Kotaku: Okami

After 11 Months, My Okami Art Book Arrives

Luke Plunkett — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 23:30:00 MDT

In July 2007, fresh from beating the game, I ordered the Japanese-language edition of the Okami art book. Weeks went by. Then months. No art book. I totally forgot about the thing. Then today, June 24, 2008...success! The book finally turns up (albeit the English-language edition). Was it worth the wait? Was it ever. This is a proper art book. Full of concept art, level design sketches, character reference models and even some mangas detailing both the game's boss battles and "god release" cutscenes. Best part? It even gives you soundtrack advice: ie, if you're reading this, play track 7 on disc 3 of the soundtrack.

Okami Covers Finally Shipping

Luke Plunkett — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 22:30:00 MDT

Remember that Okami cover replacement deal? Me neither! It was sooooo long ago! Real mists of time stuff. Well, Capcom have profusely apologised for the delay, blaming the sheer number of applications, a number of duplicate entires (cheeky!) and ineligible non-US/Canadian applications (uh..sorry!), but promise that they should be going out over the next week or two. As a bonus for your patience, Capcom have made the covers double-sided, with one side the alternate cover you requested, and the other a watermark-free version of the original.

Okami Wii special covers update! [Capcom]

Another Exclusive Okami Cover

Luke Plunkett — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 05:30:00 MDT

This time for the Brits. If you pre-order the game at HMV, you'll get an "exclusive" cover, which is either a savvy piece of awareness on the part of the marketing team or the result of someone at HMV realising the IGN watermark was all up in their copies of the game. Either way, it's quite lovely.

Okami: Hmv Exclusive: Special Packaging [HMV, thanks Doug!]

Platinum Games Blowout!

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 14 May 2008 22:30:00 MDT

Looks like those Platinum Games rumors are true. Things like a mulit-page article in this week's Famitsu magazine tend to confirm things like that. There's 3D action title Bayonetta for the PS3 and the Xbox 360>. The angel-battling game features a protagonist with gun-feet. The game is being directed by Hideki Kamiya, the creator of Devil May Cry and director of Okami. The other game Famitsu mentions is Infinite Line, which is apparently being co-developed with Nude Maker. The game is being directed by Nude Maker's Hifumi Kouno. The DS game allows players to customize their spaceship and features the appearance of over 200 characters! The last game mentioned is monochrome and crimson Wii title MADWORLD. The ultra violent title will feature comical mayhem. And blood. Lots and lots of blood. Platinum Games is working on a fourth title as well. No idea about title or platform or publisher — all that's known is that Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami is at the helm. That will suffice for now!

Famitsu 20080516 [Wii @ Everyday]

Sega And Platinum Games Join Forces

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 12 May 2008 07:00:00 MDT

Platinum Games, the studio founded by former Capcom developer Clover, has apparently struck a deal with SEGA to publish three games. Those games are:

• Bayonetta, directed by DMC creator Hideki Kamiya, and is described by the site’s correspondent as a “stylish action game” with “a witch battling angels”. Apparently she has guns on her feet.
• A science-fiction RPG for the DS called Infinite Line, where you play as a starship captain, customising your ship and crew.
• A Wii game called MadWorld. ...it’s, “Black and white Sin City graphics, with red blood. Ultra ultra violent. Fatality moves like shoving a post through someone’s head. Chainsaw on your right arm.”

Wow! Three games — make that, three Platinum Games games. The page we are sourcing has been taken down, and the developer hasn't yet issued an official statement on the company's site of its English language Facebook page announcing these titles. So we'll mark this as a rumor for now. A really, really cool sounding one. Stay tuned!
Trio Of Games [videogaming247]

Capcom's Sushi Muse?

ogood — Sat, 03 May 2008 10:00:00 MDT

So my day job (Frengo Corp.) is like, not even a block from Capcom supreme ~~world~~ U.S. command in San Mateo, Calif. And equidistant to us both is the above Trader Joe's grocery, which Californians know as a go-to stop for tasty lunchtime treats for not a lot of dough. I enjoy the barbecue chicken pinwheels, even if they do pack 53 percent of my RDA of fat.

But I was in there Thursday and I noticed something.

Hmmm. Okami sushi? Okami video game? Nah ... that's just a coincidence ... right? Okami means "one who is higher." And really, if one were to burn doobage, who wouldn't eschew the Funyuns and king size Almond Joy for a yummy party tray of sushi? (And $5.99 for 14 pieces is pretty slick for the non-high too.)

So, nah, no way, Capcom did its homework and totally did not get a video game title from a grocery's in-house sushi brand.

Wait, what's this? On the label, what the hell is that, an IGN watermark over the Okami title ...?!?!?!?!?!!!!!

Oh dammit, someone's gonna get FIRED.

Capcom Fuck Clover's Sad Panda Corpse [Updated]

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 01 May 2008 05:00:00 MDT

How does Okami director Hideki Kamiya feel about the Wii port? He's pretty bummed out! The Wii version has cut the staff end credits from the game, which was released in North America earlier this month. The original game was developed by now dissolved Capcom subsidiary Clover and ported by Daxter developer Ready at Dawn. According to Kamiya:

I really don't know what under pretext the credits were cut... What do you all think? I feel dejected, and not only because my own name has been erased from my creation. Of course we have pride in our work and we want to scream "We made this!" from the top of our lungs. But more than that, the fact that they cut the entire staff is utterly deplorable.

