Okage: Shadow King’s unique style and outrageous dialogue are only hampered by the slow-paced battle system.
Okage easily sets itself apart from other RPG’s with its eclectic style and humorous dialogue. Stan often pops up to torment Ari or other party members which devolves into arguments. And though this game is appropriate for children, dialogue option between Ari and party members pack enough humor to appeal to any age group.
The music is wide ranging and well chosen. The game’s introductory screen plays a fast bagpipe ditty while other areas may have ominous trumpet music or perhaps a parade march, all appropriate for the mood. Many of the tunes are catchy and you risk humming them later on.
Graphically, Okage is perfectly coordinated to the style. The scenes are usually brightly colored and well detailed. The building and character models are unique with simple shapes and bizarre designs, though all well fitting to the game. Monsters are equally goofy-looking and often consist of animate plants, vegetables, furniture, and a fair share of irate wildlife.
Okage’s downfall lies in its battle system. Since the goal is to regain all of Stan’s power, Ari cannot be allowed to die at any point. Should he fall in battle, the game ends. This can be extremely frustrating since enemies attack in groups rather than individually. Hence fighting a large group of enemies can result in instant death for Ari if they all attack him at the same time. Otherwise the battle system is the same as other RPG’s with special abilities (consuming LP (group magic points) or hit points), items, or normal attacks. Rather than random encounters, Okage spawns ghosts which chase you around and despawn after a while. You can avoid the ghosts, but the longer you do the faster and more powerful they become. This can be frustrating at the end of the game when you return to a lower level area and are eventually unable to avoid a fight. Battles are also extremely slow paced, drawing out the length of the game by a significant amount.
With patience, Okage: Shadow King is a unique and rewarding experience for any RPG aficionado.