Okami Comments by Kristan Reed

1st!

And I really hope Capcom sells a bucketload.
And then makes a PS3 sequel. ... eventually porting it to the Wii 2 :-)

Before I owned a Wii I have to say I thought the idea of Okami on the system was a good one. Now I do have one I'm not so sure as my enjoyment of SMG has been hampered by the controller probably more often than it has been enhanced by it. I understand I'm probably in a minority, though...

Still, anything that brings the game to a bigger audience is a good thing.

Nice preview. I already own the game on the PS2 but am considering the Wii version given the more natural controls and widescreen support.

I did like the parchment texture effect on the PS2 so I'm wondering whether the cleaner looks will bother me...

According to IGN the paper filter is there.

What was the thinking when they decided to remove the parchment effect?! It was a big part of Okami's unique visuals. Surely the Wii must have enough processing power to render it?

is it going to be in the eurogamer best games of the year?

AGAIN?

Yeah IGN posted a video that apparently had the paper texture in there

Look... so long as it is a decent port, just buy it, okay? We really need this franchise to live on, just hopefully not on Wii. And developed by Seeds.

I'm looking forward to playing the Wii version even though I have the PS2 version. I am a little disappointed that the parchment effect hasn't made the transition as it added to the ancient hand-drawn look of the game and it may now look *too* clean. Still it's not going to put me off buying it by any means, only it's a damn shame we Europeans will likely have to wait months to play this game! :(

I didn't see any 'real world' promotion for Okami - the public don't even know what it is, so how are they going to buy it?

Joe public doesn't browse Game for PS2 titles weekly, and even if they did, they'd buy FIFA/ Pro Evo or Need For Speed.

All of these decent games are flopping - because they're not marketed.

The UK buys tons of games - mainly the promoted ones.

but some may also notice the wonderful parchment texture effect on the PS2 has gone.

But you also said this was the final US build and I have heard numerous reports that this filter is actually in the final version of this game. As far as I know even the developer said it will be in the final version.

Edit: I will still get it of course and I'm more intereted in this game than ever after reading this. Hope it doesn't take too long to arrive here, after all Capcom once slightly hinted at a late March release which obviously didn't happen.

o yeah, freeloader, I geuss I could use mine for more than smash bros...

IMO this game always belonged on the Wii rather than the PS2 anyhow.

my worry is that, even in this preview, and with clearly the best intentions in the world, the reviewer noted some problems and issues with the control method. and the control method is the sole reason, surely, for this port existing in the first place.

the preview highlights everything good about the original, and notes their continued presence, withthe only slight negative being in the method of control. on a wii conversion of a niche game, bought mainly by very non-casual, in-the-know gamers, on a platform noted for its appeal to casual gamers, this does not sound too good.

i suspect it will lose money. i don't want it to lose money, but there you are.

Never liked okami anyway, stupid little jumpy-squeaky sidekick, cliche story and play with a couple of random features jumping up and saying 'lookt at me, I'm different, honest I am!'. Sorry, don't mean to be so hate filled this early in the morning, but I can see why people didn't buy it.

Although there are minor negative comments about some of the control method, the main aspect regarding the celestial brush works wonders according to the review so isn't that an overall positive?

I was trying to convince myself that after sixty wonderful hours on the PS2 that I'd be better off not trying to play it again on Wii, in case reliving is somehow lessened the original experience. Things are never quite the same the second time through, and I've built up somewhat of a gaming backlog anyway.

But I don't think I can do it. I've spent the last year trying to convince anyone who'll listen that they absolutely have to play this game at any cost. I've talked a few people into playing it, but I think I've also convinced myself to play it again in the process. Not exactly the end of the world though. That, and I can always force my copy onto other people to increase the effect.

Interesting point about the controls though. The painting mechanic was always going to work out on the Wii remote, but there's the rest of the game too. Combat in Twilight Princess wasn't a particularly high point, but archery was. It's never really that good including motions where a button would actually do a better job, but the good parts balanced out the less satisfying aspects there. I'm sure it will work out for Okami too.

"Although there are minor negative comments about some of the control method, the main aspect regarding the celestial brush works wonders according to the review so isn't that an overall positive?"

You don't use that brush nearly as often as you run around heabutting stuff, digging, jumping, etc. though. If there are slightly better brush mechanics and slightly worse movement/attack/non-brush actions, I wouldn't call it an overall positive.

Still, this *should* be every bit as good as the PS2 version. Won't comment on the parchment effect being there or not since it appears the jury is still out on that one but hell, it would take a catastrophe for a development team to strip Okami of classic status, even more if Ready at Dawn were the ones who did it. Won't bother with the Wii version since there's no extra content, but any version should be fair game.

I'll double check with Capcom whether this definitely was the final build. The disc's dated 27/3, which tends to suggest it must be, but you never know.

This, Zelda, Resi 4 and a Wii will make my summer a game filled wonderland.

I have this sitting unfinished in my pile of PS2 games (yes, I know, shame on me) so the idea of a Wii port actually sounded like a good excuse to trade in my PS2 copy, buy it again and finish it, this time with improved controls.

Thing is, I'm a little bit concerned about the decision to move attacking moves to gestures (a la Zelda). The brush stuff sounds great, but to be honest it never felt that hampered with the PS2 analogue stick, so maybe I'm better off sticking to the version I already own...