The reason for this is that the end credits were a pre-rendered movie that contained the Clover logo, and Capcom says it couldn't use that logo because of legal issues or something. With Clover gone, Kamiya no longer works for Capcom, but heads up his own Osaka-based studio called Platinum Games. Regardless, erasing the names of people who worked years on a game? That's what the kids call "shitty."

Kamiya on Credit [Platinum Games via Canned Dogs Thanks, Sarah!]

Eds Note: Oh! For those who are interested in reading the entire post (in English), Platinum Games has posted the official translation here.

You've Got IGN Watermarks On My Okami Strategy Guide

Luke Plunkett — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 01:30:00 MDT

Misery loves company! It's OK, Capcom. You weren't the only ones to leave an IGN watermark on your own Okami art. Bradygames left one on the cover of their Okami Wii strategy guide, too! What's even kookier is that the watermark appears in a different spot on the book's cover than on the game's cover, meaning it's not just a case of re-using the same art from Capcom's cover. Whoops. Wonder if they'll offer replacement dust covers?

[thanks Seth!]

Capcom Fix Okami's Cover, And Then Some

Luke Plunkett — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 20:20:00 MDT

So Capcom's artists swiped (swiped back?) some IGN-watermarked art and it made it onto the game's cover. Whoops. Oh well, everyone makes mistakes, right Capcom? What's important is not the mistake, but the fact the company are going out of their way to make amends. If you've already picked up a copy of the game that features the IGN watermark, and would like a replacement cover, visit this website and Capcom will send you a new one, free of charge. You even get a choice of covers: you can pick from the original, or from two snappy pieces of art (shown after the jump) cut and polished into "high quality" game covers.

Okami box art: now with 100% less IGN watermarks [Capcom]
Okami Cover Artwork Redemption [Capcom]

The Okami Art School, Only $39.99

Luke Plunkett — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 03:30:00 MDT

What happens when you need to put together an instructional video on how to play Okami on the Wii, and either budgetary restraints or international licensing rights mean your first choice for host - Dr. Steve Brule - isn't available? Easy. You get this guy to do his best Brule impersonation, and hope for the best.

IGN Watermark in Okami Cover Art

ogood — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 09:00:00 MDT

For a game that rides on artistic chops as much as Okami, this is a pretty bad F-up. Several of you mentioned that there is an IGN watermark on the box art picture. More or less, the background under the wolf was formed by a hi-res shot lifted from IGN's site.

Several readers tipped us, including Riven, who supplied images from NeoGAF. And Crecente just emailed to say, yup, it's on his box, too. Pictures after the jump.

I'm wondering if the designer Capcom hired couldn't get the hi-res originals from his own client, and googled them off of IGN? No idea, but this is some real stank on Capcom, at least for insiders.

Here is the cover. The IGN watermark is next to the dog's mouth. You have to squint.

Here's a blowup pointing it out.

And here is the picture apparently used to create the background.

Oopsie!
IGN Watermarks discussion [NeoGAF]

Let's Compare Okami Wii and PS2

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 21:00:24 MDT

Whether it's on the PS2 or the Wii, damn, this is a pretty game.

(We keep getting emails about either the game disc being wonk or the game being wonk. Any of you having issues?)

Okami Thank You Cards That GROW

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 02:00:49 MDT

Pre-ordered Okami Wii? You're in luck. Capcom is sending out handmade thank you cards with exclusive Okami stamps and made from recycled fibers and embedded with seeds to those who pre-ordered the game via the Capcom Store. You can plant these thank you cards and sage plants will grow! This is the thank you card that keeps on giving. Or growing, rather.
Thanks for the love [Capcom Blog]

Here, Have Some Okami Art

Luke Plunkett — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 06:00:00 MDT

Personal Story: I've been waiting over a year for my Japanese "Art Of Okami" book to ship. Don't think it's ever going to happen. In its place, though, I guess I can console myself with Okami Art, a nice little act of fan service put up by Capcom for lovers of all things art and Amaterasu. It amounts to having the gates to the game's press assets thrown open to the public, with some fan art and snazzy widescreen wallpapers tossed in for flavour. Seems simple, but serious fans lap this kinda stuff up. Classy move, Capcom.
[Okami Art]

Here's 64 Screenshots Of Okami On Wii

Luke Plunkett — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 21:40:00 MDT

Yeah, 64. I know, 6-12 is the norm, but hey, it's Okami, it's St Patricks Day, it's time to get a little crazy. While they won't settle the issue of whether the added waggle is a pro or a con, they at least settle something: unless you're cheating and playing it upscaled on a PS3, this will be better-looking than the PS2 version.

