Playing A Game Ōkami HD PC

Every time Ōkami HD misread my restoration circle as a wind-swoosh, or the camera went nuts as I was trying to land a tricky jump ...

... Issun was always there to soften the blow. It's hard to stay mad at Ōkami, because it's just so gosh-darned charming.

By the end of my 30-35 hour journey, I'd had my fill of Ōkami's awkwardly-paced story and inconvenient-to-navigate world map. So there are plenty of otherwise-promising sidequests I've left unfinished. I could accuse Ōkami's running length of overstaying its welcome, if just barely so.

And, yeah. The drawing isn't very precise. The combat isn't that satisfying. The minigames can be downright infuriating. The upgrade system isn't very meaningful. The storytelling is frequently stilted. Orochi was rehashed too many times.

But unlike Wind Waker HD (and that barren Great Sea), revisiting Ōkami hasn't really changed my opinion of it. Its strengths remain strong.

Ōkami isn't perfect, but its character and (now, high-definition) aesthetics feel timeless in a way that rivals Nintendo's own stable. If it keeps being remade, I wonder if it might even become more legendary than that green-capped elf kid.

Better than: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Not as good as: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
I still don't know if Ōkamiden was any good: but if Capcom remakes that next, they can count me in.

Rating: Good