyond outstanding. The puzzles were interesting, the gameplay stayed fresh throughout with the different approach each level takes, the combat was brilliant and only builds into more and more fun. The game is just immensely enjoyable and brings out this incredible sense of wonder. Success felt satisfying, exploring the beautifully crafted world felt rewarding, everything felt just right.
The pacing is sublime and you'll never feel overwhelmed by all the new abilities you pick up because the brush mechanic is so open and accessible. Before I played the game I was concerned that the brush mechanic might be annoying, or get in the way of things, but it's at the forefront of why this game just works so well. It's really impressive how well the game reads what you're trying to paint too. If I could summarise the gameplay - it just works.
The game isn't just about getting rid of demons, restoring the world and learning new brush techniques, a lot of the time you'll hardly actually find yourself in battles but instead solving puzzles or exploring the world of Nippon. The brush mechanic helps to keep things fresh but the game does a great job of throwing well designed yet varying levels at you.
The boss fights were extraordinary, especially the final one which is probably my favourite battle in a video game. The way everything you've learned comes into use and how I was having to throw everything I had into the fight, as well as all the brush techniques and melee combat I was using anything I had left in my inventory to try and gain an extra advantage, no matter how little impact it had. It really felt like a proper climax and made the ending that much more satisfying.
The boss rush before hand is probably the weakest part of the game but it does help remind you of the brush techniques and serves as practice before the final boss where all of them will come in use.
The other praises I have to sing about the boss fights was how they essentially tested how good you were with your newly acquired technique that you've had the time to practice with throughout a level - It really helps hammer home that you're learning and mastering all these new things. Then you have how each boss ties into the story as well as the emotional and physical battle they each add for certain characters development and their arcs. You end up with the combination of a compelling narrative with well designed bosses - a recipe for something truly special.
I've seen some people complain that the game is too easy, and whilst I felt I was pretty good at the game isn't that how you're supposed to feel? Amaterasu is a God and the developers even said that the game wasn't supposed to be a massive challenge and was supposed to feel pretty accessible to most people, at least the main story, because of them wanting plenty of people to just experience what is why trying to present. Besides, I wonder how many people who complain about the difficulty actually tried all of the game out, because not all the bosses are easy and plenty of the side quests can be challenging, such as fighting the trained up Canine Warriors or completing all the Challenge Gates.
Something I think is worth mentioning is that NPC's in this game are actually useful. They are actually helpful when in boss battles with you and escort NPC's actually move at the same speed you do, rather then moving too slowly or running off too quickly. Why so many games fail at something as simple as escort NPC's time and time again just boggles the mind however Clover actually went to that extra effort to make them work perfectly. Take note other games.
Borrowing heavily on Japanese culture and myths, Okami is
actually a beautifully crafted web that links many of them together. The best
part is that you don’t have to know a thing about to get the messages that both
the legends and the game are trying to tell you, nothing is lost in
translation.
Every story branch has a deep meaning, whether obvious or not. It presents some interesting ideas and morals to the player and could actually even be quite thought provoking - from some of the various Buddhist themes (Such as self-improvement and rebirth) sprinkled throughout to the other more bluntly stated things such as having the resolve to see things though. Everything is just so brilliantly put across that the game just made me feel happier inside.
Ending of the first act, second act and Shiranui are so unexpected and fantastic. I was astounded at how the game just kept on leaving me with my mouth wide on the floor in amazement. Just as I thought it couldn't get better it just kept on doing it. Whenever I feared it might drop the ball it just continued rolling on at its incredible pace. Each act carries emotional weight as well as excellent character development for its starring characters.
Every story branch has a deep meaning, whether obvious or not. It presents some interesting ideas and morals to the player and could actually even be quite thought provoking - from some of the various Buddhist themes (Such as self-improvement and rebirth) sprinkled throughout to the other more bluntly stated things such as having the resolve to see things though. Everything is just so brilliantly put across that the game just made me feel happier inside.
Ending of the first act, second act and Shiranui are so unexpected and fantastic. I was astounded at how the game just kept on leaving me with my mouth wide on the floor in amazement. Just as I thought it couldn't get better it just kept on doing it. Whenever I feared it might drop the ball it just continued rolling on at its incredible pace. Each act carries emotional weight as well as excellent character development for its starring characters.
My only problem with the story, and pretty much my only problem with the whole game, was the whole
Kaguya arc that comes out of nowhere and disappears almost as fast, never to
be mentioned again. It's not terrible or anything, I just wouldn't describe it as the same level the rest of the game is on. The fact that this is the only real criticism I can think of for the game just shows how much of a masterpiece it really is.
