Okami is one of the most artistically compelling and refreshing game experiences I've ever had in a long time. From the outset, this game's art direction and use of nearly all of Japanese folklore and mythology is what swayed my interest. Ever since I saw an E3 trailer a year ago I just couldn't stop thinking about the possibilities of how wonderful a game like this could turn out to be, and luckily all expectations were easily surpassed. Okami is probably one of the most impressive and beautiful games I have ever played since Zelda. It has its flaws like every game out there, but those aren't even significant enough to even matter

Story 10/10

While it is not the most original story ever, the story is basically a good versus evil affair. While Okami sticks with a formula that works no matter what, it seems old. The game delivers its story in such a way that it seems like Okami is a true epic that can be compared to even those of the Zelda Franchise. You are Amaterasu, a Sun Goddess in the form of a wolf. A resurrected snake demon, Orochi, comes and places a curse on the land. It is Amaterasu's job to use her "13 celestial brush techniques" to return the land to its former state of peace, and to defeat the Orochi. The story is much deeper than this, the game is filled with twists and turns and interacts with a very large number of Japanese religious aspects, folklore, and fairy tales to make it one of the most culturally filled games ever made.

Graphics 10/10

I will start this off by saying I have never had the pleasure of seeing a game quite as beautiful as this. While the graphics aren't next-gen quality, what you are seeing is the next level in cell shading game design. The details in the game are simply astounding. Watching bursts of color appear on your screen, dead trees blooming into cherry blossoms before your eyes. The fire particles themselves come alive and battle effects have never been quite as beautiful in an adventure game as they are in Okami. As stated previously the game is cell shaded, which is normally used for anime games to help them retain the style and feel, but here its done so artistically and so superbly, its hard to see this game done any other way.