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The ESRB says...
Blood and Gore: You slice some enemies in two, and some paintings show blood. Crude Humor: Okami's taunting dog attacks include peeing and pooping on enemies. Fantasy Violence: Fight all sorts of mythical monsters. Suggestive Themes: Sidekicks and helpers have some rather PG-13 things to say about some of the women in the game. Use of Alcohol and Tobacco: Many characters in the game smoke and consume alcohol. You defeat one of the boss enemies by getting it drunk first. A couple of the items in the game are jars of sake that temporarily increase attack and defense. The sinister 8-headed dragon Orochi has descended upon ancient Japan, cursing the land and spreading evil everywhere. The sun goddess Amaterasu dashes to the mortal world from high in the heavens under the guise of a legendary white wolf to attempt to bring back life to the land and save Japan from the cursed evil forces. As the legendary white wolf Amaterasu Okami, you embark on a 3D adventure. Roam vast fields, uncover secrets and goodies, solve puzzles in dungeons, visit towns and cities, gather clues, buy items, and fight fierce foes and giant boss enemies. The most unique aspect of Okami is how you draw on screen to affect the environment and solve puzzles. At the press of a button, the game screen becomes a parchment, and you use a calligraphy brush to draw. Make a circle in the sky to bring out the sun or a swirly stroke causing wind to blow. A simple line can slash things in two, like a cutting blade. These and other drawing techniques are used to solve puzzles and attack enemies. In battle, use the Celestial Brush slashes and damages bad guys, too. Sometimes using the brush doesn't work as well as what you may like, but overall it's nifty and original. The other big standout feature is the graphics, which resemble Japanese woodblock paintings giving the game a very stylish look. Music fits the setting well and makes you feel like you're really on an adventure. Okami's animations are lifelike and it seems like you can almost reach out and pet the wolf. Whether exploring the land or battling enemies in real time, play control is fluid and easy to figure out at all times. For those looking for lengthy action-packed epic adventure, your search ends with Okami.  
While Okami is a charming and engaging adventure, it definitely earns its T for Teen rating. There is plenty of violence as you dogfight with all manner of demons and monsters, although it is pretty light on the gory stuff. You sometimes slice bad guys in two, but it looks more cartoony than anything. Battles are mostly devoid of blood, though some paintings have blood in them and people in the game mention blood. Since there are no voices and everything is told to you in text, strong reading skill is very helpful.
There are a few instances of crude humor, most notably later in the game when you unlock special dog-like taunt attack moves for Okami including peeing and pooping on the enemy. Some of Okami's helpers and friends, most notably her pint sized traveling companion Issun, make plenty of suggestive comments toward some women in the game. For instance, one rather busty priestess, Issun calls her the "Stacked Babe." Granted, it's all talk and nothing ever happens, but it's certainly stuff you wouldn't want a kid repeating around the house or in public. Some people and enemies in the game smoke pipes and drink alcohol (mostly sake), and you even defeat a boss enemy by getting it drunk. There are a couple of items in the game that temporarily increase attack and defense that are jars of sake as well. Okami makes many references to Japanese myths, including gods and other spiritual beings from folklore, so some strict religious families may not like that. Even with all these things, this is a fantastic adventure for older gamers. The quest is very longļ¾so much so that some impatient gamers might lose interest after a while. Players in the US may not be as familiar with many of the Japanese legends and folklore in the game, but the instruction booklet dedicates quite a few pages to the origins of these stories and may encourage gamers to learn more about the history, art, and literature. While the game may be rated T, I'd be fine with a mature preteen playing Okami as well. Overall it's one of the best adventures on the PS2 and older gamers shouldn't pass it up. This review edited by Dave Long Comments? Chat about it in our forums! Format For Printing | Tell A Friend | Digg | Slashdot | del.icio.us | Buy This Game Home > Review Archive > Video Games > Results: Okami |
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