Kunitsu-Gami Path of the Goddess review - Warding off evil in a race against time

After the cult-classic hit Okami, Capcom returns with Kunitsu-Gami Path of the Goddess to deliver that same Japanese spirit with a new experimental twist - one rarely seen in the gaming scene these days. After all, the Japanese studio describes it as a "Kagura Action Strategy" title. A unique description for a unique game - but is it good enough to carve itself a spotlight among the mainstream entries?

Given that this offering melds together real-time action and tower-defense strategy with a Japanese mythos backdrop, it likely won't be a massive hit - just like Okami back in the day. Still, akin to the Clover Studio-developed 2006 action-adventure title, Kunitsu-Gami Path of the Goddess also revels in its niche to deliver something that dedicated fans will love.

Kunitsu-Gami Path of the Goddess is a tale of reclaiming nature from evil

The Maiden and her guardian (Image via Capcom)

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The story takes place on the fictional Mt. Kafuku, where villagers in quaint settlements worship the mountain goddess. Unfortunately, things go awry as foul demons known as the Seethe emerge from another world to corrupt the mountain with defilement - turning its locations into rot-infested grounds and the denizens into corrupt demonic flesh.

With danger running afoot, the Maiden Yoshiro must step up to save the day. With her guardian and protagonist Soh alongside her, the duo must make their way down the mountain to clear the Seethe threat by purifying it and save the trapped Villagers - who also aid the heroes in their journey to get rid of evil.

Thinking two steps ahead

Clear the corruption to progress (Image via Capcom)

You will progress down the mountain from mission to mission, about half of which revolves around leading Yoshiro to the Torii Gates at the end of a level corrupted by the Seethe's defilement. This is done by having Soh carve out Spirit Paths across a road leading to the gate, and the priestess will follow suit dancing along slowly to purify the rot that has taken hold in the environment.

Furthermore, Soh can also purify hotspots of defilement dotted around the map as well as rescue cocooned Villagers - both of which grant Crystals, one of the several resources in the game. These are used to assign roles to a Villager and swap roles. There are several classes to pick from, like the melee Woodcutter, ranged Archer, healer Shaman, tanky Sumo Wrestler, and more.

You must plan things out as fast as possible, however, because time waits for no one. Levels in Kunitsu-Gami Path of the Goddess feature a day/night cycle where the heroes are safe during the day. Here, you can also assign a carpenter (after unlocking him via the story progression) to set up traps, allot Villagers to strategic positions, and continue purifying the level - or fast-forward the time if desired.

Fight the Seethe at night (Image via Capcom)

When night falls, however, danger rears its head. The Seethe begin to emerge from a twisted rendition of the Torii Gate and move toward Yoshiro like a moth attracted to a flame - and it is up to Soh and his fellow Villagers to keep the fair Maiden safe by defeating the threat before they can get to her. While things start relatively easy, Kunitsu-Gami Path of the Goddess is not shy to ramp up the challenge halfway through.

New types of demons are introduced as the story progresses, such as ugly giants, flying monsters, terrifying spirits, vengeful samurais, and more. Some may emerge from more than one gate at once, so multitasking is required and failure to do so spells disaster. That said, Soh cannot die - he only turns into a spirit ball and must wait for a brief period before being auto-revived at half health; rather, it is the Villagers and Yoshiro who must be managed.

The former will turn into a cocoon if downed, while the level will fail if the latter's HP reaches zero. Thankfully, Kunitsu-Gami Path of the Goddess offers plenty of autosaves, and pressing Continue will allow players to retry without having to restart the level. That said this is a moderately tough game, and the boss fights are a great demonstration of the fact.

While I will not spoil anything, one of the more memorable bosses is a multi-legged beast that spews spider webs. This fight, in particular, will be the litmus test of how well players can manage their units on the fly, while also simultaneously keeping the boss from getting to Yoshiro. And to do this, they must ensure Soh and the squad are up to mark.

Progression is the name of the game

Defeating a Seethe boss (Image via Capcom)

To defeat Seethe, players will not just command by placing correct units in advantageous positions and managing them as the Seethe numbers start increasing, but using Soh's arsenal will also be key. Armed with a sword, they can utilize the guardian to indulge in real-time action combat against foul creatures of the night.

The basics start off simple, with three-hit sword combos, uppercuts, downward slams, as well as guarding and dodging. However several hours into the game, new abilities can be unlocked by spending Musubi - rewards obtained for beating levels among other progression elements. These include parrying, counterattacking, learning new Oka Dance skills to reduce enemies' Resist Gauge (which is a sort of pose meter) easier, and even unlocking the Bow to deal with pesky flying Seethe.

