It's been a very long time indeed for Okami to arrive on our shores. Originally there were previews running on this game two years ago and it was starting to look like it would be in development indefinitely. Early screenshots and information only served to whet everyone's appetite and the hope was that this game would come out on time and not get lost in the noise surrounding the PS3 launch in March. It released in 2006 in Japan to critical acclaim and so I was very excited when I got home to boot it up on my PS2. But would it have been worth the wait? Oh yes, my friends, it was!

You play the role of Amaterasu, the Sun God, who materialises in the mortal land of Nippon as a white wolf. Teamed up with your friend, a small green bug by the name of Issun, you have to combat an eight-headed dragon-like demon called Orochi and save the inhabitants of Nippon. Years before, you did this very same thing and fought the demon away, but it has reappeared and this time it's bigger, badder and seriously pissed off. To defeat this sizable foe you have to travel through Nippon, using your godly powers to reinvigorate the land and rescue its scared inhabitants.

Your powers are controlled by an awesome and completely innovative control method that sees you using a mystical brush, by way of the analog stick, to solve puzzles and take on enemies as you play through the game. In total there are fifteen different brush moves that you can use, each with a different ability, including repairing broken bridges, slicing down your enemies, painting lily pads so you can cross vast swathes of swampland, dashing rocks into pieces and many, many more. It's very easy to use as well; for example, to break a rock in two you move the analog stick to run a line of paint across the middle of the rock and then the rock shatters onscreen exactly how you painted it.

It's such a great concept and the variety of ways you can use the brush is so innovative that it's truly one of the biggest selling points of this title. It's something you haven't seen before - and in this day and age where new gaming ideas are scarce, it's so refreshing. It's also tied beautifully into the core gameplay of Okami, which involves solving puzzles, hacking down evil hordes of enemies and restoring peace and harmony to land of Nippon. As you travel about there're also many characters to meet, each of which adds to the compelling storyline. Surprisingly as well, the characters you meet add hugely to the story and some of the things they say may even bring a wry smile to your face; the script is spot on and it feels very much like you're watching an intricate and thoroughly engaging animated movie.

There's also so much to do, with literally hundreds of little quests to go off and busy yourself with on top of the main plot of the game. If you want to get through the game as quick as possible then you're looking at a very respectable fifteen to twenty hours, but with all the side quests you could notch this up to a good thirty hours. This is genius and how all games should be; not all of us want to have to trudge through thirty hours of gameplay, particularly those of us with busy lives, but for those who really want to immerse ourselves, Okami has got that covered too. Perfect.

And now to the biggest part. If you've not examined any screenshots of Okami yet, please take a good look NOW! This game is absolutely stunning and I would go so far as to say it's one of the best, if not the best looking game I've ever seen. Inspired by ancient Japanese watercolour paintings, the cel-shaded visuals create a sumptuous animated world of mystical beasts, haunting forests, rolling vast hills and choppy seas. You'll find yourself stopping as you play and wishing that you could save that screenshot, print it up and hang it above your bed. The character animations across the board are exceptional, particularly those of your own character, Amaterasu the wolf. You'll see her snarl at nearby enemies, tear across the landscape with her claws or, if you leave her still for long enough, take a quick kip before the next piece of breakneck action. She also controls beautifully and can run, leap and rip her way across the screen to your delight.

Playing Okami I really was genuinely unaware that a PlayStation 2 could create such visuals, and if this title is a sign of things to come then the PS2 can keep on going way after its successor hits its pace. Similarly the score and sound effects are equally as magnificent as the visuals; Okami is very, very Japanese, so there's lots of strumming on those strange little three-stringed guitars. It's even more impressive if you've got a great sound system, as the music draws you into this mystical land, so you get the impression that you're almost contributing to a work of art, just as much as you are playing a stunning video game.

As I said before, there is a huge amount to do in the game. Luckily it really does ease you into the action, giving you a great introduction to controlling your character and her godly powers. The enemies start off very easy and then get progressively harder so there're no hideous shocks early on and you don't find yourself up against an enemy much more advanced than yourself. In no time at all you'll be leaping about to your heart's content and lopping down demon after demon. Okami also features some of the coolest and most epic boss fights you've ever come across; these take the form of an endurance test but also require you to solve intricate puzzles along the way to defeating these gargantuan foes. Thanks to the tight control system this is never a problem but rather a complete joy throughout.

All in all, after playing this game I'm speechless. You've got to hand it to the good old PS2; just as the PS3 is coming out, the PS2 is producing some of the finest games ever seen. With Canis Canem Edit receiving huge plaudits, Okami now rewriting the action puzzle genre and God of War 2 and Final Fantasy XII still to come, the PS2 is reinforcing itself once more as a serious contender, even against the likes of next-gen platforms such as the Xbox 360. Okami, I must say, is exceptional in every single way; an absolute thrill to play and astonishingly creative, it's instantly become one of my favourite games of all time and I absolutely insist that you buy a copy. If you buy one game this year, please, please, please make it Okami!!!

Reviewed by Ross Alexander for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).