OKAMI: Beautiful looking game

Yeah.. its been on most people's radar for a year now.

Should be coming out mid-September and its yet again another Playstation 2 must own game.

For a system that's on its last legs, the Ps2 still has more good games than any other new system out there.

Yeah, there have been quite a few current-gen games lately that make a case for the next-gen being pushed on us far too early. There are just too many good games being released from now until the end of the year. I wish publishers would stagger their releases better instead of everyone crowding the end of the year, hoping for the almight Holiday Dollar.

This is expected to be the best game of the season.

There was a cool Flash promo site a few monts back that had the wolf running along at high speed, jumping over obstacles... it gave an early taste of the art style, and was quite striking.

I am looking forward to playing this, too.

So, anyone picking this up? Solid reviews all around it seems, and not just from the usual everything-from-Japan-is-automatically-AWESOME crowd.

Love to hear what any Chewers think of it. I haven't bought a new PS2 game in ages...

EDIT: Just read this bit: "no widescreen mode or progressive scan mode available." AAARRRGGGHHH!!!!!!!

Assuming it's still like the pretty lengthy demo OPM had a few months ago, the game is fantastic. Zelda (OLOL, Celda) with a magic paintbrush as the special weapon. Amazing art design and graphical flourishes with a lot of fun adventure elements and fights. It's on my Christmas wish list for sure.

I'm waiting for a UK release. And money.
Will definitely get it, though.

In a word: GORGEOUS. And before we go any farther, can we have a moratorium on people saying it shoulda been on the Wii or DS? It's a fucking action game, not a drawing game with wolves.

Anyway. It has a Zelda feel, what with wandering around and helping people and the occasional combat (much of which you can avoid if you want). You hold down R1 to bring up the canvas, which pauses the game. You then move the left analoge stick and use square to draw. It's VERY linient and it doesn't need a stylus and a touch screen or sensors. And very very cool. I love slashing trees in half. The fakey Animal Crossing dialogue sounds suck and the text is slow, but it's very good so far. Better looking than most 360 games, in my opinion. And I own a 360. This just has style out the ass, which is better than extra "shiny."

Sorry about your screen woes, but if you're still considering this, I'll be sure to post back with my thoughts. I wasted my afternoon waiting for this thing because UPS had to pick today to be four hours late with their shipment. It better be as good as all the critics are saying.

God I HATE that godawful Charlie-Brown-grownup sounds these characters make during conversations (especially when the music is this good). There should be an option to turn it off, especially during that long intro. But at least you can click during the text to make it speed to the end of a sentence.

A truly beautiful game, but man, it would look so much better in 720p or 1080i widescreen. 480i on a 56" screen ain't what it used to be...

So did anyone get their copy from Gamestop and get the Bhudda Board?

Its a nifty little bonus. Painting withough paint!! Like magic.

anyone know how you make offerings at the the little shrines?

Suprised that more people arent talking about this game. Its hands down the best game Ive played this year.

I'm also a little confused at how to make offerings. The only thing I could think of was food, but of course they're greyed out.
EDIT: Looks like the Nameless Man at the West end of this area will start making pottery after you restore his kilns. You can use the pottery as offerings.

I've only logged about 4 hours in the game so far, but each time I sit down, I have this incredible urge to explore everything. Great game.

Still really like it. I reccomend turning sound effects down to around 1/3, 1/4. It makes the voices much more bearable. Also, to skip text, hold SQUARE. It skips EVERYTHING and you don't have to click like holding down X. Also, during loading screens, on the one where footprints go across, time pressing x out to when the prints hit. They'll get large. Get all seven, free demon fang. For the "blank" loading screen, hit x really fast. Get 50 paw prints, free demon fang.

thanks for the kiln info.
Where are the monsters from the wanted list? Do they look different than the regular ones? Are they random?

14 hours in and LOVING IT

Excellent, thanks for the info. Absolutely loving this game, one of the best I've played in months.

They only appear at night. I'm not sure if they're random, but you can tell you've found a wanted monster because the encircling wall is more red than the one in a normal battle, and there aren't escape points. I just ran around to all the scrolls I saw and escaped if it wasn't a wanted monster.

