Okami – PS2 – Review

The world is
a painting. As I step into it for the first time, I am taken in by every
shape, object, and color. Trees, grass, flowers – are these the things gamers
are really interested in? Somehow this world has made them interesting. As I
land a jump for the first time, I see grass and flowers grow out from under my
character’s feet. The flowers, a symbol of his great power, quickly disappear
as he walks away.

By the end
he will have met his full potential and restored beauty to a world covered in
darkness. But even in darkness the game is drenched in beauty. Every time of
day has a different look and feel (and at night, a different set of monsters).
An unprecedented amount of hues and contrasting colors were to used to create
several locales – each with the quality of a detailed storybook, multiplied by
20.

Over the
course of this adventure it is you who will control him and re-paint the
world. You’ll form bridges to cross the water, draw lines to slash enemies,
and paint trees to lift the curse that has left them lifeless. You’ll create
objects to cross dangerous paths, draw a simple shape to plant bombs, and turn
the world into something you couldn’t possibly imagine.

Graphically Rich, Graphically Influenced

Okami’s
innovations are very unique. When I look back on games whose innovation was
partially graphical, I think of Resident Evil (first 3D horror), Metal Gear
Solid (first 3D spy game), and Tomb Raider (groundbreaking third-person
shooter). These were the first in their series, and their innovations couldn’t
have been possible without the new 3D environments.

Okami’s
graphics are innovative for a different reason. We’ve had 3D games before, and
beautiful cel-shaded effects. We have not, however, experienced an adventure
where every action leads to something visual – and that every visual can lead
to something that affects the gameplay.

Take this
tree for example. If you look closely you should see a ribbon tied in the
center.

Hold the R1
button and your Celestial Brush comes up. The screen flattens, or so it
appears, and you are now able to draw over the environment.

But things
are not as they appear. This screenshot cannot depict the whole truth. Push
the right analog stick and you’ll see the environment move within your drawing
area, allowing you to adjust the angle as needed.

Now push the
square button and draw a straight line using the left stick. Release R1 and
the tree will be sliced in two. This move, though cool, is not the solution to
your current problem.

What you
need is a power called Bloom. It enables you to draw a circle around barren
trees, replenishing its color and lost leaves:

This
blossomed tree is one of many world elements that must be restored. As you
restore them, peace begins to return to that location. More areas become
accessible, and more rewards are given to the player.

Innovation, Exploration

Underneath
the innovation is an exciting and polished adventure game. The all-powerful
creature you control is Amaterasu, a wolf with the power to paint the world.
He’s very quiet.

Issun, a
tiny creature who follows Amaterasu on his journey, more than makes up for the
lack of silence.

Drawing
isn’t just limited to restoration and enemy slashings. Amaterasu will have to
create bombs (draw a circle with a line through it) to combat monsters and
bust open cracks found in the environment. Aim for the sky when drawing a
circle and the sun will come up. Time plays an important role in this game,
with some events taking place only at night, and others only during the day.

The controls
are smooth, responsive, and feel just right. Environments aren’t just
beautiful, they’re also extremely well designed, and are very effective in
practice. You won’t find an area that feels weird or out of place. Every
locale comes across exactly as it should. It’s a world you’ll want to return
to again and again.

The
Celestial Brush elements are surprisingly quick and without flaw. Shapes do
not have to be drawn perfectly. Quickly scribble them out, release R1 and be
on your way. This has undoubtedly avoided a plethora of frustrations that
would’ve been caused by a stricter drawing system (where artwork had to be
more precise).

All I
Need is a Tri-Force, and…

It’s
impossible to avoid comparing Okami to The Legend of Zelda, most notably The
Wind Waker. I hate to bring it up for fear of those who shunned The Wind
Waker’s art style may shun Okami as well. But that’d be a horribly foolish
mistake. And you know what they say about people who allow themselves to be
fooled twice…

Both games
are third-person adventure RPGs. Zelda has an annoying fairy who uses sounds,
not words, to communicate. Okami has Issun, an equally annoying creature that
never shuts up. Zelda has long story sequences that can’t be skipped – Okami
is no different (the intro is painfully long). In Zelda, Link uses bombs to
blast through cracked walls. Okami does the same. Link jumps over objects
automatically, and though Okami has a jump button, he too will lift himself
over small objects without the press of a button.

I could
continue, but there’s really no point. Okami may very well have been born from
Zelda’s source material, but its innovations and contributions to video games
are not to be overlooked.

You could
fault it for being a partial clone, but I’ve heard developers say, "People
want every game to be Zelda." Okami is not Zelda. But it has the same quality,
the same masterful design, and its own innovations that are bound to be copied
by other developers who wish they had thought of them first.

Review Scoring Details for Okami

Gameplay: 9.4
This is one of
Capcom’s finest releases – an adventure that demonstrates what could be a new
era in video games. It’s an unexpected blend of gameplay and visuals. Gameplay
influences the graphics and vice versa. You will get to see the world
transform from ugliness to beauty, all presented in sequences built using the
game engine. Those sequences follow the countless moments where you will
change the world in real-time simply by drawing on key areas of the
environment. The transition is unparalleled.

Graphics: 9.9
The pinnacle of
PlayStation 2 visuals. From the gameplay-influencing painting aspect and world
evolution elements to the hand-drawn characters and environments that are
superior to every anime I have ever seen on Cartoon Network, Okami is a
gorgeous and glorious work of art with no equal.

Sound: 8.0
Okami’s music is
great. The sound effects are also pretty cool, but the voice-overs – which
consist of various sounds, not actual words – are a bit of an annoyance. It’s
nothing Zelda hasn’t made us sit through (remember the faeries?), but still –
if you’re going to copy and improve upon the best, why not leave the worst
behind?

Difficulty: Easy/Medium
About as
difficult as the two more prominent Zelda releases: The Ocarina of Time and
The Wind Waker. Puzzles are brilliant, but they’re no ICO. You won’t have to
spend an hour thinking them through. Trial and error and deep exploration is
typically all it takes.

Concept: 9.4
Drawing without a
Wii or DS? Is that even possible? I was intrigued but concerned by Okami’s
unusual concept. PlayStation 2 proved to be the right choice for the game, as
the developers found a clever way to incorporate simple drawing motions
without the use of a stylus.

This game
world-changing idea is backed up by unforgettable environments, quality
controls, and an excellent (but like most, imperfect) camera system. Battles
are exciting, puzzles are intriguing and satisfying, and the graphics cannot
be beat.

Overall: 9.4
If you buy only
one PlayStation 2 game this fall, make it Okami. Don’t get completely caught
up in the next-gen hype. Every moment is heightened by breathtaking beauty. At
times you’ll forget that this game was designed for a current-gen console.
Whereas other titles fake or skip around to avoid showing a world that was
supposed to have evolved, Okami gives you everything – and it never misses a
frame.