Waiting to talk about this one has been hard--very hard.  I had pretty much given up on the idea of another Okami game, so when I heard about this, and then saw it in action, I just about lost it. 

Okamiden is everything I was hoping for, and has the "adorable" dial amped up way beyond safe levels.  Like most portable games, this looks even better in your hands than just by staring at a video, so if you don't hate joy, do yourself a favor and check this out at your first opportunity.

Okami and Monster Hunter pulled down two prestigious 2009 CEDEC awards. The awards are particularly interesting, because they are voted on by the Japanese development community itself, and because any game is eligible, meaning titles released in the past can still win (presumably because awesome isn't less awesome, just because it wasn't in this calendar year).

The first-place awards went to Okami for Visual Arts, and to Monster Hunter Freedom for Game Design. W00t!

Hit the jump for the full release (photo via andriasang)

Capcom’s Okami and Monster Hunter Freedom
Development Teams receive top honors at CEDEC AWARDS.

Capcom Co., Ltd. (Capcom) is pleased to announce that the hit titles “Okami” and “Monster Hunter Freedom” have received the highest award in the Visual Arts and Game Design categories at the CEDEC AWARDS (sponsored by the Computer Entertainment Suppliers Association). The awards were announced at the CESA Developers Conference 2009 (CEDEC 2009) held from September 1st to 3rd.

“Okami” is a nature-themed action game in which the hero takes on the form of a wolf named Amaterasu and does battle with ghouls and ghosts in order to restore nature’s beauty to a devastated world. It delivers an audacious visual interpretation of nature and animals, rich and beautiful, rendered in a vivid Japanese-style through unique design techniques that do not rely on tone shaders. Since its release in 2006, Okami has garnered numerous awards, and continues to expand the possibilities of visual artwork within a game with the scheduled all-new October 2009 release of Okami for the Wii®.

“Monster Hunter Freedom” is an action game in which the player takes on huge monsters in a magnificent natural world. It makes use of the special characteristics of handheld gaming devices, allowing people to gather, communicate and enjoy playing together. This virtue of Monster Hunter Freedom has created an all-new style of communication, embraced by millions of people since the game’s 2005 release. The Wii title “Monster Hunter Tri”, released in August 2009, is the latest addition to the Monster Hunter Series, and given the series’ huge following, is quickly gaining traction to be the first third-party Wii title to hit the million-seller status in Japan.

Capcom is thoroughly committed to the creation of bold and unique games that are full of character. With a focus on creating original titles, Capcom strives to maintain a competitive edge in a market on the verge of a bona-fide penetration period for next-generation consoles.

【Prize Awarded and Product Details】
Visual Arts Category: First Prize
1. Title    Okami
2. Genre    Nature Adventure
3. Platform    PlayStation®2
4. Release Date    April 20th, 2006

 

Game Design Category: First Prize
1. Title    Monster Hunter Freedom
2. Genre    Hunting Action
3. Platform    PSP® (PlayStation®Portable)
4. Release Date    December 1st, 2005

In the internet's continuing quest to educate you about some of the most glorious new oddballs in gaming, IGN has some totally awesome TvC character profiles up this week for succulent succubus Morrigan, gun-slinging dating aid Saki, toy-genius Yatterman, and the oft-exploded Doronjo.

Check them all out (and the accompanying gameplay vids!) out here.

They said this game would never even be released in the West, and now Tatsunoko Vs Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars is not only coming, it just picked up the "Best Fighting Game" from 1UP!  Rock!

Check it out, and don't forget, you can actually preorder the game RIGHT NOW.

We had a chance to talk with Gamespot's inimitable Ricardo Torres for the first look at the delightfully awesome Tatsunoko Vs Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars. 

The article has a bunch of good info and some great gameplay videos (never underestimate my Ken the Eagle!  Never!), so check it out.

Also take special note of this:

The most interesting factor in Tatsunoko's US conversion is Capcom's approach to determining how to handle content in the US game. Given the success and general positive reaction to the fan community's feedback throughout Street Fighter IV's development, the publisher is keeping its ear to the ground to hear what its community would like to see in the US version of the game. Obviously not everything that's going to get asked will make it in, we're still going to suggest that the entire Darkstalkers cast be added anyway, but, considering the impact community feedback had on Street Fighter IV, this is a unique opportunity for fans to make themselves heard.

Word!  This release was made possible with your support, and we've gotten a lot of great feedback already, but be sure to tell us your thoughts.