Template:Featured art Template:OkamiGameŌkamiden, also known as Ōkamiden: Chiisaki Taiyō (大神伝:小さき太陽, Ōkami Chronicles: Tiny Sun), is an action-adventure video game published by Capcom for the Nintendo DS released in North America on March 15, 2011[1]. It is a direct sequel to the PlayStation 2 and Wii title Ōkami. It was designed by Kuniomi Matsushita, the director of the Wii port of Ōkami, and Motohide Eshiro, producer of Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth and Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny. It was released in Japan on September 30, 2010, and with North American and European releases no later than 2011. It stars Chibiterasu, a small celestial wolf born from Amaterasu, the protagonist of Ōkami, as well as featuring much of the same gameplay as its predecessor, including the Celestial Brush which allows players to freeze the gameplay and draw shapes or patterns using the touch screen.
Development began when Matsushita expressed an interest in creating a new Ōkami game, and showed Eshiro a technical demo of such a game in December 2008. Because the demo was so well-done, development began on a sequel. The Nintendo DS was chosen due to both it being the most successful platform of this generation as well as the touch screen being ideal for controlling the Celestial Brush.
Gameplay
Ōkamiden plays similarly to its predecessor, Ōkami, as an action-adventure game. The "Celestial Brush", the ability to freeze the screen and draw symbols via the touchscreen with the stylus to effect changes on the game's world, remains central to the game for solving puzzles and fighting enemies. The theme of returning life to the world also returns from Ōkami. A new feature is the ability for Chibiterasu to team up with partners. They can be used to explore the overworld with, as well as battle enemies. The new Guidance technique, also called the "Shirabe" or "courage" brush by Daniel Feit of Wired, may be used to move Chibiterasu's partner independently across areas Chibiterasu cannot cross; this is often required to progress in the game. The game uses the face buttons to move Chibiterasu about the world, with the top display being the current third-person view and the bottom showing a mini-map of the area. By pressing either shoulder button, the Celestial Brush is activated: the game pauses as the top screen is moved down to the bottom and rendered as a parchment, and the player then can use the stylus and touchscreen to draw to activate various powers of the Celestial Brush. The game will sense the speed at which the player draws the stylus across the screen and reflect this in the weight of the stroke drawn on-screen; a quick motion will lead to a faint, partial line while slow movements will create bold strokes.
Plot
Template:Incomplete Much of Ōkamiden centers around the children of previous characters from Ōkami and their adventures and the relationships that form through the game's story, according to producer Motohide Eshiro. The storyline takes place nine months after the ending of Ōkami, in a new location called Yakushi Village. Although Amaterasu destroyed Yami, which would kill all the demons in Nippon, they mysteriously return. The Konohana Wood Sprite Sakuya, a character from the original Ōkami, tries to summon Amaterasu from the Celestial Plain to free Nippon from evil again, but instead a tiny wolf puppy called Chibiterasu, Amaterasu's son, appears in her place.
Chibiterasu's partners will be incorporated into the main plot as well. One of the partners that accompanies Chibiterasu is Kuni, the son of Susano and Kushi, two characters from Ōkami. He was adopted during the events of Ōkami, and appeared in the ending of the first game. Other characters from Ōkami return, including Issun, and Mr. and Mrs. Orange. The game will feature locales from Ōkami as well as new areas to explore as part of its adventure.
Development
Due to poor sales, Ōkami was considered a commercial failure on the PlayStation 2, and while it was widely believed to be one of the factors involved in the closure of its developer Clover Studio, Hideki Kamiya, lead designer of Ōkami, specified that producer Atsushi Inaba had an argument with Capcom management.[2] Kamiya commented that he had an idea in mind for the sequel and would enjoy making it, but it was nothing more than an idea and beyond his control.[3] In July 2007, Capcom employee Keiji Inafune commented that a Wii port was something he had considered, but it was easier said than done, and they have no plans as of yet.[4] In spite of this, it received a port for the Wii.[5] Capcom employee Chris Svensson commented that a lot more people would have to buy copies of Ōkami to warrant a sequel to be produced.[6]
In August 2009, Capcom filed for a Japanese trademark on the name "Ōkamiden" for a video game, a few months prior to the Japan release of the Wii version of Ōkami,[7] which led to speculation about an Ōkami sequel; Ōkamiden may be a shortening or pun for Ōkami Gaiden, translated as "Ōkami Sidestory", or possibly Ōkami Densetsu, which translates to "Ōkami Legend", thus fueling speculation that this may be the long awaited sequel. The September 2009 issue of Famitsu revealed that Ōkamiden: Chiisaki Taiyō was indeed another Ōkami game which will be released by Capcom on the Nintendo DS in 2010 in Japan, though no other release information was provided. The Famitsu articles shows gameplay, including combat, and graphics similar to the PlayStation 2/Wii game.
