In Okami, players take on the role of Amaterasu, the Japanese sun goddess who inhabits the form of a legendary white wolf Shiranui in an effort to defeat Orochi, an eight-headed demon and tyrannical monster responsible for turning the world into a ruined wasteland.

Players must use Amaterasu's magical abilities and arsenal of items, attacks, and Celestial Brush techniques to restore the land of Nippon to its former glory, full of life and color. Along the way, Amaterasu will be called upon to assist a cast of quirky and interesting characters and defeat a host of brutal enemies to rid the land of Orochi's curse.