Metareview - Okami (PS2)
by Blake Snow 
{ Sep 27th 2006 at 10:00AM }
Capcom's Okami for the PS2: The reviews have it sounding like a very legitimate contender for game of the year. Really, this thing is getting 9s and 10s all over the place, and some are calling it a top-notch Zelda with paint brush graphics. Here's a sampling of critiques:- Gamespy 100% - "It's one of the best-looking, most creative 3D action adventures in recent memory, and every PS2 owner out there owes it to themselves to snap up a copy to enjoy immediately. Truly magical stuff."
- GameBrink 94% - "While its slower adventure game style pacing and low difficulty may throw off a certain crowd, Okami's charming world with its nice fairy tale story, great gameplay, and incredible graphics will give most an experience likely to be remembered for decades. Okami is truly a remarkable experience."
- NY Times 92% - "This game is so visually striking, so original and so well done that most other game designers should look at it and then hang their heads in shame. It is proof that the important thing in game design is not the graphical processing power of the game console but the power of the designer's imagination."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
32_Footsteps @ Sep 27th 2006 10:08AM
Okay, I'm dragging my feet on this, which is why Netjak hasn't gotten the review up yet. Very soon, I promise.
But the extremely easy gameplay is driving me nuts. It's a combination of a very good control scheme combined with absolutely atrocious AI. It really doesn't help that quite a few enemies can be taken out immediately once you learn the cherry bomb technique.
But thanks for the heads up. I just know I'm going to have people screaming down my throat because I refuse to give this a 9.0 or above.
Stephen Totilo @ Sep 27th 2006 10:13AM
Anyone have any idea how Meta Critic discerns a 92% rating for a NY Times review that doesn't include a numerical score?
Stu L Tissimus @ Sep 28th 2006 7:05PM
I'm one of the 7 people left in the world that doesn't own a PS2. I intended to get one after PS3 launches (I'm a cheap bastard), but this game in particular is making me seriously reconsider whether or not I should just buy one now. I mean, it looks really, really cool.
Steve @ Sep 27th 2006 10:26AM
Funny how Cell shading is now "amazing" - a couple years ago, it was "kiddie" wasn't it?
CEO Kasen @ Sep 27th 2006 10:29AM
"It is proof that the important thing in game design is not the graphical processing power of the game console but the power of the designer's imagination."
Now... THAT sounds familiar. Wonder whose philosophy THAT is?
Player1 @ Sep 27th 2006 10:35AM
"Funny how Cell shading is now 'amazing' - a couple years ago, it was "kiddie" wasn't it?"
This game is not regular cell shading. It looks like a moving painting, with the blacks bleeding let wet ink.
Player1 @ Sep 27th 2006 10:37AM
CEO Kasen,
I assume you mean that's Nintendo's philosophy, but note that this game is on the PS2 and doesn't require any arm flailing.
Shauni @ Sep 27th 2006 10:43AM
#3
I don't think this is cel shading per se, I think it's more of a watercolor brushed look on top of cel shading. Capcom isn't marketing it as a cel game ike Ninty did with Zelda, but I do agree with you though that cel shading doesnt deserve the bashing it gets from casual gamers.
Also Zelda had an extremely bright color palette in contrast to what its more "mature" look should have been, also comparable to Okami's de-saturated style
Jojo @ Sep 27th 2006 10:42AM
So... for Just Cause Metareview, you show the lowest scores. With Okami you show the highest? Way to be consistent.
shivr @ Sep 27th 2006 10:42AM
well, my roomate and I are cosidering getting a ps2 for guitar hero, but this is a game I'll probably pick up later on. From the screens it looks like something I'd like, though the visual style seems a bit... confusing at times when a lot of stuff is on the scene at once... and the brushstroke-attack system seems awkward... low difficulty I can handle as long as the controls are tight though so we'll see how that all plays out.
32_footsteps! I want to read your review :) I rarely agree with netjak reviews but they are at least written well and informative
Jeff @ Sep 27th 2006 10:50AM
"but I do agree with you though that cel shading doesnt deserve the bashing it gets from casual gamers."
Has everybody here forgotten Jet Set Radio or something? Wind Waker was hardly the first cel-shaded game (neither was JSR, but it did pre-date WW by about 4 years). For me, cel-shading conjures up images of game development artistry.