I don't imagine I'll get much more than a tenner for a trade in now (if that) so it this really worth another £25-30 for the same game?

I'm reading conflicting reports about the parchment effect... EG say it's missing but the developers claim it's there in an interview, only it's not as pronounced as the PS2 original because the hardware is different. IGN also say the effect is there. So which is it? :?

Is it me or is 2008 going to be Nintendo's year again? Okami, PES 2008, Mario Kart, Smash Bros. Brawl...and it's only April :O

No parchment effects? Annoying gesture controls? WHY?!

Isn't there an option to not use gestures?

Haven't played the PS2 version so I'm definitely looking forward this, parchment effect or not...

@Lemming81 - It is nice to see the Wii getting so many quality titles in a short space of time but I wouldn't get too excited; they may be the only good games we get between now and Christmas, you know what Nintendo are like!!! ;)

i think they must have been forced to use gesture controls cos there's not enough buttons on the wiimote for all the actions you can perform - this is the main problem with porting games from other systems to the wii. still, i managed to put up with it in zelda despite it being less than wonderful, so i'm sure i can put up with it in this...

EG have a habit of complaining about the controls with wii games (they said there was at least something wrong on ALL the control methods for smash bros. which is just plain convoluted). So if they just have niggling problems with the controls, then they must be fantastic!

If anyone is concerned with the combat controls, just play it on PS2. The brushwork takes a little getting used to, but that doesn't take all that long either. Buy a PS2 if you have to, as they're pretty cheap these days.

I did find the PS2 analogue stick controls for the Celestrial brush annoying at times. That sequence on the log hurtling down the river where you have two minutes to attach four points to the plants on the shore was especially irritating, it took me absolutely ages to do and I almost threw the controller down in disgust at one point. The boss first boss was also tough for the same reasons, the controls were just a little too fiddly. If the Wii version addresses that then I'll be happy.

Played this on the PS2. The first 10 hours were sublime. After that however the gameplay rapidly gets very old and the insane storyline simply becomes irritating. Anyone expecting this to save the WII quality software problem is going to be sorely disappointed. This is not a system saver.

@Lemming81 Far too early to say i reckon. To be honest its a bit unfair to claim that it will be their year *again*. From what i remember from 2007 the 360 had the best games line up (in terms of sales; ofcourse it was Nintendo's year) :P

As for this game, looks lush.

@rhubarbandcustard - Does the Wii need saving...? ;)

Anyway, Okami is a wonderful game, perhaps more essential on the PS2 than the Wii, since it does have a lot in common with Zelda: Twilight Princess. I do think that it'll be overlooked by a lot of Wii owners though unless it is heavily advertised, which would be a crying shame because it deserves to do well. Games of this quality are very rare on any console nevermind the Wii.

According to my man at Capcom, the parchment effect will be "far less prominent" in the Wii version.

Cheers krudster, that tallys with what IGN said. Will you be updating the preview?

Surely the painting mechanic could be used as the hook in a tv advert. I could imagine a great tv advert to appeal to all the 'casuals' out there, focussing on making the trees bloom, bringing light back into the world, and the fantastic art style. The imprecisiojn might be annoying for the hardcore, but you could really market this at current wii owners well. 'Course, they probably won't put any marketing budget behind it and no-one will know it exists again. I'd really want this be successful, okami was possibly the best game I played on the PS2 (certainly top 5!)

Darren: Heh but the game pauses as soon as you pull up the paint brush. Why was the log-thing so difficult? I remember actually failing once there though. But that was it.

I'll get hammered for this... but... The screens look like crap to me.

@disc - Why was the log bit hard? Well:

(a) the awkward camera angle meant you had literally a splitsecond to pause the game so you could draw the vines to the plant things on the shore in the first place; and
(b) actually drawing the vine from each of the four (or was it six) points on the log was a hit and miss affair as I found the game ignored most of my attempts unless it was in exactly, and I mean, exactly the right place.

I did eventually manage to do it but I found it intensely frustrating which wouldn't have been a problem had the time limit not been so tight in the first place. The game might pause when you use the Celestrial Brush but each vine required you to unpause the game to locate another plant to draw the next vine to and, as I said above, they were very easy to miss because of the ridiculous camera angle the game used. IMO that was by far the worst section of the game and I know other people who agree with me.

In order for it to appeal to a mainstream audience they remove one of Okami's defining feature? lol some people are so simple and under the rock it's sickening. Well in any case, this game deserves recognition of the highest order. I have my PS2 copy with when I buy a will I will also be purchasing this, due to the fact that this is one of the few titles on the Wii that actually looks like it's made for the consoles unique control scheme, I am more than confident that tey can pull this off.
Well, now Okami is on a mainstrream platform, let's hope it gets the mainstream attention it deserves!

Ohhh the game of last generation... now on the third generation.

And without doubt when it gets released will be the best game of the this generation. Not sure if i'm buying a Wii yet mind.

One of the best games ever. Only Planescape: Torment and FF7 have drawn me in as much as this one.

Edit: Oh, and it also rivals Crysis as the best looking game ever.

Superb game, better than 99.9% of the games you currently own.

Buy it if you consider yourself a gamer.

Art style is terrific.