Kamiya originally wanted realistic graphics for Okami, was a simulation game at one point
Nintendo’s new Wonderful 101 Iwata Asks talk is filled with juicy tidbits about director Hideki Kamiya’s past and the projects he worked on. Okami was among the games discussed, and Kamiya was more than willing to share a number of interesting details.
During the design process, Kamiya originally wanted to implement super realistic graphics for Okami. It was, interestingly, a simulation title at one point. Players would build houses and fields – far from the Zelda-type gameplay that made it into the final product.
Coming up with good ideas was initially difficult, Kamiya told Iwata. But things started to fall into place when Kamiya and the rest of the staff took a three day vacation, sat in a room, and tried producing ideas. One developer said, “Since Amaterasu is a god she can do anything, right?” That’s when it all started to click. The line of thinking shifted from “What can we do?” to “We can do anything.”
