With it's unique style and immersive story, Okami proves to be a fabulous game for any adventure lover.
However, as prevalent as the similarities are, Okami stands out completely as it's own game. The style alone sets it apart from most games. Having never played the original PS2 version, even for the Wii the graphics feel fresh and full of color and movement. Very little seems to be lacking. The colors are vibrant and the visuals are really quite breathtaking. When you restore the Guardian Saplings to life and whole areas regain their colors and natural beauty, the cutscenes can be really beautiful. The calligraphic style seems a natural fit for the Wii, especially when it comes to using the brush.
It took me a while to get the hang of using the brush. Sometimes it seems that the controls are a little non-responsive, you have to draw the line exactly at the right place, and at the right time, or the circle has to be just right, or the technique won't work. However, out of the battles and situations I have come across so far, it hasn't been too much of a hassle except for when I died twice trying to play baseball with possessed trees. The brush techniques for me make it hard to envision the game for the PS2, it seems so natural to actually draw the strokes on the screen.
As far as story, the characters are interesting, and the story is very well laid out. You are Amaratsu, or Ammy, a goddess awakened in the form of a white wolf, set with the task of ridding the Nippon territory of an ancient evil. It's happened before, but the people have lost faith, so you have to do some things to help them out so that you can awaken the other gods to add to your power, and rid the territories of the curse that plagues them so that the Guardian Saplings can be restored to bloom and protect the lands. Your counterpart is annoying little bug named Issun, who is like Midna and Navi combined - really tiny, glowy, talks a lot and loves to insult you, but pretty much knows everything and will stop to let you know what's going on if you don't.
The game so far feels pretty easy. The combat isn't difficult once you get the hang of using the brush. Your tasks are pretty much spelled out for you, either Issun or your map will show you exactly what needs to be done or discovered before you can move on to the next area/task. And each time you learn a new brush technique, new areas and secrets open up to you to gain items or complete small tasks.
Overall, if you like Zelda, you'll love Okami. If you played it on PS2, you'll love it on the Wii. If you like adventure games at all, you'll like it. It's worth playing for just about anyone.