Okami

Okami is the story about a wolf of Amaterasu (a god in Japanese mythology) who is on a magnificent quest to rid the world of the evil forces of Orochi (Another god in Japanese mythology). Along with the help of the wisecracking, fun loving Issun, both of them go all over Japan uncovering many different events that happen in the game.

This game is just simply unbelievable, Its got such a wonderful story and so many wonderful characters you'll meet in the game. You'll laugh, cry, even become angry at what this game has to offer, but trust me. I loved this game to bits and I played it all the way through and it did aggravate me abit, but just go with it.

Highly Recommended!!!

Claiming that Okami is a masterpiece is a no-brainer. That doesn't mean that this game is perfect. There are some flaws that can't be easily ignored.(I will talk about some of these flaws later).Despite these flaws this game managed to captivate me and has enchanted me completely. Even now when I already have finished this game for a quite a time now I keep thinking about it. "Okami" is pure magic. When I heard this game being reviewed on a show I simply could not imagine what made this game so special. Yes,it looked beautiful,but I wasn't so keen on using the brush (drawing for me is a childhood trauma). Until I had the opportunity to experience it for myself. (You really feel like a god once you have mastered several celestial brush techniques.) It only took me playing some minutes for I realized that I was hooked. The cell shaded visuals provide a look for the game that hasn't been done too often and can be considered original. Combine this aspect with the fantastic game play and a wonderful and moving story then you simply know that you can't go wrong. But the game doesn't stop there. "Okami" has one amazing soundtrack that just completes this game. In fact it is so essential that without it the magic wouldn't be the same. Now i have read many reviews on this game saying that this game is easy. And for an experienced gamer it will be. But believe me when I tell you that there are times that this game can be challenging. As a lot of other action RPG's "Okami" has some mini-games that are optional and ones that are compulsory. Personally I think that mini-games can be fun as long as they are optional. The minute you have to play a game in order to advance is something I can't appreciate. Example is one digging game that you simply have to do otherwise you can't continue. The fact that there is no other way to achieve your goal is a flaw in my book. This particular digging game demands that you have mastered the brush techniques previous learned in the game. While the game is very forgiving usually when using the brush, in this digging game it isn't. (Once you think you figured how to do a certain technique it still can fail to work. I believe this is a glitch of some sort and since it is random it can't be prevented. But with a lot of practice and patience it is possible to complete it.) The lack of control over camera in some sequences is another flaw that I have to mention especially when it comes to the ones that are timed and the ones that concern platforming. These flaws however can be considered very minor since the overall experience is truly grand and majestic. "Okami" is without a doubt one of the best and most beautiful video games ever made. A masterpiece!!!

Okami is a video game in which you play as Amaterasu, a god from Japanese mythology. Amaterasu's mission is to restore Nippon's ecology by defeating demons, as well as to restore the faith of the Japanese (Nipponese?) people. In this aim, she is assisted by Issun, a tiny painter with a big ego, who provides comic relief from the game's rather philosophical concerns. While I don't know much about Japanese mythology, apparently all of the characters and many of the plot-elements are taken from this source.

Okami features a stunning and unique art style based on Japanese charcoal drawing. The main game-play innovation is the use of the Celestial Brush, a tool which allows you to "paint" features into the game (slash through obstacles, restore broken bridges, grow trees and flowers, and many more) which you can then interact with.

Okami's story is well-written, full of surprises, and at times genuinely moving. I actually cried (a little, anyway) at the ending, which I can not say about any other video game.

The question has been asked, "Are video games Art?" I think the simple answer to that question is "yes, they can't help but be," but the more important question is, "Can video games be GOOD Art?" I think Okami, along with a very small handful of other games, answers that question in the affirmative. At a time when films and music are often as artistically debased as most video games are, Okami has a powerful and positive story to tell, and tells it beautifully.