A new trailer for Okami HD has graced the game’s YouTube channel, announcing that pre-orders are available, and showing off some beautiful new gameplay.
Okami originally released for the PS2 in 2006. It told the story of Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun. She takes the form of a white wolf and utilizes the celestial brush, a magical tool that allows her to paint over her environment with an otherworldly ink, to defeat the evil Orochi. The game is a Zelda-like action title. Players venture into dungeons, solve puzzles and unlock new techiques. It’s a charming tale with plenty of unique characters and locales to discover. The entire game looks like a Japanese oil painting, giving its visuals a vibrancy that separates it from other games.
After the success of the game, it was ported to the Wii in 2008 with the addition of motion controls, allowing for more fluid control of the celestial brush. It was more or less a straight port, with no visual upgrades to speak of. That would come in 2012 when Capcom took the title and smoothed out the rough edges in its visuals and brought the game to the PS3. Again, this was a straight port, but with strengthened graphics.
Now, five years after the last port of the classic, Capcom is giving current gen players a chance to experience the grand adventures of Amaterasu. If the latest trailer is any indication, the game still holds up, both visually and in terms of gameplay.
While remasters and remakes have become commonplace, being able to revisit Okami is nothing to turn your nose up at. it is a true classic and one that every gamer should experience. Thankfully Capcom is giving us that chance very soon, and just in time for the holidays, too.
Okami HD releases for Xbox One and PS4 on December 12.