Review Okamiden for DS (May 2010)

I’ve been meaning to post some info about this upcoming game here for some time now, but yesterday I read about the promise of a release in the US, and that jogged my memory.

Okamiden, fully titled Okamiden: Chisaki Taiyou, will be released on the DS later this year in Japan and the US should follow at the beginning of 2011. Originally Okamiden is a PS2 game (2006), though there has been a Wii version out in 2008. I haven’t seen that, has anyone of you?

Okamiden follows the events of the original Okami by a few months, in a world now restored to peace. Issun, Amaterasu’ guide from the original, accompanies Chibiterasu to Sakuya, the girl who called Okami to the world in the original. Sakuya asks Chibiterasu for some form of help.

The sequel, for the Nintendo DS, picks up a short time after the original game and adds an adorable twist. Rather than playing as Amaterasu, the sun goddess from the original game, you’re cast in the role of her offspring Chibiterasu an adorable wolf cub.
You take control of Chibiterasu in a game whose fundamentals appear rooted in the original Okami. Just as you did in the original, you’ll be exploring the game’s brilliantly colored world while combating monsters and solving puzzles.

This game has been compared to Zelda in the past, which is a good thing I think. You’ll use the D pad to move Chibiterasu and use the buttons to attack, open items, dodge attacks, or jump. The shoulder buttons call up the celestial brush screen so that you can begin painting your troubles away.
The Celestial Brush is more than just a gimmick though. You’ll need it to get through much of the game’s moments and you’ll find you have to use it very often. Using the brush you can do things like, make the sun come out when it’s dark, or cut through stone. You’ll gather more skills as you traverse through the game. You’ll even need to use it in combat to defeat enemies.

The quest is promised to be a lengthy one, but there will be a lot of side quests and collectibles to gather. The Wii version has raving reviews, but I think I’ll wait for this one on to play on my DSi XL!