This concept was inspired by a book Kamiya read in college, as well as the works of photographer and environmental activist Jim Brandenburg.
“Initially, Okami was conceived as a game where the player becomes the leader of a wolf pack on a deserted island and has to survive in the wild. Gradually, the project evolved into a concept where the player is granted the power of gods capable of controlling everything in this world. That is how the idea with the brush came about, and the game itself was named Okami.”
In the early stages of development, Okami lacked a well-defined storyline and gameplay system. A photorealistic visual style was planned for the game, which stood in stark contrast to the later concept inspired by traditional Japanese watercolor art.
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Cover art author: Capcom. Cover art source: Mynintendonews