Truth be told, I've kind of been meddling with multiple games within down time from Dark Souls 2. I've played that up to the Rotten, and really want to work on beating it, but I've been dabbling across a variety of games.... and I do really emphasize variety. In the past 5 days I've played Doom 3, Last of Us, EDF Insect Armageddon, Hoard, Zombie U, Sonic all stars racing, Lone survivor, Worms Armageddon 2, Thomas was Alone, Brink, and Advent Rising. That's without bringing up Dark Souls 2 and the soon to be focus point Okami. I came close to adding PlayStation Battle Royal and remember me to that list to. My original plans were to work a lot on Advent rising, but that got sidetracked thanks to pressure to stay connected to steam and steam chat. So instead I decided to shove most of PC gaming out the window and I've been tinkering with several games. Its not so much as this "gamer ADD" problem, though I am still plagued with that, but it was more of this odd feeling to just tinker with something. Multiple of these games were free PS+ stuff given out, and I wanted to check them out, so I did. Then there's the dumb B movie feeling I wanted to fool with in EDF, then I was inspired to go back to Last of Us and work on campaign, but oh Doom 3 still has that weapon I was experimenting with and an easy transportable save file to safely progress through, etc. Its kind of crazy really. However the one that really grabbed me, and the thing I'm probably going to become pulled into for a while is Okami HD. Even if I'm wrong, and end up playing 8 more games or something I still have to talk about it.
Lets get this out of the way first... Okami is brilliant! I never really heard of it during its PS2 release, and after quite some hisitation I went after it on the Wii version. When I did play it though it was so worth it, and I really enjoyed it up until the point where I was glitched into a broken point 20 hours or so into the game. Despite some very obvious zelda influences, and a certain familiar sense of personality to it to it, its an incredibly refreshing and unique sort of game. Its also probably one of the few "classics" I'll 100% agree with, enjoy, and might even ask that it gets even more credit. That usually isn't the case, unless the game's name is Metal Gear Solid (2 or 3), or Duke Nukem 3D. Okami has you running around progressing a Japanese mythology themed plot, fighting enemies, and advancing both the world and your own powers by learning paint techniques. That last one seems a bit odd, but a huge reoccuring theme of the game is using paint strokes for attacks/distractions/set-pieces/extra interactivity. It has its hit and miss moments, but its probably one of the more interesting traits of the game and has a special sense of power to it. There's a strange feeling of Zelda with a small hint of Spyro that rests beside a totally different game altogether. Of course there's also the novelty behind the set up to the game as well. You play as a Goddess taking on the form of a wolf within a fantasy Japan world. Everything is all artsy with cell shading, vibrant colors, and a lot of minor effects exploding at once to the point where the big things are ironically quite dull by comparison. ...Also, again you're playing as a wolf with magical godly paint brush powers... that's something you wont be able to say in any other game.
Still despite all its interesting bits that make it so different, it also kind of has a slight pull of familiarity to it that really hits hard after some years have gone by. I wouldn't exactly call it nostalgia, (and the original play came to me too late to feel that sort of attachment anyways) but its similar. It feels like I've sort of been thrown back, and my current self is sort of meeting my past self at the same time within gaming terms. Seeing Okami in this way again feels kind of like its hit me... I seen where games have been, I've seen how they've evolved,
Anyways moving on, I remain really impressed with the game. Its story is interesting, (even if its cast and timing is intrusive) the art direction lives on well in HD, and the gameplay is very fun. I've never been able to get into Zelda. I'm not 100% sure why though... I love its feeling, I love starting a new game in that immersive and fun village the series always has, and I adore that sense of a high fantasy adventure in a strange enchanting world. I think its the scripts, progression system, and the level design philosophy that generally stops me. Its like what I was complaining about with the hand holding, except its applied more into the design. You so clearly swing on the prompted hook swing bits here, you follow the obvious path there, and your stopped when you need a specific item that only works with whatever is stopping you. Its one big overglorified key finding game basically, and once that feeling sets in the illusion of adventure is shattered for me. Oh and puzzles.... I hate those puzzles. Meanwhile that charming village with freedom, interaction, and immersion that got me so excited just comes off as a bait and switch thing of the past once the real game warms up. I'm not trying to insult the series, as its clearly doing well and doing something right. If anything I envy the fans. They "get it" while I'm lost trying to find that value. Yet with Okami, it changes and I feel more welcomed into it. I'm not going to say it is better as a fact, but to me personally there's little to compare considering how much it trumps it in my eyes. The combat is better, setting is more specific in a way that interests me, I like its graphical style more, its abilities are more open, and did I mention the combat?