If you're looking for more tips, this is a nice thread, if you have the time to skim 40 pages:
http://www.penny-arcade.com/forums/v...p?t=1073830744

The forums at GameFAQs and GameSpot also helped me. I try to figure these things out on my own, but I don't like missing something like how to get demon fangs. I could have had a lot more earlier on had I known about the finishing moves and the loading screens.

I finally got this in the mail. As soon as my gf is done watching a movie, I'll finally get to play

Well I've been playing this almost non stop since I got it and am effin' loving it!

I'm at 35 hours and have only seemingly accesed roughly half of the world map. It just keeps getting bigger (and smaller) and better as it progresses.

Some of the brush techniques are quite briliant I must say.

There's a even a slight GTA vibe once you get to the city. It even has a has a taxi minigame.

So far I can find no flaws other than the combat being a tad easy.

Apparently its selling much better here than in Japan so hopefully it does well enough for Clover, Capcom and even other devs and publishers to take some risks and make some wild and crazy unorthodox games from time to time.

...

The wanted moster lists do appear to be random. Aside from the dome being red and having no escape points, a cinematic name tag will pause the screen and show you who the monster is.

One thing I noticed about doing the "wanted" lists: if you keep painting a moon (crescent) in the sky, the wandering monsters in an area stay dead. Then you just traverse the area looking for the little buggers, and sooner or later you'll get all the creatures on the list. All the creatures on a given list are in the nearby area. As long as you don't change zones and don't let the sun come out, it's pretty easy to track down the monster banners and eventually get all the 'wanted's.

I stopped worrying about the Wanted Lists once I learned that I could get demon fangs from the enemies.

Wanted lists net you Gold Dust, which allows you to upgrade your weapons.

Chris Dogg, so are you close to the end?

Hell no!

Apparantly once you reach the capitol city and *slight spoilers...* fix it, that's roughly the halfway point, and for me, that wasn't too long ago. And I still only have aboot half the map unlocked.

On a related note, some people are complaining about the game being too long and are starting to lost interest 'cuz they feel it drags out. I say to each his own 'cuz I love nice and long games.

And FYI, get the Water Tablet when its available. It makes swimming and swimming long distances much more bearable, and it makes finding some stuff much easier.

I just beat Crimson Helm and the fact that the dragon heads kept moving while I was trying to slash them really freaked me out at first. I'd heard somewhere that things start moving under your brush, but I certainly wasn't prepared for it. Awesome game.

Hmm, I don't remember that. Do you mean the battle with Orochi? Cuz Helm only has one head.

Agreed. I definitely felt like I got my money's worth with Okami.

It was the shadow-Orochi that appeared after I finished off Crimson Helm, where you have to help Susano hack it to pieces.

Studio that made the game is being closed.

i cant find the frackin last cherry blossom in the imperial city, so that guy will do his dance...

Did you get the one on his head?

I think I may just get this instead of Splinter Cell tonight.

Is this legit!?

If so then...NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!


Anyway, I'm at 58 hours and have just gotten to the point of no return (the near end of the game) and holy crap has it been a one helluva ride so far.

I wanna play as Shiranui, so badass. You'll see.

EDIT: Well I just confirmed it. No more Clover? Bastards! Just when they made their opus.

Boo yah, finished the game a couple of days ago.

Bee-utiful.

Ya might think the final boss is kinda lame at first glance, but trust me, it only gets better.

Oh, and when Issun says its the point of no return, he means it. So if there is anything you'd like to resolve before beating the game, do it.

i cant find the dragon palace whirlpool for the life of me

Eh heh heh, I had this problem too and I was lost for hours.

Get next to the guy looking for shooting stars, just dot the sky like you would when completing constellations.

After that get to the lookout point and make the wind blow 3 times.

Then Orca should take you there.

I don't want this to sound like a complaint, as that was easily one of the best games that I've played this year or in years past, but did anyone else find it to be incredibly easy? I'm not speaking specifically of the combat, which really was too easy but, perhaps worse, felt so contained considering you could have been fighting in those gorgeous, lush environments.

I tried to take my time and I did pretty good with the final results (unlocked 5 or 6 transformations and it took me about 42 hours), but I never felt really challenged. Again, though, this is not criticism, as I suppose it just shows how smoothly a player can become acclimated to all the gradual advancements in gameplay. Especially considering there was only minimal backtracking and I hate feeling lost or not knowing what to do (never happened).

