A strategy action game like no other

You never know if something will become a cult classic until it already is, but if there is a prime candidate for 2024, it is Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the GoddessDeveloped and published by Capcom, Kunitsu Gami is the kind of experiment that would have been less surprising from a major studio twenty years ago. It is announced as “Kagura Action Strategy Game,” and its mix of hack-and-slash action and interesting tower defense tactics is unique enough to bring exclusivity to the genre.

Kunitsu Gami has a lot to cover, so it never gets too lost in the details of the plot, instead limiting itself to a sparse but evocative silent narrative. The game takes place on Mount Kafuku, a mountain covered in doom and plagued by monsters known as Seethe that burst forth from the traditional torii gates. The protagonist Soh accompanies the virgin Yoshiro every day and defends her every night from the Seethewhich allowed her to cleanse the mountains village by village, hoping to ultimately eradicate corruption at its source.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess

The charm of Kunitsu-Gami outshines all its flaws.

Per

• The unique design is unlike anything else on the market
• A clever presentation creates excitement
• The core gameplay is a strength

Disadvantages

• Resource management is sometimes a bit poor
• Can sometimes feel like a tedious slog

Every day preparing for survival at night

A central gameplay loop with a focus on balance

In essence, Kunitsu Gami is a game about compromise. Taking the central mechanic of clearing a path for Yoshiro as an example, the cost is paid in crystals, which can alternatively be used to upgrade villagers into different classes for defense. There is also a lot to consider in positioning, as it is not as simple as getting them as far as possible every day. Some setups are more defensible than others, and surviving an extra night while advancing through a village may be better than leaving them in a vulnerable position.

Kunitsu GamiThe daily preparation process is a hectic jumping back and forth from task to taskand it’s not always easy to have everything in place when night falls. Soh can personally rescue villagers, harvest crystals, and claim unique rewards for thoroughly cleaning an area. When delegating, Soh can task villagers with developing new areas, assign a builder to repair defenses like barriers and cannons, or hire thieves to uncover buried resource chests.

The first nights in Kunitsu Gami do not pose a serious threat, but as the game progresses, survival becomes more and more determined by hectic damage control. Each class of villager contributes a different value.from ascetics who can slow the Seethe’s progress to wizards who can unleash devastating attacks with exceptionally long development times. Yoh can specialize in several personal skills with significant power, but using them without careful consideration more or less guarantees that Yoshiro will be overwhelmed at the most inopportune moment.

At its best, guiding Yoshiro to each goal is a nerve-wracking gauntlet that culminates in a uniquely satisfying feeling of victory. Although the game marks each day and night to avoid too many unnecessary regressions, there is a risk of losing progress and the chaotic nature of the gameplay can make failures infuriating. Some levels feel a little exhausting due to their length, but the basic dynamics of the build-up generally keep things moving along at a reasonable pace, and some levels shake up the core concepts in a fun way.

Kunitsu-Gami has a few other distractions

Boss fights and village repairs have their charm

Kunitsu GamiThe primary gameplay loop of is broken up by two other forms of entertainment – ​​boss battles and village building. Boss battles trade many tower defense elements for more traditional showdowns where there are random extra bodies to throw around. Although inflicting a break status on bosses can get boring, Each major opponent brings a nice selection of interesting moves (and fun musical surprises).

Village building is largely mindless, and mainly consists of Yoh assigning predetermined repair tasks to groups of villagers and reporting back when they are finished. From a gameplay perspective, the larger function of villages is to provide Yoh with a place to make upgrades for the villagers and himself. Upgrades are another example of Kunitsu GamiThe focus is on resource allocation and trade-offs, and deciding whether to give the Shaman a little more power or unlock another ability for Yoh can be difficult.

Exceptional presentation lets Kunitsu-Gami shine

Masterfully crafted from top to bottom

More than anything else, Kunitsu Gami‘s villages work is the game’s incredible care for the presentation. The tent where upgrades are handled presents them through a physical array of items, moving almost entirely away from the monotonous standard of flipping through menus. It also houses a couple of entirely superfluous features – sweet desserts that can be placed in front of the Maiden, and Emaki scrolls that beautifully depict scenes from each level. These things aren’t entirely necessary, which is a big part of what makes their inclusion so enjoyable.

From the intricate enemy designs to the Ema plaques detailing Yokai stories, every model and every prop in Kunitsu Gami feels like a labor of love. The dedication to a consistent aesthetic can mean that many levels and enemies look similar at first glance, but thanks to fantastic animation work and a wealth of bespoke detail, it’s rarely that difficult to tell things apart at any given time. A lot of thought has also clearly gone into making every action and choice feel quick and responsive, breathing extra life into the more mundane aspects of Kunitsu Gami otherwise it could prove tiring.

Final thoughts and evaluation

4/5 – “Excellent” according to Screen Rants Review Metric

Kunitsu Gami is not for everyone and even for those who find it enticing, the gameplay loop might become boring at some point. But it’s hard not to love something so creative, especially when its seemingly disparate gameplay elements are so cleverly combined with a consistent and engaging style.. There may be hundreds of fluid action games with more sophisticated combos and hundreds of strategy titles with deeper mechanics, but there is only one Kunitsu Gami: Path of the Goddessand that makes it worth a lot more than many of these games ever will be.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess

With Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, Capcom returns to Japanese fantasy/mythology. As a warrior who leads and protects his goddess, players climb her sacred mountain and try to free their home from demonic creatures known as Seethe. In fast-paced action battles in environments inspired by Japanese folklore, players must take on the role of a warrior who leads and protects his goddess.

Platform(s)

PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S

Approved

July 19, 2024