For every CoD or Dark Souls wannabe that is released into the ever-growing sea of live service and pay-to-win titles; there is always hope for something new, something fresh, or something original to break through the waves and have its moment in the spotlight. Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is one such title, developed by Capcom.
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess calls itself an action-strategy, but it’s way more than that. This game is a breath of fresh air in an often lifeless gaming world.
Strategy First
The core of the game is simple, really. You tackle three different phases of play to secure victory. But, it’s how these three core pillars are delivered that really gets its hooks into you.
The first phase is preparation, the second phase is a battle of clashing swords and demons, and the third phase is a rebuilding phase. Then, you do it all again.
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In Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess, your job is to banish an army evil spirits named the ‘Seethe’. You purge and cleanse each and every village as you venture down the legendary Mt. Kafuku. Your overall goal to bring peace to the land, but there’s a lot of killing to do first.
Towering Ambition
Of course, there is more to the tale, but the overriding core is that simple. The game blends third-person perspective, hack and slash gameplay seamlessly with real-time strategy and tower defence elements.
You play as Soh – a sort of mystical ninja who is tasked to protect a divine maiden, named Yoshiro. Yoshiro’s job is to wield magic that can cleanse the corrupt areas, so keeping her safe is vital.
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But you’re not alone in this quest. Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess allows you to recruit locals that you save during your journey. Once save, yon can give them one of eleven roles. These range from Woodcutter to Archer, lending it a 4X feel at times.
Archers can then be placed around the battle area to help you slay the evil spirits’ forces. Or, you can have them dig in around Yoshiro as a final line of defence. There are some fittingly impactful choices to be made before and during battle. And these give the game a nice extra layer of variability and depth.
Balanced Brainwork
This brain-heavy strategy system is underlined by a complex and well-tuned economy. Even with the most frugal and careful play, you will find money too tight to mention at times. This financial struggle only adds to the challenge and the subsequent satisfaction of victory.
Missions come in two main flavours, the old village purge ‘n cleanse, and boss battles. Boss battles are a simpler strategic affair, playing like a pitched set-piece battle. You have a set number of troops and battle evermore hellish demons while Yoshiro does her thing.
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The boss battles help to keep things fresh on the challenge front. The set rules and playsets force you to use different strategies to overcome them. Often your own personal strategy that has freed dozens of villages will need to thrown out the window in order to beat the more streamlined boss events.
Plus, each level is not afraid to throw you a curve ball from time to time, like fighting in the dark or having Soh unable to fight, leaving him only as a commander.
Delayed Variation
Oddly, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess doesn’t give you access to all the toys right off the bat. And, as such, Soh can seem a little limited early on. However, once you have put in a bit of graft, you’ll unlock a skill tree.
The skill tree adds massively to his utility, granting new combos, commands and attacks. But you’ll not see this side of the game unless you do a bit of leg work. It might be a slog for a few of you to make the 6th village, the part of the game where Soh’s progression really opens up.
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While this delay in Soh’s utility is an odd choice, it is an understandable one. The first few missions will see you rely on your command of troops and placement of defences. An overpowered Soh might prevent a player from honing their tactical skills.
It must be noted that some of the more handier unit commands are locked behind the skill tree. This decision is one I can’t really understand given the game’s desire to teach the strategic and tactical side to the game early on.
World Rebuilder
When not fighting the Seethe, you’ll rebuild the villages you free. Each successful restoration grants you bonuses and items, like Talismen. The powers and upgrades granted by the collectibles are indeed impactful.
However, the hoops you are made jump through to use them takes the shine off. That said, it is nice to walk through your villages, petting a few animals and talking to the villagers.
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Visually, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is stunning. The authentic traditional Japanese art style bleeds through its core. The villages, our heroes, and the Seethe themselves all look like they are lifted from cultural relevant paintings. The soundtrack also helps set the tone and mood perfectly moment to moment.
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is a brave title for Capcom. The game brings something totally new to the table, and does so in a bold style. Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is fresh and enjoyable title that delivers that experimental and artistic quality that Capcom were known for back in their golden age.
The game is a glorious mix of hack-and-slash action, with a heavy mix of other genres which come together to create a bit of a perfect storm.