Okami (oh my).

A little over three years ago, I bought a PS2. This was pretty much with the express intention of getting Okami when it came out.

Today, it arrived in the post. A lot can happen in three years, but it's good to know that I am still the sort of idiot manchild that can get very, very excited about a game in which you play a Japanese sun God, taken the form of a wolf.

It basically takes the Zelda-style gain attribute/open new area model, and puts an RPG-lite levelling system on top of it. If you've played any of the 3D Zelda games, you'll be right at home. One of the genuinely original ideas in the game is also one of the best, however.

You can pause the game at any point and draw directly onto the background, creating swordstrokes, changing the time of day, causing the environment to bloom, and so on. You can even incorporate this into combat, which is welcome.

The presentation is stunning. When the level is strongly back-lit, you can see the grain of the paper the whole game is taking place on. There are thick, strong lines around each character. It's cel-shading, but possibly the best yet. The music is wonderful.

Along with Shadow of the Collosus, this is one of the few games that makes owning a PS2 worthwhile.