OKKKKKKKKKAMMMMMMMMMIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Okami is a genuinely fun game, a visually stunning, rollicking adventure that owes alot to Zelda. I absolutely love the variety of gameplay it gives you. It seems like every long stretch of collecting crap is balanced by some sort of new mini-game involving the brush mechanic.

Which is not to say the game doesn't have it's weak points. The most glaring of all may make or break your fun, depending on you, the player. Yes, I am talking about the near endless cascade of dialogue, most from your lil' buddy Issun. Now, Issun is alot like Navi in Ocarina of Time, only about 10 times more chatty (all you gamers are possibly already doubled over in fear). Dear Issun, you really don't need to explain everything to me multiple times. Of course, when I say that, I mean SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY, I FUCKING GET IT YOU FUCKING FUCK OF FUCK! It's not bad all the time, but when you reach a certain point where you are doing something that requires patience and concentration(like the current puzzle I am at), it is like someone playing the main section of 'Pump up the Volume' at 11 in your ear.

"Alright, just gotta push this boulder over the invisible bridge..."
"PUMP UP THE VOLUME! PUMP UP THE VOLUME! DANCE! DANCE!"
"AW! Dammit! Gonna have to do it again! Okay, careful, careful..."
"PUT DA NEEDLE ON DA RECORD PUT THE NEEDLE ON DA RECORD PUT THE NEEDLE ON DA RECORD!"
"Somebody kill me."

But, before and after these points come up, I am having fun (no, really). Me, being the completist that I am, have many, many sidequests to distract myself (my goal to feed all the world's monkeys will be fulfilled). And I've heard that the main quest is pretty good sized, as well. Overall worth playing for most peoples with a PS2 who doesn't think Japanese mythology is 'queer 4 fagz lol!!11!!'. But I warned you about the talking, oh how I warned you.