Ōkamiden is directed by Kuniomi Matsushita, who was responsible for the Wii port of Ōkami, and produced by Motohide Eshiro, who has previously worked on titles such as Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny and Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth.[8][3] Yukinori Kitajima, writer for the critically-acclaimed Japanese Wii title, 428: Fūsa Sareta Shibuya de, will be the scenario author for Ōkamiden.[9] In December 2008, Matsushita, who had a strong desire to create a sequel to Ōkami, led a small team to develop an advanced prototype.[10][3] Matsushita showed this demonstration to Eshiro and his desire to go forward on the project, and the project was greenlighted. The team settled on the Nintendo DS due to its portability, allowing for players to pick it up and play wherever they wish, as well as the ability to use the stylus on the touch screen as a brush.[3] Eshiro stated that:
The staff involved with this game has a real clear understanding of what was fun about the original Ōkami. They have a good understanding of what was important about the visual style and what aspects they need when making this new version so it will transfer well. The work Clover did was amazing; they were really talented people, and I think our staff now is motivated to make a game that lives up to the reputation of the previous Ōkami.
Motohide Eshiro
Eshiro further commented that he considered Ōkamiden more of a successor to Ōkami than a sequel, desiring to build upon the world for a franchise on the Nintendo DS platform. While Ōkamiden will be a DS title, Eshiro has considered to expand subsequent games to work with the Nintendo 3DS unit based on the game's reception.[12] Similarly, Eshire does not rule out a high-definition version on a modern console or a version for the iPhone or similar touch-screen devices[13] depending on the response to Ōkamiden.
Several changes were made to the basic elements of Ōkami to make Ōkamiden suitable for the Nintendo DS. With fewer controls on the DS unit, the player only controls the movement of the characters in the game, with the camera set in an "on rails" manner to make sure the player was focused on the right areas to head towards.[12] One change made from Ōkami was the simplification of the combat system, a factor that some players had found difficult; Ōkamiden reduces the melee weapon attack features down to a single button, but the Celestial Brush can still be used alongside this for complex strategy.[14] While the developers could have removed the melee attacks completely, allowing the player to defeat enemies with the Celestial Brush alone, they felt that the lack of melee attacks slowed down the game, instead opting for players to melee and then finish off foes with a Celestial Brush flourish. The idea of partners and using the stylus to guide them came about through wanting to have more puzzles in the game that incorporated use of the DS touchscreen.While many more Celestial Brush strokes and other puzzles the team wanted to add, they left them out in the final version feeling they added too much padding to the game. The number of polygons and the resolution of the artwork was significantly limited on the DS version, challenging the artists to convey similar imagery and emotions that were in the first game.[12]
The game was originally going to feature Amaterasu, the protagonist goddess-wolf character from Ōkami; during character planning, one of the artists drew what Amaterasu's child would look like as a joke, but this spurred several ideas for Matsushita, such as the concept of a partner, and leading to Chibiterasu becoming the main character.[15] As Chibiterasu was still a child, the team thought "it would take more than a child to save the world", according to Matsushita, and led to the inclusion of partners both in the game's story and gameplay.[16] This option was selected over several arrangements of characters, such as having five different Chibiterasu's team up as a party.[16] Using a story taken from a child's point of view as they explore and learn new things made the game much easier to visualize, according to Eshiro; he compared this to the movie Stand by Me.[16] Eshiro also felt it was important to include making friends and having to say goodbye as part of this adventure, striking a strong emotional aspect to the game.[16] As such, Chibiterasu is only paired with one partner at any one time, as Matsushita stated, "if you could switch between them any time you wanted, then they wouldn't be partners anymore".[16] There will be the death of one of the major characters in the game, which Matsushita found necessary to improve the story's flow; the developers had looked to Ōkami and noted while characters also died there, they did not have any emotional attachment for the player, and there was resistance in the development team to have a major character die in Ōkamiden, but it was ultimately decided to do this for the betterment of the story.[16]