I want to pick up Okami, but I just have a hard time spending $40 for any PS2 game at this point. It's like, do I spend $40 on this one game, or do I spend like 3 bucks each on about 15 used games that I never bought before but are just as good now as they were when they came out?
Though I can be swayed, so we'll see.
TruthSHIFT @ Sep 27th 2006 11:01AM
Nothing's changed. Game reviewers are still whores for good graphics.
While the graphics in Okami are great and the gameplay is innovative and fun, the amount of dialog is horrific. It takes 20 minutes for the game to even start. After that, Every 2 minutes the game has to stop to tell you something incredibly obvious.
The game would be 10 times better if it would just keep quiet instead of feeding you every little bit of the plot with a spoon. The graphics make it pretty obvious as to what is going on. They don't need to tell you because they show you.
The game is great. However, Capcom butchered it with interruptions. I have no idea how the reviewers can stand for this crap.
Player1 @ Sep 27th 2006 10:56AM
The brushstoke system isn't awkward really. It's really fluid during combat once you get the hang of it.
Justin @ Sep 27th 2006 10:58AM
in response to # 10
Get Okami :) Its easily one of "THE" best games I've ever played and I've played a ton. Take the plunge, you'll be happy you did. Most games can't compare to Okami's greatness!
John Q. @ Sep 27th 2006 11:00AM
Woo! I absolutely love this game. It's very resemblant of Wind Waker, both in terms of style and in the openness of gameplay. This is a very good thing. I refuse to compare the two, both are fantastic in graphics and gameplay.
I don't think it's too easy. Enemies probably won't kill you, but the boss fights are all pretty challenging, and some of the puzzles (final Blockhead, grrr) are controller-throwing hard.
Overall, it's very deserving of the high scores. Beautiful graphics, tight and fluid gameplay, and epic in length. It ranks among the Zelda games in fantastic action/adventures.
Additionally, I agree that this bodes very well for Wii games. It proves that a weak system can easily compete against stronger ones with a great artstyle. I haven't seen anything next-gen that looks as good as this.
Wreckhart @ Sep 27th 2006 11:01AM
Game of the Year
This game is just fun to play. The story is fantastic the graphics are unique and the sound is great. I have played for about ten hours so far and i think im about a third of the way through. I just defeated the spider queen, she was tough as hell. I love the drawing mechanic, putting it to use during fights is awesome and all the different things you can do with the brush bloom, cherry boms, vines, rebuilding are satisfying.
Dont get me wrong i love to blow shit up, and shoot guns and beat hookers in games, but this is a great alternative.
MosquitoControl @ Sep 27th 2006 11:06AM
This is one of the small set of late PS2 games that look amazing, after a few years of nothing on the PS2 looking all that good at all to me. Katamari was pretty much the first PS2 game that looked worth a damn.
Any idea why this is PS2 exclusive? I guess, being a late release, and the other two of its gen being dead, but still... would have made sense going cross-platform.
I doubt it will be a hit. Cult hit, but I doubt it will sell much. Games like this never seem to, which is sad, I think Killzone sold a lot, to the point that I've seen people here namedrop it as one of the console's best franchises, but that game was complete and total ass. Pretty graphics, terrible game.
32_Footsteps @ Sep 27th 2006 11:03AM
Well, shivr, Netjak's going to have a positive review of it overall. Of course, keep in mind that to a Netjak writer, anything over a 5.0 on a ten-point scale is positive.
The biggest hold-up, believe it or not, is Grey's Anatomy. Yes, the television show. All I can say on the matter is that there are some sacrifices a married man knows he has to make. And sometimes, your wife doesn't care if she can watch a DVD anywhere in the house; she wants to watch it on the only television in the house to which I can hook up the PS2.
whitefinger @ Sep 27th 2006 11:05AM
I'll be picking this one up soon, but I really hope it's ported to the Wii.
suffah @ Sep 27th 2006 11:08AM
I'm torn on this one. I love the graphics and the brush mechanics. But the actual gameplay sucks IMO.
The game is just too easy/simple sometimes and while it seems like a solid casual game, I sometimes wonder what's the point of just going through the motions when there's no real challenges.
