Everything We Learned About Okami 2 From Our Exclusive Interview With its Creators

Our recent trip to Osaka, Japan, allowed us the privilege of an in-depth two-hour interview with the creative minds behind the much-anticipated sequel to Okami. We had the chance to discuss the project's future with Clover's director Hideki Kamiya, Capcom producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi, and Machine Head Works producer Kiyohiko Sakata. They shared insights into the development of the Okami sequel, its origins, and what fans can look forward to.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time during the interview and believe you will too, whether you choose to watch it or read the transcript, available in full right here. For those of you eager for the key takeaways, we've summarized the most exciting aspects that Okami enthusiasts will find particularly interesting:

The Okami sequel is being crafted using the RE Engine

The most significant revelation from our conversation was that Capcom's RE Engine is powering the development of the Okami sequel. For a deeper dive into this topic, check out our extended article. Essentially, the RE Engine was chosen for its ability to bring to life elements of the original Okami vision that were previously unachievable due to technological limitations. However, not everyone at Clover has experience with this engine, which is where their partner, Machine Head Works, steps in.

Mystery ex-Platinum developers are contributing, courtesy of Machine Head Works

Rumors have circulated about talent leaving PlatinumGames, including key figures who worked on the original Okami. When we directly asked about the involvement of developers like Shinji Mikami, Abebe Tinari, or Takahisa Taura, Kamiya hinted at some ex-Platinum and ex-Capcom individuals collaborating on the project through Machine Head Works, though specifics were not disclosed.

Capcom has been eager to develop an Okami sequel for some time

Despite the initial underwhelming sales of the original Okami, Capcom has been considering a sequel due to the game's growing popularity with each new platform release. As producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi mentioned, "needed to have certain key people in place," and it took time for everything to come together. Now, with Kamiya and Machine Head Works on board, the project is finally taking shape.

This is indeed a direct sequel

With the announcement of an "Okami sequel," there was some uncertainty about what that meant exactly. Hirabayashi and Kamiya clarified that this is a true continuation, picking up directly from where the first game ended, leaving ample room for further storytelling.

And yes, that is Amaterasu in the trailer

The iconic character Amaterasu, known as the origin of all that is good and the mother to us all, is confirmed to appear in the sequel's trailer.

Okamiden... exists

The Nintendo DS follow-up, Okamiden, certainly has its place, but Capcom acknowledges that it didn't meet everyone's expectations. Hirabayashi noted, "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."

Okami 2 Game Awards Teaser Screenshots

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Hideki Kamiya reads your social media posts about Okami

It's no surprise that Hideki Kamiya is active on social media, and he confirmed during our interview that he pays attention to fans' expectations for the sequel. However, he emphasized that the goal is not to create a game based solely on fan requests but to deliver an enjoyable experience that aligns with those expectations. Kamiya stated, "Our work, of course, is not to create the game that people request of us, to create the exact copy of what people want from us. But we are working hard to achieve a game that achieves the fun that people are expecting of this Ōkami sequel. I have an idea of what I want to create. And I have no plans of throwing away the user's expectation of the games, but I always want to make the best game possible."

Rei Kondoh composed the song for the Okami sequel trailer at TGAs

Rei Kondoh, renowned for his work on games like Bayonetta, Dragon's Dogma, Resident Evil, and Fire Emblem, and who contributed to the original Okami's soundtrack, including the iconic "Rising Sun" final boss theme, has confirmed his involvement in arranging the song featured in the Okami sequel trailer at The Game Awards. This suggests his likely return to compose for the sequel's soundtrack.

The Okami sequel is very, very early in development still

The team announced the sequel early out of enthusiasm, but they urge fans to remain patient. Hirabayashi noted, "Faster isn't always the best. We will not give up quality for speed, but do know that we will not drag our feet for this title. It's something that we will put our efforts into." Both Hirabayashi and Sakata hinted that it might be a while before we hear more about the Okami sequel. Sakata added, "It might be some time before we get to meet each other again. But do know that this project is made by staff who love this series, still love this IP, and they're working very, very hard to create it. And we're working our hardest to make something that aligns with everyone's expectations."

For the complete experience, you can revisit our full interview with the leads of the Ōkami sequel right here.