Okami (PS2)

Pre-Owned/Used: Very Good Condition games available

Product Information

Product Description

Mixing Japanese folklore and a stunning traditional Japanese art style, Okami tells the story of a mythical sun god who sets out to restore a world to its former beauty and glory. Okami is the brainchild of Capcom's Clover Studio which is renowned for such innovative and critically acclaimed titles such as Steel Battalion and Viewtiful Joe series. In Okami, the legendary monster Orochi has come back to life and turned the world into a veritable wasteland. Players must assume the role of a wolf, an embodiment of the sun god Amaterasu, capable of wielding unimaginable power. The state of the world lies in gamer's hands as they must fight ominous beings and reclaim the earth from a curse that plagues it. It is crucial to help Amaterasu make the world a place where all living creatures can dwell once again. Traditional Japanese art comes alive through beautiful scenic 3D levels that have the appearance and texture of paper scrolls brushed with watercolour-like calligraphy art. As a god in the form of a wolf, Amaterasu must reclaim its powers that are scattered throughout the earth, in order to help restore the land to its former beauty. As players progress through the game, they will travel to different regions in search of the other godly embodiments that are hidden, and regain Amaterasu's powers. Rooted in the third person perspective, gamers will need to interact with the people they encounter, building their faith by clandestinely answering their prayers and wishes. As gamers lead Amaterasu through diverse environments, they will come across extraordinary monsters that originated from Japanese folklore. Defeating the creatures that Amaterasu encounters will not be a small feat. The real-time fighting system not only involves biting and ramming strikes, but also allows for various attacks using the bronze mirror of Yata on its back as well as a host of other unique abilities.

Review

If you ever thought it odd that two CGI kids movies about talking ants could come out at the same time, followed by two about talking fish, consider the odds of two video games coming out within months of each other which involve controlling a wolf in a Legend of Zelda style game world. In actual fact Okami first came out in Japan almost a year ago, a long time before Twilight Princess. Nevertheless, this is the best Zelda style game ever on a non-Nintendo console and likely to remain one of the very best games released all year. Not only that but it features probably the most beautiful graphics ever seen on the PlayStation 2 with a completely unique cel-shading effect that makes the whole game world look like it is painted in Japanese water colours.