Okami is one of my favorite games of all time. You play Amaterasu, a goddess in the form of a wolf. The world has been destroyed by an evil monster, and your job is to restore life to the world and defeat the monster (and some other monsters who happen along later). You accomplish this by traveling around and unlocking puzzles with your celestial brush, which allows you to paint your way to a goal. You will fight enemies with a combination of upgradable weapons, power-ups, and celestial brush. Some of the brush strokes are tricky at first, but it doesn't take long to get the hang of them. There are numerous mini-games, too. In this respect, Okami has been likened to some of the Legend of Zelda games. The graphics are absolutely beautiful, and some of the effects are breathtaking. I enjoyed the music, for the most part. Many of the characters may seem annoying at first (especially since their voices are gibberish), but they grow on you. The gameplay is fun, though it can get repetitive (it gets a lot more fun once you unlock the fire brushstroke). Many enemy types are recycled, including the bosses. Power-ups are plentiful, so you will rarely die, yet when I played I still felt there was sufficient challenge and satisfaction from a battle well fought or a puzzle finally unlocked. Battles are pitched, so in many cases you can avoid them or seek them out as needed. There is a lot of land to traverse, but your character Amaterasu can run very fast at top speed (with flowers springing up in her wake), and there are numerous portals you can unlock to warp from place to place. I set the age at ten because it may be too difficult for younger players, and there is some very mild sexual innuendo and scatological humor. There is a lot of fighting, and a lot of enemies are sliced in two. Blood is minimal, usually limited to highly stylized cutscenes. If your children are used to bloodless cartoons and/or fairly young they may find it off putting. Despite the violence, I recommend this game as an alternative to the usual fare. In Okami the player will derive pleasure and satisfaction from restoring the world rather than destroying it. I felt good after playing Okami. If you are considering this game for younger kids, I recommend renting it and either playing it yourself, or watching another gamer play so you can see for yourself if it's appropriate for your children.
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Okami
(2006, Video Games - Action/Adventure, Rated T, Play it on: PlayStation 2)
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Is it age appropriate?
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Not age appropriate for kids under 11, age appropriate for kids over 13; suggested age 13. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
A groundbreaking, stunning adventure for teens.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 13 and Up
The good stuff
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Educational value:
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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What Parents Need to Know
This review of Okami was written by Chris Jozefowicz
Parents need to know that this is a unique game with stunningly beautiful scenery and original gameplay. While this action game has lots of fighting, the presentation is essentially bloodless. Some enemies get chopped in half, but most are turned into flowers when they die. The game is cartoonish in appearance, but has some crude humor involving urination, references to breasts, and sexual innuendo. Some characters smoke, and sake drinking both figures into the story and provides powers to the main character. The story includes themes of duty and modesty.
Families Can Talk About
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- Families can talk about creativity in game design and the use of the celestial brush. Why do so few games stand out from the pack? Why are so many games similar to one another? Families can also discuss themes in this game, such as: Should people try to take credit for good deeds or let them speak for themselves?
More on Okami
What’s the Story?
OKAMI tells the tale of a mystical white wolf that protects the people of Nippon (a fantasy version of Japan) from evil. At its core, the game is a solid third-person adventure, with dozens of characters to meet, treasures to find, vast landscapes to explore, and plenty of baddies to fight. As players roam the game's magical landscape, they learn "brush techniques" that give them god-like powers -- activating these powers freezes the game and causes a giant ink brush to descend over the scene. Players can then paint and change the game world: Night can be turned to day by drawing a sun in the sky, or walls can be destroyed by painting a firework bomb over them.
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Is It Any Good?
Okami is a magical, intoxicating adventure that beautifully captures the essence of fairy tales in game form. It is gorgeous, creative, and surprising -- and one of the best games available for the PlayStation 2. The graphics are the most immediately striking feature: The game is like a Japanese print come to life. The characters and environments create a three-dimensional world, but the bold colors and sharp outlines look like a drawing.
Yet, like many magical tales, the bright exterior hides some mature themes. Although enemies turn into flowers when killed, brush techniques can chop them in half. Some players may also be surprised to find humor about bodily functions, sexual innuendo, and story elements about powers that derive from drinking alcoholic sake.
ClosePublisher’s Details
Released on 09/20/2006, price $39.99, not online enabled
ESRB rating: T (for Blood and Gore, Suggestive Themes, Use of Tobacco and/or Use of Alcohol, Fantasy Violence, Crude Humor)
ESRB rating: T (for Blood and Gore, Suggestive Themes, Use of Tobacco and/or Use of Alcohol, Fantasy Violence, Crude Humor)
Our Members Say
See all 14 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
- I rate this title on for age 10 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
- Safety isn't an issue
- Easy to play
Beautiful and fun
- I rate this title on for age 12 and give it
BEAUTIFUL GAME!!!
This is by far one of the best games ive ever played!!! The graphics are absolutly AMAZING the controls are FANTASTIC, and the story line is GREAT!!! I highly reccomend this game!!!
- I rate this title on for age 12 and give it
Still my favorite of all time
By far my favorite game. Maybe that's just because I love wolves. But theres no doubt that the unique graphics played a good part of my liking to Okami. I play a lot of violent games (to be honest, most games have it), and the violence level in Okami really isn't that bad. I mean, honestly, the bodies turn into flowers and sparkles. Yes the progression of the game is based on smacking funny looking creatures around wih a blade, string of beads, or flaming shield, it gives the player excitement within this long adventure game. There is some blood, but only in a few artworks within the cut scenes. I also love this game because of the humor. At first, I felt the game was intended for the younger crowd, until I payed closer attention to the text. The only downside was a LOT of reading text during the game. Other than that, love it. As for age group, I'd say 12 and up, depending on if the kid understands the humor or not. I guess in a game like this, maturity is what counts most.
- I rate this title on for age 14 and give it
THE BEST GAME IV PLAYD YET
TRULY THE BEST GAME EVER!! it is based off of the mythology of japan so some parts some pepol might not get but it is not needed at all to play the game. there are some bloody seens but its nothing too graphic. the game is 5 games in one. well its not five games in one but it takes up that amount of time to play unless you ar skilled at gaming. the first time i played it (i rented it) i beat it in about 20 somthing days. but the seccond time i played it i beat in in a week....
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
I felt like I was actually Amaterasu!
Three words: I LOVE IT. I believe that Okami is the greatest adventure game ever. It has spectacular graphics and awesome, fantasy-related powers & controls!! I have actually cried too! (when Ammy had to board the Ark of Yamoto & leave Issun) because they are the greatest of friends! I am a pro at okami (I've beat it 3 times :) and i will never stop loving it! I also hope there's a number two where Issun and Amaterasu re-unite and have to go on an even GREATER adventure!
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Ratings at a Glance
| 100% | of parents say kids find it easy to play |
| 100% | of parents feel the site is safe |
| 100% | of parents say there are good role models |
| 100% | of parents say it gives kids positive messages |
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