Okami HD

Okami HD is a remastered version of one of the best PlayStation 2 games of all time, offering this classic game experience with better graphics, a new widescreen format, and more. Controlling the white wolf spirit, Amaterasu, players take on a colorful quest across ancient Japan to take down the evil spirit Orochi. While it draws inspiration from other popular adventure franchises, Okami HD is a beast of its own making, with unique gameplay and story quirks. Many gamers and critics see Okami HD as one of the best games ever made, making it a bucket-list game for any faithful player.

Main Game Features

• Unique watercolor graphics
• Puzzles, action, and exploration
• Story that focuses on Japanese folklore

Story

Okami HD is set in ancient Japan, referred to as Nippon, where a character named Sakuya summons Amaterasu to protect their village. After years of slumber, an evil entity known as Orochi has been unleashed on the land, leaving a curse in its wake. Now, it's up to Amaterasu to travel across Nippon and remove Orochi's curse while attempting to finally stop the vengeful spirit. To complete this quest, Amaterasu must travel to various villages and locations of interest, often helping citizens with problems that require the wolf's magical touch.

Okami HD offers one of the best gaming stories in decades, with likable characters, a vibrant world, and a great basis in Japanese folklore. The only downside comes from the game's large amount of text, which can take a while to skip through, if you're not immediately intrigued by the story concept. That said, if you stick with it, Okami HD's story is one of the most satisfying in all of gaming, offering both beauty and action in equal measure.

Gameplay

Although there are plenty of gameplay mechanics that set it apart, Okami HD plays a lot like The Legend Of Zelda franchise, except you control a wolf rather than a humanoid hero. While the main story follows a linear path, you're free to explore the available areas in Nippon at your discretion, locating helpful items, solving puzzles, and more. To progress in the game, you'll need to make your way through trap-filled dungeons, defeat massive supernatural bosses, and more. As you achieve these feats and get further in the game, you'll earn praise points, which can be used to upgrade Amaterasu's powers.

One of the most unique gameplay mechanics in Okami HD is that of the Celestial Brush, a supernatural paintbrush that allows Amaterasu to pull off some impressive feats. The brush can be used in both exploration and combat, as you'll need to use its powers to solve puzzles and defeat enemies. However, you cannot use the Celestial Brush with reckless abandon, as your well of ink runs dry rather quickly. Overall, Okami HD has an excellent mix of story, puzzles, and combat, making it an exciting third-person adventure game that has something for everyone.

Conclusion

If you consider yourself a lover of Zelda games or Japanese folklore, you owe it to yourself to try out Okami HD. It's a truly beautiful game, but it boasts more than just pretty graphics.

Pros

• Gripping world and characters
• Exciting and distinct combat
• Expanded widescreen format

Cons

• Some puzzles can be tough to figure out
• Lots of text to read
• Texture pop-in