The game has some serious hand holding problems and that same sense of stupidly specific progression that makes Zelda feel like a linear trap more than an adventure to me, however Okami has that feeling to me of leaving everything else pretty open. The best example of this in work is the combat itself, and the area surrounding the bloom power. The combat is set up with specific efficiency in mind. You combo off enemies, dodge their attacks, and when they lose color in a stun effect you have to draw a slash over them. Yet you can also place bombs, sprout trees, switch your core weapon set and a sub-weapon side effect, and use items or dojo abilities that effect the battle. Its almost like a real time version of those old JRPG battle systems, you have so many items and combinations to use but an efficiency to strive for (better time and less damage get extra yen). That's kind of the same method that feels like it applies to the main game. There's an open-ness to the way you do things, even if your true quest is full of precise predetermined objectives that restrict input. When you get the bloom ability, the way to get it was strict and pre-loaded as heck, but once you have it your welcome to practically change the world. First getting that ability, and doing that along side other "praise" enhancing side tasks becomes less of a chore and more like the joy of a kid on a scavenger hunt.
Another thing I also noticed about the differences between Zelda and Okami... Okami has a better sense of empowerment in my honest opinion. Zelda throws you into a peaceful and lovely village, eventually gives you a sword, and then your on some weird adventure without much clue or clear reason for progress until you come across something that telegraphs your requirement. Okami tells you what your goal is pretty much right off the bat... an ancient evil, Orochi, has cursed the land and as a weakened goddess you must reclaim your power, heal the land, and kill the beast yet again. You need godly paint powers, and there are 13 to collect. Simple as that. That sounds kind of like lame writing that makes the game predictable, but its actually not that black and white. The way you get them, the way you interact with the people, and the reward that comes within them are far less predictable and become a very enjoyable part of the discovery. Also I have yet to bump into a place that feels closed off at all, the game constantly throws open looking environments out. I've heard there are dungeons, and I'm currently heading towards a closed off part I remember as the ruins, but those type of places are far less frequent than the open world vibe. The game also has a nice touch to the start... no you wont be in that lovely village immediately, but instead its rewarded to you after about an hour into the game (way less if you mash those text boxes away). You have to get the ability to free it, then you have to slowly bring things into it to restore it and make it both safe and accessible. The village is used as an example... its an example of how the world needs to be restored, its what your powers are capable of, and when you use them right really nice things and new opportunities unfold. Now again I'm not saying Zelda is wrong in how it does its thing, but I can't help but feel like they went through some radically different thought processes despite a common general direction, and I prefer Okami's side far more while Zelda leaves me scratching my head and leaving early.
I think within all that, I've also sort of stated why I love this game quite a good bit. It gives me an odd sense of adventure despite some contradictions, and it has a very fresh feeling that plays with a variety of my mind sets and emotions. I enjoy the game a lot in the end, and its a great example of our grand interactive medium. It really has a strong feeling of grabbing an old folk tale and pulling you into it, telling you to be a part of it, and to leave your paw print and brush strokes along the world as you go from start to end on a predetermined ending. Meanwhile it also manages to surprise you, and keep you thrilled by those same predetermined rules and strong direction. It does that in its art, with its cast, and with the events that unfold. Its a true work of art, looking artsy, and yet being a good "fun for the sake of fun" sort of video game.Just as the tale itself, it is full of magic, and I am very happy to be playing it again.
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