As for the game length, I can't see how anybody could complain about there being MORE of a game (as long as it's fun). In fact, when you first face off against Orochi, I was a bit pissed that I might be getting a God of War-length game out of this. I don't mind a shorter game as brilliant as that was (or Shadow of the Colossus, to keep things relegated to the PS2), but I was surprised each time it seemed as though things were ramping up to a typical BIG ENDING (the festival, the big city, Oni Island, etc.) only to end up with more story. That really was refreshing.

Actually its a typically RPG cliche that isn't used too much anymore. The false ending where it looks like everything is going to end, but does not.

Yeah except for a scant few enemies and and a couple of boss fights, the game's pretty easy, but its a serene easyness as opposed to a boring one.

As much as like a visceral hardcore challenge like DMC 3 or Ninja Gaiden, I'll take fun over frustration any day.

FYI, if you want a challenge, go back into the bandit spider pits and there should be demon gates that are essentialy survival games. The first one in Ryoshoma coast is pretty easy as it consists of all the first areas easier enemies.

I just beat the one in N. Ryoshoma coast and it was quite difficult. I had to use items even.

The 3rd one is in Kamui village and I'm honesly a little scared to try it. When gangs of the harder enemies that can take of 8 units of health with one blow start, erm, ganging up on you, then you've got a problem. I dare you to survive without having to use any astral pouches or items.

Keep going in after every round until the gate is finished for a prize. I mistakenly thought they were just a one round survival deal but they're not. More like 8 rounds. If you leave the area and come back, you gots to start over.

My sentiments exactly. I'll take the fun and playfulness of Okami's battles over artificially game-extending and un-necessarily difficult battles any day of the week. I know many people get some sort of sense of accomplishment from games like Ninja Gaiden, but they just feel like work to me. Life's too short.

At any rate, I need to finish up this game. I got to the snowy lands and I think I was at a loss as to what to do. Need to load it up and see where I left off...

Wow, thanks. I never knew about that (though I did fight all the Bandits I found). Your post reminded me that I also never ended up using ANY items throughout the entire game, but I am in 100% agreement on the fact that while there was never any insurmountable challenge it didn't make the game feel any less satisfying.

A few things that I hope others here might be able to help out with (a bit spoilery):

-Any secrets to taking out the last blockhead guy, or do you just have to have super memorization skills?

-What's the mermaid box thing for from the underwater city?

-Where do you find what the old inventor guy (at the top of the tower in the Aristocratic quarters of the city, which you need to use the Climbing technique on) needs for his contraption?

-Does the seal the woman in Issun's home town make for you do anything other than show up at the end of the credits?


Oh, and did anyone else experience extreme slowdown and music skipping during the credits or am I going to need to replace my PS2 AGAIN?

-Use a camera or cell phone to record and playback in slo mo.

-The fat guy who the kids were bullying on the beach wants it. He should be in his hut with the old lady by the pier.

-When you beat the Shinshu field mailman in a final race, he gives you what the old guy wants.

-Uh nope, just that.

My credits were silky smooth. Try using a laser lens cleaing disc. If that doesn't work...yeah, I'm on my 3rd PS2 cause of teh stoopid DREs.

Thanks again. I should have guessed that the human punching bag would want the mermaid thing.

As for the cleaner, it might be required but this is the only problem I've had so far (with this unit). The game's framerate did slow down incredibly once I got to the snowy areas, but I think that was the game's fault.

Well I never experience slowdown unless there was a lot of activity on screen, like a few dying monsters turning into flowers and such after being mass cherry bombed.

I cannot read Japanese hieroglyphics, but apparently this site:

http://ir.capcom.co.jp/news/pdf/061109b.pdf

. . . contains an announcement of Okami and Godhand for the 360. I'm pretty excited about this. Now I just need 360 ports of RE4, Bully, and God of War (fat chance).

Well yeah, considering God of War is made by Sony Santa Monica Studios. They don't just publish the thing, they make the thing.

Sorry to burst to your bubble, but what that announces is only the european PS2 releases of both games.

I'm about 43 hours in. Nearly maxed out all my stats with praise.

It seems most of you finished a month ago, any afterthoughts?