The game's story takes place nine months after the events of Ōkami, which posed story problems for Yukinori Kitajima, the game's main script writer. The team originally thought to take the game several years in the future, but found by keeping a closer time frame, things would not change as much from the previous game, giving a familiar feeling to those that played Ōkami.[16] Kitajima had to create rationales for some events, such as the reason why none of the characters remember the end of Ōkami, or why Susano's son Kuni is a young boy when, during Ōkami, he didn't even exist.[16]
Ōkamiden was first shown in playable form at the Tokyo Game Show in September 2009[10] where it was reported to be about 25% completed.[17] Release in Western markets was uncertain until it was observed that Capcom had trademarked the name Okamiden in both North America and European markets.[18] In April 2010, at its "Captivate" event, Capcom confirmed the game would be released to North American and European markets no later than 2011.[19]
Producer Motohide Eshiro revealed that a demo for the game would appear on the he Nintendo Channel. Eshiro confirmed that the demo will be available to download for Nintendo DS from Monday February 21st.[20]
Promotion
A "Collector's Edition" of Ōkamiden will be released in Japan alongside the normal game; in addition to the game this version includes a soundtrack, DVD, storybook, a plush Chibiterasu key chain, and Ōkamiden-marked earphones.[21] A series of television advertisements in Japan for Ōkamiden feature model Kii Kitano and a white Shiba Inu puppy named Moran-chan that bears a close resemblance to Chibiterasu.[22][23] North American pre-order bonuses include an Okamiden stylized screen cleaner and brush-shaped stylus at GameStop[24] and a plush Chibiterasu key chain (from the Japanese collector's edition) at the Capcom Store.[25]
Reception
Pre-release
The decision to put Ōkamiden on the Nintendo DS has received mixed reactions. The Escapist editor John Funk stated that it was the perfect platform for the sequel, due to how the touch screen could be used to use the Celestial Brush.[26] Kombo editor Daniel Sims praised ŌkamidenTemplate:'s cel-shaded visuals, stating that they work well on the Nintendo DS.[27] Destructoid editor Hamza Aziz believed it was perfect for the Nintendo DS.[28] Aziz added that he was impressed with Capcom managing to retain ŌkamiTemplate:'s stylized appearance in the sequel.[28] Siliconera editor Ishaan Sahdev, however, was skeptical that Ōkamiden could replicate the feel that Ōkami provided, due to how much it relied on its visuals and art style to bring players into its world. He also criticized the reasoning behind placing it on the Nintendo DS, which was to reach a larger audience, calling the visuals terrible. He later questions whether its faults may hurt it enough that the project may not even have been worth it.[17] Kotaku editor Luke Plunkett expressed disappointment that it was a Nintendo DS game rather than a PlayStation 3 game.[29]
There has been skepticism about developing Ōkamiden without Platinum Games, a developer featuring key members of Clover Studio, including Hideki Kamiya, the developer behind Ōkami. MTV editor John Constantine worried about this, questioning whether the lack of Kamiya and Platinum Games would make the game feel like a rehash.[30]
Demos of Ōkamiden, both of the Japanese version at the Tokyo Game Show in 2009 and the English-language version at various events in the United States was positively received by critics. Kotaku editors Stephan Totilo and Brian Crecente praised the demo versions they played in April and May 2010; Totilo considered the game a strong match for the DS and was not only "a kind of game made for the DS" but also "the kind of game for which [he] thought the DS was made", while Crecente believed that the drawing mechanism from Ōkami worked even better in Ōkamiden due to the use of the stylus and the nature of holding the portable console like a book.[31][32] Daniel Feit of Wired believed that while the graphics were not as good as the original game on the PlayStation 2, the "cartoony graphics are well suited to the Nintendo DS".[33]
IGN described the character of Chibiterasu as "adorable".[34] Destructoid editor Jim Sterling concurred, joking that its cuteness would make Ōkamiden one of the greatest Nintendo DS games ever made.[35] Luke Plunkett commented that despite his reservations for Ōkamiden, his "heart melted" when he saw Chibiterasu.[29]
During E3 2010 Ōkamiden received a great deal of praise and awards from news outlets. It was nominated for "Best Handheld Game" for the Game Critics Awards,[36] and "Best DS Game" by IGN.[37] GameSpy named it their "DS Game of Show".[38]
Reviews
Template:VG Reviews
Early reviews of Ōkamiden were been positive. The review aggregator site Gamerankings reported that the game received a 83% score out of 15 reviews.[39] Another review aggregator site, Metacritic, gave the game an averaged score of 82, signifying generally positive reviews.[40] IGN gave the game an 8.5 out of 10, siting that the game was not very challenging, yet it praises the narrative and the pacing of the game. Gameblog.fr gave the game a perfect score of 5 out of 5 stars, commenting, "Even though its not as rich as the original was, it's taking full advantage of the DS and its touch screen."[41] GameInformer gave the game an 8.75 out of a possible 10, writing that the game's ending leaves the door open for future entries.
