10 Dumb Video Game Mechanics We Should've Hated

It's not surprising Okami sold badly despite being hailed as the gold standard of gaming. Considering this water-coloured, cel-shaded, Japanese folktale centres around a divine wolf called Amaterasu, Okami was difficult to market from Day 1.

But what really made Okami a hard sell is the painting mechanic. Whether the player is exploring, fighting, or performing a puzzle, they'll need to constantly use the Celestial Paintbrush. By making certain gestures, Amaterasu can create bridges, turn night into day, and slash targets with this godly instrument.

To the casual gamer, this sounds like a pretty weird mechanic. And since the gameplay pauses every time this artistic tool is whipped out, it seems like the gameplay will get tedious quickly.

However, the painting's importance cannot be overstated. With a flick of the wrist, the player can control time, restore broken objects, and control the elements. Having this much power at the player's disposal makes them feel like a god, (which is fitting, since Amaterasu is a deity). The player is immersed in every action they perform, since the controls require astounding precision.

Okami has only improved with age, since advances in motion controls have made the paintbrush mechanics more fluid, clear-cut, and enjoyable.