Okami Video Game Review

Intro

Here it is, my first review.  This is going to be a review for the game Okami for the Nintendo Wii, and I can tell you right now, it is one of the most AMAZING games ever to reach gaming systems.  This game is perfect, and not just because I am a huge Japan fan, and this game is completely based on Japanese mythology, but for its beautiful artwork, compelling storyline, likable and funny characters, and thrilling enemies.  This game is LONG. By far the longest game I have ever played.  After defeating what I thought was the final boss, I had already clocked in at least 15 hours, but when the boss was defeated,  the game continued on for many MANY more hours. One thing is for sure, after buying this game, for only 20$, you will surely get your moneys worth.

Story and Characters

The game Okami is completely based on Japanese Mythology.  Now I am not an expert on Japanese Folklore, so many of the sideplots confused the heck outta me.  The main plot though, was very compelling.  Okami follows Amaterasu, a reincarnation of Shiranui, an ancient sun goddess born in the form of a wolf.  100 years ago, the lands of medievil Japan are terrorized by an eight headed dragon-like creature named Orochi.  There seems to be no stopping this terrible creature, but when Shiranui arrives into town, things start to look up.  Shiranui and her sidekick, Nagi, eventually defeat Orochi and seal it off into a sword, hopfully never to return again.  The lands are restored to peace.  But, history has a funny way of repeating itself, and the game begins with a mysterious dark character removing the sword from its stone, releasing Shiranui, now known as Amaterasu, or Ammy, and Orochi.  Scared at the sight of what he has just done, the dark character runs into the distance, leaving the lands in havoc once again.  Ammy must now team up with Issun, a little, annoying insect, sprite like creature,  to help return the happiness to the cities, and destroy the darkness left by Orochi, return the power to the forest goddess, destroy Orochi, and retrieve all of the celestial brush techniques, but more on that later.  There are many other characters, such as a sake brewer, and Susano, a bumbling “descendant” of Shiranui’s sidekick.  If you think it sounds like a lot, and sounds confusing, you’re right, because…it is.  Although there are MANY characters, and a confusing plotline, it all comes together as more of the story is revealed.  Ammy uses the celestial brush,a godly weapon which allows the player to take hold of the elements, to help her on her epic quest.  As the story progresses, more techniques are unlocked.  If you press the B button on the wii controller, the entire screen pauses, and you are able to literally draw on the screen.  This is helpful when you are able to create lilypads to help you hop across water, trees to block enemies, or fire to melt ice.  This is a very unique and helpful addition to the game.  It actually makes the game more puzzling, in a good way. Controls

Now, the controls is where this game lacks, not much, but it does take away from the overall experience.  Since you must manually draw the brush techniques on the screen, it can get a bit frustrating at times, like when you are trying to draw a moon in the sky, but the game reads it as the sun.  There was a time when I spent at least 30 min. trying to use a brush technique, only to find out I was doing it wrong!  There are 13 different techniques in all, and it can get a bit confusing when trying to remember which one is which.  Although there is a guide to using the techniques in the menu screen, it doesn’t really aide that much.  The game also uses motion control in the battle system.  The way of battling in this game is quite strange.  It is like an rpg in the fact that the battles only start if you run into an area where the enemy is standing.  In order to attack, you cannot just waggle the remote around willy-nilly, but you must waggle it to a rythm.  This can get VERY aggrivating when trying to string together combos, but the game won’t read it because you are wailing the remote around.  Although, you can use brush techniques while in a fight, but when you cannot pull of the techniques because the game won’t read it, it doesn’t really  Overall, this game has okay controlls when just roaming around in the huge overworld, or the dungeon-esque areas, but when trying to battle or pull of a celestial brush technique, the game takes a fall for the worse.

Graphics

This game’s high point in my opinion, are the graphics.  They are so unique, and different, and it seems to just “fit” the game.  These graphics are based on Japanese watercolor paintings.  Above, is a screenshot from the game…aren’t they amazing?!  Even the cutscenes are done beautifully.  The one thing I would have changed, in the cutscenes, is adding voices.  The cutscenes are so long, and without voice overs,  it is quite boring to just sit there and read.

Conclusion

In my eyes, this game is perfect. It’s minor flaws do take some away from the overall gaming experience, but it makes up for it in its story line, characters, and graphics.  The only thing I can’t see, is why there isn’t a sequel:)

Final Verdict

Story and Characters: 10/10

Controls: 7/10

Graphics: 10/10

Overall: 9/10

BUY THIS GAME NOW!!!!!!  9/10

Written by: Dinoggler (and yes, this is my first review)

*please excuse spelling mistakes as most of the names are Japanese