I just checked the site, which has been updated from the last time I looked at it. There is a voice commands section in the bottom right (things like charge, rally, advance). It also says the microphone is included with the game.

Odama, meet Okami.

With the whole paint-brush thing, I'm surprised they're not making a DS version - it would be perfect.

Crappy game meet Great game. (based on reviews since I haven't played either)

That wasn't my point. He was getting the two mixed up.

Apparently so, sorry

Arrrgh!

This was supposed to come out next week, but now it's been pushed back to the fucking fall.

What the hell? Why are these video game release strategies so retarded?

There's gonna be a shit-load of games coming out in the fall and it's sure to get lost in the shuffle of bigger profile games. It's ready to be released, and it would do well in the summer, because it'd have no competition. But, no, they have to wait to make it a viable Christmas gift or some bullshit like that...

This is EGM's game of the month, scoring a 9.0, 9.5, 9.0.

Looks amazing.

1up.com has a nice multipart preview series ongoing that they are updating each day this week.

http://www.1up.com/do/minisite?cId=3152793&did=1

Game looks great. I'll probably have to put it on the backburner though, as the EGM review notes it's around 40 hours and I just dont' have time to invest in that long of games until I get through my 2nd (and final, thank god) PH D comp exam next June.

PSM just reviewed it. Another 9.5 (though NOT GOTM, thanks to FF XII getting the same score). This game looks amazing and I'm really excited about picking it up.

40 hours? There is no way the game needs to be that long.

Why not? The game has a RPG-element to it, so why not extend the experience out? If it's as fun as they say, I'm willing to invest the time in it.

Both reviews describe the game as "Zelda-like". Having not played the console Zelda games, I'm not sure what that means. I have played Dark Cloud 2, Beyond Good & Evil and both Kingdom Hearts games and they've all been described that way as well (though they're different sorts of games). I take it to be Zelda-like is to have an exploratory quest with real-time action, RPG elements and a lock-on system during combat. Am I right there?

been looking forward to this game

http://ps2.ign.com/articles/725/725493p1.html

I haven't purchased a console game since GOW came out and now there is some possible gaming goodness coming out within a short time span that has my attention

Okami
Lego Star Wars II
NHL2K7
Final Fantasy XII

I'll at least rent this. It looks like it could be really good. The art/colour style is amazing in itself.

I have never played a 40-hour game that couldn't have benefitted from significant editing. RPG's are, IMO, the worst offender in this regard. I'll put more than 40 hours into games, but it's not my opinion that the epic, narrative-heavy games ever have enough unique content to justify their length. Anyway, I'm in the minority on the length issue - I thought RE4 was at least twice as long as it should've been.

Hey, you're entitled to your opinion. Still, I wonder what Freud would say....

The wait for this game is killing me!

http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ps2/okami

Gathering of reviews from a load of sources. Looks like the A to A- ratings is just about universal. Can't wait for this, because it looks all sorts of spectacular.

I have a feeling that this one could end up as my GotY.

I'll have to wait until FFXII hits the streets, but I'm feeling the same way you are.

Anyone else try the demo yet? It came today in OPM. It's very cool, but VERY Japanese. Not sure how it'll be accepted by mainstream America. Let me just say that painting with the brush is harder than it looks in the demos. It's easy to overempphasise brush strokes and press too hard. Most of my work looks like a Kindergartener's (but I'm not very artistic in real life either). Anyway, the game looks amazing and has real potential. I'll be curious to see how the game turns out and I'll certainly be picking this one up soon.

Too bad the PS2 doesn't have a stylus like the DS. This game would be rad with that.

The designer of the game addresses both that and the Wii in the new EGM. He says that neither would have been right because "the game doesn't just center around the brushstrookes. It's actually an action game, so having that controller response is more critical than the actual brush system. We specifically devised the brush system to work on the PS2's DualShock controller".

Thanks for the quote. That's very interesting and sounds promising.

Can't wait to get my hands on this in a few days!