Topic: Okami (Capcom to send out replacement box art!)

[NWR_pap64]

I have the feeling Nintendo Power will not be the only giving Okami a bad review because its a port...

[GoldenPhoenix]

Anyone who is still under the impression that Nintendo Power is all propaganda needs to read their Okami review. They actually say that you should play the original PS2 version instead of the Wii one because it's a great game but the Wii controls don't work as well as they should.

Ign was asked what they thought of the NP review and they basically shot it down saying they had no clue what their complaints were about.  They would reccomend the Wii version over the Ps2 version any day~!

Yep, Matt has been praising the heck out of Okami, and though the NP review made zero sense.

[Kairon]

I have the feeling Nintendo Power will not be the only giving Okami a bad review because its a port...

Nintendo Power run by hardcore Nintendo fanbois. Confirmed.

[BeautifulShy]

I have the feeling Nintendo Power will not be the only giving Okami a bad review because its a port...

Nintendo Power run by hardcore Nintendo fanbois. Confirmed.

NP gave Guiest a 5.0 and Pokemon Battle Revolution a 6.0.

[Chozo Ghost]

NP is no longer directly controlled by Nintendo.

[DAaaMan64]

LOL Geist is a good game

[BeautifulShy]

Anyone who is still under the impression that Nintendo Power is all propaganda needs to read their Okami review. They actually say that you should play the original PS2 version instead of the Wii one because it's a great game but the Wii controls don't work as well as they should.

To be more specific they say that the swipes in battle don't always register, you have to do slow swipes. They say there is no motion based fishing. After that they say that you can overcome these problems with practice...What they said is contradicting what they are saying!!! In other words this game should have got a 10. I am going to get this game despite there review.

[NWR_pap64]

I also suspect people will compare it to Twilight Princess and draw ignorant conclusions based on it.

[Adrock]

Comparisons are inevitable though unfair as Okami should judged by its own merits. I actually expect Okami to be better than Twilight Princess for any number of reasons (art design, story etc.). New entries in the Zelda series often (or rather must, if you're an extreme purist) adhere to the franchise itself, not that that's necessarily a bad thing (though it can be). I can see why Nintendo is reluctant to mess with the formula and usually settles for refining it. Despite its age, the formula still works, for the most part. At the same time, this is the very reason I have such high hopes for Okami. The developers had the freedom to make whatever game they wanted without worrying if it fits into an established mold.

[ReverendNoahWhateley]

Zelda fans are often so passionate about their franchise that I think it intimidates Nintendo into not taking any huge gambles.  It's sort of like the relationship in Misery.

[Deguello]

Zelda fans are often so passionate about their franchise that I think it intimidates Nintendo into not taking any huge gambles.  It's sort of like the relationship in Misery.

I'd say they took a huge risk with Phantom Hourglass.  I mean didn't they?  It was all casual casualed for maximum casual non-gamers non-gaming...

Or is that internet meme over?  This internet is too damn fast, I can't keep up.

[Kairon]

If Nintendo fans were more passionate about Zelda, they'd have loved Phantom Hourglass and seen TP for the failure that is was. *shakes fist*

[DAaaMan64]

You call TP a failure but you love Sonic and the Secret Rings, I hope you don't think that Sonic game is Better than TP.

Neither TP nor PH are a failure, I just prefer one of the two. 

[Kairon]

Well then, you're not "passsionate" enough. &P

But seriously, Nintendo fans should have no bearing at all on what Nintendo decides to do with the Zelda franchise. We can judge them, we can not buy their games, but they don't really owe Zelda fans anything. It just happens that they make great Zelda games, and it just happens that we buy them. The relationship should go no further than that.

[NWR_pap64]

Comparisons are inevitable though unfair as Okami should judged by its own merits. I actually expect Okami to be better than Twilight Princess for any number of reasons (art design, story etc.). New entries in the Zelda series often (or rather must, if you're an extreme purist) adhere to the franchise itself, not that that's necessarily a bad thing (though it can be). I can see why Nintendo is reluctant to mess with the formula and usually settles for refining it. Despite its age, the formula still works, for the most part. At the same time, this is the very reason I have such high hopes for Okami. The developers had the freedom to make whatever game they wanted without worrying if it fits into an established mold.

