Console Corner: Okami HD Nintendo Switch review

Okami HD is beautiful on the Nintendo Switch handheld
Okami HD is beautiful on the Nintendo Switch handheld
  • Out: Now
  • Rating: 8.5/10

Okami stands the test of time.

It may have escaped the attention of many but what is considered one of the greatest video games ever made was released on Nintendo Switch this month.

Okami is known for being one of the last games released on the PlayStation 2 before the launch of the PS3.

Critically acclaimed worldwide and recognised as one of the most original and beautifully crafted action-adventure games in history, Okami has been remastered and released across multiple platforms by Capcom over the years.

It had notable success on the Nintendo Wii too although critics felt the controls were far from perfect.

So it was only a matter of time until it made it to the Nintendo Switch and was released earlier this month.

Okami is a franchise that somehow got lost in the sands of time despite being so well received sequels were in short supply. It’s been 12 years since the initial release. So I approached this review very much with the question, has Okami aged well and is it still a game worth playing?

The dialogue is a bit of a grind at times but from the off you can see why Okami won so many game of the year awards.

Okami has been compared to Zelda in the past and that is another worthy comparison.

This version uses the Switch’s touchscreen controls for some features including the Celestial Brush and it works really well.

It also supports the Joy-Con’s motion controls however, like on the Wii, using the controller for the Brush does feel a touch clunky and doesn’t really work as well as you would hope.

The fact Okami used cell shading on PS2 rather than realistic graphics means it ages well and the HD really makes the game pop.

Handheld mode looks amazing and the game speed and frame rate holds up so well. My biggest complaint would probably be the camera which can be annoying and can’t be adjusted.

Okami is not very challenging in terms of difficulty but it will still last you a good while and is worthy of its title as one of the best games ever.