The greatest art direction I’ve ever seen in a video game. Every frame of Okami showcases an incredibly in depth moving painting, and you’re the one painting it. Whether an area has just been restored, or a new brush God is descending from the sky, Okami is a testament to video games becoming known as the art form they are today, there can be no arguments that video games are not such a thing after this masterpiece.
The game probably has the strongest art direction I've ever seen in a video game before. Paying homage to more traditional Japanese drawings was an awesome idea and the decision to go with pixel shaded graphics also means Okami will stand up in the department for years to come. The game looks vibrant, happy and somewhere you’d always like to be.
A stunning soundtrack that conveys emotion, moods, feelings
and atmosphere brilliantly, it’s easy to distinguish every characters theme,
the overriding powers of darkness, or the mood of joy after Amaterasu has freed
the local land of evil. When you consider that it's all done without any proper spoken voice acting and yet carries such an emotional weight without it, well, Okami, quite simply put, has the best soundtrack I've ever heard in a video game.
One of my favourite parts was the Wawku Shrine, where the game switches things up and the more traditional sounding music is blended in with a ticking clock. At first you wonder why the music has taken a different turn in this place, until it's revealed that bosses inside are clockwork and can control time. I thought it was a really impressive idea to foreshadow something like that with music and I hope more games make use of such cool a idea.
Yami's theme was another mesmerising piece. If someone asked me to come up with a majestic, powerful theme that also captures the spirit of a battle between good and evil that was really actually about a wolf fighting a big ball I would have been totally bewildered. Yet somehow they managed to pull it off.
The song starts out with an organ, an instrument that you haven't heard throughout the entire game, showcasing the alien presence that Yami is, before a rapturous blare of sinister trumpets takeover, giving away Yami's title of Emperor, before a more upbeat sound returns signifying Amaterasu's attempts to fight him. Not to mention the almost circus like sound that some of the piece encapsulates that's so chaotic and fitting of a giant rolling ball. I'd call it the best boss theme of all time but then the final phase music, the Sun Rises actually somehow tops it. What a ride. What an experience.
VALUE FOR MONEYOne of my favourite parts was the Wawku Shrine, where the game switches things up and the more traditional sounding music is blended in with a ticking clock. At first you wonder why the music has taken a different turn in this place, until it's revealed that bosses inside are clockwork and can control time. I thought it was a really impressive idea to foreshadow something like that with music and I hope more games make use of such cool a idea.
Yami's theme was another mesmerising piece. If someone asked me to come up with a majestic, powerful theme that also captures the spirit of a battle between good and evil that was really actually about a wolf fighting a big ball I would have been totally bewildered. Yet somehow they managed to pull it off.
The song starts out with an organ, an instrument that you haven't heard throughout the entire game, showcasing the alien presence that Yami is, before a rapturous blare of sinister trumpets takeover, giving away Yami's title of Emperor, before a more upbeat sound returns signifying Amaterasu's attempts to fight him. Not to mention the almost circus like sound that some of the piece encapsulates that's so chaotic and fitting of a giant rolling ball. I'd call it the best boss theme of all time but then the final phase music, the Sun Rises actually somehow tops it. What a ride. What an experience.
35 hours at least for the main story, add in collectables
and side quests and you could be looking at around 50. It doesn’t matter
whether you’re into Japanese mythology or not, Okami is able to cater to all, I
hardly knew anything about Okami when I first leaped in, yet learned and even
ended up researching some of the stories from the game in my own time.
I feel it's also worth mentioning that with the way the three acts work, they could have easily been separated and then divided into a trilogy - each act is around 10+ hours, plenty of games are around that long and aren't even made to the same quality this one is. Here instead you get one massive game packed to the brim with deep content. It's almost like buying three games for the price of one - the fact that it is one cohesive game just helps to make it even better.
I feel it's also worth mentioning that with the way the three acts work, they could have easily been separated and then divided into a trilogy - each act is around 10+ hours, plenty of games are around that long and aren't even made to the same quality this one is. Here instead you get one massive game packed to the brim with deep content. It's almost like buying three games for the price of one - the fact that it is one cohesive game just helps to make it even better.
Okami won’t just go down as one of the best games on the PS2, but one of the greatest games of all time. Its unique premise, beautiful direction, wonderful soundtrack and twisting story are an experience you will not forget, leaving you to remember every stunning level. Offering at least 35 hours of absolute well rounded top quality Okami achieves both quality and quantity, as well as the title of my favourite game of all time. This game made me feel happiness I've rarely ever felt before and words simply don't do it justice. Play this game.
