Okami HD Makes Minor, But Appreciated, Alterations

Okami is a game that has been around the block before. It originally debuted on the PlayStation 2 in 2006, then the Nintendo Wii in 2008, and after that the PlayStation 3 in 2012. Now, it has come around again for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. While not much has changed from its PlayStation 3 debut a few years ago, there are more than a few notable alterations that make this installment

A number of the changes have to do with the presentation. It is in HD, just as the PlayStation 3 release was a few years ago. But this time, if someone has a system capable of a 4K resolution, Okami HD can reach new heights. It also provides people with both the 16:9 and 4:3 ratio options. This means it can look as it did in the original PlayStation 2 release or meet more modern displays. It is still gorgeous and has aged very well.

The one thing I did notice is at a higher resolution, the frame rate really stands out. It is locked at 30fps. When I played on my standard PlayStation 4, things looked fine. When I visited a friend and played on a PlayStation 4 Pro, it was much more noticeable. The lack of fluidity when there is that otherwise high level of detail can be a bit disappointing.

While that can be a bit frustrating, other inclusions are much more welcome. a number of things have been done to speed up or improve the game. It is possible to skip cutscenes, which can help with early segments. Okami HD has a fantastic story, but it is one I have now seen four times. I’m ready to bust out of Kamiki Village and what are basically introductory quests designed to ease you into the world. Being able to skip helps with that. Being able to press on the left or right side of the touchpad to bring up the options or main menu is rather intuitive too.

It is also nice to have the loading screen minigames back. These were absent in the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3 versions of the game, due to the load times being so short. While they are still short here, you can enable them in the options menu. This means when paw prints appear, you can press X in time with them to get a Demon Fang. And, if the loading screen is blank, you can try and fill it with 50 paw prints to get a Demon Fang. It is a nice, reliable way to get these trading items without having to rely on Floral Finishers, though I did find it sometimes difficult to press X 50 times for a Demon Fang.

Okami is a wonderful game. It was pretty back in 2006 and still looks gorgeous today. While the frame rate may be locked, it does look much better on the PlayStation 4 Pro in 4K. It is easier to dive in and speed through the tutorials and introductions so we can really start enjoying ourselves. It is especially good to see the minigames return, to provide more Demon Fangs. Having it more easily accessible is a good thing, especially when there are little updates that make this port slightly better.

Okami HD is available for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.