Wozza's Profile

Okami

Published: Wed 3 Oct, 2007 | On:

How do you manage to put the experience, the very essence of playing the best game ever made into words? I have no idea, but I’m about to give it a damn good try.

The first thing you should know about me is that I am a huge Zelda fan. Zelda 1 is the reason I’m a gamer today. Zelda 3 and 4 ruled my childhood and playing through Zelda 64 was a high point for me as a gamer. Oh, and I simply loved Wind Waker.

The next thing you should know is that I started playing Okami immediately – as in the next day after beating Zelda TP on my newly purchased Wii. I wasn’t really in the mood for a game I had heard was similar to Zelda and let’s face it, I wanted to play the console I had just put down 500 large ones for.

It was to my surprise then that the next day I realised I had been playing all throughout the night. Luckily it was my day off! It’s been a long time since I have played a game I can’t stop thinking about all day while I am away from it, but Okami had me getting out of work early and running reds on the way home! Okami was responsible for a number of late nights that week.

As soon as I had finished playing the game, I looked guiltily at the pile of games (yet alone the new Wii) I have yet to play in my collection and was damn near tempted to restart the game straight away. I didn’t end up doing so, as I figure if I go cold turkey and play it again a year later, I’ll probably enjoy my second play more. I’m counting down the days!

I mentioned before that I am a huge Zelda fan. Okami actually manages to beat any Zelda game released so far. It’s bigger, more interesting, busier and just better in every way imaginable. The game looks fantastic, the characters are memorable and the adventure is epic. Even though the next-gen consoles are out, Okami on the humble PS2 will still manage to blow you away.

This game is simply fantastic. Dare I say perfection? Okami is everything I have ever loved about gaming and then some. Essential.