Musubi is also used to upgrade Villagers, which is key to having them survive the onslaught of demons. The key upgrades include not just increased health and damage but also new perks, like the healers being able to revive downed Villagers once per night. However much of this type of resource is obtained by completing levels.

Speaking of levels, you can return to them at any time after beating them to complete optional challenges - like clearing a level in a specific amount of time or not taking any damage. You are also incentivized to see through every nook and cranny since saving all Villagers and eradicating all defilement grants item rewards that can be equipped.

Some trinkets are more useful than others (Image via Capcom)

These are Tsuba Guards and Mazo Talismans that grant a unique power to use in battle and passive perks, respectively. The former consists of abilities like setting up mines, buffing Villagers, or casting a dome barrier over an area, while the latter includes bonuses like extra health, damage, and so on.

Switching up strategies and carrying along the right equipment is key as Kunitsu-Gami Path of the Goddess offers some variation in level design and objectives. While most levels are a variation of a long corridor, they introduce new gimmicks - such as defending Yoshiro in a dark cave only lit by lanterns or fighting all alone without any Villagers to aid Soh

Rebuilding humanity

Rebuilding a settlement and playing with good boys (Image via Capcom)

Whatever the scenario is, all of it is presented with a cohesive aesthetic that is amplified by a rich atmosphere whether during day or night. The former sees trees waving gently in the wind with chirping birds, and this is very obvious during the Village base segments. Yes, purified levels are turned into new bases for Villagers - tying into the "helping humanity recover from disaster" theme of the game as you assign Villagers to rebuild ruined buildings and areas.

The base is also where Yoshiro sets up her Tent, which you can interact with to save the game, upgrade Soh and his allies, and just spend time with Yoshiro. After all, there is a richly detailed rendition of her sitting across the table, idling as you, the player, fiddle around with menus and upgrades.

She can also be offered Sweets and the animations that follow her little bites are endearing, to say the least. This minute attention to detail is seen everywhere in the hub, from the cute animals to interact with to the Villagers who follow a schedule across the day. Villagers unlocked in the level are used to rebuild destroyed locations, such as shrines, homes, and stables.

Each upgrade is completed only after beating a stage and has some sort of reward to offer, like more Musubi, Sweets, and new entries in the Log/Bestiary known as the Ema Plaques. The latter is especially important as it doesn't just share extra world-building details, but also offers a glimpse into the background of each demon encountered.

Graphics, performance, and sound

The game is detailed even at a closeup range (Image via Capcom)

Kunitsu-Gami Path of the Goddess utilizes Capcom's in-house RE Engine, also used for acclaimed titles like Devil May Cry 5 and Resident Evil Village. As such, it is a pretty-looking game that is rich with detail, despite its isometric camera angle. The in-game models for monsters are especially highly detailed when viewed in the Bestiary, and the creature designs are very unique too.

The same is true for both characters and the environment, all of which are also rooted in folklore and ancient myths. The in-game Gallery, Emaki Scrolls, also depicts paintings based on the traditional Japanese "Wa" culture. Kunitsu-Gami Path of the Goddess also has a solid soundtrack that shifts between the authentic Japanese vibe with drums and strings and also a melodic piano tone.

Performance-wise, the game is more demanding than it looks and graphics enthusiasts also have the option of enabling ray tracing via the settings menu. I had a hard time maintaining 60 FPS at 1440p High even in the hub areas on a laptop 3070 Ti GPU, so that is something.

In conclusion

Overcome dire odds with the power of unity (Image via Capcom)

Kunitsu-Gami Path of the Goddess is the perfect example of developers being allowed to go ham with crazy ideas they have on the back burner in their minds. While the Japanese folklore inspiration and attention to detail will no doubt attract many Okami fans, the core gameplay will certainly divide players - especially those new to tower-defense titles.

It is undeniable that you will be in a race against time to protect Yoshiro since every alternate level is an "escort mission." Plus, the mounting pressure with the onslaught of demons as well as unit management can be overwhelming during the later levels, which bump up the challenge a lot. Despite the looming cloud of repetition (that Capcom has tried its best to alleviate), Kunitsu-Gami Path of the Goddess is a game that will only speak to a few.

Yet those few will be delighted to find something that offers a neat getaway from the predictable mainstream offerings of gritty shooters, grindy RPGs, and multiplayer live-service titles. This is as old-school as a game can get these days without being tossed into a time machine back to the PS2 era - and that is an achievement in itself.