As discussed on the ForwardSlashAwesome Podcast - The Podcast discussing new games and old... and the occasional bukkake reference. NSFW.

21.Okami. PS2/Wii 2006



The best way to describe Okami is as a combination of Kingdom Hearts and Zelda set in a mystical Japan. Also you're a wolf. *cough*
As a corporeal incarnation of the God of Creation it is your task to make the people believe in you once again by performing miracles to gain faith from your followers.
While the Zelda esque adventure should be a selling point by itself, Okami also throws in an interesting mechanic where at any time you can collapse the world into a 2d drawing and then draw ontop of this drawing, adding devices into the game. For example, early in the piece an old woman cannot do her washing because she ain't got no line going on, so you collapse to 2d, draw in a line and then the world is saved. Thrilling stuff, no?
Obviously as time goes on the standard of the miracles increase until it culminates in an apocalyptic battle of galactic proportions. ZOMG Spoilerz!!!

Production values are through the roof. While the game was overlooked there was obviously a lot of green spent on the art style, world design and writing. Every single character you encounter seems to have a deep personality that is excellently conveyed, even if they only have one or two lines. The game has all the tropes I love, the false ending (where the game makes you think you've finished but then you discover an even greater evil), rival battles and humour. God is there a lot of humour in this and, for the most part, it is laugh out loud funny.

Most reviewers critiqued the game for being too long clocking in at one and a half times longer than Twilight Princess... which was no slouch in this area either, even though the game remained fantastic throughout with little to no padding. Stupidly enough the same people who said it was too long are now asking for a sequel.

Clover Studios have now collapsed and moved onto not as great things, so the chances of seeing an Okami 2 is very slim. On top of that the creator stated that he would only do an Okami 2 if he thought something fantastic could be added. Okami was designed to be self contained with every part of it's history fleshed out and every question answered, which they were... except the ending which, while insane and ridiculous, was cool and satisfying anyway.


Awesome Character Profile:

Issun.

A lazy wandering artist the size of an ant, Issun is pretty much as worthless a character that ever existed. Despite his lower social status however he has no qualms grabbing the ample bazoogas of mother nature, wise mouthing off at demonic gods and bossing around the God of Creation.
Issun is basically a perverted freeloading flea. He has much to teach us.