Okami HD

1. Retron

   Feb 3, 2018

   10

   Ah, Okami. I'd heard great things about this game over the years, but as I don't own a Wii, Xbox or PlayStation I'd not been able to play it.Ah, Okami. I'd heard great things about this game over the years, but as I don't own a Wii, Xbox or PlayStation I'd not been able to play it. When I saw it was coming out for the PC, via Steam, I was delighted - at last, I'd see what the fuss was about!
   
   As it turns out, it was well worth the wait. While some may moan about the intro, I found it set the scene well and truth be told didn't realise it went on for 18 minutes, or however long it is. After reversing the mouse controls I was soon galloping around Nippon.
   
   The world makes you want to explore and you're frequently rewarded for going round the houses or off the beaten track. Coming from a world with MMOs and games like Skyrim, some things seem very odd, such as the combat system (monsters look like scrolls from afar, then you end up in an arena when you fight them), but I guess that's due to its console origins. In many ways it's similar to RPGs in that you have hit points, mana points (in the form of ink pots), harder enemies as time goes by and a variety of weapons and enhancements to pick up along the way.
   
   The fights themselves are actually better than I thought, as I'd assumed they'd be simple affairs - 20 hours in I'm still finding new monster types and working out how best to deal with them is fun. Over the course of the game you unlock various utilities to be used in combat (via the celestial brush, which allows you to modify the environment), as well as melee weapons.
   
   The graphics are gorgeous, cartoony in style but they fit the Japanese-folklore atmosphere perfectly. When, as often happens, you bring an area back to life the visual flourishes are absolutely enchanting - it feels rewarding in a way that you don't get with other games and (daft to say) it evokes a sense of peace and tranquility which is quite alien with PC gaming! Similarly the "victory howls" which your wolf avatar performs after killing bosses are immensely gratifying. Complimenting this perfectly is the music, which in some cases is so good it's worth just standing around and listening to it (Ryoshima Coast is a case in point).
   
   Gameplay is actually far more varied than I was expecting, happily: whether it's negotiating a vertical maze, digging up turnips or simply racing for the sheer joy of it, there are all sorts of minigames and puzzles to solve. At times it turns quite platformy, but never overwhelmingly so - it's a forgiving game.
   
   By way of variety there are various collectibles to be found, notably 99 beads which give you a "special reward" when found. They tend to pop up in the oddest of places and I'm looking forward to trying to collect them all! I'll have plenty of time to do it too, as the starting areas have things which can't be opened / dug up / exploded or whatever until later in the game, as you have to learn new celestial brush techniques or moves to be able to interact with them.
   
   I'm not sure how much longer it'll take me, but I've a feeling I'm not even halfway through the game yet. For the price it's an absolute steal - pennies an hour in terms of gameplay and wow, it's involving gameplay too. It's a beautiful game and I've found it refreshing, eye-popping at times and a joyful experience all told - I'll be sad when I eventually finish it!… Expand

   • 1 of 2 users found this helpful
2. VHS-Player

   Jan 15, 2018

   10

   This game is just a visual mind trip. A wonderful piece of work that most games can't even compare to. I am truly impressed by the amount ofThis game is just a visual mind trip. A wonderful piece of work that most games can't even compare to. I am truly impressed by the amount of time the designers took to digitally render the UI and the game. Much better than other indie games that I have played.… Expand

   • 11 of 13 users found this helpful
4. Firemahci

   Dec 17, 2017

   10

   To all the nice people writing negative reviews. You can skip cut-scenes by pressing F1 . I get that the dialogue pace is slow but don't beTo all the nice people writing negative reviews. You can skip cut-scenes by pressing F1 . I get that the dialogue pace is slow but don't be unfair to such a great game.… Expand

   • 27 of 33 users found this helpful
5. MastroCicuta

   Jan 1, 2018

   9

   Don't listen to angry kids, this game is a piece of art.
   Sure a nice and smooth 60 fps experience would have helped, but still the game isDon't listen to angry kids, this game is a piece of art.
   Sure a nice and smooth 60 fps experience would have helped, but still the game is made to function at 30 frame, animations, sprites and etc, and despite the frame lock the game look absolutely awesome, especially if compared to its ps2 original version.
   And regarding the unskippable intro..... cmon people what's wrong with you? do something else, or just be patient you just have to go through it the very first time and that's it, the only unskippable cutscene in the whole game!… Expand

   • 3 of 5 users found this helpful
6. PixelArt

   Jan 28, 2018

   8

   Okami HD est tout simplement sublime. Et poétique, onirique, drôle, émouvant. La refonte graphique sur Pc en 4k est tout simplementOkami HD est tout simplement sublime. Et poétique, onirique, drôle, émouvant. La refonte graphique sur Pc en 4k est tout simplement impressionnante. Les couleurs sont éclatantes et les animations en cel-shading représentent, à moins d'être viscéralement réfractaire au style, rien de moins que le mètre-étalon de cette technique. Les musiques sont merveilleuses et en totale adéquation avec l'action en cours à l'écran. Enfin les trouvailles de gameplay comme, bien entendu le fameux Pinceau Céleste, finissent le travail en apportant ce que l'on peut qualifier de cerise sur le Mochi. Puisqu'il faut bien lui trouver des petites imperfections, il faut reconnaitre que l'introduction est inutilement longue et pénible et que la "puce" est un peu trop bavarde. Sinon, ce n'est que pur bonheur. Élu jeu de l'année 2006 par nos confrères de IGN et depuis sa sortie considéré comme l'un des meilleurs jeux vidéo de tous les temps, Okami et un jeu que tout joueur se doit d'avoir fait. Et la disponibilité aujourd'hui d'Okami HD est l'occasion ou jamais de le faire ou de le refaire, encore et encore.… Expand

   • 3 of 6 users found this helpful
7. azarielrdm

   Feb 5, 2018

   5

   Good
   Visuals and art style
   Quirky characters Bad Way too much pointless dialogue, i like a good story and this one is just... simple andGood
   Visuals and art style
   Quirky characters
   
   Bad
   Way too much pointless dialogue, i like a good story and this one is just... simple and basic and..... there. But it doesn't really wrap you in at all.
   Combat is extremely easy and I mean EXTREMELY easy, almost pointless… Expand

   • 3 of 5 users found this helpful
8. WolF8RocK

   May 26, 2018

   0

   the half hour of my life that i will never get back
   unless some modder figure out how to mod the intro out of the game

   • 2 of 7 users found this helpful

See all 20 User Reviews