Over the weekend it was confirmed that a sequel to Okami is in the works. As one of the games that is closest to my heart for so many different reasons, this is something that I’ve been waiting for since the first game released. The news was put out by PlatinumGames in a Tweet, which you can see below.
Okami is an iconic game, at least in my eyes. It was many things, but beautiful is probably the best word you could use to describe it. Not only were the visuals incredible, but the gameplay was unique, the soundtrack was magical, and the story was just the right side of bonkers to make it memorable without being ridiculous.
Why is it Time for an Okami Sequel?
There are several reasons that now is the time for an Okami sequel. First and foremost, it’s been way too long since the original launched. Okami released for Playstation 2 in 2006, 13 years ago. The game was extremely well received, but due to issues with the developer and publisher, a sequel has gone unmade until now. While there was a smaller spin-off title called Okamiden released for the Nintendo DS in 2010, it was far from a fully fledged sequel, and nothing like what fans wanted.
The second reason that it’s time for an Okami sequel is that the game has released for all major platforms since it first launched. If a game is bad, it gets forgotten about, not remade in HD for modern consoles. While what I wanted at the time was a GameCube version, the game did come to Nintendo Wii. After that it moved to Playstation 3 in 2013, and then Windows, Playstation 4, and Xbox One in 2017. The last console to see a launch for Okami was Nintendo Switch, with only got the game last year. Given the unique mechanics fro drawing attacks and spells, I’d have thought that Okami would come to Nintendo Switch much sooner, but experience has proven that developing for Nintendo Switch is clearly quite difficult. Regardless, Okami is clearly popular, and a sequel deserved to be made way before now.
The third reason I think that it’s time for an Okami sequel is that we know the Playstation 5 and Project Scarlett are on their way. As of Christmas 2020 we’re going to have two next generation consoles to play games on, without considering what Nintendo might pull out of the bag before then. An Okami sequel needs to be stunning in every way, and with this next console cycle that will be possible. I personally wouldn’t want to see an Okami sequel on current hardware, because I know we’re close to the end.
My fourth and final reason for an Okami sequel is pretty simple, there’s nothing else like it out there. Okami is similar to The Legend of Zelda series, but really there’s nothing you can compare it to. Somehow it seems to make its own sense of folklore a reality, bringing both incredibly beautiful creatures and grotesque monsters to life in the most appealing way. Like I said, the story is just the right side of mental, but it’s also one of the best stories in games that I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing. If Okami released today, it would stand up against the competition, because it’s that good.
Put simply, now is the time for an Okami sequel, because it’s always been time for an Okami sequel.