61 Frames Per Second : okami

Chiptune Friday: Spring Is In the Air With Okami

John Constantine — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Two truths. Today is March 13th. It will not be spring for another eight days. Also, the original soundtrack to Okami is not chiptune. At all. In fact, it is fully orchestrated and entrenched in traditional Japanese composition, a far cry from the heavy metal and pop roots of the blissed-out blip songs composed on the NES or similar consoles.

Have you gone outside though? It is freaking gorgeous out there. It may rain, it may be cloudy, but the bitter miasma of late winter has lifted, washed away as if by… a celestial brush! Given, it’s likely that the fine weather is a result of the Earth’s natural solar orbit and axial spin, but I like to think that there’s a sun goddess wolf out there making it nice outside. I’m going to find her. We’ll go to the park and play fetch. Beautiful women will be all, “Oh your dog is beautiful!” And I’ll be all, “Check dis.” Then Amaterasu will make a bushel of fragrant botanicals grow at our feet.

Here are three selections from the Okami soundtrack. Listen, be in bloom, and grab your DS or PSP. Go play outside today!

The Great Goddess Amaterasu’s Revival

We’ll Always Be Together!

Two People Gazing At Each Other

Related links:

Chiptune Friday: Ethernet’s “Theme For the Water Shrine” Makes Me Want to Adventure and Possibly Defeat an Ancient Evil
Chiptune Friday: Trip to the Beat
Best NES End Credits Music in the History of NES End Credits Music
Chiptune Friday: Shut Up and Jam!
Chiptune Friday: Blaze a Blaze in the Mushroom Kingdom

Okami and the Problem of Collecting

Cole Stryker — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 20:00:00 GMT

I finally finished Okami on the Wii. There were parts of it that I adored, and parts that I found infurating. I talked a bit about Okami's wealth of collectables earlier, but I'm not quite done whinging about it.

I could list the items that one can collect in Okami, but it would be pages long. Most of these are only useful as currency, and have no meaningful function beyond getting more items. All this becomes a chore very quickly, and I see it as the Achilles heel of adventure games at large. The Legend of Zelda: Windwaker was especially guilty of this, but Okami blows it out of the, uh, water.

I was able to finish the game after thirty hours. I could have easily completed it in half that time if I wasn't regularly prompted to dig up treasure, bomb a wall, break a barrel, slice through tall grasses, or water a plant. What's more, completists could spend another fifteen hours finding all the game's hidden items.

What's especially annoying is that these games insist on providing the player with little cinematic sequences, irritating sound effects, and worst of all, dialogue boxes. "You found a pearl." Ok, great. I see that a pearl popped out of that chest. "It shines in the sunlight." Augh! Why do we have to click through this description every single time? FFFFFFUUUUUUUU-

I pick on Okami because it's otherwise so graceful. But why does the game have to constantly hold our hands? With your sidekick constantly giving you advice, I am reminded of Tim Rogers's thoughts on Shigeru Miyamoto:

Maybe he’d played the latest Zelda games, where a blasted text box will scream at you about the function of a key every single god damned time you pick up a key: “You got a magic key! . . . This is a magic key! . . . It can be used to unlock one door! After unlocking one door, this magic key will vanish!”

I call these items "currencies" because they have no intrinsic value. They are only used to trade in for other things that actually help you in the game. Get rid of them. They drag down the pace of the game and make me want to just give up. Some might argue that because these items are "optional", and can be easily ignored. No. I'd rather have one nice steak dinner than eat twenty cheeseburgers from White Castle, even if you give me the option to forego the bun.

Whatcha Playing?: Okami

Cole Stryker — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:00:00 GMT

I finally got around to playing Okami on the Wii this week. I really wanted to enjoy the game, but it's difficult for me to get past all the collecting and endless NPC conversations that drag down the pace of the game. It seems that the only complaint most critics had with the Wii version is its poorly implemented Celestial Brush controls. Sure these are annoying, but I think that they are far from the game's cardinal sin.

It's basically a Zelda game, for better and for worse. It looks great. The world is a joy to traverse, and the ancient oriental flourishes are a welcome change of pace from the usual medieval sword and sorcery. It's a stylistic triumph.

