Wii Review: Okami

Review by: Pierst179

The gaming world is not a fair place at all. While uninspired titles with shallow gameplay that were initially developed to get some easy money from a few casual gamers bask on the spotlight of success, some games that can be best described as epic masterpieces struggle to sell a few copies due to bad timing and poor advertisement. Unfortunately, Okami belongs in the last category.

The game was produced for the Playstation 2 and won awards all over the media. Sadly a new generation of games had already hit store shelves and most gamers seemed too caught up in excitement to pay attention to a new game that featured a wolf as its starring character, had cell-shaded graphics and had a storyline based on Japanese folklore.

Developers usually joke that "Games with a cartoonish look are produced to die" and that applies to this game. As the title sold poorly the talented group of professionals responsible for this modern masterpiece had to close their company - Clover Studio - and look for new projects. Meanwhile, Okami seemed destined to fade and eventually disappear as time passed. However Capcom still believed in the potential of the title and wanted to give it another chance to shine, and so Okami Wii was born.



The game starts at a small village located in the outskirts of Nippon - a huge continent where the game takes place. With a flash back you are transported 100 years to the past where history is about to happen. Yearly an eight-headed serpent, called Orochi, that lurks in the Moon Cave sends a silver arrow directly towards the village, the arrow is aimed at a maiden's house. The maiden then needs to be sacrificed and offered to Orochi.

However, on that year 100 years in the past that silver arrow hit the house of a maiden that was deeply loved by the village's warrior. In order to save his damsel from such a terrible fate the warrior heads to the cave with a white wolf. Inside the beast's lair they fight an epic battle and manage to seal the serpent with a sword. The legend of the warrior and the brave wolf is still told over and over again in Kamiki Village. Unfortunately, the seal has broken and Orochi dangerously waits for the time where he will once again fire his silver arrow.

The storyline is one of the main factors that contributes to the amazing experience you will have with this game. As impossible as it seems, the plot is very well developed throughout the adventure and your journey will gain urgency as you approach the end of this long adventure.

Characters contribute a lot to such a solid plot development. Okami is overflowing with charming characters with different personalities, and during your adventure you will notice how they change their behavior based on a few facts that may have happened on their lives. It is simply amazing how the producers were careful with every single one of the people you encounter.

The highlight of the game goes to Issun which is a small mysterious being that will be your partner throughout the game. He will tell you what to do, and will always talk with other characters in the game since you will be controlling a wolf. He is responsible for some of the funniest moments in gaming history as he hits on beautiful ladies by commenting on a few features of their bodies in a naughty manner, or as he loses his mind and gets mad at a certain situation or a at some characters.



On the game you take control of a wolf that is actually the sun Goddess, Amaterasu. The game plays on a similar way to The Legend of Zelda as you will be constantly exploring vast areas or trying to figure out creative puzzles that are hidden inside dark dungeons filled with enemies. What really makes those two games different is that Okami focus more on the exploration than in dungeon exploring. What makes Okami such a special game is the fact that you can draw different things on the screen as if it were a canvas.

During the gameplay when you press the B-button the action will stop and your Wiimote will become a huge pencil. By using it you can draw lines, circles or other objects that will be interpreted by the game's engine and translate into moves that are magically performed by the starring character. On the adventure you will learn a vast array of techniques such as restoring missing objects, laying bombs, cutting enemies as if you were using a sword or using elements like fire and water to your advantage. With the Wii's motion controls those actions become very intuitive and quick, therefore the game won't lose its flow simply because you had to slay an enemy or make a tree bloom.

The battles are one of the most unique aspects of the game. While on most adventure titles you would find your enemies wandering around freely in this game they will appear on the field as some cursed signs, if you would rather keep on going on your adventure you can simply avoid them but if you feel like engaging in a frantic battle to earn some money you can walk directly into those signs and you will be transported to a restricted battlefield as it would happen on an RPG.

Inside a circle of fire you will battle a large group of enemies using your techniques of beating them up by shaking the Wiimote. Unfortunately your movements will occasionally not be correctly interpreted by the game and you may end up taking some damage or missing an attacking opportunity because of that. But it doesn't affect the gameplay deeply because battles are not the main part of the game. Once you beat all the enemies you will get an amount of money based on the time it took you to finish them all and the damage you received. Afterwards the fire barriers circling the place will disappear and you will move on with your adventure.



The boss battles are simply amazing and they will make a great use of all the techniques you learn. There isn't an impressive amount of bosses since there aren't many dungeons in the game, but all of them are very creative and unique. The game also has a bunch of lengthy side-quests that will keep you entertained for a long while. The prize on most of those quests is called "praise" which ca be compared to the exp points you will find on most RPGs. By using praise you can increase your life bar, or your ink that will allow you to use more techniques within a certain period of time.

There are not many differences between the two versions of the game. Obviously the Wii version makes good use of the motion capabilities that the system posses, but apart from that you can't really tell one version from another. Graphically they are similar - although the Wii version is slightly better. If you are worried about purchasing a two-year old game, fearful that it may look outdated you should erase all those thoughts from your mind because Okami looks as colorful and vivid as ever.

One of the biggest advantages cell-shaded titles have over games that attempt for a realistic look is that the former group - when it is well executed - will never look old or unpolished. A good example of this timeless effect is The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, a game that was released five years ago and it can still be considered one of the best looking titles available on the market. If you were stunned by The Wind Waker's visuals you must be prepared for the things you are going to find here in Okami. The continent of Nippon spreads through a vast area with very different landscapes. Forests, rivers, valleys, mountains, temples and beaches are some of the outstanding scenarios you will find in this game.

One of the biggest prowesses of the title is that the game flows naturally and you will actually feel like you are in an old museum looking at an ancient Japanese painting when all of a sudden the animals and trees on the background start moving and gain life. During your play through you will naturally stop at certain locations simply to admire the way things were drawn and how attentive with the details the art designers were.



During some moments on the game you will restore huge portions of the map that had been previously cursed by the villains. As you make things bloom with your special powers you will watch a dark and sinister landscape become a green field with singing birds and with a beautiful sun shinning upon the land. While this may sound like a simple cutscene, I can tell you that there aren't many games that fill you wit such a rewarding feeling as Okami does when you restore life to vast area, feed animals or make a tree bloom with its full splendor.

Overall Okami is one of the best titles available on the Wii despite the fact that it is a two-year old title. The game is still as strong and fresh as possible and it will please Zelda fans and gamers that have been waiting for a new series to appear for a while. It is a beautiful game, both visually and conceptually. Ultimately it is a story about faith and belief, and one of the most rewarding games that has ever been created.