The Emotional Impact of Okami 2’s Game Awards Reveal

During Thursday night’s Game Awards, something truly unexpected happened. Geoff Keighley, the event’s founder and host, appeared genuinely emotional, almost on the brink of tears. The reason? Capcom announced they’re working on a sequel to the beloved PlayStation 2 classic, Okami, with the original director Hideki Kamiya at the helm.

Watching Keighley’s heartfelt reaction was an incredibly human moment, one that I could deeply relate to. As the teaser played, featuring evocative music, a lone wolf in motion, the iconic Capcom logo, and Kamiya’s name, I found myself feeling just as emotional.

Let me take you back for a moment. Okami, which debuted in 2006, truly made its mark. It’s a unique take on the action-adventure genre, reminiscent of Zelda, where a celestial wolf god combats spirits with a fiery disc and lends a helping hand to villagers in distress. Its stunning visual style draws from traditional Japanese artwork, characterized by bold, inky outlines and soft washes of watercolor.

I had the privilege of reviewing Okami for Edge magazine back in the day and rated it a strong 9 out of 10. I still stand by that score. Even though it isn’t on my list of absolute favorite games—owing to its length and occasional clunkiness—I wouldn’t pick it over several top Zelda titles.

But here’s the crux of it all—Okami reflects a pivotal era in gaming when major Japanese studios were pushing boundaries to elevate video games into a higher artistic realm. Despite this, the game didn’t achieve commercial success and led to the closure of its creator, Capcom’s Clover Studio. This downfall resulted in Kamiya, Shinji Mikami, and others leaving to establish PlatinumGames.

So, for Capcom to reconnect with Kamiya, who has since named his new studio Clovers, and invest in an Okami sequel, signifies that the creative spirit of those days still lingers. It also suggests, quite reasonably, that the various Okami reissues have performed well enough over the years to change Capcom’s perspective on their past decisions.

When the Okami sequel was announced, the combination of a stirring live orchestra, a fresh visual direction that replaces ink outlines with vibrant swathes of color, and the dynamic animation of the wolf god Amaterasu racing through the scenery, was incredibly moving. However, the announcement’s deeper significance is what truly struck a chord with me and Geoff.

The live stream showed Kamiya, expressionless behind his signature red shades, as Keighley beamed. Known for his candid Twitter persona, Kamiya might have dismissively shrugged off Geoff’s sentimentality. If that’s the case, he might just have to block me too.