Link has 52 chronicles

1. Okami Review (Lengthy)
   

   Player Chronicle -- Posted on Feb 10 2009

   There are many comparisons being made to Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda franchise, and while some of the core gameplay elements are very similar, I believe it's a disservice to Okami to brand it as such. There's no doubt that Okami has enough of its own unique substance to stand alone in a genre that's overly full of clones and rip-offs. Link still does his own thing, and now Amaterasu the white wolf has carved herself a niche right there along side him.
   
   The premise of the game sees you assume the role of the sun god Amaterasu, who appears in the mortal lands of Nippon in the form of a white wolf. Along with your pint-sized helper, Issun (who's somewhat of a master calligrapher), it's your task to take on the evil eight-headed demon Orochi and prevent the destruction of Nippon and all its inhabitants. To do this, you'll find yourself traveling the lands, restoring the balance of nature to the trees, fields and forest-dwelling animals with your godly powers.
   
   This is where the very cool and original celestial brush gameplay mechanic comes into play. Amaterasu is able to interact with the world via this magical brush, and as such can bring dead trees to life, remove cursed sections of environment, and take on enemies and bosses too. There are 15 different brush techniques to master throughout the course of the game, some of which range from passive abilities like fixing broken bridges or creating giant Lilly pads on bodies of water, while others perform offensive moves like slashing rocks in half or shooting celestial bullets.
   
   The sheer variety and creativity behind the celestial brush is one of the most engaging reasons to play Okami. It adds a whole new dimension to the 3D action-adventure genre. The core gameplay involves exploring the vast lands of Nippon, solving puzzles, removing the various curses, and interacting with a myriad of different Non-playable Characters. Each Non-playable Character has something to say, and another one of Okami's strong points is the storyline. The localization from the Japanese version of the game has been done impeccably. Amusing and witty dialogue conveys the plot very well to the player, and I never tired of reading about the backstory. It adds so much to a game when the story is told in an interesting manner.
   
   Okami is full of side quests and tasks that run alongside the main plot line. Indeed, in order to beat out the main plot line and achieve a perfect 100 percent rating for all the individual side elements is nothing short of an epic undertaking. Gamers are looking at well over 30 to 40 hours of gameplay here.
   
   And then we come to the fantastical visuals offered in the game. Okami is one of the most visually enchanting games I've ever played. It often feels like you're participating in a living, breathing, watercolor painting, with subtle presentational techniques adding to the overall allure of the experience. The character animations are excellent, and the landscapes, enemies and special effects gel together perfectly. I dare you not to fall in love with the graphical style delivered here by the Clover Studios folks. You'll find a whole new level of appreciation for the Wii's graphical capabilities, although I was slightly disappointed to see that there was no widescreen mode or progressive scan mode available.
   
   It's also worth noting that the soundtrack and sound effects in Okami are equally as stunning in their own right. The main theme tunes scattered throughout the game are magical and the spot effects are very suitable. There's a very mythological Japanese flavor to the aural content which matches perfectly with the ethereal nature of the visuals. Another splendid job for sure.
   
   
   There's literally so much to see and do in Okami that it can make your head spin a little at first. Luckily, the game does an admirable job of walking you through the basics of control and combat, and after a while, you'll learn to spot the key triggers for advancing the story as well as pick up a healthy amount of side quests too. Amaterasu's combat abilities vary in numerous ways as the game progresses, ranging from new brush techniques, weapons, items and moves, and stat-increasing experience point usage. The character of Amaterasu grows with you as you progress, and soon enough, you'll form a real affinity for her godly eco-friendly powers.
   
   The combat system in place here is great too. And while the average monster encounters are a little on the easy side, the epic boss battles -- which serve more to test puzzle-solving ability than all-out combat prowess, almost in a Shadow of Colossus kind of way -- more than make progression a healthy challenge. Some of the lesser monster encounters are completely optional, and others aren't, but all of them will supply you with needed experience, items and money. It's never really a chore to work your way through the fights in Okami thanks to the game's tight controls.
   
   If I were to niggle at Okami in any way, I guess I'd have to moan a little about the camera system. For the most part it's fine, but there are more than a few times (particularly in combat) where it gets a little tricky to keep the action on the screen. This doesn't detract from the overall experience, but it can be a little frustrating. This issue can also pop up outside of combat, but then the results are less perilous to the player. Some gamers might find the amount of dialog in the game a little heavy, but only during the unskippable opening intro movie (which lasts a long time) did I start to get a little concerned. Once you pass that initial intro, a world of clever scripts and dialog begins.
   
   So Okami is currently my top pick for best game ever. Sure, there's still a long way to go, but I've not enjoyed a game this much for quite some time, and I'm pretty sure Okami is going to be sitting on the top of the heap as we get towards the end of the year. It's one of the best-looking, most creative 3D action adventures in recent memory, and every Wii (or PS2) owner out there owes it to themselves to snap up a copy to enjoy immediately. Truly magical stuff.
   
   Rating 10/ 10

   
   

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Link has 3 comment s on this chronicle.

1. Silent Bob
   Posted On Feb 10 2009

   Excellent review. I wanted to do one of these within a couple weeks of having bought the game.
   
   I can't say enough good things about the game. It's definitely not for everybody (although it SHOULD be!). So many game center kids saw me playing it, and rather than ooh and ah like I expected, they dismissed it with, "That looks g*y."
   
   Some of the brush strokes take some practice to execute correctly, and the Wiimote is sometimes a little unforgiving. I think if the new sensor add-on were used, this would be a little easier to control.
   
   I've always been a fan of Eastern art, and this game is breathtakingly gorgeous. It's also nice to sample some mythology from a different culture. Some of the themes bore a striking similarity to American Indian mythology.
   
   I'm still the ONLY person at Cyber Ops to have ever tried this game, and that's just criminal. I'm looking for the PS2 version to give a whirl and see what the differences in the control scheme do to the overall enjoyment.
   
   Link, we're in agreement. My favorite Wii game to date.

2. Dynafire
   Posted On Feb 10 2009

   I've always wanted to play this, and was actually working out an online trade for it, when the guy just decided to scam me out of Gears of War and not send the game instead. I'll pick it up someday though, it's currently near the top of my "to get" list.
   
   Very nice review. Lots of content, but hardly any spoilers.

3. BEN
   Posted On Feb 10 2009

   The first 10/10 I've seen from you! Wow.
   
   You're always saying this is the game you're playing, so I'm glad you've found a top-notched title to enjoy so much
   
   Go get the GoG Forum conversations fired up for this game sir!