Chibiterasu isn’t alone on his journey. He’s accompanied by the son of Okami’s hero too, which makes for a nice storyline of hero’s offspring following in the parents footsteps – or paw prints as the case may be. Despite the characters in this sequel being younger, don’t confuse this game for a dumbed-down or “kiddy” version of the original. The pacing is much faster and best described as streamlined. The weapons and attacks from Okami are pretty much all present here, but you’ll get them faster than you did before. Even though Okamiden could be finished in half the time that it took to run through Okami, there is plenty to do and see here.
The controls in this portable version are a step up as one would imagine. The use of the Nintendo DS’s stylus makes paint strokes feel more realistic and adds to the overall enjoyment of attacks when compared to the home console versions of Capcom’s first release. Okamiden doesn’t just stand alongside Okami in terms of comparison though. Despite the very distinct art style, this game could be mistaken for another great adventure series starring Link. In fact, Capcom’s Okamiden is so similar to the Legend of Zelda franchise on the Nintendo DS that fans of that series should be flocking to this game.
The puzzles and even some of the ways you control Chibiterasu feel so much like recent Zelda titles Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks. The characters you meet along the way will often take precedence over the larger goals on your plate. These interactions and side quests might seem like a distraction at first, but they are welcome ones that add to the story and overall experience. The puzzles you’ll come across are all very well thought out too, but never feel so overwhelming that you’ll feel frustrated or need to take a break. Solving puzzles allow you to progress through individual dungeons until you meet the formidable bosses at the end of each one. These too will remind players of Zelda as they are far from pushovers, but again not overwhelming.
Okamiden is a gorgeous game like its predecessor, but not without fault. Sometimes it can be a little hard to control or navigate when zoomed out. This isn’t a major issue or game breaking complaint, but more just a result of the Nintendo DS’s small screen. The camera sometimes has a hard time following the more flashy attacks that have action bouncing around or showing smaller, more precise maneuvers. None of these are major problems. Even the DS’s d-pad overcomes its limitations in the 3d world of Okamiden.
Fans of the original game will enjoy more of the same in the world of Nippon. The story is deep enough to hook gamers who don’t traditionally play their portables, but have a DS lying around. The pacing is much faster this time around which helps the transition from home console to mobile gaming. Some might even feel that the fifteen to twenty hour playtime is too much for the DS, but once you get into it, it’ll be hard to stop. Okamiden is proof that there’s still life on the Nintendo DS and that portable games don’t have to be casual or made only by Nintendo to be good for that matter. Capcom’s done a great job with this one and it would be a shame to miss out if you liked the original or even recent Zelda titles on the Nintendo DS.
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Graphics |
9.5 |
Okami's art style translates beautifully onto the Nintendo DS. |
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Audio |
6.0 |
You can leave the ear buds out with the forgettable audio here. |
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Single Player |
9.0 |
Nice mix of puzzle and mini-games to keep you busy. |
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Multiplayer |
N/A |
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Replay |
9.0 |
Around 20 hours of playtime and puzzles means a lot of gaming. |
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Overall |
9.0 |
One of the best games the DS can get in the portable's twilight. |
