Although the PS2 has played host to its fair share of rubbish, as the console approaches its inevitable demise it’s become home for a slew of unforgettable releases, from the hysterical Guitar Hero to Metal Gear Solid: Subsistence’s online sneakathons. And in Capcom’s luscious Okami, the PS2 finally has a quest to rival Nintendo’s Legend Of Zelda.
A sprawling epic set in ancient Japan, Okami casts players as a Far Eastern sun god, reborn as a wolf to liberate the land from a demonic curse. But whereas most fantasy adventures see players wielding a sword and spell book, Okami uses a novel ‘painting’ technique for its battles and puzzle solving; when you hit a button the beautiful ink-and-watercolour landscapes grind to a halt, allowing you to smear simple shapes on the screen that magically affect the action – unleashing vicious winds, slicing enemies in two and turning night into day.
Breathtaking presentation, a beautifully-crafted script and dozens of minigames that lead you off the beaten path also help make Okami an adventure of Zelda-proportions, and one of the PS2’s greatest triumphs.