When Okami first hit store shelves gamers and critics alike were entranced. The game blended adventurous exploration a la The Legend Of Zelda, with a gorgeous cel-shaded sumi-e art style that was unlike anything we’d seen before. Unfortunately it was released at the tail end of the PlayStation 2’s life cycle and while it was a hit with those who played it, many had already moved on to the next console generation, leaving Okami to sell far fewer copies than it would have if it’d been released a year or two prior.
Fortunately, Sony is all about ressurecting PlayStation 2 classics as PlayStation 3 exclusives, and thus Okami has received a full high-definition makeover. Appropriately dubbed Okami HD, this new version of the game is displayed in 16:9 widescreen at full 1080p high-definition resolution (though, as with the Shadow Of The Colossus/ICO HD collection, it uses the game’s original textures). Unlike that aforementioned two-game package however, Okami HD will only be available via PlayStation Network download. On October 30, for only $20, you can own Okami HD and finally have a chance to play through a legitimate classic that so many overlooked in the rush to play first-generation Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 games.
As with previous HD remakes, Okami HD will also offer support for PlayStation Network Trophies. More intriguingly however, Capcom has also mentioned that the game will support Move motion control functionality (which, presumably, will give players more direct control over the in-game paintbrush your character uses to alter the world around her).
Unfortunately, this release, no matter how successful, will not resurrect Okami developer Clover Studios. The company, which fell apart in 2007, was responsible for a number of brilliant, quirky, under-appreciated titles like God Hand and Viewtiful Joe. Statistically speaking, you probably didn’t play those games either, so the release of Okami HD is likely your best opportunity to become acquainted with the work of Clover Studios. That alone is worth the $20 asking price.
