 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Okamiden
- Nintendo DS
- Price: $29.99
- Genre: Action/Adventure
Common Sense Media says
Adventure where you paint to play, but with some violence.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Okamiden contains some fantasy violence, as you can engage in combat with your "celestial brush" against enemies. This might include slashing the screen as if you were using a sword or biting and head-butting to defeat the foe. Some of the cut-scene sequences show violence, too, such as a silhouette of a dragon whose head is cut off and falls to the ground. Some blood can be seen on a weapon held by a boss character. References and imagery to alcohol and smoking are also in the game.
What's it about?
Taking place a few months after the events of Okami, Capcom's critically celebrated adventure for PlayStation 2 and Nintendo Wii, OKAMIDEN takes players on an epic quest with Chibiterasu, a young sun god and descendant of the mystical Amaterasu wolf from the first game. As with its predecessor, players must paint the world with a "celestial brush," such as drawing a bridge (to traverse rapid rivers), slashing a horizontal line through rocks and trees (to bypass the obstacles), and cutting through an enemy (with a paint stroke across its body). The young pup and his human friends must defeat evil in the land of Nippon, restore color to the world, and help the townsfolk with their individual issues.
Is it any good?
Okamiden is an enjoyable adventure about a young god and a wolf pup, who works with his friends to protect the land of Nippon from a menacing force. Using the stylus pen or a fingertip you'll wield a "celestial brush" to paint onto the world, bypass obstacles, manipulate elements (like fire, wind, and water), and battle forces of darkness as you go from town to town to perform missions for the townsfolk.
Perhaps inspired by games like The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, the game cleverly fuses combat with puzzle solving and puts a lot of emphasis on how and when you draw on the screen with your magical brush to complete the task at hand. The attractive "cel-shaded" visuals are inspired by traditional Japanese watercolor art. At 20-odd hours to complete, Okamiden offers a lot of bang for the buck, though the fetch missions can get repetitive after a while. But it's still a charming third-person adventure that's well worth the price of admission.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about how this game takes advantage of the touchscreen more so than most other Nintendo DS titles. Does this add to the charm of the game, because you're drawing on the screen and using the stylus like a weapon (such as chopping down a tree)?
Do games with enhanced control, such as "touch," translate to a deeper,
more engaging experience? Could this be one of the reasons why iPod
touch games are becoming increasingly popular?What is the impact of the violence in this game?
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AGE
Solid game, however Okami on the PS2/Wii is better.
Let me start off by saying that if you're new to the Okami series, I'd say that Okami is better. The story and some references in Okamiden make more sense having played the original. However, if the gamer is younger, I'd go with Okamiden first. It is far easier than Okami, but both are easy games.
Chibi travels with many partners throughout the game, and there is a running gag; whenever Chibi meets a new partner he or she will give Chibi a nickname which will cause Chibi to give them a look of shock and then fall to sad acceptance.
My biggest concern for parents in this game is the occasional use of words such as sucks, crap, etc. Also, some parents may not enjoy Kurrow's infatuation with a scholar. Other than that and the occasional reference to sake, the game is pretty much clean.
I do think Okami's plot, graphics (understandably), and overall gameplay is better than Okamiden, but both are very good. Okamiden is a worthy portable successor to the amazing first game, and I'm happy to have Okami on the go. ^.^
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Kid, 11 years old
July 16, 2011
AGE
Just like Zelda except easier.
Content: There is violence in this game, but not as bad as Okami. The only things that may make this innapropiate for younger tweens is the fact that you learn a move called power slash which can slice and enemy in half. The second boss holds bloody knives. Words like sucks and screwed are used, but its nothing your kid probably hears one the playground. The game allows younger gamers to get into the adventure genre with only the ocassional challenging puzzle or boss. There is a sad death of a beloved character at the end that had ME sniffling too.The game is overall okay for kids as young as NINE.
Is it worth the money: Okamiden has a decent length, but it's nothing to marvel at. It took me around 20 hours to beat it,but some people beat it in less that a dozen and a half hours! The cinematics especially the beginning and ending ones can be painfully long too.Other than that the game is great. It has great graphics, gameplay, and the "brush skills" are very responsive. Okamiden is perfect for younger and/or casual gamers, but the more hardcore may want to sit this one out.
Overall: 8.9/10
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AGE
Amazing game!
This game will have you smiling, laughing and crying. The characters are easy to connect to, with the adorable wolf god puppy Chibiterasu, also known as Chibi, Mutt, Squiddy, Pooch, Dude, Boy, or Porkchop, as the playable character. The game is based on fighting, but doesn't involve blood or gore, except the blood on the knives carried by the second boss. This game is a little easier than the previous game, Okami, but is still fun to play. There is some occasional very minor language, but no real swear words, and they are very hard to notice. The artwork is beautiful just like the previous game, the music will make you want to buy the soundtrack, and the only thing I would change is to make it longer!
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| Platforms: | Nintendo DS |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Action/Adventure |
| Developer: | Capcom |
| Release date: | March 15, 2011 |
| Price: | $29.99 |
| ESRB rating: | E10+ for Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco |
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