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IGN Review of Okamiden
Following up on the critical and commercial success of Okami, Capcom hopes to reclaim some of the original's magic with Okamiden for the Nintendo DS, a sequel that is hopefully the start of an enduring franchise.
In Okamiden, the player takes control of Chibi, an adorable white wolf who just happens to be the son of Amaterasu, the hero from the first game. It shares the same battle style and use of celestial brush techniques as Okami, with the addition of a brand new partner system, pairing Chibi with a variety of different buddies to help him throughout his journey. The game takes place nine months after the events in Okami, and shares not only the same gameplay mechanics, but also the same gorgeous, painterly art style and quirky sense of humor.
Also like the original, Okamiden draws a healthy dose of gameplay mechanics and literary devices from a certain Nintendo franchise of the same genre, but this most certainly isn't a bad thing. Much like in The Legend of Zelda, which the creators have admitted was a huge influence, players will find themselves solving puzzles with the help of acquired items and learned abilities, stepping on switches, solving riddles left by NPCs, slashing enemies/trees/pots (yes, you even smash pots), and so on.
While all of these concepts are borrowed from Zelda, it is done in a respectful and downright expert way. Nothing feels carried over thoughtlessly. There are pots around to smash because you're in a village, where it makes sense for there to be pots. You're a hero on an epic quest because this world needs saving, and it's your destiny to save it. These elements work and there's nothing wrong with Okamiden borrowing them so long as they feel like natural pieces to its own puzzle-- which, in this case, they do.
After debuting on the PS2, and later being ported over to the Wii, this burgeoning series has finally found the definitive control scheme for its brush techniques with the DS's touch screen. Using the stylus to wield the celestial brush is intuitive, captures the sense of magic they were trying to convey with the original concept, and just plain feels right. A quick Power Slash, for instance, can be performed with a simple flick of the stylus (or your thumb, if you don't feel like busting your stylus out of its holster), and even more complex drawings are perfectly easy to pull off.
Throughout the course of the game you learn many new brush techniques, which never grow old no matter how many trees you chop in half or enemies you toss in the air only to Power Slash until they disappear in a cloud of smoke. It also helps that the developers clearly spent a lot of time making sure to change up the game's pacing to keep it interesting and exciting. A rather painfully slow start aside, once the game finds its groove it remains engaging throughout the course of the adventure.
Even with the great controls and pacing, however, I did find during my play through that I learned the bulk of the integral battle techniques right away. While boss fights and certain side quests required me to think creatively and use the celestial paintbrush in a new and interesting way, the bulk of the game is generally less experimental. The fact that brush techniques cannot be combined, varied, or used simultaneously to create new results also has the unfortunate side effect of making it feel like this brush is more of a handyman's tool for overcoming simple obstacles than it is any sort of artistic device. Outside of trying the different brush techniques on different enemies, it simply doesn't encourage experimentation.
Therein lies Okamiden's biggest flaw. Other than where to go (which is often in question when there isn't an arrow around to point you in the right direction) there was rarely a time in Okamiden when I felt stumped, which is a shame for such a puzzle-heavy game. Need more light? Draw a sun. Need those clothes to dry? Draw a sun. Need that flower to grow? You get the picture. While the simplicity of the gameplay is most certainly not a deal-breaker, it's a decently sized detractor to the game's fun factor.
The only time I really felt like I was in the midst of a real head-scratcher was during boss fights, and it was only for an occasional, fleeting moment. That said, the bosses are still exceptional. They're huge in scale, have big personalities, and they're the best example the game has of using the brush techniques in new and creative ways.
Okamiden's story is another thing it has going for it, as the narrative is simply beautiful and the characters are incredibly loveable. From Issun the flea to Susano the drunken warrior, familiar faces from Okami are all around, and the new characters (especially Kuni, whose story is truly moving) are just as memorable and lovable as the old favorites. What's especially impressive about the story is how integral it feels to the action, which really goes a long way in connecting you to the world.
Even though Okamiden has the misfortune of being the last big release on the DS before 3DS fever hits, it is a wonderful title that should not be ignored. If you loved the original, or you're a fan of heart-warming, Japanese adventure games, do not pass this one up.
