This returns in the Switch port, while also including settings to accommodate right-handed and left-handed players. While it’s perfectly fine using traditional controls, this mechanic is just crying out for alternative control options, hence why the original game had also been previously ported to Wii with gesture controls. Drawing bombs is a particular delight and an early comparison with Zelda, as they’re used for blowing up weak walls leading to secrets, as well as an easy way to deal damage to enemies. You’re not being asked to be an artist by any means since these are mostly simple brush strokes and sometimes re-used in different contexts, such as drawing a circle in the sky to change the time to day, or in the water to create a lily pad platform. There’s 13 brush techniques in total, which offer a variety of ways to traverse, solve puzzles and also engage in combat. With the power of the Celestial Brush, you can paint simple brushstrokes onscreen that interact with the environment. Likewise, your quest to stop a mysterious curse from corrupting the land also sees you encountering a whole host of deities and figures hailing from Shinto mythology that are as common in Japanese as our own childhood fairytales, from the Tom Thumb-like Issun to the big bad eight-headed serpent Orochi.īut the art style most importantly reflects the unique gameplay. It neatly suits the premise as you’re whisked into a tale set in a mythological Japan (referred in-game as Nippon) in the role of the sun goddess Amaterasu who takes the form of a wolf (the title Okami is actually a clever wordplay of the kanji meaning ‘great deity’, but pronounced the same as way as the Japanese word for ‘wolf’). The sumi-e-inspired visuals aren’t just for show either. The Japanese ink painting cel-shaded art style is immediately visually arresting, looking unlike any other game, and it’s a quality that has passed the test of time, even better now in a sharp HD resolution. Originally released for PS2 in 2006, It’s one of Hideki Kamiya’s early masterpieces. Yet to call Okami HD a great Zelda clone would be a disservice. Fortunately, Capcom have now brought back one of the best examples that was surely always meant for the Switch. While we shouldn’t rule out Nintendo bringing Link’s past adventures to Switch in the future, if you’re craving the pre-open world formula with a more focused narrative, charming characters and set-piece dungeons, not many games have actually attempted to imitate it. As much as everyone loves Breath of the Wild, there’s still some pining for a ‘classic’ 3D Zelda like Ocarina of Time or Wind Waker.

Okami ps2 screenshot