Okami on Wii...not so much fun...
Friday, May 09 2008
For those that dig games that tie in to the ancient Japanese Shinto religion, or just like good storytelling, the Okami game is a fun and fascinating game that brought a new life to the PS2 console back in 2006, along with great reviews.
I was thrilled to see the same game become available for the Wii last month, and finally got around to buying it this week. I was thrilled with the knowledge that the unique "brush stroke" concept would come to the vaunted Wiimote, and relished at the thought of vanquishing enemies with it, much in the same way that Ralphie did with his Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle.
Then reality hit.
I'm disappointed to say that the resulting experience actually detracts from the game, significantly. While the gameplay essentially remains the same from the Original (in fact, I really couldn't tell the difference), the celestial brush feature was very jittery/noisy, leaving me far more frustrated with the experience than one should have with something as graceful as the Wiimote.
While the game has scored well from some reviewers, my strongest advice is to find the (likely) cheaper PS2 version if you have a PS2 setup - some reviewers agree. Otherwise, I still encourage you to get or rent Okami for the Wii -- in spite of the disappointment, it's still a great story and a very engaging game, provided you don't get frustrated with the Wii controls.
