I can't believe there's no thread about this game ^^ this has got to be the most japanese game ever that's reached the modern public.
The story draws from japanese legends and folklore, and applies them all into a challenging, visually stunning and impressive game. There's so much here; Amaterasu is the main character, in the shape of a white wolf; the legend of Orochi the eight-headed serpent is here, the tale about the nine-tailed fox Kitsune, the one-inch-boy Issun-boshi, the twelve japanese zodiac animals, Otohime, the daughter of the dragon king who lives underwater, even stuff like the tongue-cut sparrow and references to the bamboo cutter. There's much more that I can't quite think of.
The aestethics of the game is strictly japanese; the graphics are cel-shaded in the style of old japanese paintings (not anime), the music uses classical japanese instruments. This game is, along with Devil May Cry, the best PS2 game I've played. I checked out Gamefaqs, and no review at all has given it less than 8 (most are 9's, some are 10's).
Anyone else who has played it? Your opinions?
Some images:
Cherry blossom tree.
Fighting an enemy.
Kamiki village.
Random art.