OKAMI - greatest game ever?
Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2006 6:41 pm
All hyperbole aside, my time spent so far with this gem is leading me to feel this way. It is glorious. I actually requested the day off from work on Friday to devour this epic game for a solid 8 hours.
First impressions:
Last night, I started playing Okami around 7. The next time I looked at the clock, it was after 11. If you have ever wondered what Zelda would be like had the franchise been created by Miyazaki, well, wonder no more – here is your answer. But cheap analogies alone cannot convey how awesome this game is, it must be experienced, and what an experience it is. The first time you restore the color and foliage to a dying land, or bring the blossoms of a dead cherry tree back to fruition, you really won’t believe your eyes. The game offers a wonderful narrative and characters, and creates a symbiotic connection between the player and the game world. I find myself actually wanting to save the world, as the gameplay mechanics and narrative compelled to finish quest after quest.
The coolest part so far has been the miracle/praise component. The wolf you play as is a god, but she has been asleep for over 100 years. When she awakens, the people no longer believe she is a real god, and they see your character as a normal white wolf. By using the Celestial Brush, and by painting on the screen, you can perform miracles to regain the people’s lost faith.
One lady needs to hang her laundry to dry but has lost her line, and so you draw a line between to poles to create one for her. She then hangs her clothes but the sun is going down, and so you redraw the sun in the sky. Many of the people in the various villages have problems that must be solved by performing miracles. When you get their praise, you can use it to strengthen your character. You can also get praise points by caring for and feeding the various wild animals throughout the land. The act of reestablishing a people’s faith is a major part of the game, and I applaud Clover Studio’s decision to offer up this kind of mechanic.
The game is just gorgeous. It plays and controls like a dream, it features a gripping narrative, wonderful characters, and the localization is flawless – I actually laughed at some of the jokes. It also looks like a dream, like a living and breathing painting. Many have said it before me, but it must be said again – there is just not another game like this anywhere, and it is simply one of the best looking and playing games you will ever play. If you like good games, of any genre, you owe it to yourself to play Okami.
First impressions:
Last night, I started playing Okami around 7. The next time I looked at the clock, it was after 11. If you have ever wondered what Zelda would be like had the franchise been created by Miyazaki, well, wonder no more – here is your answer. But cheap analogies alone cannot convey how awesome this game is, it must be experienced, and what an experience it is. The first time you restore the color and foliage to a dying land, or bring the blossoms of a dead cherry tree back to fruition, you really won’t believe your eyes. The game offers a wonderful narrative and characters, and creates a symbiotic connection between the player and the game world. I find myself actually wanting to save the world, as the gameplay mechanics and narrative compelled to finish quest after quest.
The coolest part so far has been the miracle/praise component. The wolf you play as is a god, but she has been asleep for over 100 years. When she awakens, the people no longer believe she is a real god, and they see your character as a normal white wolf. By using the Celestial Brush, and by painting on the screen, you can perform miracles to regain the people’s lost faith.
One lady needs to hang her laundry to dry but has lost her line, and so you draw a line between to poles to create one for her. She then hangs her clothes but the sun is going down, and so you redraw the sun in the sky. Many of the people in the various villages have problems that must be solved by performing miracles. When you get their praise, you can use it to strengthen your character. You can also get praise points by caring for and feeding the various wild animals throughout the land. The act of reestablishing a people’s faith is a major part of the game, and I applaud Clover Studio’s decision to offer up this kind of mechanic.
The game is just gorgeous. It plays and controls like a dream, it features a gripping narrative, wonderful characters, and the localization is flawless – I actually laughed at some of the jokes. It also looks like a dream, like a living and breathing painting. Many have said it before me, but it must be said again – there is just not another game like this anywhere, and it is simply one of the best looking and playing games you will ever play. If you like good games, of any genre, you owe it to yourself to play Okami.