Okami: A Myth in the Making (a retrospective)

It’s a rare opportunity to be a PS2 owner. Even after the system’s discontinuation, department stores are more likely than not to have at least a bin with a mish-mash pile o’ PS2 games, usually with a “50% off!” or a “Buy 3 get 1 free!” deal. Mostly because I’m way too cheap, I somehow haggled (without actually haggling) for a modern classic. Let’s say it’s been a while since I went on an odyssey like Okami.

Okami was the second-to-last game developed by Clover and published by Capcom. You’d probably know Clover for Viewtiful Joe and God Hand. But to me, Okami looks like the kind of game the developers really wanted to make. The game has already been compared to Ico and Shadow of the Colossus as one of the most visually impressive games on the PS2. Honestly, for every person who points to PS2 graphics looking dated, just show them this game. Okami can be described as a moving cell shaded Japanese watercolor painting. The description is not just for being pretty, either:  the living Japanese art isn’t just part of the visuals.  It’s entwined throughout the game.

You play Amaterasu, a sun goddess in the shape of a white wolf on a quest to rid Nippon (native name for Japan) from the return of an ancient evil. I don’t want to use the word “epic” since most adventure games shoot for epic. It’s more like, you’re playing a mythological folktale. Everything you do from boss fights to sidequesting add to an old folktale being told right back to you. It adds to the theme of a world filled with bad omens, celestial beings and spirits, sprites and demons hiding from common folk. It’s a world where a near-forgotten goddess must fight against a darkness as old as time.

Okami has a great way of presenting the heroine to the player. First off, Amaterasu pulls a classic Samus Aran in the speaking department. Her mouthpiece, whether she likes it or not, is Issun, a sprite hitching a ride on Ammy (Issun’s nick name for Amaterasu) throughout the game. Think of Issun as the opposite of Navi from Ocarina of Time, filled with snark then useless hints. It’s Issun and the simple people of Nippon who add that extra character to the world. Nearly everyone has a quest, and it’s through them where we see what it means to be a god in Okami.

See, Ammy is just a wolf to most people. A white wolf is an oddity, sure, but many are ignorant of what she is. Finishing their quests (fetching, racing, fighting x many monsters) nets you praise, which is the currency you need to level up life and your money pouch. What’s interesting is that few people think that it’s Ammy who’s helping. To them, you’re a wolf, maybe a wolf that brings good luck, but still a wolf. You help boys find the courage to become men, reunite lost loves, and help warriors find purpose in life. You’re effecting a great change in their lives, yet they don’t suspect it’s because of you. It reminds me of a Futurama episode where Bender meets a living star cluster which might or might not be “God.” According to his new star born buddy, “If you’ve done something right, people won’t be sure if you’ve done anything at all.” Ammy is subtle. She doesn’t announce herself with a burning bush or parting seas. Just by helping those around her.

But how does she play? Wonderfully. Again, it’s very much a Zelda style game. Beat a boss, and get an item that gets you to the new area. Only in Okami, your items are painting symbols. An extension of your growing god powers are “celestial brush” techniques. In the overworld and in combat, you can freeze the scene into a scroll ready for painting. With a few swishes of your brush, you can cut down enemies, slow time, and control the wind. This is just a small sample of Ammy’s powers, and towards the end there’s not a lot you can’t do.

I can’t wait to see how it all ends.

Yeah, turns out I’m on the cusp of finishing the game. Another thing you realize is that this game is long–very long. There are several points where I was sure I was in the last boss fight, only open up a new area with another boss to fight. Only now, after months of play, are there no other place to go. I can’t help but feel bad. It’s like putting down a great book; you don’t want to turn that page, because then it’ll be over. I guess you can say it’s a testament to a great game.

Now as for finding the game, it’s surprisingly easy to get a hold of. There’s a re-release on the Wii, but you PS2 owners can grab a copy for around 20 bucks on Amazon. If you want a great Zelda-style game, only replacing the Zelda part with the most original ideas and gameplay, then pick this one up.