"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 new project remain scarce. In a recent interview with IGN, project leads shed some light on what to expect, confirming that the "Ōkami sequel" is indeed a direct follow-up to the events of the original game.

Capcom producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi emphasized that the sequel is a "continuation of the story that we saw in the original game." When questioned about the presence of the great god Amaterasu in the trailer shown at The Game Awards, director Hideki Kamiya playfully responded with "I wonder...", only for Hirabayashi to confirm Amaterasu's involvement shortly after.

While fans might not be surprised by this news, there has been considerable speculation about how the sequel will handle its lineage from the original Ōkami. It's worth noting that Ōkamiden, a Nintendo DS game featuring Amaterasu's child Chibiterasu, already serves as a sequel. However, Ōkamiden received mixed reviews, partly due to its platform and the absence of key members from the original team, including Kamiya.

When asked about Ōkamiden and its potential acknowledgment in the new sequel, Hirabayashi responded thoughtfully:

"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 itself sets the stage for a sequel. Without revealing too much, the conclusion sees Amaterasu and another character embarking on a new journey to unexplored territories, leaving ample opportunity for fresh challenges and developments for both Amaterasu and other key characters.

Unfortunately, fans will have to wait a while for more concrete details. The team confirmed during the interview that the Ōkami sequel is still in its very early stages of development. The early announcement was driven by the team's excitement, but as Hirabayashi noted, "It might take a little bit of time before we might talk again."

For those eager to learn more, you can read our full interview with the leads of the Ōkami sequel [ttpp]right here[ttpp].