E3 2010: Okamiden Leaves a (Small) Impression

I would rank the original Okami as one of the best titles in the PS2 library. It ranks up high with games like Shadow of the Colossus and Ico because it beautifully melded a unique and beautiful art style with gripping game play mechanics. When you consider that it was also a long game with loads of content and fun characters, it is easy to see why any gamer would appreciate it. Unfortunately, the IP’s future was brought into question when the development studio, Clover, was closed. Now, several years later, Capcom has decided to keep the series alive by bringing us Okamiden, a direct sequel that will surely split the audience in two. Why? Because Okamiden now shares the fate of other great titles like Valkyria Chronicles whose sequels ended up on hand held gaming devices rather than current gen consoles. After playing the game on the show floor at E3 2010, I can honestly say that I can see myself playing this game and enjoying it but the hole in my heart won’t be filled until the game returns to form on current gen hardware.

While the potential of a game like Okami is undeniable, it simply doesn’t appeal to gamers on a widespread level. Considering the poor sales number of the original, I find it impossible to believe that this DS iteration will ever sell enough to rejuvenate interest in a full blown sequel especially since the brilliant mechanics from the original don’t seem to have transferred too smoothly to the DS. In a very odd choice on the part of the developers, the game runs on the top screen while menus and such can be interacted with on the bottom screen. In a game like Okami, where the main mechanic involves painting on the screen to bring color to the world or eliminate obstacles in your path, the player is forced to constantly tap the shoulder buttons to switch the screens for these sequences. Not only that, but I had to keep constantly unsheathing my stylus and then switching back to D-Pad control when I was done. It was dumb and I can see it becoming very annoying as the game goes on. I think a much better fit would have been to control the entire game like Zelda DS with the stylus and use the shoulder buttons to switch the paper like normal. If this had been the case, I think the moment-to-moment gameplay would be a lot more bearable and even accessible to newcomers.

I don’t mean to be overly critical of this game because I am honestly happy to be getting a sequel at all. My problems with the game are not game breaking and while some of the design choices may be somewhat odd, the rest of the game transferred rather well. I was impressed by how well the art style fit with the power of the DS. The game is beautiful and there is always a lot on screen to look at. The stylus makes a few extra mechanics possible as well which should some add depth to the puzzles and combat sequences. For example, Nushi, son of Susano from the original, accompanies Chibiterasu; with a simple button press, Nushi dismounts and can be lead along a path with the stylus to access new areas or collect hidden treasures. It seems that enough has been added to keep the game feeling fresh and the mechanics that were added are a good fit for the platform.

I had an opportunity to talk to one of the developers during my play through and there is one thing that I think is worth noting. One thing that shocked me about the original was its length. The game clocked in at 40 hours for me and when asked about the length of this new game, he told me that the game would clock in around half the time of the original so somewhere around 18-20 hours. That is a lot of content for a handheld adventure game and with the time and effort being put into maintaining the feel of the original, I think Okamiden could possibly prove to be just as engrossing as it’s big brother counterpart.

Unfortunately, I have a tendency to not finish hand-held games and I’m afraid that this will once again fall to the wayside. I don’t feel that the game will reach it’s full potential because the possibility of a console sequel will always be dangling in front of my eyes. It is always exciting to watch a hand-held title make the transition to a console but to watch a console game, especially a game as beautiful and grand as Okami, take a step backward is discouraging and a bit disappointing. All I can say is that fans should be happy and supportive of the game if they ever hope to see Okami return to their home consoles.