The thing I hate most about action-adventure games is the impulse that the developers have to litter the game's environment with collectables. It's repetitious and it prevents me from enjoying the beautiful surroundings. Just once I'd like to pass through a forest without having to dig up medallions, shake fruit out of trees, or cut through grass in order to collect butterflies or beetles or some other meaningless token. It's lazy game design. I'd much rather play a game half as long if it were stripped of the mundane.

The other drawback is a bevy of bloated dialogue. Fortunately most of it is skippable, but it would have been even better to eliminate the player's annoying sidekick who serves to state the obvious constantly.

Why can't more 3D adventure games be like Cave Story?

Play It Again, Sam

Amber Ahlborn — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 15:00:00 GMT

How many times have you bought the same game? I don't mean full on remakes like Metroid: Zero Mission or sports games sequels where they dusted off the old engine and updated the roster. I mean how many games did you repurchase because it was a special edition with some new features, or it was released for a different home system, or it was the hand held version?

I usually buy games once. I'm not interested in Chrono Trigger DS because I own the SNES cart. I don't pick up a lot of the popular Virtual Console games because I have the originals. When the GBA was shiny and new, I bought the hand held version of Super Mario Bros. 2 (Super Mario Advance) then immediately wondered why. I already owned it in the Super Mario All Stars compilation for the SNES so I sold my GBA version.

Presently, I'm on the fence about re-buying Okami. When Okami was exclusive to the PS2, I was among the indignant Wii owners who felt the game's brush mechanic was tailor made for the Wii and how could they not release it on that system. After the PS2 game was out, I was among the righteous fans who felt this wonderful title was criminally under appreciated and how lame was everybody else for not buying it.

Fast forward to the present and Okami has seen a re-release. It's on the system I wanted it to be on and I have a chance to throw my support behind a fantastic game a second time. But I already own it on the PS2 and is it really worth a re-purchase?

Have any games compelled you to buy them again? If so, why? What was the deal clincher? Speaking of deal clinchers, what games would you snap up a second copy in a heart beat if it saw a re-release? Metroid Prime 1 and 2 with Wii pointer aiming? Earthbound on the DS? Final Fantasy 7 with updated graphics? Mmmm, I could totally go for an updated Pokemon with maybe an enhanced monster roster...oh wait.

Related Links

Would You Play a Final Fantasy VII Remake? Hmmm?

Are You Buying Final Fantasy IV DS?

The Chrono Trigger Port: Are You Excited or Disappointed?

Metroid: Wishful Thinking

Trailer Review - Captain Rainbow

Derrick Sanskrit — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:00:00 GMT

skip LTD. are not a second-party Nintendo developer, though a look at their game catalogue might have you believe otherwise. They are responsible for six of the seven delightfully simple BitGeneration games for the GameBoy Advance as well as the colorful and charming Chibi-Robo on Gamecube and its DS sequel Park Patrol. Vibrant, energetic, genre-defying, critically-acclaimed all-ages games exclusive to Nintendo platforms, if you haven't played any of these titles (and odds are 99% of gamers haven't) you're missing out on some truly special experiences.

Now skip are turning their attention to the Wii, and they've brought along a yoyo-slinging Captain Planet wannabe.

Without understanding a word of this trailer outside of the game's title, this new superhero seems to be a logical progression from Chibi-Robo's Drake Redcrest and Park Patrol's General Greenthumb. Its a pleasant surprise, though, that the game's graphics look to be a delicious mix of Chibi-Robo and Okami. Even more surprising...holy crap, is that Birdo?! That's totally Birdo! Sweet!

No idea what is being said in this Japanese trailer, but really, who cares? There's a boy who turns into a rainbow-clad superhero with a yoyo. There's a dishpan gag in case you forgot this game is made by the same crew that made Chibi-Robo (because the TV and surrounding area at the beginning of the video don't look exactly like the one in the lovable Gamecube gem). There's some pretty particle effects. There's Birdo with an appropriately confused sounding male voice. And according to 1up, there's the promise of more third-string Nintendo characters! If this game gets localized for North America, I've already seen enough to make it a guaranteed first-day purchase for me.

Thanks to WiiFolder for posting the sweet video!

Previous trailer reviews:
Mega Man 9 & Chrono Trigger DS
Densetu No Stafi 5
Sonic Unleashed

Gimmick: not a dirty word

Amber Ahlborn — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 18:00:00 GMT

In the beginning, every game was a novelty, because every game concept was new and untested. As the industry matured, genres became defined, and basic gaming mechanics were established. The majority of titles walk these well tread paths. That's not to say they do not invent, or that they are not creative. It is simply true that most games are familiar in play and presentation. Occasionally, beneath this canopy of common action games and everyday shooters, you might find something unusual.

