We can say what we want about Capcom, its strategy, its numerous remasters and other remakes that we have been watching for several decades, also the fact of making too much of the Resident Evil series (its golden goose), but in reality, who wouldn't do the same? We can say that Capcom has found a certain balance in the way it manages its heritage, and if there is one thing that we cannot blame it for, it is its desire to think outside the box. Okami, Auto Modellista, Viewtiful Joe, Dark Void, Bionic Commando, Asura's Wrath, Shinsekai or more recently Exoprimal, all these titles may not have smashed the charts in terms of sales, but they have each in turn contributed to embellishing the image of a Capcom that does not rest on its laurels. And it is with this same state of mind that we will dive into Kunitsu-Gami Path of the Goddess, a game that follows this logic of surprising, of trying new things. Are you curious, do you like Japanese folklore and games that do nothing like the others? Then this game is probably made for you…
Kunitsu-Gami Path of the Goddess, it's true that the name is not easy to remember and it's also true that the game has been rather discreet until now. However, it's already been a year since the game was announced, and the first time was in June 2023 during the Xbox Games Showcase. The game resurfaced a few weeks ago during the Summer Games Fest where it was also playable. But Capcom also organized sessions in Paris, in their offices for people who could not go to Los Angeles at the beginning of June. But Capcom France did better, instead of the short 30 minutes that were playable in California, we were treated to a session of more than 3 hours to better understand the concept of this rather astonishing game.
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CUNI WHAT?
So what kind of game is this Kunitsu-Gami Path of the Goddess? It's an action-strategy game that borrows a lot from Tower Defense, all steeped in Japanese folklore, where Yokai shine brightly. And yet, our first steps in the game let us think of something else, rather a classic beat'em all, in horizontal scrolling view, but with a camera ultimately free to move. It's also because Capcom and its game director Shuichi Kawata wants to offer a real hybrid game, capable of seducing fans of classic action games and those who like slightly more complex gameplay. A highly perilous exercise, since reconciling the very general public with the niche market, many have broken their teeth. The advantage is that within Capcom, we have a certain background in beat'em all and Shuichi Kawata's expertise, especially with his latest game Shinsekai can offer a nice marriage.
The story of Kunitsu-Gami Path of the Goddess will ask us to save a mountain, Mount Kafuku, corrupted by corruption, a kind of taint that resembles very viscous oil. Only the priestess Yoshiro is able to put an end to this curse and scare away the demons by purifying the polluted places. Only problem: the young woman, apart from making incantations, is rather the vulnerable type. And that's where Soh comes in. He is a swordsman warrior who wears a mask and has a rather stylish design who has mastered the art of combat and dance and he will use his skills to purify all the villages that need them. Soh's advantage is that he can recruit villagers, often after saving them from certain death. Once these villagers are indebted to him, Soh can assign them a profession: lumberjack, archer, shaman, sumo and ascetic, thief, many others that we will be able to unlock throughout the adventure. Each profession behaves like distinct classes and therefore has its own combat techniques. The lumberjack is effective in close combat, the archer will be more interesting over long distances and reaching flying enemies. There is also the mage that we will use to create protective barriers, heal others and even slow down enemies. Obviously, everyone can evolve and see their abilities increase over the course of the game. In any case, you will have to be behind them constantly, they are not absolutely autonomous. Movements, positions, attacks, it's up to you to guide them everywhere, and this is where the game takes on the appearance of a Tower Defense-style strategy game.
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TEAM GAME
At first, I played it a bit rough, because I thought I could do all the work with my dexterity and my appetite for close combat, but the further you go in the game, the more enemies there are, but especially tougher. Because in addition to the basic Ikoku (that's the name given to the monsters in the game), many bosses and mid-bosses invite themselves to the party, not to mention that their number quickly increases crescendo. Basically, you will quickly be overwhelmed by waves of enemies that will be impossible to manage alone. You will have to show martial talent and strategy to keep Yoshiro alive, because the goal is to escort the priestess to the corrupted torii of each village while protecting her. She also has a life bar that allows you to keep an eye on her health. The particularity of Kunitsu-Gami is that the game takes into account the day/night cycle in its gameplay, with an interesting approach. It is indeed at night that the monsters come out of their parallel world to invade the world and it is during this whole night that Soh and the indoctrinated villagers must hold out, until early morning. Moreover, at the bottom left of the screen, we have a bucket filled with water that gives us the position of the sun or the moon, via their reflection on the water, a very beautiful materialization of the reference point on the time of day. Note also that it is possible to act on it, by accelerating the day/night cycle at any time. When the sun is up, Soh can go about other activities, such as making repairs and building infrastructure in the village thanks to the villagers who will do the dirty work for him. These moments of respite will also be the time for Soh to develop his skills, his dances which are the equivalent of combos, but also add powers to his sword, develop the villagers' professions, etc.
The gameplay is therefore interesting, quite unique in its kind, and even if Capcom knows that it will not be easy to reach the general public, the Japanese publisher hopes that curious players will like this different proposition. The feeling is quite surprising at first and very quickly, we get used to it, especially since the controls have been simplified as much as possible so that the strategy and controls aspect are as simple as possible. And in a few hours, we master the gameplay. It remains to be seen if the game will be able to renew itself enough to keep us on the edge of our seats, with missions varied enough so that protecting the priestess does not become boring after a while. In any case visually, even if the game is far from being a lightning bolt of war in terms of technique, Kunitsu-Gami stands out with its atypical and seductive artistic direction, very Japanese-Japanese and for people who are fans of Japanese folklore, there is already enough to be seduced. Answer on July 19 for the final verdict.