I woulda given it a 85 rating. I can easily see why some people feel it's a solid 95%+ though.
John Q. @ Sep 27th 2006 11:08AM
whitefinger: It won't be, porting to and from the PS2 is a nightmare. The game wouldn't sell enough to make it profitable.
But it doesn't need to be. Painting works fine with the DualShock. A sequel on the Wii would be fantastic indeed, though.
Personally, I wish it had come out for the GC, for one reason only: Loading times. They're pretty long, and that's really the only flaw of the game.
omg @ Sep 27th 2006 11:22AM
"This is one of the small set of late PS2 games that look amazing, after a few years of nothing on the PS2 looking all that good at all to me."
Oh please, this is bullshit. The PS2 has a huge library of great games. I do however agree that there recently has been many good releases on the PS2.
In my oppinion this is more a result of game designers getting more creative freedom and is something to expect as the industry matures.
"It is proof that the important thing in game design is not the graphical processing power of the game console"
Yeah because we all know console power has NOTHING to do with what you can achive on a console... We all know that the only thing a processor does is make shiny! /sarcasm I understand that creative vision is more important than processor power but one must not forget that processor power also allows new creative directions.
Jose @ Sep 27th 2006 11:36AM
Fantastic game, visually arresting, way too easy. Hopefully, after I beat it, there will be more difficulty levels, although I really could have used them from the get go.
Corey @ Sep 27th 2006 12:13PM
I was stunned that this game has been getting no attention. Maybe it's because all the game mags put PS3/Wii/etc. hype out front, while quietly giving Okami "game of the month" inside in review. Who knows, but I really love the flow and feel of this game, including the brushstroke system. It's a little on the easy side though, that's my only complaint.
ketsuke @ Sep 27th 2006 11:48AM
Amazing game, it captivated me as soon as I started playing it. One thing I do once I get a new game, is I try it out for about 10 minutes of gameplay to see how it feels. Then I put it down and on the weekend I get into it. Not with this game. I tried to "test" it on a weeknight, and next thing I know I am three hours into it and realize that I gotta go to work. It was hard to let it go. It is amazing what a mature system like the PS2 can do once the designers are allowed a bit of freedom. Shadow of the Colossus, Katamari Damacy, Psychonauts and now this game. If only this sort of games could move into the PSP, then it would stand a chance.
Oh well, time to fire up the DS and play some Trauma Center...
The ZeroCorpse @ Sep 27th 2006 12:01PM
So it's basically another PS2 hack-n-slasher, but with brush-style cell shading and tons of exposition. I'll pass. I'm sort of sick of PS2 "games" that spend more time telling me a (bad) story, than allowing me to play.
Why can't people make games that just START, and skip the 20-minute introduction? If you want to make a movie, then GO MAKE A MOVIE! Spending all this time with introductions, exposition, cut-scenes, and cinemas is what drives me away from many of the PS2's "hit" games.
It's not that I'm not patient. I'm a reader. I sell books for a living, and I like a good story. I also love good movies. The problem is that video game designers are RARELY good storytellers, and even if they hire a decent writer, the story is turned to a stilted, poorly-scripted, poorly-acted snoozefest by the time it goes through the whole process.
Maybe Okami LOOKS cool, but I bet if it were the same game but with standard 3D graphics, people would be lukewarm about it.
Viewtiful Joe made everybody go nuts, too. In the end, it was just another side-scrolling beat-em-up with cool graphics. Meh.
Justin @ Sep 27th 2006 12:00PM
# 15, if you just beat that spider boss, then consider yourself 1/6 through the game. The guide breaks the game into six acts and thats just the end of the first one.Also upon looking at the guide each act is lengthy so :) I just completed the second one at about 13 hours. :)
MosquitoControl @ Sep 27th 2006 12:06PM
"Oh please, this is bullshit. The PS2 has a huge library of great games. I do however agree that there recently has been many good releases on the PS2."
How the hell is it bullshit? I even tacked "to me" on to the end so people know I'm saying this as opinion, not fact.
So no, it isn't bullshit. The PS2 didn't interest me. At all. Its exclusives tended to be lame and simplistic to me, and the cross-platform games were almost always better on the Xbox of GC. I don't like GT, I don't care about MGS, what did I miss? Nothing.
