Okami
PS2
Capcom


Can games be art? 'Okami' seems to tackle this question not only through its style and presentation but the actual story itself - players will be tasked in controlling a god, one that has the penchant for painting its way through obstacles, travelling through a stunningly beautiful world that feels like an animated painting itself, thanks to the extreme use of cel shading.

'Okami' opens with arguably one of the more tedious introductions ever encountered; about ten minutes' worth of boring exposition nattered out to the tune of incessant noises, much like those grumbles disguised as voices found in old Nintendo 64 games such as 'Banjo Kazooie'. If you can make it past this initial tedium, there is an amazing game waiting, the Playstation 2 still managing to output some pretty outstanding art. While not graphically impressive as what we're used to in this age of next-gen polygon overload, 'Okami' just oozes style and doesn't disappoint on the visual spectrum.

The gameplay is top-notch, borrowing elements from 'Final Fantasy' to 'Zelda' and executing it near flawlessly. One thing 'Okami' does that is weaved into everything from the battles to exploration, and to the story itself, is that of controlling the environment through painting.

Throughout the game you'll gain access to 13 styles of brushing, such as painting a straight line across the screen that cuts most anything in its path - this element is both 'Okami''s greatest strength and its biggest disappointment: what's there is done well but with the release of Nintendo Wii and its impressive motion remote, it's easy to see how much better this game would've been had it been ported to another console. The analogue sticks on the Playstation 2 controller simply don't do the idea justice.

For those able to get to grips with the control of these elements, 'Okami' will draw you in (pun intended) for many hours, encompassing a lengthy main story that seems to twist and turn whenever it feels like the end is drawing near and featuring a number of side missions that will alleviate the pressure to move through the story, as well as offering some worthwhile bonuses.

Just when it feels like the old generation is drawing to a close, the Playstation 2 is suddenly hit with a very healthy dose of gaming goodness from 'God Hand' and 'Okami' to 'Final Fantasy XII' and 'God Of War 2' within a month. A great argument to be had on holding onto your hard-earned and giving your old systems a little more love before moving on to the new and improved.

Lyndon Cullen-Reid