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Ah, and now the moment of truth is finally here. We believed Okami Wii would be awesome, but is it awesome, or did the new controls take a great game and make it a little bit worse? Probably more than any other game I've covered lately, I've seen two really distinct schools of critical thought form on Okami Wii, and to me it suggests that the Wii remake is great for players willing to approach the new controls as part of a totally different game. Those attached already to the PS2 version? There may not be anything for you here. While the reviews are overwhelmingly positive, there are some outlying negative scores that are worth taking a look at. So, let's get to looking...

The high score comes to us from Nick Suttner at 1up.com, which awarded Okami Wii and A - the second-highest score possible on the new Ziff-Davis alphabetical scale - and generally praised it as an incredible port. That said, the review's introduction singles out the new controls as the reason why the game didn't receive an A+, and says the PS2 version is still definitive. In a way, this is far more telling than negative reviews that complain about the new controls more extensively.

The original Okami for PS2 is one of my very favorite games -- a stunning achievement in both artistry and entertainment. And it's still the same beautifully told, endlessly creative, epic adventure that I immersed myself in two falls ago. While the Wii version should be the ultimate way to experience the game -- the Wii Remote seems destined to serve as the perfect input for the Celestial Brush mechanic used throughout -- its quirks and imprecision are just problematic enough to ensure that the original retains its place as the Okami that should be remembered for years to come. It's too late to support original developer Clover directly (who shut down after the PS2 release, partially due to mediocre sales), but for $40, those who haven't experienced Okami have an amazing opportunity to pay respect to Clover's legacy, support the fine folk at Ready at Dawn for undertaking the task of porting something so immense, and embark on an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

A slightly less enthusiastic but still very positive score comes from Dana Jongewaard at GameTap, who awards the game a 9 out of 10. While there are some complaints about controls that aren't always responsive, Jongewaard chalks these up to problems from the PS2 Okami that simply weren't addressed in the port. While the review admits there is a learning curve for the new controls, they aren't really treated as a flaw.

There are a few issues from the PS2 original that have carried over. The camera occasionally gets a little out of whack, and while you can use the D-pad to swing it around manually, its not something thats easy to do in the middle of a battle. Wielding the brush is a little trickier than it is on the PS2 version, although it grows easier with practice. However, as in the PS2 version, youll run into spots that seem arbitrarily fussy about exactly where the paint goes--I would run around a meadow drawing the circle of life to resurrect trees, and nine would bloom easily, while the tenth required multiple swipes of my brush before finally triggering. Fortunately, youre usually not in a situation where doing a stroke incorrectly hurts you, and these instances were the exception rather than the norm.

Todd Melick's review for GamePro expands a bit on the "learning curve" idea that the GameTap review touches on, arguing that the controls feel very natural and rewarding provided you're willing to put time into mastering them. (Shades of God Hand.) The review overall is exceptionally positive despite 4.5 out of 5 score, with only a lack of additional content cited as a significant flaw.

Despite the initial learning curve, using the Celestial Brush on the Wii is intuitive and a worthwhile experience. Holding down the B button turns the onscreen world into a canvas which you can then paint on using the A button. As the game progresses Amaterasu acquires more powers for the Celestial Brush but the downside of this is that you have be fairly precise with your brush strokes, which leads to a lot of frustration. In the beginning of the game, you can only paint simple objects like bridges and rivers, which only requires broad strokes. Later moves, such as the destructive Slice move requires a bit of finesse and learning the subtle nuances of each brush strokes takes practice.

Of course, one man's "learning curve" is another man's "these controls are terrible and I hate them." It's Nintendo Power's early print review that takes this stance, giving the score a startling 7.5 out of 10 and actually telling its readers to buy the (now rare and hard to find) PS2 version over the Wii version. The review tone is one of the most bitter I've read in print.

One of Okami's main hooks is the ability to learn Celestial Brush techniques, which are activated by drawing symbols; it's a natural fit for the Wii remote, and while pointing and drawing is faster and allows for more freedom than using an analog stick, it's harder to be precise, resulting in the game having a tougher time recognizing your brush strokes. More significantly, the combat feels awkward. Slow, timed swipes of the remote are required to score consecuctive hits with many weapons; if you swing too fast you won't be able to attack at all. And where's the motion-based fishing? For shame!

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