Okami

Okami is a 2006 action-adventure developed by Clover Studio for the PlayStation 2, drawing on Japanese mythology and folklore to cast the player as the sun goddess Amaterasu, in the form of a white wolf, on a quest to restore life and color to a land cursed by the eight-headed serpent Orochi.

Its most striking feature is the Celestial Brush, which pauses the action so players can paint shapes directly onto the screen to trigger effects, such as slashing enemies with a stroke, mending broken bridges, growing trees, or summoning wind and sunlight to solve puzzles. Structurally reminiscent of classic Zelda adventures, the game is rendered in a gorgeous sumi-e ink-wash art style that gives it a timeless, storybook look.

A critical darling that sold modestly at first, Okami became a treasured cult classic and once held a record as the most critically acclaimed video game. It has been remastered in high definition for modern platforms, so its beauty is readily available to new audiences today.