Yikes, huh? That’s a pretty bold statement, I know – “one of the top games in the history of gaming.” Considering that I have played some pretty big time games in the past six months alone – Final Fantasy XII, Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Bully, Kingdom Hearts II, Guitar Hero II – and not one of them pulled that sort of response from me. Using an awe-inspiring graphic style heavily influenced by Japanese art, refined action adventure game play mixed with calligraphy (not a typo) and storytelling on par with the best Disney and Hayao Miyazaki animated films, Okami is one of the top games not only in the PlayStation 2’s library but in the history of gaming. This overly Japanese game tells how the Shinto Sun Goddess, Amaterasu, restores peace to ancient Nippon (Japanese for Japan) by defeating the eight-headed dragon Orochi and his commanding powers of evil with the Celestial Brush.

Those people are better off not being let in on the secret that Sony’s middle child is still the superior console on the market – a fact that gamers are having drilled into their heads at the moment by the likes of Rogue Galaxy, Final Fantasy XII, God of War II, Burnout: Dominator and Okami.Īs great as all these games are, one of them shines above the rest as not only a new commodity, but as a shining pillar of originality and artistic integrity – and that game is Okami. Rarely does a game come along that can push the boundaries of our gaming perceptions while still appealing to the facile sensibilities of the masses – and as such this really is one of gaming’s greatest achievements.Īs the PlayStation 2 heads down the ‘ole dusty trail’ into the sunset of our memories, there may be some skeptics, properly basking in the sun of one of those new-fangled systems, who say that the system is outdated, underpowered and incapable of producing a game of next-gen caliber.

The difference between perfection and near perfection in video gaming is a minute margin at best and it’s a testament to the quality of Okami that as I found myself reaching for any significant downfall to point out, I could not find a single one.

Okami ps2 gameplay