Capcom’s original 2006 release of “Okami” not only had beauty, but great and original gameplay to back it up and now with “Okami HD,” a high definition port to the PlayStation 3, fans will be happy to know that the developers have put in a lot of effort to breathe new life into this classic adventure.
“Okami” is an adventure game based on Shinto religion. Players take the role of a goddess named Amaterasu as she takes on the form of a wolf. Like Nintendo’s “The Legend of Zelda” series, players will run around towns helping people out, then go into dungeons to gain new items and abilities.
Players will strive to gain the 13 celestial brush techniques in order to defeat the numerous bosses that impede Amateratsu’s path.
The art style, which utilizes life-like visuals of Asian sumi-e brush painting, is the most memorable aspect of the game. With its luscious colors and black inky outlines, it’s hard not to stop from time to time just to admire the surroundings of each level.
Small details such as colorful plants growing on pathways really help to immerse the player in this mythical world. Not only have these gorgeous graphics been re-done but the frame-rate has also increased and allow the smooth animations in “Okami HD” to shine.
The Celestial Brush is one of the most original aspects of Okami. Drawing from their ink reservoir, players can stop the action, open a canvas and draw brush strokes that will allow Amateratsu to do different things. Fights can be stopped during mid battle and a slash stroke can be drawn to finish off an enemy. Players can also draw a circle to call upon wind to solve a puzzle.
Although these strokes can be easily done with a normal controller, “Okami HD” allows the use of the PlayStation Move peripherals as well. With Move, the hand motions make the drawings feel more realistic.
Besides the addition of trophies and Move support, there hasn’t been any new content added.
“Okami HD” has amazing visuals and smoother gameplay that will charm new and old fans of the franchise.