Ōkami 2: Direct Sequel in Early Development

The excitement surrounding the announcement of a sequel to the beloved adventure game Ōkami at last year's The Game Awards was palpable among fans. However, details about the new game have been scarce—until now. In a recent interview with IGN, project leads provided some insights, confirming that the "Ōkami sequel" is indeed a direct follow-up to the original game's storyline.

Capcom producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi affirmed that the sequel continues the narrative from the original Ōkami. When questioned about the presence of the great god Amaterasu in the trailer shown at The Game Awards, director Hideki Kamiya teased with a cryptic "I wonder..." before Hirabayashi confirmed Amaterasu's appearance.

While fans might not be surprised by this news, speculation has been rife about how the sequel will handle the legacy of its predecessor. It's worth noting that a sequel already exists in the form of Ōkamiden, a Nintendo DS game featuring Amaterasu's offspring, Chibiterasu, and several characters from the original. However, Ōkamiden received mixed reviews, partly due to its DS release and the absence of key original team members, including Kamiya.

When asked about Ōkamiden and its potential recognition 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 the original Ōkami sets the stage for a sequel by showing Amaterasu and another character embarking on a new journey, leaving ample room for fresh challenges and narratives.

Unfortunately, fans will need to remain patient, as the Ōkami sequel is still in very early development. The team's decision to announce it prematurely stems from their excitement, but as Hirabayashi noted, "It might take a little bit of time before we might talk again."

For those eager to delve deeper, the full interview with the leads of the Ōkami sequel is available to watch right here.