Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess review

I love it when a game comes along and consumes you in every facet of its make-up. I never would have thought Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess was going to be right near the top of my favourite games of 2024 when we rolled into January, but here we are. It has everything I adore in games. Satisfying progression and gameplay, beautiful visuals, the perfect balance between strategy and difficulty, and so much more. Mixing tower defence with exhilarating combat and a dash of roleplaying makes it yet another Capcom property I’m now deeply in love with.

As the protector of the Maiden Yoshiro, you play as Soh, a warrior who will stop at nothing to make sure the Kagura-dancing goddess remains safe at all costs. From the top of Mt. Kafuku to the bottom, you’ll encounter hordes of evil creatures known as the Seethe, who have covered the once beautiful Japanese landscape in a mysterious black substance. Each area sees you tasked with saving Yoshiro, but just when you think you’ve got things worked out, Capcom throws another mechanic or level design at you that keeps your journey feeling new.

Levels are split between day and night cycles. During the day you must remove the defilement that has taken over the mountain, be it plant life, an animal, or one of the villagers. Once you’ve removed the main areas of defilement, a reward will be waiting in the form of a Tsuba Guard or Mazo Talisman, both of which can imbue Soh with new buffs or abilities. You’ll collect pink orbs that are used to assign villagers roles in which they can fight alongside you in the night, build traps to slow down or hurt the Seethe, and stockpile health supplies for when the night falls and all hell breaks loose.

Torii Gates are your goal, and they are where you need to venture through to either escape to the next location or complete the level by purging them of defilement. You must carve the path for Yoshiro to perform her ritual Kagura dance by choosing the distance you want her to travel during the day. If you send her too close to the Torii Gate, she’ll be at risk when the night comes and their portal opens. If you can get Yoshiro to the gate in the day, a blue outline appears showing you it’s possible on that cycle. If not, your best bet is to prepare for battle however you see fit.

At night, the Torii Gates open. At first, there’s only one, but as you progress different gates will open at once and you’re forced to prepare for an assault from all angles. As tense as it can be, this is when Kuntisu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is at its best. There are plenty of roles available to assign the villagers, and you can position them wherever you want. In combat, you’re only controlling Soh, but it’s so important to think about your strategy, the positions where you’re going to place your workers, and what roles are going to be best depending on what threats you’re about to face.

Woodcutters are the bread and butter of your work force, as they are melee fighters that are a good shout for placing nearer the gates. Archers and Marksmen can be placed on higher platforms to attack from range, as well as taking out flying Seethe who pose a threat from above. Sumo Wrestlers are strong warriors who draw out Seethe and take the focus away from other villagers, and Spearmen are fantastic for attacking some of the stronger foes despite being slow. Some roles can help recover treasures from levels during the day, such as the Thief, but at night they can’t be used to fight.

There are plenty of roles in Kunitsu-Gami, and with levels having some superb level designs, you’re constantly challenged on your strategical choices. The ease in which positions can be changed for your villagers helps in these situations, but it can be tricky to go around and heal them as you have to be close in order to do so. All roles can be levelled up and made more powerful as you progress, giving another level to the strategy. Despite your villagers doing a good enough job against the Seethe, it is you that will be putting in the most work when fighting back against the enemy.

You have many abilities to take out enemies. To start with you only have a handful of attacks, but you’ll eventually be able to upgrade Soh’s moveset, adding in more powerful strikes and the ability to use a bow for some ranged attacks. Playing as Soh is one of the most amazing things about Kuntisu-Gami because you’re constantly moving around, thinking about your next target, all the while thinking about where Yoshiro is and how you have to protect her. A warning will pop up telling you the enemy is getting close to her, and if you want to survive the night and get to the Torri Gate, her survival is paramount.

There are two big features of your arsenal that change how you approach the game. There are plenty of Mazo Talismans that can be equipped with many different abilities attached to them. One might make your carpenter build traps faster, find the defilement easier, provide workers with more health, or provide additional buffs to attacks. Tsuba Guards are the other big feature, and these can be equipped to Soh. They can give him many abilities as well, such as an additional powerful attack, temporarily buff your workers attacks, or teleport you to Yoshiro in an instant.

These battles are intense, with many different enemy types spawning new and dangerous Seethe with every new area you visit. Some fly through the air and corrupt your villagers rendering them useless until you kill these aerial foes; others have the ability to stop you using any of your special attacks; while others are gigantic monsters who dish out severe damage when up close. Many of these levels have an Ominous Presence after purging the Torii Gates which are essentially a big boss fight. Capcom constantly changes up what you face, and each one has a range of attacks.

While these fights are tough, you’ll be rewarded with a new mask, fundamentally a new role, and these help to keep future areas exciting. Not every level will see you opening Torii Gates with your villagers. One sees you trying to survive a journey across the waters, where you must fight off a particular kind of Seethe that has the ability to sink your boats and destroy your fleet from the open water. Another has you without any villagers at all, leaving you alone and having to solely rely on your own fighting capabilities. You’re never stuck for new challenges, but you’re always getting rewarded for your hard work.

There is some downtime between missions, and these areas feel like the time you spend crafting armour and chilling out in Capcom’s Monster Hunter titles. Each area has a base, and you can rebuild them to earn rewards by setting out your workers to do the hard labour. They also have a tent where you can meet with the goddess and upgrade your workers and Soh, switch out your talismans and special abilities known as Tsuba Guards, view beautiful scrolls with paintings recounting your journey and important battles, and even provide a sweet treat for Yoshiro to snack on.

From fighting the Seethe, watching Yoshiro perform her dance, soaking in the beauty of the mountains, to even the design of the bosses, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is gorgeous. Capcom has soaked everything in Japanese Culture and given it life in every single way imaginable. It’s one of the best looking games I’ve seen this year, and the fact it is coming to Game Pass on day one is amazing. It’s a game worth playing by everyone, especially those like me who didn’t have it on their radars. It mixes gameplay up every step of the way, and pushes you when fighting as Soh as well as managing your workers.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is a wonderful game that mixes genres in interesting and creative ways. It strives to push the boundaries of what it is and changes your perceptions from one area to the next. Combat is always fun, even if it can be awkward to focus on the waves of enemies at times, always giving you so many interesting abilities. It’s beautiful, the strategical elements add so much to each level, and you’re always challenged no matter what the situation calls for.