Not saying that it will happen, but you know some reviewer will come out and say that the game is really ripping off Zelda and bash it to the ground for the sole fact that its a late Wii port and adds nothing to the gameplay.

As for TP, I personally think its a great game. I liked the story and the new characters, and playing as Wolf Link was awesome. In fact, I would go as far as to say that I had more fun playing TP than WW. However, its time for the gameplay to evolve. From the minute I started playing I knew right away what would happen (a small quest where you have to gather three items, then a bigger, more story related quest will ensue that eventually leads to a fight with Ganon). That and the boss battles were very easy. They were great in scale and cinematics but very simple.

Hopefully, the true Zelda Wii will re-invigorate what is already a fantastic franchise.

[GoldenPhoenix]

If Nintendo fans were more passionate about Zelda, they'd have loved Phantom Hourglass and seen TP for the failure that is was. *shakes fist*

Well PH is one step away from Zelda Pinball.

[GoldenPhoenix]

Comparisons are inevitable though unfair as Okami should judged by its own merits. I actually expect Okami to be better than Twilight Princess for any number of reasons (art design, story etc.). New entries in the Zelda series often (or rather must, if you're an extreme purist) adhere to the franchise itself, not that that's necessarily a bad thing (though it can be). I can see why Nintendo is reluctant to mess with the formula and usually settles for refining it. Despite its age, the formula still works, for the most part. At the same time, this is the very reason I have such high hopes for Okami. The developers had the freedom to make whatever game they wanted without worrying if it fits into an established mold.

Not saying that it will happen, but you know some reviewer will come out and say that the game is really ripping off Zelda and bash it to the ground for the sole fact that its a late Wii port and adds nothing to the gameplay.

As for TP, I personally think its a great game. I liked the story and the new characters, and playing as Wolf Link was awesome. In fact, I would go as far as to say that I had more fun playing TP than WW. However, its time for the gameplay to evolve. From the minute I started playing I knew right away what would happen (a small quest where you have to gather three items, then a bigger, more story related quest will ensue that eventually leads to a fight with Ganon). That and the boss battles were very easy. They were great in scale and cinematics but very simple.

Hopefully, the true Zelda Wii will re-invigorate what is already a fantastic franchise.

I agree, I think TP is the be all end all of the CURRENT Zelda formula. The next game needs to do something different, TP IMO perfected it to a point where I doubt they could go much further.  I'd love to see Nintendo make full use of the Wii to make a "hardcore" Zelda experience that is different from anything we've seen prior. The LoZ gameplay era ended with LTTP/LA, and I think it would be proper to end the OOT 3D era with TP. Time to start a new one.

To get back on topic, I think it is more than fair for Okami to be compared to TP, or really any 3D Zelda game because the franchise set the standard for adventure gaming.

[DAaaMan64]

Comparisons are inevitable though unfair as Okami should judged by its own merits. I actually expect Okami to be better than Twilight Princess for any number of reasons (art design, story etc.). New entries in the Zelda series often (or rather must, if you're an extreme purist) adhere to the franchise itself, not that that's necessarily a bad thing (though it can be). I can see why Nintendo is reluctant to mess with the formula and usually settles for refining it. Despite its age, the formula still works, for the most part. At the same time, this is the very reason I have such high hopes for Okami. The developers had the freedom to make whatever game they wanted without worrying if it fits into an established mold.

Not saying that it will happen, but you know some reviewer will come out and say that the game is really ripping off Zelda and bash it to the ground for the sole fact that its a late Wii port and adds nothing to the gameplay.

As for TP, I personally think its a great game. I liked the story and the new characters, and playing as Wolf Link was awesome. In fact, I would go as far as to say that I had more fun playing TP than WW. However, its time for the gameplay to evolve. From the minute I started playing I knew right away what would happen (a small quest where you have to gather three items, then a bigger, more story related quest will ensue that eventually leads to a fight with Ganon). That and the boss battles were very easy. They were great in scale and cinematics but very simple.

Hopefully, the true Zelda Wii will re-invigorate what is already a fantastic franchise.

