Okami

Back in 2006, when the Xbox 360 was just a year old and the hype for the Wii had reached an all-time high, Capcom released one of the most criminally-ignored and wonderful PS2 games ever devised.

According to the likes of PSM, Associated Press, IGN and Game Revolution, Okami was the best game of 2006, and it even overshadowed Nintendo’s majestic The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess in terms of critical acclaim.

However, Okami’s sales couldn’t quite match the praise, and certain critics felt its Zelda-esque nature and paintbrush game mechanic meant the title was more suited to Wii than Sony’s PlayStation 2.

So 18 months and a new control system later, and Okami gets its second coming on Nintendo’s revolutionary games console.

Okami tells the story of a mythical sun god called Amaterasu, who must fight the forces of evil in order to restore a wasteland back to the vibrant world it once was. Taking control of Amaterasu in the form of a wolf, gamers must use the inventive Celestial Brush to solve puzzles, turn night into day, and revitalise the world.

The game’s story is filled to the brim with Japanese folklore and mythology which – combined with traditional Japanese artwork – offers a unique oriental feel to proceedings. The graphics themselves are especially refreshingly, reminiscent of watercolour paintings, and they now look even better on Wii with widescreen and progressive scan support.

However, the biggest change from the PS2 version is the all-new control system. Using gestures instead of analogue to use the Celestial Brush is set to dramatically improve the pacing of the game and is altogether more intuitive, whereas the combat is now performed via flicks of the wrist.

Okami’s diverse gameplay and beautiful visuals were crafted by the recently-dissolved Clover Studios (responsible for Viewtiful Joe and Steel Battalion), but the Wii version has found its way into the safe hands of the God of War: Chains of Olympus developer Ready at Dawn, who were tasked with ensuring that Okami on Wii is as entertaining as its PS2 sibling.

Capcom has built up a reputation amongst Wii owners as the masters of the Wii Remote and one of the few publishers to support the console with hardcore output. Last year’s successful Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition is a prime example of the publisher’s ability, whereas the more recent Umbrella Chronicles has also been a success.

Smash Brothers aside, there has been little on the Wii release schedule to truly excite Nintendo’s dedicated hardcore fan base, and Capcom is set to capitalise on this with one of the greatest games of all time. Expect Okami to perform stylishly when it is finally released on June 13th.