G-pinions

Anyone else getting a wee bit peeved with all this next gen talk? With gamers and companies staging a war unseen in this land since those Red bastards threw a sticky grenade at the peaceful Blue monks, people seem to be forgetting about actual games. I know it's a weird concept, but there are systems out there that have better games than what's on the X350 and what will be on the PS3 and Wii. I hate the beginning of new generations, with the emptying of wallets and the interminable wait for new releases. But the end of an old generation is something else entirely. It's ironic that so many eyes point towards next gen gaming when the best games usually come out at the very end of a system's life. Remember when people were waiting outside for a PS2 back in 2000? I was in my warm and cozy home playing Final Fantasy IX. And now, six years later, with people lining up outside EBGames for a chance to buy the PS3 in a month, I am once again at home. This time, I am enveloped in an even better game - Okami.

This has been a long time coming. The first time Okami made an appearance on this site was April 28, 2004. Coincidentally, that was when it was first announced. Since then, Nick and I have been pimping its wolfy goodness every few months. I bet you're sick of hearing about it by now, right? Well, you wouldn't be if you had actually played the game. Okami is easily one of the most enjoyable experiences from this entire generation. I was not immediately overwhelmed with it like, oh, Resident Evil 4 and its village of terror, but I grew to love Okami. Clover Studios created a world that felt real. Like Hyrule or Tamriel, it felt like a place I could just jump into for a few minutes if I wanted, or spend hours just exploring. So few games actually make a world that feels right. How did Okami do it? First, the world is just gorgeous. The art style makes environments that would normally be mundane spring to life. But there is even more than that. The land is dead when you first arrive. Monsters roam, water is poisonous, and the animals have disappeared. It's an ugly place. But you can change that. It may not sound too exciting, but making trees grow is one of the most rewarding experiences of this generation.

There are these cursed arks spread throughout the land. When I would come to a new place, one riddled with death, I would immediately search for these. I was like a kid on Christmas; I couldn't wait to wake the world up again. When you conquer these arks you revive a piece of land. A pool may appear where there was drought-plagued dirt before. Or maybe a small orchard of trees will rise up. Seeing life burst from the center of this land and ripple through the world was just incredible. And it always brought animals with it. Bunnies and foxes and even horses. When we first got Okami, Nick and I complained about not being able to interact with the world enough, but the interaction present turned out to be more rewarding than anything else they could have thrown in the game. Most games focus on death and destruction, but Okami is always about life. Even when you are battling a demon, the game never let's you forget why. It is to bring warmth to the land so animals can play and humans can do whatever it is humans do.

And that is why Okami is so powerful. You play as a god and are able to change the world as if you truly are omnipotent. As you go through the journey, seemingly uncrossable barriers now become slight obstacles. You can control the elements, climb sheer cliffs and even walk on water. Yes, Jesus' favorite party trick is no longer restricted to hardcore baptismal services.

It works on a more personal level too. There are likable, believable characters that populate this world. Not just cardboard cutout beings. They are given dialog and mannerisms that make them seem real. They have their own problems and they have their own way of accepting the changes going on around them. That is a truly amazing thing to witness. The characters see the land come alive before them, but have no idea the small, white wolf in front of them is a god. So they assume their happy dance brought life to the land and continue to dance through the rest of your journey. I really loved seeing the people come alive along with the land.

I really need to talk about Issun as well. He acts as your guide and companion in this game. In the beginning, he is like Navi from Ocarina of Time. This is not a good thing. He constantly throws his opinions out there and solves puzzles before you even have a chance to. But his character evolves along with every other aspect of the world as you get deeper in your journey. He acts as your friend later on. He no longer holds your hand but goes through the adventure with you. He adds humor and life to the darkest sections of the game. Ultimately, he is what keeps this game engrossing. He represents the hope within us all. Without Issun riding along on Amaterasu's back, neither the wolf nor the player would be able to go through this game. The hardest part about finishing Okami was leaving Issun behind forever.

On a fundamental, gameplay level, Okami does nothing revolutionary. It is simply a Zelda clone with a paintbrush instead of weapons. But the feel of the game is unlike anything else out there. It is revolutionary because it approaches gaming unlike anything else. It does not use complex physics nor jaw-dropping graphics to create a world, but uses beauty and character. Okami may age poorly over the years, it's graphics on a technical level just not up to the latest trends, but it will live forever in some capacity. It has shown how to create a world that does not feel like a mere video game. It has shown that death can take a backseat to life if developers are clever enough. Okami is a fitting end to this generation of gaming. Interaction and immersion will be the focus for this new generation, and Okami has shown how a vibrant world can be created.