Games with gimmicks don't necessarily break open new genres or reinvent old ones. They simply add a little something special to the classic mix. When based upon a solid foundation, that novelty factor can be the deciding element on how memorable the game ultimately is. Three games that showcase this extra push of notoriety are Okami, Drawn to Life, and Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door.

Okami is one of those games that you've probably heard of even if you've never played it. A visual masterpiece with a unique ink and wash painting look, Okami plays like a very polished Zelda style action adventure game. While the basic game play follows the classic combat and exploration challenges, Okami gives the player a unique tool: the Celestial Brush. At any point in the game, the Celestial Brush can be whipped out to draw magical symbols that have physical effects. Brush strokes can cause the wind to blow, the sun to shine, bombs to explode, or even enemies to be sliced in half. The brush is just a gimmick, imparting the same types of power more traditional tools and weapons have for past heroes. However, the act of drawing in these effects, independent of controlling the protagonist, creates a more direct and visceral feel of interaction with the game. The brush is cool, and you never have to fumble through an inventory window to find the right item.

Speaking of drawing, Drawn to Life takes the concept of interacting with a game via your own art to its logical conclusion. Drawn to Life is a simple 2-D platformer with some old school sensibilities. Visually it is cute, highly polished, and smoothly animated. By itself, it's a decent little game but what makes it remarkable is the drawing mechanic. You draw in your own hero. Other elements in the game can also be drawn or colored in, but it's the ability to design your own main character that's really neat. You are limited to a basic humanoid form, but even so, I was able to create a detailed orange dragon as my protagonist. Maybe it's an artist thing, but I probably doubled or even tripled the length of this game getting my personally contributed objects to look just right.

Another game that takes the road less traveled artistically is Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door. It is the second game in a quirky RPG series that has its own unifying gimmick: everything is made of flat sheets of paper. This certainly gives these titles a unique look. Also, game mechanics revolving around the flatness of the characters is played upon to great affect. Thousand Year Door adds its own novelty to the mix: an interactive audience. The turn based battles take place upon a stage and timed button presses during the fights result in “stylish” moves and extra attacks. Watching all of this is an audience that will respond to how well you perform. Depending on how much the audience likes you, your characters can gain power and fill up super attack gages. Aside from the mechanical benefits, playing to the audience is just fun and helps to make the battles more exciting.

Often, the term gimmick is used as a negative descriptor, but gimmicks can add an extra spark of life to a game. Novel approaches to old ideas keep things fresh and innovative. Step out of your comfort zone. Today is a good day to play something unusual.

Watcha Playing: Lost Winds

Amber Ahlborn — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 17:00:00 GMT

Lost Winds is my first and presently only WiiWare title, but it has already set the bar pretty high. When I first booted up this lovely little game and started playing with the wind, I was immediately put in mind of Okami. Directing the wind is a lot like drawing with the Celestial Brush, except the wind works in real time, rather than pausing the game while I draw. Lost Winds is a whimsical title and a promising start for WiiWare.

The game itself focuses on environmental puzzles and wind assisted two dimensional platforming. Toku, the main character, can only run and climb up small ledges. Luckily, he's a small boy and can easily be carried by Enril, the Wind Spirit. The wind is controlled via simple lines drawn with the remote's pointer. With easy gestures, I can use the wind to move Toku, flatten enemies, and knock the hero silly with boulders if I'm not careful. All of the action takes place in a beautifully realized world.

As an artist myself I take a keen interest in the art styles used in video games and I really like what's been done in Lost Winds. The visuals are colorful and fanciful without being sugary sweet. The geometric designs and story stills put me in mind of native South American art though I also note a lot of oriental influences in the setting. It's always nice to see an original style standing out from the current pack of games attempting realism. It's a standout title that has received quite a bit of appreciation from gamers.

Lost Winds has already garnered a lot of review praise along with one oft repeated criticism. It's too short. I disagree. The game thus far will only take a few hours, perfect for an evening of relaxed gaming. It's priced to match and ends with a “to be continued”. I've enjoyed what I've played thus far and am looking forward to the next chapter.