Okami Video Demonstration

[MSUStud911]

Gamespot (http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/adventure/okami/news.html?sid=6154093&mode=previews) posted an exlusive video (http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/adventure/okami/download_ini.html?sid=6154046&id=6154046) showing off some of the brush wielding techniques used in the game.
The game features a beautifully unique visual style and storyline steeped in Japanese mythology, and yet we've only slowly demystified the strangely unique gameplay--which will see you controlling the lupine embodiment of the sun goddess Amaterasu and painting with a traditional Japanese brush, the "celestial brush," to combat enemies and solve puzzles
I can't wait to actually get my hands on this game!

[Jetherik]

I wonder if this is based on the folktale of the magic paintbrush - though it was in the hands of a guy, not a goddess. Sounds interesting.

[Skizott]

Thats what I forgot to pre-order.

Thanks for the reminder.

[TrackZero]

This game still looks fantastic. I can't wait to pick it up.

[Odyzen]

Doesnt this game looks like it be great on the DS?

[Evil Avnovice]

Oh, the days until release... :(

[Evil Avnovice]

Doesnt this game looks like it be great on the DS?

The DS, or better yet, the Revolution, would suit this game well. :)

[uaq]

I've been playing it since it came out, it's pretty awesome. I'm not quite sure what they mean about "demystifing the gameplay", it's fairly easy to get into. I'm sure the brush thing would be slightly better on DS, but it's really not a problem using the analogue stick at all, their shape recognition system is perfect. Also, if it was on DS you wouldn't be able to have the nice graphics ;)

I'm not particularly knowledgeable about Japanese mythology but from what other people have told me, it's only loosely based on Amaterasu and other characters.

It's very Zelda-ish in the way you run around and talk to people, and revisit old areas with new abilities to explore them further.

And yeah, the graphics are amazing, in battles the number of flowers and other particles gets pretty insane.

One thing I'm particularly interested in, regarding the western release, is that there are a load of Japanese characters that are used in the graphics to signify stuff, that I think would be hard to translate.
For example, the whole point of the game is that you're making the world better, by pushing back this evil tide thing. When you "clean up" an area, you get little balls with the Japanese character for happiness/bliss inside it (?). It's circular so the character fits inside nicely. I wonder, how are they going to translate this? There's no short enough word I can think of, so the only options I can imagine are putting a smilie face inside it :) Or more likely (and better in my opinion), leaving it as it is, and just explaining in English what the balls signify.

[Wraith]

They actually had this as one of the games on the PS2 demo station when I was in GameStop last weekend. The part that I played of it was very basic, running around, using the brush, smashing pots. Didn't hit any battles yet.

I'm not sure if the game crashed on me or what, it just went black at one point and then went back to the game select screen. Though the beginning of the demo was fairly clear about there possibly still being bugs.

It certainly seems like a game that would work well on the DS, though the analog controls are better for running around/camera control.

[danhoo]

For me, Sept. cannot come fast enough. Been waiting for this one for a while...

[Khash]

Another one of those fantastic games like Ico that no one will buy. This game didn't even sell in Japan. Further proof that no one wants original games.

[Spigot]

I'm not sure if the game crashed on me or what, it just went black at one point and then went back to the game select screen. Though the beginning of the demo was fairly clear about there possibly still being bugs.
Sounds like you're playing the same demo that was released back in March. It's a time-limited demo so you only get so far before bam... back to the beginning.

I've been salivating over this game for a year or so now and I wish it would just come out! It was supposed to ship in March, now it's slated for September or October (unless they bumped it up, in which case I'm a happy, happy guy). I'm worried that if they leave it too late in the fall it'll get lost amongst the Wii/PS3/FFXII explosion.

It's an awesome game, what little I've played though. While using the DS stylus would be amazing, I didn't find that I had any trouble using the brush on the PS2. The art is jawdropping though, much like playing a moving painting.

[Spigot]

Another one of those fantastic games like Ico that no one will buy. This game didn't even sell in Japan. Further proof that no one wants original games.
But... but... I do!

It's ok. I'll just put it up on the shelf next to my copy of Rez, Ico and Gitaroo Man.

[Siraris]

I played this a few days after it came out in Japan. It's such an unbelievable game I can't put it into words. It's one of those experiences that is magical, like the first time you played Zelda or Shadow of Colossus.

September cannot get here soon enough.

[Evil Avnovice]

Another one of those fantastic games like Ico that no one will buy. This game didn't even sell in Japan. Further proof that no one wants original games.

Kind of a sad truth really. :(

[SexualChoc]

I'll be damned if I don't get this. Clover made me fall in love with Viewtiful Joe, and this looks even better than that. I can't wait for this.

[Wraith]

Sounds like you're playing the same demo that was released back in March. It's a time-limited demo so you only get so far before bam... back to the beginning.
Ah, that must be it then. Didn't know the demo'd been out that long.

[Spigot]

Ah, that must be it then. Didn't know the demo'd been out that long.
Yeah, it was on the OPM demo disc that month.