Ready at Dawn Boss Hates Gimmicks, Lurves PS3

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 06:00:37 MDT

Ready at Dawn doesn't pussyfoot around. So ask Ready at Dawn honcho Didier Malenfant who he thinks will win this generation, and damn skippy, dude will tell you: "PS3 will win this generation when all is said and done..." He added that Microsoft has made a "dent" and Nintendo is targeting a different market and isn't comparable. (Take that Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360!) So what does Malenfant think about the current state of gaming:

Every generation we get to hear the same BS as to how everything is going to be revolutionized and things that we thought never possible will now take place. And of course, there's a kernel of truth in that and the technology does get better with every new platform, but what I care about is good games, whether they're 'next-gen' or not. So, yeah, some of those things will happen and some of them might be cool or some might suck. But none of them make a game. No stupid gimmicks or marketing buzzwords will save a bad game.

Agree? Disagree? Discuss!
Ready at Dawn Interview [Next Gen] [Pic]

Okami On Wii Delayed

Luke Plunkett — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 22:30:00 MST

And here you all were thinking you'd be getting the Wii version of Okami on March 25. You're not. The game's been delayed a smidge, and instead of being ready in March now has an American release date of April 15. No reason was given for the delay, so feel free to come up with your own hair-brained plots involving aspect ratios and brushwork calibration below.
Wii Okami bumped to April 15 [GameSpot]

Okami's 16:9 On Wii Looks Just Lovely

Luke Plunkett — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 20:20:00 MST

In case you missed it previously, Ready At Dawn confirmed to us a little while ago that yes, contrary to earlier reports, Okami on Wii would be running in full 16:9, a move that'll have a lot of people who already own it on PS2 considering a re-purchase. Here's footage of what must be the final build of the game running and, well, there's not much more to say. It's one of the most beautiful games ever created, only now it's looking more beautiful.

Okami Wii Screens, Video

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 17:00:00 MST

Capcom have loosened the leash holding their Okami Wii assets back, and today have released a ton of screenshots for the upcoming port, along with some video footage. The video, which you can find after the jump, looks as lovely as you'd hope, so you might want to focus on it if the quality of screens leave you a little underwhelmed. Oh, and remember, while there's black bars along the sides in the screenshots, Ready At Dawn told us yesterday that the final, retail build of the game will feature "full" 16:9

Okami On Wii Controls Well, Only "Quasi-16:9" [UPDATE]

Luke Plunkett — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 06:20:00 MST

Last week, Capcom stated on their company store that Okami on Wii would be running at 16:9. Why is this important? Because the PS2 version did not, and if the Wii version did, it'd be a very valid reason for many to go out and buy the same game twice. Turns out that the game doesn't really run at 16:9, however. IGN sat down with it the other day and found it actually sports:

...a quasi-16:9 widescreen mode — we call it "quasi" because it's not full resolution; thin black bars remain on each side of the screen.

Ah well. On the bright side, they report that the use of the Wii Remote for celestial brushwork is like "night and day" compared to the PS2 version, with brushwork becoming faster, more accurate and easier to pull off. And in case you weren't already aware, the port's best feature is related neither to aspect ratio nor gameplay: you can now skip the game's cutscenes, which should make a second playthrough all the more enticing.
Hands-on Okami [IGN]

UPDATE - I'm done with this topic. The build IGN were playing on was, according to Ready At Dawn, an old one, and RaD president Didier Malenfant has promised us that the final, retail build of the game will feature "full 16:9". Case closed. Move along.

The 2D Okami We Should Be Getting, But Won't Be

Luke Plunkett — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 01:30:00 MST

We've got Okami on PS2, Okami on Wii...which should just about do us, I think. But hey, if you want to close your eyes and imagine an Okami DS (or even GBA), I'm not going to stop you. This might help! It's the work of 7even, one of the artists over at Pixeljoint, who for one of the site's weekly challenges took that awesome boss battle with the lightning sword and reimagined it as a 2D side-scroller. A 2D side-scroller that will now haunt me in my sleep.
Okami 2D mockup [Pixeljoint, via insert credit]

Okami Wii Still 4:3? Nope, 16:9 Confirmed!

Luke Plunkett — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 21:40:00 MST

Oh dear. In a listing for the upcoming Wii port of Okami on their company store, Capcom have posted a bunch of screenshots (the button prompts show it is indeed the Wii version). Tiny, tiny screenshots. Which are very, very concerning. With extra content out of the question, there were only two things that would set the Wii version apart from the PS2 one: Wii Remote brush control and 16:9. These screens look 4:3. A 4:3 game in 2008? Disappointing. So let's keep things optimistic and hope they're a cropping error, or are from an early build, shall we?
Okami Wii [Capcom Store, via Go Nintendo]

[UPDATE - Ah, blessed optimism. A product update on the very same page now shows that the game's been confirmed to support 16:9, 480p widescreen. I've never owned the same game twice before, but then, I'm not really one for tradition, either]

Okami Producer Weighs in on PS3 vs. Xbox 360

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 21:00:29 MST

Shinji Mikami, Resident Evil creator and current boss at Platinum Games (formerly Seeds, formerly Clover) has announced the start-up developer is going to get down to work. But on what? In a recently posted 1Up interview from last TGS (thanks for the leisurely update!), Platinum Games cohort and Okami producer Atsuhi Inaba (pictured) expresses interest in the Wii and DS. But what about the PS3 and Xbox 360? Inaba says:

So if it's a concept that will be matching the Japanese market, we're going to try to probably concentrate on the Japanese market, but of course the Western market is the biggest market now, so we are concerned about the Western market, and have the Western market in mind. We might even do some testing specifically in the Western market to create a game.... To be honest, if we're going to consider the Western market, we should be thinking of creating a game on the 360; however, the 360 is not doing that good in Japan, and we're a Japanese studio, so do we want to ignore Japan? And let's think about the European market. Well, is 360 doing good there? No. So OK, what about PS3? Well, how well the PS3 is doing is still kind of vague, you don't know where to go with PS3.

Multi-platform anyone? Seems to be suiting Inaba's former employer Capcom just fine. Inaba Profile [1Up via Go Nintendo via DS Fanboy] [Pic]

Nintendo Lays Out '08, Wii Fit, Mario Kart Wii Vaguely Dated

Michael McWhertor — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 14:40:00 MST

It appears there is life after Advance Wars: Days of Ruin, shipping next week to the squealing delight of Kotaku associate editors. Proving 2008 isn't all downhill from there, Nintendo of America today released a rough schedule of its software plan for the first half of this year for both the Nintendo DS and Wii, providing release windows for the announced-at-E3 '07 duo Wii Fit (Q2) and Mario Kart Wii (Spring). The Wii port of Okami also gets a date (March 25), as does the popular DS puzzle-adventure game Professor Layton and the Curious Village (February 10).

Shooter fans will be pleased as punch to see that D3 is bringing Treasure's Bangai-O Spirits stateside in the second quarter. Licensed shovelware aficionados have even more to look forward to in the full list, which occupies gobs of space after the jump. Give it up for Garfield Gets Real, people!

STRONG LINEUP OF GAMES CONTINUES NINTENDO'S MOMENTUM IN 2008

Bold 2007 Set the Stage for Broad 2008 Software Lineups for Wii and Nintendo DS

REDMOND, Wash., Jan. 16, 2008 - With their focus on fun for everyone, Nintendo's Wii™ and Nintendo DS™ systems are leading a new movement in the world of video games. Games based on brain exercises. ... New experiences that surprise even core gamers. ... Grandparents buying video game systems - for themselves! Surely, these are unprecedented times.

"The video game industry has never had so many new players, and they've never had so much fun," said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of sales & marketing. "Our momentum is not limited to one system or one game. We're going broad and bold in 2008, with something for every member of the family."

Nintendo DS and Wii finished as the No. 1 and No. 2 best-selling systems of the year, respectively. Nintendo continues its momentum into 2008 with a strong lineup of games. In the first half of 2008 alone, more than 65 new Wii games will add to the current library of more than 195 and 80 new Nintendo DS games will add to the current library of nearly 500. Nintendo DS opens the first half of the year with games that demonstrate the breadth of the Nintendo DS library. Advance Wars®: Days of Ruin is a treat aimed squarely at core gamers, while Crosswords DS™ is for all consumers, whether they currently play games or not.

Likewise, the first half of 2008 brings a diverse array of Wii games from Nintendo, including core games like Super Smash Bros.® Brawl; games with universal appeal for gamers old and new with Mario Kart® Wii, which uses the easy-to-pick-up Wii Wheel™; and Wii Fit™, which comes with the Wii Balance Board and has appeal for new consumers well beyond the traditional video game audience. On top of all that, new downloadable WiiWare™ games will make their debut. These unique games have much lower entry barriers for developers and let consumers enjoy an incredibly diverse selection of content.

Third-party publishers also continue their strong support for Wii and Nintendo DS. Some of the innovative Wii games for the first half of 2008 include Ninja Reflex from Electronic Arts, No More Heroes™ from Ubisoft, DeBlob from THQ, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed from LucasArts and Okami from Capcom, in addition to compelling Nintendo DS games like FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: Rings of Fate from Square Enix, Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword from Tecmo and Quick Yoga Training from Ubisoft.

The following is a partial list of Wii and Nintendo DS software for the first half of 2008. Note that details are subject to change.

Wii
Jan. 7: Kidz Sports Ice Hockey from Destineer
Jan. 8: Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law from Capcom
Jan. 15: SAMURAI WARRIORS: KATANA from KOEI CORPORATION
Jan. 15: Furu Furu Park from Majesco Entertainment
Jan. 21: Endless Ocean™ from Nintendo
Jan. 22: One Piece™: Unlimited Adventure™ from Namco Bandai Games America Inc.
Jan. 29: Bomberman Land from Hudson
January: No More Heroes™ from Ubisoft
January: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation™: Hard Evidence from Ubisoft
Feb. 8: Kawasaki Jet Ski from Destineer
Feb. 11: Go Diego Go!: Safari Rescue from 2K Play
Feb. 12: WWII Aces from Destineer
Feb. 12: Dream Pinball 3D from SouthPeak Games
Feb. 18: MX vs. ATV Untamed from THQ
Feb. 25: Agatha Christie And Then There Were None from DreamCatcher Games
Feb. 26: Baroque from Atlus USA
Feb. 26: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors from Square Enix
Feb. 27: Kidz Sports Soccer from Destineer
Feb. 27: London Taxi: Rush Hour from Destineer
February: Garfield® Gets Real from DSI Games
February: Yamaha Supercross from DSI Games
February: Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore from Konami
February: Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30™ from Ubisoft
February: BALLOON POP from UFO INTERACTIVE GAMES
March 3: Destroy All Humans: Big Willy Unleashed from THQ
March 9: Super Smash Bros.® Brawl from Nintendo
March 10: Worms: A Space Oddity from THQ
March 25: Okami from Capcom
March 25: OPOONA from KOEI CORPORATION
March: MiniCopter: Adventure Flight from Aksys Games
March: Alone in the Dark from Atari
March: Ninja Reflex from Electronic Arts
March: Obscure: The Aftermath from Ignition Entertainment
March: Target: Terror from Konami
March: Nitro Bike™ from Ubisoft
March: Emergency Heroes™ from Ubisoft
March: HEAVENLY GUARDIAN from UFO INTERACTIVE GAMES
March: Rebel Raiders from XS Games
April 15: Castle of Shikigami III from Aksys Games
April: Pro Evolution Soccer from Konami
April: Wild Earth: African Safari from Majesco Entertainment
April: THE MONKEY KING-THE LEGEND BEGINS from UFO INTERACTIVE GAMES
April: Super Pick Ups from XS Games
May 6: Speed Racer from Warner Bros. Games
May 13: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian from Disney Interactive Studios
May: BlastWorks: Build, Trade, Destroy from Majesco Entertainment
May: King of Fighters: The Orochi Saga from SNK Playmore
May: THE DOG Island™ from Ubisoft
June 8: Wonderworld Amusement Park from Majesco Entertainment
June: Catch of the Day from Electronic Arts
June: Ford Racing Off Road from Empire Interactive
June: Cooking Mama Cook Off 2 from Majesco Entertainment
June: Rygar: The Battle of Argus from Tecmo, Inc.
June: DeBlob from THQ
June: Wall-E from THQ
Spring: Mario Kart Wii with Wii Wheel from Nintendo
Spring: Major League Baseball® 2K8 from 2K Sports
Spring: Don King Presents: Prizefighter from 2K Sports
Spring: Top Spin 3 from 2K Sports
Spring: Kung Fu Panda from Activision
Spring: LEGO: Indiana Jones from LucasArts
Summer: Deca Sports from Hudson
Summer: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed from LucasArts
Summer: Active Life™: Outdoor Challenge™ from Namco Bandai Games America Inc.
Q2: Wii Fit from Nintendo

Nintendo DS
Jan. 21: Advance Wars: Days of Ruin from Nintendo/Intelligent Systems
Jan. 21: Mazes of Fate DS from Graffiti Entertainment, LLC
Jan. 22: Mega Brain Boost from Majesco Entertainment
Jan. 24: Aquarium by DS from Bold Games
Jan. 24: Fantasy Aquarium by DS from Bold Games
Jan. 29: Pet Pals: Animal Doctor from Majesco Entertainment
January: N+ from Atari
January: Barnyard Blast from DSI Games
January: Command & Destroy from DSI Games
January: Miami Nights: Singles in the City™ from Ubisoft
January: Brain Challenge™ from Ubisoft
Feb. 4: Paws & Claws: Pet Resort from THQ
Feb. 5: Homie Rollerz from Destineer
Feb. 5: Nanostray 2 from Majesco Entertainment
Feb. 10 (street date): Professor Layton and the Curious Village™ from Nintendo/LEVEL-5
Feb. 12: Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney from Capcom
Feb. 12: New Zealand Story Revolution from Ignition Entertainment
Feb. 12: Dream Pinball 3D from SouthPeak Games
Feb. 19: Spitfire Heroes: Tales of the RAF from Destineer
Feb. 19: Zoo Tycoon II from THQ
Feb. 25: Bratz: Super Babyz from THQ
Feb. 26: Bubble Bobble Double Shot from Ignition Entertainment
February: My Horse and Me from Atari
February: M&M'S® Kart Racing from DSI Games
February: Garfield® Gets Real from DSI Games
February: Yamaha Supercross from DSI Games
February: Insecticide from Gamecock Media Group
February: Anno™ 1701: Dawn of Discovery from Ubisoft
February: Assassin's Creed Altair's Chronicles™ from Ubisoft
February: Petz® Wild Animals: Tigerz from Ubisoft
February: Puppy Palace™ from Ubisoft
February: Real Soccer® 2008 from Ubisoft
March 1: Project Exile from Graffiti Entertainment, LLC
March 3: Let's Ride: Friends Forever from THQ
March 4: Diary Girl from Konami
March 4: Go Pets from Konami
March 4: Disney Friends from Disney Interactive Studios
March 4: Eco-Creatures: Save the Forest from Majesco Entertainment
March 8: Plushees from Destineer
March 8: River King: Mystic Valley from Natsume Inc.
March 8: Harvest Moon DS Cute from Natsume Inc.
March 11: FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: Rings of Fate from Square Enix
March 11: Lost in Blue 3 from Konami
March 11: Pro Evolution Soccer from Konami
March 25: Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword from Tecmo, Inc.
March: Alone in the Dark from Atari
March: Drone Tactics from Atlus USA
March: Double Sequence from DSI Games
March: Ninja Reflex from Electronic Arts
March: Myst from Empire Interactive
March: Naruto™: Ninja Destiny from Tomy Corporation
March: Petz® Bunnyz™ from Ubisoft
March: Imagine™ Figure Skater from Ubisoft
March: Commando from XS Games
April 15: Teenage Zombies: Invasion of the Alien Brain Thingys from Ignition Entertainment
April: Super Dodgeball Brawlers from Aksys Games
April: Rondo of Swords from Atlus USA
April: Quick Yoga Training from Ubisoft
May 5: Crosswords DS from Nintendo
May 6: Speed Racer from Warner Bros. Games
May 8: Organize It from Summitsoft Corporation
May 13: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian from Disney Interactive Studios
May: Winx Club: Mission Enchantix from Konami
May: Jake Hunter: Detective Chronicles from Aksys Games
May: Garfield® Fun Fest from DSI Games
May: 1 vs. 100 from DSI Games
June 8: Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness from Natsume Inc.
June: Shining Stars® from DSI Games
June: Catch of the Day from Electronic Arts
June: PipeMania from Empire Interactive
June: Wall-E from THQ
Spring: Sid Meier's Civilization® Revolution™ from 2K Games
Spring: Don King Presents: Prizefighter from 2K Sports
Spring: Top Spin 3 from 2K Sports
Spring: Kung Fu Panda from Activision
Spring: LEGO: Indiana Jones from LucasArts
Spring: The World Ends with You from Square Enix
Summer: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed from LucasArts
Summer: Tamagotchi Connection®: Corner Shop® 3 from Namco Bandai Games America Inc.
Q2: Bangai-O Spirits from D3 Publisher of America
Q2: PREY THE STARS from KOEI CORPORATION
Q2: Pokemon® Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time from Nintendo
Q2: Pokemon® Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness from Nintendo

About Nintendo: The worldwide innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™, Nintendo DS™, Game Boy® Advance and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. Since 1983, Nintendo has sold nearly 2.5 billion video games and more than 430 million hardware units globally, and has created industry icons like Mario™, Donkey Kong®, Metroid®, Zelda™ and Pokémon®. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, visit the company's Web site at www.nintendo.com.

Playstation Universe PS3 Themes

fdemarco — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 13:00:00 MST

If you're looking to give your PS3 a pleasing new theme and are too lazy to make one yourself, Playstation Universe has a veritable treasure trove of user created themes for you to download. Just launched yesterday, PSUs theme section is already quite robust with eight pages worth of various themes ranging from Silent Hill to Okami. So, if the Classy Pink theme isn't quite your thing you're sure to find something here to strike your fancy.

PS3 Themes [Playstation Universe]

PS2 Turns Seven

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 07:00:28 MDT

Still kicking ass and taking names. Today marks the North American birthday of the PlayStation 2. Back on October 26, 2000, the PS2 first went on sale and would break the record for the fatest console to hit 100 million units shipped. So far, there have been 120 million PS2s sold worldwide. That's a lot. In fact, it's the most as the PS2 is the best-selling game console ever. Says SCEA's Peter Dille:

Never before has an in-home game system experienced this type of worldwide success on such a long-lasting scale... PlayStation 2 is a perfect example of our ten year product lifecycle promise and is a testament to the design and technology that continues to be at the core of the product. While today's anniversary celebrates PlayStation 2's past, we're very excited for its future.

Throughout the holidays and up to March next year, 160 new games will be released, adding to the PS2's library of 1,400 titles. Today, might be a good day to dust off your PS2 (forget PS3 BC for once!) and play your favorite PlayStation 2 game. Me, I think I'll go with some Okami. You?
PS2 Birthday [Games Industry]
Pic via gamecakes.com

Handy Capcom Gamers Day Wrap Up

Michael McWhertor — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 19:40:00 MDT

There was enough Capcom news to fill a megaton sized shipping crate, including the announcement of Street Fighter IV, Bionic Commando and a Wii port of Okami. GameTrailers has a handy wrap up on everything that went down during the company's London Gamers Day, including an update on when we can expect more on Resident Evil 5.

Okami Wii Confirmed

Mike Fahey — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 09:20:14 MDT

Luke Plunkett can finally rest easy as the game that brought us the most horrific fursuit of all time has been confirmed as coming to the Nintendo Wii in 2008. Capcom has made an official announcement at their event in London, as reported by the folks at Eurogamer. This gives me a chance to finally finish the game on the system that almost seems like it was custom designed around the celestial paintbrush mechanic. Along with the painting, combat will also feature motion-controlled attacks. I hope you all enjoyed the PS2 test run - Okami is finally coming home.

Okami confirmed for Wii [Eurogamer]

Okami Wii Port Rumors Return

Michael McWhertor — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 18:20:23 MDT

Is there yet another Capcom megaton announcement coming? Possibly if we believe French gaming site—that we've never heard of until today—Jeux Actu's report that Okami has been "confirmed on Wii." Given that news from Capcom's London Gamer's Day, including revelations that Street Fighter IV, Dark Void and a PLAYSTATION 3 port of Lost Planet were all en route, we won't blink at an announcement that Capcom is bringing Okami to the Wii.

The game has long been rumored to come to Nintendo's platform and while Capcom's Keiji Inafune didn't outright deny the port of Clover's beautiful adventure game, no confirmation has come our way.

Reaction to the rumor hasn't been 100% positive, however. When reached for comment, Okami superfan Luke Plunkett of Australia said "I hate the internet." Regardless of the tiring roller coaster of emotions, we thank you for your tips on the matter.

Okami confirmé sur Wii [Jeux Actu]

Seeds Gets Craptastic New Name

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 23:00:27 MDT

Clover Studios was Capcom's boutique team behind game innovative games like Okami and God Hand. What's more, Clover is a pretty nice name! When things soured with Capcom, the studio was shuttered and producer Atsushi Inaba, Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami and Devil May Cry creator Hideki Kamiya formed SEEDS. It was Clover reborn, and likewise it also had a cool name. The emphasis here is had. Over on the SEEDS official website, there is a notice that Seeds is apparently merging with ~~IT company ODD Solutions~~ ODD Corporation to form, brace yourself, Platinum Games. Yes, PLATINUM GAMES. The website says something like:

On October 1, 2007, SEEDS Corporation will merge with ODD Corporation to create "Platinum Games," which will be a fresh step forward.

More like a step backwards, amirite? Clover went from SEEDS to what sounds like a shitty PC game maker. And merging with a company called "ODD"? Strange! Any name would be better than Platinum Games — hell, they should've called this start up Earth. Ungh.

Seeds [Official Site]

Eds Note: As pointed out on forum NeoGAF, the ODD Corporation linked above (ODD Solutions) might not be what SEEDS is merging with. SEEDS is merging with a company called ODD Corporation, but info about that company is scant.

Okami Snags Questionably Coveted Edge Award

Michael McWhertor — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 16:20:53 MDT

At the fifth annual Edinburgh Interactive Festival, which runs today and tomorrow, the winner of the EIF Edge Award was announced, with Clover Studios' PlayStation 2 epic Okami nabbing the prize. I assume that title is something along the lines of "Best Game of 2007" or "Exceptional Achievement in Game Design" but it may be dryly appropriate, simply "Winner of the Edge Award."

The action adventure title beat out Nintendo's import-only Bit Generation series and Wii Sports, Canis Canem Edit (nee Bully), Dead Rising, DEFCON, Final Fantasy XII and Test Drive Unlimited to take the honor.

Fantastic! Now we've confirmed that just about everyone, everywhere loves the hell out of Okami. Please leave your "Where is the Wii/PS3/Xbox 360 port?" comment in the textarea field below.

Okami wins Edge award [Gamespot]

'Vision Doesn't Sell Games'

Maggie Greene — Sun, 13 May 2007 13:30:08 MDT

From this week's Escapist, a rather sobering look at the 'demise of Clover Studios.' Everyone claims they want new, different, innovative games, but somehow a studio like Clover that produced Viewtiful Joe 2, God Hand and Okami can't stay afloat. The author points out that for a "scrappy independent developer," selling hundreds of thousands of copies would be quite the achievement, but for a division of Capcom it was a "stinging disappointment."

In a post-shutdown interview, [Clover CEO Atsushi] Inaba reflected, "I think that it is becoming almost 'impossible' for an original game to succeed financially. This can't be blamed on anyone, but it's a simple fact that an original game doesn't appeal to the majority of gamers."

Despite tons of essays, blog posts, and whining to the contrary, it would seem that while people like the idea of new and innovative, when push comes to shove, they don't want to plunk down the cold, hard cash - which is the real shame about Clover, because they delivered on their mission of creating innovative and different games. While studios are a business, and in today's world if you don't make money you can expect to be shuttered, it is especially depressing when put next to all the high-minded talk of innovation and creativity. Maggie Greene

Vision Doesn't Sell Copies: The short life of Clover Studios [The Escapist]

Link Wolf Furry Horror!

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 15:40:57 MDT

While I don't normally make a habit of trolling the fursuit LiveJournal group, it seems I'll have to make a point to do so in the future. Not that I lean toward furry fetishism, mind you, it's just that in my quest to inflict mental pain on the Kotaku readership, a plushy costume designed on Link's wolf-form from The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess is just what the internal sadist ordered.

There are tons of shots of the (admittedly impressive, yet ultimately disturbing) suit at Fatkraken's LiveJournal. While the creator makes apologies for reusing bits of the also impressive Amaterasu (Okami, y'all) outfit, we're going to need a formal "sorry" for the linked video of shaking god-wolf ass to JT at some anime con. Enjoy your little slice of furry hell, kids!

Thanks, I think, Cheryl. Michael McWhertor

Link, he come to town [LiveJournal]

Okami, The Music CD

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 03:00:13 MDT

Capcom's gone soundtrack silly! First, a Dead Rising cd is announced and a piano arrangement of Okami tunes, which will be available for online reservation starting March 30th. The album includes ten songs arranged by pianist Mika Matsuura. Can't wait for that Lost Planet: Extreme Chamber Music cd! Brian Ashcraft

Okami Music [Famitsu]

GDC07: Capcom's Inafune Slams Clover Producer

Michael McWhertor — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 17:40:01 MST

In a session with Capcom R&D head Keiji Inafune, the creator responsible for games like Dead Rising, Lost Planet and Mega Man, the topic turned to the recently closed Clover Studios. Session moderator N'Gai Croal asked Inafune about Clover's gorgeous financial underperformers Okami and Viewtiful Joe.