©2011-03-14, IGN Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved
In Okamiden, the player takes control of Chibi, an adorable white wolf who just happens to be the son of Amaterasu, the hero from the first game. It shares the same battle style and use of celestial brush techniques as Okami, with the addition of a brand new partner system, pairing Chibi with a variety of different buddies to help him throughout his journey. The game takes place nine months after the events in Okami, and shares not only the same gameplay mechanics, but also the same gorgeous, painterly art style and quirky sense of humor.
Also like the original, Okamiden draws a healthy dose of gameplay mechanics and literary devices from a certain Nintendo franchise of the same genre, but this most certainly isn't a bad thing. Much like in The Legend of Zelda, which the creators have admitted was a huge influence, players will find themselves solving puzzles with the help of acquired items and learned abilities, stepping on switches, solving riddles left by NPCs, slashing enemies/trees/pots (yes, you even smash pots), and so on.
While all of these concepts are borrowed from Zelda, it is done in a respectful and downright expert way. Nothing feels carried over thoughtlessly. There are pots around to smash because you're in a village, where it makes sense for there to be pots. You're a hero on an epic quest because this world needs saving, and it's your destiny to save it. These elements work and there's nothing wrong with Okamiden borrowing them so long as they feel like natural pieces to its own puzzle-- which, in this case, they do.
After debuting on the PS2, and later being ported over to the Wii, this burgeoning series has finally found the definitive control scheme for its brush techniques with the DS's touch screen. Using the stylus to wield the celestial brush is intuitive, captures the sense of magic they were trying to convey with the original concept, and just plain feels right. A quick Power Slash, for instance, can be performed with a simple flick of the stylus (or your thumb, if you don't feel like busting your stylus out of its holster), and even more complex drawings are perfectly easy to pull off.
Throughout the course of the game you learn many new brush techniques, which never grow old no matter how many trees you chop in half or enemies you toss in the air only to Power Slash until they disappear in a cloud of smoke. It also helps that the developers clearly spent a lot of time making sure to change up the game's pacing to keep it interesting and exciting. A rather painfully slow start aside, once the game finds its groove it remains engaging throughout the course of the adventure.
Even with the great controls and pacing, however, I did find during my play through that I learned the bulk of the integral battle techniques right away. While boss fights and certain side quests required me to think creatively and use the celestial paintbrush in a new and interesting way, the bulk of the game is generally less experimental. The fact that brush techniques cannot be combined, varied, or used simultaneously to create new results also has the unfortunate side effect of making it feel like this brush is more of a handyman's tool for overcoming simple obstacles than it is any sort of artistic device. Outside of trying the different brush techniques on different enemies, it simply doesn't encourage experimentation.
Therein lies Okamiden's biggest flaw. Other than where to go (which is often in question when there isn't an arrow around to point you in the right direction) there was rarely a time in Okamiden when I felt stumped, which is a shame for such a puzzle-heavy game. Need more light? Draw a sun. Need those clothes to dry? Draw a sun. Need that flower to grow? You get the picture. While the simplicity of the gameplay is most certainly not a deal-breaker, it's a decently sized detractor to the game's fun factor.
The only time I really felt like I was in the midst of a real head-scratcher was during boss fights, and it was only for an occasional, fleeting moment. That said, the bosses are still exceptional. They're huge in scale, have big personalities, and they're the best example the game has of using the brush techniques in new and creative ways.
Okamiden's story is another thing it has going for it, as the narrative is simply beautiful and the characters are incredibly loveable. From Issun the flea to Susano the drunken warrior, familiar faces from Okami are all around, and the new characters (especially Kuni, whose story is truly moving) are just as memorable and lovable as the old favorites. What's especially impressive about the story is how integral it feels to the action, which really goes a long way in connecting you to the world.
Even though Okamiden has the misfortune of being the last big release on the DS before 3DS fever hits, it is a wonderful title that should not be ignored. If you loved the original, or you're a fan of heart-warming, Japanese adventure games, do not pass this one up.
©2011-03-14, IGN Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved