Kunitsu-Gami: Path Of The Goddess Review - Danse Macabre

As someone who has spent countless hours immersed in the world of video games, I can confidently say that Kunitsu-Gami has left a lasting impression on me. The game’s unique blend of genres, including tower defense and RPG elements, kept me engaged from start to finish.

Initially, Kunitsu-Gami: Path Of The Goddess appears to be a real-life version of the spinning plates metaphor. In each level, you encounter various supernatural issues that need addressing, such as cleansing corruption, saving villagers, constructing defensive structures, and battling hordes of grotesque demons. All these tasks aim to support a divine maiden in her mission to heal Mt. Kafuku from a pestilence. The unique gameplay mechanics that facilitate these objectives result in a memorable gaming experience this year.

In Kunitsu-Gami, you are continuously put to the test, both physically and mentally, to protect the maiden from decay. The game challenges your combat skills, quick thinking, and adaptability. While there are occasional tedious tasks, they don’t significantly detract from the overall enjoyable experience of sword fighting and vanquishing demons. Kunitsu-Gami represents a fresh and well-executed addition to Capcom’s collection of intellectual properties, featuring an engaging gameplay mechanism.

In this fresh journey, you assume the role of Soh, a loyal samurai guardian, who is committed to safeguarding Yoshiro, a revered deity residing on Mt. Kafuku. Unfortunately, their tranquil abode has been breached by the Seethe, an ominous horde of supernatural beings. This malevolent force has brought a grotesque contagion, known as “defilement,” which has spread rampantly across the land. Your responsibility is to escort Yoshiro from one town to another on the mountain, ensuring her safety at all times, while she eradicates this defilement once and for all.

From the get-go, the strong Japanese cultural imprint is evident in this game. The ornate costumes, authentic dances, and music selection capture your attention right away. It’s as if we’re living a tale straight out of Japanese mythology. Remarkably, the game manages to convey this atmosphere with minimal dialogue. Instead, the characters’ actions on the screen draw you in, which is quite an accomplishment.

Instead of prioritizing the narrative arc, Kunitsu-Gami focuses more on the core gameplay experience. Consequently, the storyline may not be as engaging or impactful. However, the compelling gameplay mechanism and the irresistible urge to progress to the next level effectively overshadow this drawback.

In every new chapter, Yoshiro and Soh initiate from opposite ends of the stage, with a decaying Torii gate and a blackened path leading the way. This route signifies the means to cleanse the gate, ultimately reviving the entire area. The day-night cycle introduces two captivating gameplay phases, each presenting unique challenges.

In the daytime, explore the region and save villagers trapped in decay. By purging contaminated areas and uprooting small plants bordering the paths, you collect crystals as rewards. These crystals serve two purposes: they help Yoshiro navigate through the decay by clearing a path, and they allow you to assign tasks to rescued villagers. Once all decay is eliminated from a location, a shrine emerges, granting a reward.

Starting a new stage comes with numerous pressure-filled choices to make before launching your first attack. Is it wiser to invest precious crystals in fortifying the villagers for defense, or use them to pave the way for Yoshiro? Are there optimal areas where Yoshiro can traverse that offer better protection than her initial position? Crystals are scarce, but their allocation can significantly impact gameplay. The strategic aspect is engaging, anxiety-inducing, and thrilling in equal measure. As day transitions into night, the tension escalates.

After darkness sets in, combat elements shift to frenzied battles as Soh and his team confront the Seethe horde. The enemy ranks swell with each passing wave, making it crucial to devise a sound plan to manage their numbers lest you become overwhelmed. I was taken aback by the game’s diversity in Seethe types; every stage introduces new terrifying foes with unique abilities and vulnerabilities. Even though these creatures can be intimidating, defeating each one rewards you with crystals for use during daytime hours. Surprisingly enjoyable is the process of slicing through these demons, as relentless waves from dusk to dawn deliver an adrenaline-pumping experience.

The Seeth can behave irrationally at times, disrupting the pace of the battle each instance. For instance, some Seeth are designed to maintain a distance and hurl projectiles. In doing so, they unintentionally box themselves in, remaining stationary. With waves of Seeth not usually initiating until the preceding wave is vanquished, you can ignore that solitary demon for extended periods, creating an unwarranted respite that seems unfairly advantageous.

Capcom’s catalog has been enriched with the arrival of Kunitsu-Gami, a novel and captivating IP that delivers an enjoyable gameplay experience.

The striking feature of Kunitsu-Gami’s core mechanism lies in the fact that consequences of your actions during nighttime battles are instantly visible in daytime sequences, revealing oversights or calling attention to previously unnoticed aspects. You may have erected a defensive wall to secure Yoshiro’s path, but there could be vulnerabilities on either side. In advanced stages, when multiple Seethe portals emerge, your initial assumptions might only apply to one path. If you err, you usually have the flexibility to modify formations or devise alternative strategies during subsequent cycles. However, a single misstep can occasionally lead to failure and necessitate restarting from scratch. This constant reward, be it rewarding or challenging, keeps you engaged and eagerly anticipating what lies ahead.

Each stage generally follows the format explained earlier, but some introduce surprising variations. Capcom seemed to recognize that repeating the same day/night cycle could become monotonous for players. For instance, in one stage, Soh, Yoshiro, and the villagers are on a boat navigating a river infested with Seethe. In another, a distinct demon possesses Yoshiro, leaving Soh powerless to fight. Here, your role shifts to assigning tasks to villagers and guiding them as a small spirit. As Forrest Gump would say, every new stage brings an unexpected twist.

In Kunitsu-Gami, many levels include a boss battle nearby, accessible once the primary objective is met. These encounters are the game’s highlights, offering some of the most thrilling battles of the year. Some bosses are bigger and more formidable variants of enemies we’ve encountered earlier, while others introduce entirely new monsters with distinct attack patterns. Overcoming these challenges rewards Soh and his companions with masks, which unlock new roles for villagers to assume–a fitting compensation for the grueling battles that enrich the core gameplay experience.

Beyond the main loop of the game, there’s an additional feature focusing on base construction. However, this aspect is less thrilling compared to other parts of the game. After Yoshiro has purified certain areas, players can instruct villagers to rebuild destroyed structures in those locations. These tasks are accomplished as you progress through the game’s storyline, meaning you must go back to these areas to receive the rewards for their repairs.

As a gamer, I initially thought this side quest was optional and not worth my time. But then I discovered the hidden gem: successfully completing these base building tasks rewards me with musubi, an essential material for upgrading both Soh and the villagers. This seemingly insignificant quest has now transformed into a tedious yet indispensable one, making me revisit each completed stage and hindering my progression through the game. Additionally, to acquire the necessary repairs, I must finish a certain number of missions. While some missions may be new, others require me to repeat ones I’ve already played. Repetition adds to the monotony, further detracting from an otherwise enjoyable gaming experience.

Rebuilding damaged areas is not an issue in concept, but carrying out the repairs slows things down significantly. To begin these fixes, you have to go to particular locations, making progress even slower. This process could have been streamlined through menus, enabling a faster return to gameplay.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path Of The Goddess Review - Danse Macabre

During a day/night cycle in real life, Kunitsu-Gami provides an engaging and intense mental journey that’s hard to put into words. Capcom skillfully combines elements of tower defense and RPG genres, adding delightful touches along the way. This unique blend results in an experience that shines for its triumphs rather than its setbacks.

Capcom has been putting a lot of effort into its long-running series recently, and now they’ve introduced an intriguing new intellectual property called Kunitsu-Gami. This new project is off to a good start, and it might develop into the next major Capcom franchise, leaving us in awe as we watch it take shape.

2024-07-19 01:09

Kunitsu-Gami: Path Of The Goddess Review – Danse Macabre

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