Hungry Like A Wolf
Paid a visit to our local Game Stop recently, video games to be traded in hand. There are just some games that you buy in the spur of the moment, and at the time they give you pleasure, but you soon come to find that their replay value is low or non-existent. So, with our handful of lost causes, we looked into trading for something new and exciting. We got quite a bit for our haul, so we had enough for a few games. I picked up a couple for the Nintendo DS, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team, and Magnetica. But the real gem of the lot was Okami for the PS2. OH MY GOD! Am I in love with this game! The story is great, the artwork is awe-inspiring, and the play is exhilirating. If I were to compare it to anything, it would have to be The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for the Game Cube.
The artwork and the animation are completely new and original. They are based on traditional Japanese water brush art, and even implement the artform into the actual game play. The game allows you to turn the screen into a canvas, and with your mystical brush, allows you to manipulate the environment for your benifit. The story is that of a mythical Shinto Sun, Amaterasu, goddess that is revived in the form of a white wolf. Legend tells of a white wolf that helped to vanquish the 8-headed serpent demon known as Orochi, who would plague the local townspeople by demanding a sacrifice each year. A local swordsman known as Nagi, decided to put a stop to the ritual once and for all, and with the help of his sword, Sake, and the white wolf, was able to defeat and imprison Orochi for almost 100yrs. On the verge of the 100th year celebration of Orochi's defeat, the great demon was unleashed yet again, and evil roams the landscapes of Nippon.
In honor of the great white wolf's courageous feat, a statue was erected. This same statue was awaken, and thus, Amaterasu was reincarnated. You take the reins as the wolf with your trusty companion, a diminutive artist that provides guidance and comic relief. At first, I was skeptical about doing battle as a dog, but after the first fight, you learn that there is much more to it than that. You gain devine weapons along the way that you carry on your back, and your brush can also prove quit lethal, as you can convert the battle scene into a canvas, and quickly take out your enemies with a single brushstroke.
The landscapes are beautiful. Every single detail looks like a work of art, literally. All the lines are brushstrokes, and the characters you encounter are done in the traditional Japanese style. This game is immersed in the Nippon culture and mythology, and it makes you truly appreciate it that much more. The music is great, the open-ended environment is great, the entire game is great. It has consumed 16 hours of my life since Saturday, and I can't wait to get back to playing it. I highly recommend this little gem, well worth the $50 price tag. (Which was paid in video games!) I give it a 10.
Paid a visit to our local Game Stop recently, video games to be traded in hand. There are just some games that you buy in the spur of the moment, and at the time they give you pleasure, but you soon come to find that their replay value is low or non-existent. So, with our handful of lost causes, we looked into trading for something new and exciting. We got quite a bit for our haul, so we had enough for a few games. I picked up a couple for the Nintendo DS, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team, and Magnetica. But the real gem of the lot was Okami for the PS2. OH MY GOD! Am I in love with this game! The story is great, the artwork is awe-inspiring, and the play is exhilirating. If I were to compare it to anything, it would have to be The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for the Game Cube.
The artwork and the animation are completely new and original. They are based on traditional Japanese water brush art, and even implement the artform into the actual game play. The game allows you to turn the screen into a canvas, and with your mystical brush, allows you to manipulate the environment for your benifit. The story is that of a mythical Shinto Sun, Amaterasu, goddess that is revived in the form of a white wolf. Legend tells of a white wolf that helped to vanquish the 8-headed serpent demon known as Orochi, who would plague the local townspeople by demanding a sacrifice each year. A local swordsman known as Nagi, decided to put a stop to the ritual once and for all, and with the help of his sword, Sake, and the white wolf, was able to defeat and imprison Orochi for almost 100yrs. On the verge of the 100th year celebration of Orochi's defeat, the great demon was unleashed yet again, and evil roams the landscapes of Nippon.
In honor of the great white wolf's courageous feat, a statue was erected. This same statue was awaken, and thus, Amaterasu was reincarnated. You take the reins as the wolf with your trusty companion, a diminutive artist that provides guidance and comic relief. At first, I was skeptical about doing battle as a dog, but after the first fight, you learn that there is much more to it than that. You gain devine weapons along the way that you carry on your back, and your brush can also prove quit lethal, as you can convert the battle scene into a canvas, and quickly take out your enemies with a single brushstroke.
The landscapes are beautiful. Every single detail looks like a work of art, literally. All the lines are brushstrokes, and the characters you encounter are done in the traditional Japanese style. This game is immersed in the Nippon culture and mythology, and it makes you truly appreciate it that much more. The music is great, the open-ended environment is great, the entire game is great. It has consumed 16 hours of my life since Saturday, and I can't wait to get back to playing it. I highly recommend this little gem, well worth the $50 price tag. (Which was paid in video games!) I give it a 10.
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