"Ōkami 2: Direct Sequel in Early Development"

The announcement of a sequel to the beloved adventure game Ōkami at The Game Awards last year sparked widespread excitement among fans, though details about the game remain scarce. In a recent interview with IGN, project leads provided some insights, confirming that the "Ōkami sequel" is indeed a direct continuation of the original game's story.

Capcom producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi affirmed that the new game picks up where the first left off. When asked about the presence of the great god Amaterasu in the trailer shown at The Game Awards, director Hideki Kamiya playfully responded with "I wonder..." before Hirabayashi confirmed Amaterasu's return.

While this confirmation may not surprise fans, there has been much speculation about how the sequel would address the legacy of Ōkami. Notably, there is already a sequel, Ōkamiden, released for the Nintendo DS, which follows Amaterasu's child, Chibiterasu, and includes several characters from the original. However, Ōkamiden received mixed reviews, partly due to its platform and the absence of key original team members like Kamiya.

When questioned about Ōkamiden and its potential acknowledgment in the new sequel, Hirabayashi acknowledged the game's fanbase and the varied feedback it received. He stated, "We know that there are fans out there that like the game, of course. And we also know the feedback on the game out there, of how the story was taken and now how perhaps parts of the story weren’t aligning with what people were expecting. With that, we also have the sequel now that, as we explained before, is a continuation from the story of the original base Ōkami. That's how we're going to phrase it."

The ending of Ōkami naturally sets the stage for a sequel, as it shows Amaterasu and another character embarking on a new journey to an unexplored location, leaving ample room for new challenges and developments.

Unfortunately, fans will have to wait for more details, as the team revealed that the Ōkami sequel is still in its very early stages of development. Hirabayashi noted, "It might take a little bit of time before we might talk again," indicating that the early announcement was driven by the team's excitement rather than readiness to share more.

For those eager to learn more, the full interview with the leads of the Ōkami sequel is available [ttpp].