Okamiden

 DS
  • Publisher: Capcom
  • Release Date: Mar 10, 2011
User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 73 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 56 out of 73
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 73
  3. Negative: 5 out of 73
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. julianozuca
    Nov 4, 2013
    5
    The Good: Presentation is a technical achievement; cute, lovely characters

    The Bad: Dragging; uneven difficulty; shallow Built upon the lore of the cult Action-RPG Okami (PS2, Wii), Okamiden develops the original's story from the point it was left in the first title while trying to appeal to a broader audience by introducing Amaterasu's son--a cute puppy called Chibiterasu--in the    The Good: Presentation is a technical achievement; cute, lovely characters

    The Bad: Dragging; uneven difficulty; shallow

    Built upon the lore of the cult Action-RPG Okami (PS2, Wii), Okamiden develops the original's story from the point it was left in the first title while trying to appeal to a broader audience by introducing Amaterasu's son--a cute puppy called Chibiterasu--in the leading role for this sequel.

    From a technical standpoint--which seemed to be what worried Okami fans most in a portable cramming--there's nothing to yell at. Nippon still looks gorgeous and even the sometimes oversized pixels make it for a crisp, beautiful presentation. The same can be said about the expanded soundtrack, which sounds as epic as ever.

    But unfortunately when it comes to content Okamiden fails to capture the grandeur of the original installment.

    The game takes you by the hand in so many ways that' it's hard not to state it was dumbed down. Predictable puzzles, prayers evolving your powers automatically, the very combat... Even the poor (or lazy?) decision of making it controlled by the D-Pad (instead of a more intuitive touch-only scheme like in the DS Zeldas) produces another step down: the camera compelling you to where you should go next.

    Chibi partnering a variety of companions throughout the adventure does help to freshen the experience and show the intended protagonist's fragility, but in the long run much of the plot and dialogue is plain dragging for the sake of it. What would be an otherwise charming cast of characters can grow annoying and tiring after some time.

    That aforementioned overall mood/pace twist could have made it for a perfect kids-friendly first RPG... But the overly complex boss battles create difficulty spikes that can get in the way and turn beginners down.

    Okamiden would fare better if it was conceived as a spin-off, or at least as a more compact title. As a main entry with the responsibility to carry the name on it just feels expendable.    … Expand
  2. BrianC
    Jun 27, 2011
    7
    Okamiden is what it appears to be: Okami Jr. It's not quite as involved, evolved, detailed or just-plain good as the original Okami - but really, what game is? I did enjoy playing through it.
  3. TharosTheDragon
    Aug 10, 2015
    5
    The puzzles are not even puzzles but more like quick-time events. They're unthinking "use this brush technique to get past this obstacle" tasks that make you wonder why the game is making you do this. So brush techniques become more like door keys. A new technique, magnetism, makes you think it could be used for puzzles, but this is completely unused potential. The only real dynamic usageThe puzzles are not even puzzles but more like quick-time events. They're unthinking "use this brush technique to get past this obstacle" tasks that make you wonder why the game is making you do this. So brush techniques become more like door keys. A new technique, magnetism, makes you think it could be used for puzzles, but this is completely unused potential. The only real dynamic usage of your brush techniques is in battle.

    Video games should empower their players with a sense of freedom, and the lack of freedom in this game is painfully felt. You are no longer able to go in the water so large portions of Japan have become unavailable to you, although much of the game is spent waiting for your partner to do some exploring for you, excruciatingly slowly. Invisible walls block your path at every turn. You can't even jump off ledges in most spots, which has something to do with how large areas like Shinshu Field are sectioned off into smaller areas that are presumably easier for the DS to handle. Okamiden is much more linear than Okami, and the icing on the cake is that once you enter the final dungeon you cannot go back to find all the secrets with your full arsenal of brush techniques. If you've saved in the final dungeon then you're screwed and will have to play through the whole game all over again.

    The story is good in the sense that the characters are likable, so I assume this is what accounts for the game's high ratings. But Okamiden is not even half the game Okami was.    … Expand
  4. Yojimbo2015
    Jun 2, 2023
    5
    Arcade adventure with crude graphics, irritating sound, simplistic button-bashing combat, wayward camera angles and exasperatingly linear progression - you spend nearly all of your time following large arrows positioned literally under your nose. Some nice ideas but they're poorly implemented.

Awards & Rankings

8
#8 Best DS Game of 2011
9
#9 Most Discussed DS Game of 2011
6
#6 Most Shared DS Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 48 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 42 out of 48
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 48
  3. Negative: 0 out of 48
  1. Videogameszone.de
    May 24, 2011
    91
    It is a lovely Nintendo DS adventure with brilliant graphics and style. If you are looking for a new graphics and gameplay experience, you have to play this game.
    Read full review
  2. games(TM)
    Apr 25, 2011
    80
    It's tangible magic that you can feel with every stroke of the brush. [Issue#108, p.104]
  3. Universo Nintendo
    Apr 17, 2011
    90
    Okamiden reveals itself as a great game and a very welcomed sequel. May be among the last games of the extensive list of the DS, but this does not dimish its quality. Even if the combat doesn't shine as much as the rest of the package, Okamiden is a masterpiece.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »