When I first started talking about it with [producer Atsushi] Inaba, the only starting point we had for Okami was a game that depicted a lot of nature,” he told Famitsu. “I couldn’t say ‘I don’t know if this’ll be fun or not’ because than nobody on the dev team would be enthusiastic about it, so instead I was like ‘This is gonna be great! I know it will!’ So eventually the discussion shifted to a wolf running around, and we made this minute-long video depicting a wolf running through a field and trees sprouting up behind him and I told the team ‘See, isn’t that neat?’”

There was no story at the time and no gameplay system. There was an original concept — depicting the splendour of nature.

“Our first test run was incredibly boring to play,” he continued. “I was grinding my teeth at night, I was so worried. At one point, we were so far off-track that it had turned into a simulation game — you had hexes and trees sprouted on them. It was total garbage. A couple of devs said to me afterwards ‘Something was definitely wrong with you around that time, Kamiya!’”

Read more in the link below.

Platinum Games’ Kamiya Reflects on Bayonetta, Okami [1Up]

Groups of gamers were escorted into the area by booth companions and seated at small tables holding copies of the DS game. As a group made their way to a table, cherry blossoms fell from the ceiling onto and around a faux cherry blossom tree in a back corner. In another corner, over-sized, stuffed versions of the wolf-like Chibiterasu and the child Kuninushi, central characters in the game, overlooked the play sessions.

The demo session opened with a short introduction that explained the gameplay and controls and then moved Chibiterasu, with the child on his back, into an area made up of a chain of grass covered plateaus.

The top DS screen showed gameplay, while the bottom showed a map. I used the DS’ direction pad to move around and the face buttons to interact with object and jump.

The biggest selling point of the game is the ability to use the DS stylus as the “celestial brush” found in both the Playstation 2 original and Wii port of Okami. In the DS game, players hold the left or right buttons on the portable to turn the bottom touchscreen into a canvas of sorts depicting where you are. You can then interact with some objects using the brush.

For instance, I was able to draw the missing pieces of a bridge using the stylus, slash rocks in half and, later, open a portal by restoring a portrait.

The game’s use of the stylus and touchscreen make the DS a perfect platform for the game’s drawing-heavy sequel. The graphics didn’t pop as much as I would have liked, but the hand-drawn look makes up for some of the lack of texture.

I would have loved to spend more time with the game, though it appears it’s headed down the right path so far.

That last Okamiden trailer wasn’t really a trailer. It was a short clip from Capcom’s TGS website. But this, this is a proper trailer.

I was initially sceptical of the game being on DS, but you know, that looks good.

Look at him! My heart melts just thinking about looking at him. Or her. Probably, her, actually, but until we get a good “rolling on its back” shot, the jury’s still out.

The above cuteness is courtesy of a new set of screenshots and artwork from the latest issue of Famitsu, which you can snuggle up to below.

As predicted by 7-Eleven, your source for Japanese game news leaks, the new issue of Famitsu does feature an article on a new Okami game called Okamiden. That’s a snapshot of the article, right there.

Earlier this month, a mysterious (well, now less mysterious) Capcom trademark for “Okamiden” surface.

Okami was developed by Capcom subsidiary Clover Studios, which as since been dissolved. The lead designer and producer founded Platinum Games and are now putting the finishing touches on Bayonetta.

The one player adventure game is scheduled for 2010.

Thanks Amy for the tip!

Those who order the game via Capcom’s online store will get this adorable, ceramic cell phone strap. First come, first served.

Okamiden is thought to be a sequel to PS2 game Okami.

As game site Siliconera points out, 7-Eleven previously pointed out that Hideo Kojima’s cloud teaser site was connected to Metal Gear Solid before the revealing issue of Famitsu went on sale.

The circled text is 大神伝　or “Okamiden”.

In Japan, 7-Eleven may not have Slurpees, but it does have game news leaks! Boy, would I ever like a Slurpee.

セブンアンドワイ – 雑誌 – 週刊ファミ通　2009年9月17日号 [7-Eleven via Siliconera] [Pic]

A Capcom trademark has popped up online for “Okamiden” (大神伝) or “The Legend of Okami”. With Capcom have Western developer porting Okami over to the Wii back in 2008 and given the company’s pencant for sequels, this could very well be another Okami — one that won’t likely be designed by Okami creator Hideaki Kamiya, who has since left Capcom and now heads up Platinum Games.

Then again, it could be something else entirely.

Siliconera » Is Okamiden A New Okami Game?

Poor Okami. So loved! So under-bought. Today’s your chance to turn a little bit of love into a little bit of impulse buying, then, with Capcom having an Okami firesale in the company store.

The Wii version? US$20. The PS2 version? US$20. At that price, if you haven’t played it, you probably should, because $20 is in the “oh, I’ll at least give it a try” range.

Yes, it’s a lot like Zelda, and yes, it does like to prattle on (and on and on and on…), but hey, its gorgeous. And unique. And $20.

We’d probably recommend the PS2 version, which although lacking in widescreen, is a bit easier to control (that and if you’ve got a backwards compatible PS3 it looks scrumptious).

Okami for the Wii and PS2 now $20 at Capcom Store [Capcom]