He was about as blunt as one could be. Here's the Q&A.

When you looked over the games that came from Clover Studios, why do you think that audiences didn't respond to those games, Okami and Viewtiful Joe in particular, which got excellent reviews?
Perhaps I might get into trouble if I say this in front of people from the mass media. Games are not a work of art. It's actually a product. If we think of it as a work of art, then... when we think about Picasso and Van Gogh's paintings, the end result is beauty, so it doesn't matter if you sell it or not. However for games, it's a product. It is a commodity. The producer has to think about that.

Okami and Viewtiful Joe, I think, are wonderful games and because they are wonderful games I think, the job of the director was fantastic. But the producer didn't do his work. The producers work is to make the team make good games and then sell those games. The producer has to do the promotion. They have to think about the promotion. The producer has to take those good games and think about how to deliver it to as many users as possible. Certainly to get good reviews is part of his job. However, the producer has to make sure the game sells [on par with the review]. I think the producer dropped the ball there. Capcom said they would do it, but Clover said "Oh, we'll do it ourselves." And I think this was a failure.

Great directors may exist in great numbers, however, if you don't have a good producer it won't lead to sales. And I think this Clover Studios example is a really good example of that.

Daaaamn! Who knew Keiji could be so harsh? Let's hope Clover producer Atsushi Inaba has better sales success at his new venture Seeds. Michael McWhertor

PocketGamer: Give Us These DS Games... NOW!

fdemarco — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 10:00:00 MST

U.K. games website, PocketGamer, has posted a great list of games that they would like to see come to the Nintendo DS. I have to say the list is pretty dead on, especially in picking games that would take advantage of the DS's touch screen and control scheme. A few standouts on the list include Mario Paint, Okami, Marble Madness and a collection of Lucas Arts Games.

Okami might be a bit of a stretch, but a Lucas Arts collection with Monkey Island and especially Maniac Mansion would be sweet. I won't ruin the whole list for you, but instead point you to PocketGamer's site so you can check it out for yourself. If you have any genius ideas on old games that would make perfect ports to the DS, tell us about em in the comments. Come on, you know you want to. Flynn De Marco

DS Most Wanted: 10 games we demand NOW! [PocketGamer]

Unseen 64's Unreleased And Beta Archives

Michael McWhertor — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 16:20:24 MST

Geist Force. Mario 128. Frame City Killer. Nico. Project Berkley. Too Human. Thrill Kill. Donkey Kong's Fun With Music.

If you've been following gaming for a while, you'll recognize many of those names, knowing that many of them never saw the light of day or were in development for so long, console generations came and went without a release. If you're looking to wax nostalgiac on dozens of games that never made it past the alpha stage, you may want to spend some time over at Unseen 64.

In addition to a slew of unfinished, unrealized sequels and fresh franchises are games that underwent massive design changes. Sneak a peek at Okami's photorealistic style, House of the Dead III's cel shaded look, Rez's half-dozen art direction attempts, or the abandoned Resident Evil 1.5. Wonder to yourself "Whatever happened to that game?" Michael McWhertor

Unseen 64 - Videogames Unseen, Unreleased & Beta Archive!

Blind Item: What Clover Is Doing Now (And With Whom)

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 06:40:05 MST

Eds Note: "Blind Items" will appear occasionally for gossip and rumors. Hit up the comments section for conjecture and speculation.

Kotaku Pointing Fish says that former Clover honcho and Okami producer Atsushi Inaba is hard at work in his new studio, which is located in the Umeda area of Osaka. The up-start has even hooked up with a company that is, and the Kotaku Pointing Fish quotes, "flushed with cash." Hmm, flushed with cash? Okay, guess away! And keep in mind that Inaba's co-hort Shinji Mikami had a fit with Resident Evil appeared on the PlayStation 2. Brian Ashcraft

In Search of Okami Tattoo Guy

Brian Crecente — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 09:18:07 MST

Hey hairy-calved Okami-loving Kotaku reader, this message is for you. A certain gaming magazine dedicated to the Playstation-scene would love to show-off your glistening-shaved calve and the wonderful Okami tat located thereupon. Please make yourself known to us editor types so we can hook the two of you up.

You know, the more I stare at that thing, the more I agree with McWhertor, it does inspire a gag reflex. Brian Crecente

Okami Art Book Comes Stateside

Michael McWhertor — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 19:40:35 MST

Just last month we wrote briefly about the collected art works of Clover Studios' Okami, then lamented that it was a Japanese only release, making an import of the book an expensive ordeal.

Now, thanks to the eagle eyed shoppers at NeoGAF, we know that Capcom and Udon Entertainment will be publishing it stateside, translated into English. From the Amazon product description:

Okami is one of the newest Capcom action games boasting a very unique art style, heavily inspired by Japanese watercolor painting. The Okami Official Complete Works art book will take you behind the scenes to the amazing artwork that defines the wonderful world of this beautiful video game! The 288 full color pages are filled with character and location designs, concept sketches and production notes from the creators giving you an in-depth look at the fantasy world of Okami! A truly inspiring book, translated into English for the first time!

And only $40! Cheap! Michael McWhertor

Okami Official Complete Works (Paperback) [via NeoGAF]
Okami Art Collected For Your Benefit [Kotaku]