Although the reviews for Ōkamiden were mostly positive, there have been some criticism on the game. One common criticism that was a problem in the first game (noted by IGN above) is the fact that the game isn't very challenging. Other sites like GameSpot and Nintendo Power gave the game a positive review, but both admitted that the game didn't truly live up to the legacy of its revered predecessor. The value of the sequel compared to its prequel is debatable however; other reviewers thought that Ōkamiden lived up to the series' expectations. Famitsu rated Ōkamiden a total score of 34 out of 40 points. The reviewers praised the ability to bring in the elements of Ōkami to the DS, but noted that there was little surprise as there was with Ōkami as the DS version covers many of the same elements of story and gameplay. The Famitsu reviewers did note that the gameplay was not expanded far from the original Ōkami, but posit that it "just shows how complete a package Ōkami was in the first place."[42]
Sales
Ōkamiden was the third best-selling video game in Japan during its release week at 84,472 copies sold.[43] The game sold an additional 12,829 copies the following week, dropping to number 13 on the charts.[44] Worldwide Ōkamiden sales reached 211,028 copies in its first ten weeks of sale, surpassing the numbers that both versions of its predecessor reached at that point in their lifetime.[45][46] By forty-two weeks the game had only reached 255,497 copies worldwide.[47]
Gallery
See Also
Template:Refbar
External links
- ↑ http://gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/11/02/okamiden-set-to-launch-march-15.aspx
- ↑ Okami Creator Itching for a Sequel.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 New Okami Is Coming To The Nintendo DS.
- ↑ Inafune On Okami For Wii.
- ↑ Wii Okami bumped to April 15.
- ↑ No Okami 2 Until You Buy More Of Okami 1, OK?.
- ↑ 'Okami 2' Rumored, Mysterious Trademark Discovered.
- ↑ Okami Set for DS.
- ↑ Synthese Co. Ltd..
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedign - ↑ Okamiden Preview: Drawing on the DS in the Sequel to Okami.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 E3 2010: Interviews: Okamiden - Capcom.
- ↑ iPhone/iPad Okamiden planned?.
- ↑ Okamiden Will Be A True Successor to Okami.
- ↑ Originally, Amaterasu Was The Main Character Of Okamiden.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 16.7 All About Okamiden's Story.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Okamiden Is a Sequel After All.
- ↑ Okamiden Trademarked in North America, Europe.
- ↑ Capcom Announces Three: Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Okamiden and Bionic Commando Rearmed 2.
- ↑ Okamiden Demo Out Next Week in the US.
- ↑ Okami's DS Sibling Goes Overboard With Its Collector's Edition.
- ↑ Okamiden Spokespuppy Is Super Cute.
- ↑ Meet Okamiden's Real-Life Puppy Chibiterasu.
- ↑ Okami Den for Nintendo DS | GameStop
- ↑ Capcom Store - Buy Okamiden | Capcom Store
- ↑ Do Famitsu Scans show Okami DS sequel Okamiden?.
- ↑ "Okamiden" is Okami DS.
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 New Okami game coming to the DS.
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 Okamiden Kicks Cuteness Up A Notch.
- ↑ 'Okami 2' Rumored, Mysterious Trademark Discovered.
- ↑ Okamiden Proves the Stylus is Mightier Than the Remote (Or Controller).
- ↑ Okamiden Is The DS Game We Expected.
- ↑ "Okamiden" is Okami DS.
- ↑ Okami Set for DS.
- ↑ Okamiden's little wolf puppy is the cutest thing EVER.
- ↑ E3 2010: Game Critics Awards nominees announced.
- ↑ E3 2010: Best of E3 Awards.
- ↑ GameSpy's Best of E3 2010 Awards.
- ↑ Gamerankings' Ōkamiden page
- ↑ Metacritic's Ōkamiden page
- ↑ Gameblog.fr Review of Ōkami
- ↑ Japan Review Check: Dead Rising 2, Okamiden.
- ↑ Pokemon Maintains Sales Lead In Japan, Okamiden Debuts In Top Three.
- ↑ This Week In Sales: Red Dead Redemption Beats A Whole Lot Of Local Games.
- ↑ Okami Sales (PS2).
- ↑ Okami Sales (Wii).
- ↑ OkamiDen Sales (DS).