Okami

[manny_c44]

No I couldn't think of a toilet humor tagline, I'm sorry.

Clover was recently disbanded and, as was talked about in the podcast, there was industry-wide dissapointment. The team was seen as a prestige studio, and there is no doubt that their games made the effort to be both creative and have mass appeal.

Okami has dissapointed me though, I've almost seven hours into the game and its given me little in return. Technically its great, there isn't anything wrong with it and the celestial brush is a great addition but the game is lifeless. The story is too safe and mindless, there isn't any character to the game, nothing like the quickly-established atmosphere of Wind Waker or even Viewtiful Joe. The game is kind of limp...it follows too closely in the footsteps of the modern "operatic" game. There is melodrama and you are constantly inputing but there is no response. Nothing has really happened yet.

Has anyone else played it?

[n0wak]

No I couldn't think of a toilet humor tagline, I'm sorry.

Okami? More like... "Oh!? Crummy!!"

Okami has dissapointed me though, I've almost seven hours into the game and its given me little in return. Technically its great, there isn't anything wrong with it and the celestial brush is a great addition but the game is lifeless. The story is too safe and mindless, there isn't any character to the game, nothing like the quickly-established atmosphere of Wind Waker or even Viewtiful Joe. The game is kind of limp...it follows too closely in the footsteps of the modern "operatic" game. There is melodrama and you are constantly inputing but there is no response. Nothing has really happened yet.

Has anyone else played it?

I haven't played it in a while and didn't get too far in -- a move interrupted PS2 time -- but I was a little disappointed too. It's still great, and visually and creatively it is magnificent and enchanting and breathtaking, but gameplay... yeah, it follows the Zelda formula almost too closely. Which is kind of even more noticeable when you note that in Twilight Princess, you actually turn into a wolf at some point.

[Ben]

I've been playing it for a couple of weeks now. It is pretty amazing, the visuals are astounding and really complement the tone, style and theme of the story (and in some obvious ways, the game play). It is also pretty massive and I have heard others compare it to Zelda: Ocarina in terms of the scope/size of the world. Since I never played that beyond a few quick gos I can't confirm that, but I can say that it is a huge and pretty engrossing creation. I've played over 40 hours of it and from what I understand I am probably not even half way through yet!

One slightly annoying thing though is the long tutorial mode and the ensuing hand-holding that takes place throughout the game. It's kind of understandable considering how complex the brush strokes and combat mechanics can get, but yeah, a bit frustrating. All in all it's a small price to pay for what is an otherwise amazing game. I disagree about the game being lifeless, I actually found the initial premise quite powerful and evocative (it is cliched but it is told in the tradition of old folk lore/tales, and with soime lovely accompanying music). The game play is admittedly simplistic but the variety of brush strokes that can be used and the combination of them can add a fair bit of depth (and difficulty) to the game play later on.

Also, you can piss on your enemies and kill them.

[manny_c44]

Also, you can piss on your enemies and kill them.

What do you mean, really piss on them?

The stylistic achievements are laudable, I agree, but the game isn't really following in old-folklore footsteps as much as it follow the cues of new-folklore storytelling: packed with the token characters that have hung around the dusty innards of every Japanese fantasy game since, well, Final Fantasy .

I have heard the game is quite immense, maybe things will pick up.

[Ben]

Yes, actually piss on them...to death.

[Tommy Gun]

I'm about 29 hours in, so I think I'm close to the end. It's amazing, but yeah I guess there hasn't been much that's made me scream, "holy shit that's awesome!!!" There are some (more) creative levels later on, but it's still missing something. I hate how you barely use a lot of the brush techniques. You learn a technique, use it twice, and never use it again. I can't remember the last time I used the "heal" technique, or the vine one, etc. Rather than using them all, and combining them to figure out puzzles, you only need the last few. Weak.

Also I can't stand the texture overlay.

[lobotomy42]

Man, I need to get a PS2 just so I can actually play this game.

[Tommy Gun]

Argh! I was actually 33 hours in. I just played for 3 more hours, and yet, "your quest is long from over." End already!