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Okami (PS2)
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| Description:
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. Throughout the game you control the goddess Amaterasu, who appears as a white wolf (okami is a pun on the Japanese words for both wolf and god). You're guided in your quest, a little too closely it has to be said, by a talking bug named Issun. Although Amaterasu can jump and head-butt, her primary interaction with the world is via the celestial brush. By pausing the game you can paint magic symbols onscreen to create objects in the world, from making plant life bloom to setting off giant bombs. As well as brush attacks, you can use a range of other weapons swapping between primary and secondary slots at will. Apart from Issun's signposting of every puzzle, and the occasionally poor pacing, this can easily hold its head high amongst Nintendo's greatest as one of the PlayStation 2's last, best games.
HARRISON DENT
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5/5 |
worth a look
(September 06, 2008) |
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Combat is too easy and the dialogue bits can be a little long at times.
Better than Zelda though. Plus it's one of the best looking games I've ever played.
Also, get the PS2 version. Runs better than the Wii version.
Oh! and the bits where you heal the land are really great. Worth playing the game for alone. |
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4/5 |
Relaxing, quirky, wolf-based fun, but not for the impatient.
(July 16, 2008) |
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This game is visually stunning, with beautiful scenery, cute animals and an amazing look reminiscent of a Japanese watercolour painting. It is relaxing to play, and although there are demons and monsters to defeat, it is generally not very taxing to defeat them, the main pleasure being derived from solving puzzles along your quest. With such low levels of violence: I really can't understand why it has a 12 certificate.
My main gripe is that on first loading the game you have to sit through FORTY FIVE MINUTES of character dialogue, explaining in depth the legend behind the story. This is utterly boring and wordy, and it is a feature that unfortunatley repeats itself throughout the game. If you have played 'Animal Crossing' then you will be familiar with the repetitive character interaction neccessary to progress in this game.
On the whole though, it i a quirky and unusual game that I have really enjoyed. |
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5/5 |
Charming and throughly absorbing
(June 12, 2008) |
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The only amazon review I have ever written - I was so impressed by this game. Okami is very, very surprising. Other reviews will tell you in detail about the overall quality of the game (which is excellent), but I'd like to point out that Okami is among the very few games that genuinely have it in them to surprise a player with some experience of videogame cliches. Although Okami looks like a rather pretty cel-shaded rpg/adventure based in some version of feudal/mythical Japan, make no mistake: the game is absolutely bonkers. No game has ever defied my expecations to such an extent, and done it so confidently and with such flair. Often compared to Zelda, Okami benefits from not relying on established narrative tropes and repeated plot structures, and it is a breath of fresh air to play a game without being able to quickly figure out exactly where it is taking you. A must-buy, in my opinion. |
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2/5 |
not what i expected
(May 12, 2008) |
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I bought this game after reading wonderful reviews, but i got little bit disappointed.
Well, at first it was awesom. The graphics are really cool and when u start painting is amazing...but after a while....you see flaws.
First i must say that voice acting is anoying. They speak with this understandable voices, that seem cute in the beginning but then you get tired of hearing the green insect.
Story is fine, but nothing really impressive and the enviroment is a quite repetitive after a while. At the end you just have to feed animals, revive trees, dig holes and paint. Maybe because i am more to rpg games. In this game you need ability, a thing that i am lacking...and sometimes it took me ages to complete this minigames required to go forward...At last i couldnt more...i got tired of it.
If you like adventure games with plenty of minigames which require ability, then it is for u...otherwise look for something else |
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2/5 |
A Game of Loading Screens.
(May 09, 2008) |
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This game is really enjoyable up to about half way through when you defeat Orochi. It looks like the game is over, but no... It goes on and on, mostly through repetition and loading screens. I've never seen a game with so many loading screens and dull repetitions. I've fed the one hundredth cat, I don't want to see the same cutscene over and over...okay skip it... oh wait- ANOTHER LOADING SCREEN! By the time I got to another hugely annoying minigame, to get a fire emblem my patience had worn out,I got to Catcall tower but I couldn't take it anymore and threw the game at the wall.
Yes, buy the game 2nd hand and play to about half way through, then give up. It's much better honestly.It would double it's score if it had been shorter. If you're curious how it ends look to gamefaqs website to fill you in. Read about the repetitious final bosses encounter (yes five previous bosses!)
If digging up hundreds of beads and sickly shamrocks is your idea of fun, then you'll want to finish the entire game.
And no more Animal Crossing style cutscenes with the fake speech noises, endlessly dull cutscenes! God they went on and on. The music was initially enjoyable, but it become infuriating, so 'twinkly' and sugary it made your teeth grate and fall out. |
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