Okabu

 PlayStation 3
  • Publisher: SCEA
  • Release Date: Oct 18, 2011
Metascore
59

Mixed or average reviews - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 28
  3. Negative: 5 out of 28
  1. TotalPlayStation
    Nov 7, 2011
    85
    Yes, it's a kids game at the core. So what? We could all stand to relax more, and Okabu provides a classy and gorgeous way to do just that. There is no better game to play with a young child than this one.
  2. Multiplayer.it
    Feb 9, 2012
    80
    Okabu is fresh, fun, immediate, "colorful" in many ways as its very nice cel shaded graphics. The environmental puzzles become more complex as you progress through the levels, but the game is never really challenging. However, the overall experience is worth it.
  3. Playstation: The Official Magazine (US)
    Nov 26, 2011
    80
    Saving the world may be old news to gamers, but Okabu focuses more on preserving and protecting it. [Holiday 2011, p.75]
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  5. Game Informer
    Oct 18, 2011
    80
    For parents who are looking for a wholesome game to play with their children, Okabu is a no-brainer. Even without a kid for a sidekick, Okabu's light-hearted romp is worth a look for gamers wanting a break from more serious and demanding titles.
  6. Digital Chumps
    Oct 18, 2011
    80
    Charles Schulz probably never illustrated any happy Cloud Whales, but if he did they would probably look like Okabu's chief protagonists. With bright colors and a merry atmosphere flooding positivity and joy through every channel, it's hard to look away. This wouldn't matter much if Okabu's gameplay wasn't up to spec, but the subtle complexity behind the puzzles and variety of objectives serves the theme well - and makes Okabu's handful of technical gaffs all the more disappointing.
  7. GameTrailers
    Oct 22, 2011
    75
    Even with a few problems and annoyances, a generous, no-failure design makes it fun to just screw around or work together with another player. Super-serious cloud-whale pilots, if such a thing exists, may want to go for high scores and best times on the leaderboards.

Awards & Rankings

84
#84 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2011

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
3.9

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 9 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 9
  3. Negative: 6 out of 9
  1. violentvito
    Sep 14, 2013
    9
    Smooth controls and cute fun game play. Simple but fun for someone not as skilled at gaming. Co-op is the only way to play this game. NotSmooth controls and cute fun game play. Simple but fun for someone not as skilled at gaming. Co-op is the only way to play this game. Not really made for gamers, it targets more of the casual crowd. I however had fun playing it with my non gaming wife.… Full Review »
  2. iBash
    Nov 20, 2011
    3
    While the design and presentation have their charm, the game itself cannot live up to it.

    This is basically a puzzle or riddle game. There is    While the design and presentation have their charm, the game itself cannot live up to it.

    This is basically a puzzle or riddle game. There is a little demand for dexterity in the levels, but it's mostly about "solving" them, knowing what to do, not skillfully executing it. The problem: the game tells you the solutions. Every time. The whole game through. Each step is explained and spelled out to the player even if he has been doing the same action in several levels before. Big, colourful arrows show you exactly where to go. Unskippable cutscenes tell you how everything works and will stick unbearably long on important spots or goals. In every level, even if you've done all of it before. Combine this with there not being many options to do anything else than what is expected and you will start to wonder why this wasn't made into a cartoon movie instead.

    Even if the game wouldn't be so pushy and blatant, you'd get bored rather soon because of the limited variety. You have four characters to play as and each has one ability which can be used in a few ways, but it gets very repetitive very soon. Okabu doesn't even demand you to pick the correct characters as, save for the very final level, the two you may play are selected by the game. Not a single time do you have to combine their abilities in some way, you just go from task to task and switch to the character that can do it.

    The controls work fine but also feel very bothersome. For instance, the two cloud whales, Nimbe and Kumolo cannot take in water or oil when ridden by one of the characters, so you have to be flying to and fro over the map to put them down, pick them up again and so on, unnecessarily making the levels feel even longer than they already are and adding to the tediousness.

    There is combat of sorts against the Doza and their bots and it can get very annoying. Especially the homing missiles will drive you crazy as they keep following you for much too long. You must also consider a lot of the abilities are of a passive nature, so while using them, you won't be steering Nimbe and Kumolo directly which makes it even more of a pain to dodge the attacks, homing or not. Yes, it can be done, it's no bullet hell game or anything even close, but as everything in this game, it feels more bothersome than it should.

    However, you cannot die. When you get hit, you fall to the ground and lose the character you've been carrying or any items or liquids you had with you. This will require you to fly around and gather your stuff anew, resulting in a lot of eye rolling. On the final boss level, this borders on absurdness. You must use the abilities to defeat the boss and its minions, but while you do it, you cannot control the characters which does, however, not stop them from attacking and of course, as you can hardly dodge, hitting you, forcing you to fly away and pick up the characters again, starting the action again and so forth and so on.

    So, frankly, the gameplay mostly sucks. The story is very simple, if not simplified: the evil Doza and their machines are polluting the land and the poor natives must stop them. On the way, the garbage problem is being solved by simply throwing garbage (poisonous, no less) onto the dumpster.

    Now one might look at the game and forgive its simplicity by arguing it's obviously a kids' game, but I find it a bit hard to imagine children of the age the game might looks like it was made for will find the patience to play this game and I still don't think that even for the children, it had to be made this simple to figure out (aka read orders), The levels are rather long, too.

    So that's all the bad stuff, what's on the plus side? Well, it has a coop mode for two players, every level can be played with it. The presentation is kind of cute with mostly very catchy music and nice art design.

    Overall, Okabu is a game that feels more like a chore than fun. When games tell you every little step to take, they become work, a job to do and this is pretty much what this game feels like.    … Full Review »
  3. BoilerHorty
    Oct 25, 2011
    4
    I only played through the first level of the demo., but I really did not feel this game was worth playing further. The art style is sharp andI only played through the first level of the demo., but I really did not feel this game was worth playing further. The art style is sharp and looks nice. The character designs are different and interesting, but the gameplay mechanics felt like this was designed for mobile touch gaming or potentially Move. If this was designed for Move, then I suggest you play it that way because it felt really lackluster with the standard controller. As for the action, the puzzles were boring, the controls for the fights were pretty lose... All in all, there seems to be plenty better PSN games to spend your time/money on.… Full Review »
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