Then God of War came, a cheesier but more entertaining Ninja Gaiden, along with Katamari, Shadow of the Collossus, etc.
But prior to that there was no reason for me to consider a PS2. No games that looked fun to me. None that looked worth paying the money nor dealing with that shoddy, cheap, outdated controller.
Jake C @ Sep 27th 2006 12:07PM
32_Footsteps,
I share in your pain. My girlfriend has had Grey's Anatomy going seemingly non-stop for the past week which has put my console gaming at a standstill.
Also, I take it you're not one of those people that complain about games becoming too long or hard. I've never felt that way before, but as I get older I can see how someone would think that. I realize that as I'm growing older I'm taking on a lot more responsibilities that take up a lot more time. It's really discouraging to think that I'll never be able to come up with the time to finish the next Final Fantasy, or spend the time with DMC4 to become good enough to actually beat it. I love playing games, I just wish the rest of the world understood that. :)
Player1 @ Sep 27th 2006 12:10PM
ZeroCorpse,
Okami actually has a good story, and you need to know what's going on and talk to people to accomplish things. You can hardly call it "another PS2 hack-n-slasher". This game IS as cool as it looks. The graphics are the polish that holds the whole concept together.
Patrick @ Sep 27th 2006 12:19PM
@ The ZeroCorpse:
This isn't a standard "hack-n-slash" game. If anything it's more focused on puzzles and such. The fighting is really kept to a minimal in this game, you don't really need to fight anyone, you're just forced to fight sub-bosses and bosses. You could take away the amazing graphics of this game, make it a 2D or regular 3D game and it still would've done great.
Also, the story is a great story to tell. The first 20 minutes of the game are important, this is a story driven game, I dont know why anyone would want to skip a story, the "cell-shaded" graphics just add to the atmosphere, which is ancient Japan, hence why the graphics look more like a japanese painting.
Exploring in this game is also pretty great. I wasn't really playing PS2 anymore because all the games that were coming out were just too bland and I stuck to my DS, and I've been waiting for this game for ages, and it's lived up to it's expectations.
This game ranks higher then any GTA game in my book. This game has "hidden" packages, it has a fishing mini-game, you have to go around feeding animals, you have puzzles, you have unique characters. The loading times aren't too bad, someone mentioned that above, it takes 5 seconds at most with me.
The uniqueness of the characters in this game remind me of Psychonauts. If you enjoyed how different Psychonauts was, you'll probably enjoy this game.
It's really worth the money, it's better then your average game that's for sure.
32_Footsteps @ Sep 27th 2006 12:48PM
JakeC - among the sacrifices a married man must make is also watching it with his wife. I'm already in the process of coming up with the drinking game (among other things, take a drink if someone uses the prefix "Mc-" on anything, any time someone says "Seriously?" in an exasperated tone, and anytime anyone makes out with someone they shouldn't make out with).
I'm actually of the belief that video games are actually getting too easy. The only "hard" part is finding all the secrets in the game. And that's only because companies believe that instead of giving hints in the game as to their location, they should just tell BradyGames and Prima where the secrets are so that you have to shell out $15 on the guide (or wait until someone from GameFAQs does the same).
As for length... I don't know... maybe I've just been playing too long, but I usually don't have to spend the "predicted play time" to clear a game. I usually stumble into some flaw in the gameplay or exploit a little-used ability (for example, in almost every Final Fantasy from FF4 onward - use Stop. Especially weapons that inflict Stop). I don't know if I'm just used to the inner flaws of systems or I just have good luck. But I don't often spend the time on a game that I'm predicted to spend.
Except, as it turns out so far, Okami. But as others note, that's mostly because you have to watch a great deal of the game. Twenty minutes just to actually start controlling your character...
Matt @ Sep 27th 2006 12:56PM
Here's hoping that Capcom ports this lovely gem over to the new consoles after the holidays. They are seriously ratcheting up the creativity lately (Dead Rising, Lost Planet). And after umpteen reiterations of the same four games for the past decade it's nigh well about time.
headn00b @ Sep 27th 2006 12:58PM
Gamespy didn't give this 100%, they gave it 5 stars. That is a very different thing.
100% implies that this is the best game that ever has or will exist.
It is above average.
dvnt @ Sep 27th 2006 1:10PM
You mean, Clover Studios has got game. Capcom is just the publisher!
Newbie Sensation @ Sep 27th 2006 1:14PM
"7. So... for Just Cause Metareview, you show the lowest scores. With Okami you show the highest? Way to be consistent."
Maybe because Just Cause had overall shit reviews and Okami's are mostly 90%+.
[-Z-] @ Sep 27th 2006 2:06PM
Get OKAMI???? It's freaking sold out. I can't even get one.
Wreckhart @ Sep 27th 2006 2:36PM
@ Justin #24
Thats good news, i stopped playing after that cause i didnt want to beat it too quickly.
soma @ Sep 27th 2006 3:29PM
ZeroCorpse, why must you always insist on spouting the most ridiculous things in your posts? You need to act more mature, buddy.
J. McNair @ Sep 27th 2006 4:00PM
Okami gripes:
1. Dialogue. Before you get mad at me, the translation is actually quite good, the funny is funny and the drama isn't TOO overwrought. The problem is presentation. The dialogue box is merely two lines and not very wide. I appreciate the large font, but that is not enough space for languages using a Roman alphabet. Also, you CANNOT FAST-FORWARD or SKIP 95% of the text. I am a fast reader. Don't make me slog through your slow delivery.
2. Yeah, the combat is easy, and the puzzles aren't that hard, either. God of War this ain't, and that is a good thing. Most of the fun for me is running around this beautiful Ukiyo-e world and using the brush powers to do wonderful things to it.
3. The beginning is really slow--All talk and sidequests and not much else. The game doesn't really open up until the Shinshu Field-Hana Valley event.
4. When there's a lot on the screen, it is trivially easy to lose track of Amaterasu, as this game is visually resplendent. Also throw in the standard "no camera in a 3D game is perfect, but this one at least lets you control it." Being able to push R1 to pause the UNIVERSE and change the camera helps too.
5. Okami is NOT the new Zelda, Beyond Good & Evil, God of War, Ratchet & Clank, Jak & Daxter, or anything. The puzzles are not quite as clever, the combat is deep but not challenging and the progression is not quite as smooth as some of the best. It is still excellent. I'd put it in the company of the best games EVAR myself, but understand why others would disagree.
That's about it for me griping so far. Have a nice day!
iLLwiLL @ Sep 27th 2006 4:02PM
32_Footsteps, throw on your fastest sneakers and get the review finished, Pronto!
...anybody else reviewing content @netjak?
Travi$ @ Sep 27th 2006 5:46PM
Anybody else think that this is the perfect game for the DS?
Patrick @ Sep 27th 2006 7:24PM
@travis:
I was actually thinking that, i hope they release more Okami based games. I don't see how they could, but I do hope so. I've been playing this game for about 11 hours, and it's just way too much fun.
foobob @ Sep 27th 2006 9:10PM
"a couple years ago, it was 'kiddie' wasn't it?"
right, because a saturday morning cartoon looks the same as Akira.
Dan @ Sep 27th 2006 11:20PM
Though I may be wrong, I think a good deal of the people complaining about difficulty aren't as far along as they think. The early enemies are rather bland, and the early puzzles practically throw the solution in your face, but it gets a lot better at both well before the end.
Tyler Durden @ Sep 28th 2006 12:50PM
The thing about this game is that gameplay mechanics, graphics and plot are all incidental. Those things all happen to be fabulous, but the beauty is that this game is experiental art - you are compelled to beautify it's world and the visuals and music only enhance that. I could not recommend this more highly.
icealchemist @ Sep 28th 2006 1:56PM
@ anyone thinking this should be on wii/ds.
IF the game was 75% or more "painting" then yes it should be ported. The combat system was designed for the dual shock 2 controller. (See Oct EGM for postmortem about okami) If if were to be ported to anything else, everything would go to shit.
GOD @ Sep 28th 2006 4:14PM
"and some are calling it a top-notch Zelda with paint brush graphics"
Silly mortals, on the 7th day I created Twilight Princess and gave it Nintendo. And since I am all-powerful I officially decreed that it would be TEH B3S7 G@m3 EVARRRR!!!