I agree, I think TP is the be all end all of the CURRENT Zelda formula. The next game needs to do something different, TP IMO perfected it to a point where I doubt they could go much further.  I'd love to see Nintendo make full use of the Wii to make a "hardcore" Zelda experience that is different from anything we've seen prior. The LoZ gameplay era ended with LTTP/LA, and I think it would be proper to end the OOT 3D era with TP. Time to start a new one.

To get back on topic, I think it is more than fair for Okami to be compared to TP, or really any 3D Zelda game because the franchise set the standard for adventure gaming.

That was kind of how I was expecting them to take Wii Zelda.  either that or casualize it a little more like PH.

[Adrock]

I'd love to see Nintendo make full use of the Wii to make a "hardcore" Zelda experience that is different from anything we've seen prior.

Or they could make use of the Wii to make the ultimate casual Zelda experience.... Fear^infinity

My hope for the next Zelda is that they take Zelda back to what made it great in the first place: adventure and exploring. No transformations, no gimmicks. Make it about the Triforce again. Stop forcing Ganondorf into the storyline, sometimes it makes sense and works (Wind Waker), other times it does not (Twilight Princess). Stop pussing out after doing something cool (i.e. Zelda sacrificing herself to save Midna in TP then suddenly appearing at the end). Just hire some damn writers already, but understand that less is more and that games don't need long cutscenes to tell a good story.

If there's one thing about Okami that worries me, it's that the cutscenes are long and pretentious for the sake of being long and pretentious. I hope there's more game than movie because I don't particularly enjoy watching my games. Still, if that's the worst part about the game, at least its big negative is kind of a positive.

Anyway, I keep hearing that the controls for the Wii version of Okami aren't great. It's making me kind of nervous about picking the game up, but I want to support 3rd parties, especially those that don't just treat Wii like a dumping ground. Okami may be a port, but Capcom could have done worse than enlisting Ready at Dawn. However, I did just pick up House of the Dead 2 and 3... but it was on sale and I couldn't help it.

[GoldenPhoenix]

As far as controls go, Matt at IGN said they work great and he would never go back to the PS2 version. He seems to think they are great except for the roll dodge, which I guess isn't necessary anyway. Supposedly the painting is done perfectly.

[ReverendNoahWhateley]

I'd say they took a huge risk with Phantom Hourglass.  I mean didn't they?  It was all casual casualed for maximum casual non-gamers non-gaming...

Or is that internet meme over?  This internet is too damn fast, I can't keep up.

No, you're right.  Hourglass was a gamble, the first in a long, long time.  How did Hourglass do in terms of sales?  I'm not trying to be facetious if they were less than stellar, I really have no idea how the game has done thus far. 

Sorry to keep talking about not-Okami!

[NWR_pap64]

I'd say they took a huge risk with Phantom Hourglass.  I mean didn't they?  It was all casual casualed for maximum casual non-gamers non-gaming...

Or is that internet meme over?  This internet is too damn fast, I can't keep up.

No, you're right.  Hourglass was a gamble, the first in a long, long time.  How did Hourglass do in terms of sales?  I'm not trying to be facetious if they were less than stellar, I really have no idea how the game has done thus far. 

Sorry to keep talking about not-Okami!

Japan: 920,000
US: 1.49 million
Europe: 1.47 million

Worldwide total: 3.88 million

I say its a hit alright.

[DAaaMan64]

I'd say they took a huge risk with Phantom Hourglass.  I mean didn't they?  It was all casual casualed for maximum casual non-gamers non-gaming...

Or is that internet meme over?  This internet is too damn fast, I can't keep up.

No, you're right.  Hourglass was a gamble, the first in a long, long time.  How did Hourglass do in terms of sales?  I'm not trying to be facetious if they were less than stellar, I really have no idea how the game has done thus far. 

Sorry to keep talking about not-Okami!

Japan: 920,000
US: 1.49 million
Europe: 1.47 million

Worldwide total: 3.88 million

I say its a hit alright.

Hey thats pretty damn good.

[IceCold]

Especially for a handheld.

[Chozo Ghost]

The Zelda Franchise should  be spun-off more often. I want to see Zelda Party, Zelda Soccer, Zelda Basketball, Zelda Golf, Zelda puzzle games, and et cetera. Nintendo does all this with Mario, but its time for Zelda to have its day.