The story begins in familiar territory – a look back at a dark time in the world and the heroic deeds needed to set things right. By the end of the opening scene, it's clear that dark times are here again, and this time you'll be the one facing the monster: Orochi. The main character is the sun god Amaterasu, who takes the form of a wolf with some very interesting habits.

You and the sun god are starting off considerably under powered from her last appearance. You'll have to work to regain a lot of her powers, and you'll do it through good deeds, which build faith among the people.

In game terms, that means you'll be running around a landscape littered with boxes and pots and chests that need opening and bashing so you can find the goodies within (coins); beating up random demons that spring up along your path; and saving villages, people and, soon, larger areas of Japan from the bad guys. The more you progress, the more faith people will have in you, which translates to experience.

For the journey, Amaterasu is joined by a tiny friend named Issun. He's not shy and does all the talking because, well, you're a wolf. It's interesting that Issun doesn’t know exactly what's going on. Early in the game, he seems to think Ammy (his abbreviation for your name) is just another wolf. Issun's perspective, at least for a while, mirrors that of the player as he slowly discovers that something big is happening.

Beyond the more typical abilities one might expect from a god/wolf – jumping, barking, charging – Amaterasu will slowly regain her Celestial Brush powers. The Celestial Brush is, literally, a giant paintbrush used to affect the real world. Powers include the ability to draw things in the real world – bridges, pathways, almost anything – and attack, using a slashing motion like a sword. It can even change day to night, among a host of other abilities, all of which are powered by ink bottles you'll find along the way.

To use the Brush, click one of the shoulder buttons and the screen changes to resemble a piece of parchment. The action freezes and you're free to draw what's appropriate. In the case of puzzle solving, the solution is often relatively simple – draw a bridge or whatever you need to complete the next step. But you might also use the brush to slash enemies in half, which is a lot more efficient than biting them.

So far, Okami lists like a fairly original take on a classic adventure game. But the visual impact of the art style and execution has to been seen to be appreciated, and it vaults the game into its own category. The entire game resembles water colors on parchment, with sometimes muted tones and indefinite boundary lines to everything, including the characters. Amaterasu is a sun god so, of course, everywhere she goes she brings life and vegetation. When you land after a jump, blades of grass and flowers spring up at your feet. And they move naturally, as if they're painted in real time. That's just one example of what is, without doubt, one of the most impressive looking games of recent years. Even if you don't like the choice of style, Okami is a gorgeous game that looks better the more you play.

The sound isn't quite as impressive, but it gets better as the game goes on, too. There is no spoken dialogue, it's all presented in text, even during cut scenes. While the dialogue appears, the characters' speech is represented by what can best be described as a mix between Japanese mumbling and the sound adults made in the old Peanuts cartoons. The first impression is, frankly, annoying. But it grows on you through it's simplicity. The style also makes it easier to suspend disbelief during a game in which wolves talk to monsters in a watercolor painting. In short, it wouldn't work in any other game but it fits with the rest of the presentation in Okami.

If there are drawbacks, it’s the fact that Okami is quite linear and relatively easy. The map shows a journey from point A to B, and the resistance along the way, particularly once you become master of the brush, is less than daunting. It's a game that's meant to be experienced more than played.

Many games try to look like Okami and, unfortunately, a lot of them seem alike. But this one offers more than eastern art for the sake of pleasing those who prefer it. It's a compelling, unique experience that can be appreciated by just about anyone.