Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is very strange, and I’m here for it

I wasn’t sure what to make of Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess when I saw the trailer. Is this a soulslike game? Is this a strategy game? What in the world is going on here?! Well, I finally got my hands on it and I have to say…this is gonna be a weird one. It’s all of those things, and none of those things, all wrapped into one stylized unique Japanese aesthetic that has to be seen to be believed.

In Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess you play Soh, a swordsman proficient with a sword dancing style based on the real-world Kagura ceremonies (a Shinto ritual ceremonial dance praising the Kami, and during the process, transforming themselves into a god). Soh uses Kagura to cleanse villagers who have been corrupted by an evil called The Seethe during the night as he tries to guide the Maiden Yoshiro up the mountain to the sealed Torii Gates at the top to perform a cleansing ritual. Each village and Torii Gate you cleanse grows your Kagura powers, strengthening you for the fight ahead, and protecting both the villagers and Yoshiro in the process. With me so far?

The way the game plays out, during the day you’ll explore the areas between gates as you ascend the mountain. Villagers are cocooned in Seethe defilement, as are some of the plants and structures in the area. Slashing your sword, you’ll unleash streamers from the tip, freeing them from their prison and banishing the Seethe. Plants you free from defilement release crystals that act as a currency that you’ll use momentarily. Each villager is very happy to be free, but they don’t know what to do to help you defend the area. Using the crystals, you’ll assign them jobs. That’s where the tactical parts come in.

In the beginning you’ll only know two jobs – woodcutter, and Ascetic. The woodcutter is a short range axe user, limited in reach, but very strong. The Ascetic is able to cast spells to bind demons, casting barriers that slow the movement of the creatures. Spending your crystals, you’ll give as many villagers you can a role for the upcoming fight. That’s when darkness comes…

When the night descends on the village, the Seethe also arrives. Before it does, you’ll want to prepare. Switching to a tactical mode, you’ll place your newly-conscripted villagers into position for the fight ahead. As darkness falls, a massive demon of some kind will appear and the fight is officially on.

We only got to see a few demons during our limited time with the game, but already it was clear that the tactical elements and how you use your villagers would be critical to your success. During one such scenario, a hulking creature with a bulbous rounded head tottered towards Maiden Yoshiro. My Ascetic did their best to slow the creature’s advance while my woodcutters deployed axes with ruthless abandon. Using my sword and my speed, I took out any creatures that the monster would spawn, keeping Yoshiro from being attacked, occasionally joining in the fight against the hulking demon.

During this fight, I was able to reposition my villagers in real-time, allowing me to halt the action, change up their tactics, and then unpause the fight. If Soh happens to die during the fight, he can retreat to a “spirit state” for a time before returning to the field once again. As long as Maiden Yoshiro lives, so does hope. The fight can be tense when your best tactics won’t slow the hulking advance of a disgusting bulbous menace, and more than once things got very, very close to ending badly, but time and again I was able to push back the Seethe.

As the demon fell, the world slowly began to heal and blossom, and a small wooden mask was dropped on the ground. Picking it up, I was granted a new class for my villagers – archer. The wheel was intentionally locked, obscuring me from seeing any more classes, and the team at Capcom was especially cagey about what lies ahead – part of the fun is finding out. Another thing that unlocks when you complete a boss fight is a challenge mode. In this case, it encouraged me to come back and retry killing the boss in under a minute for more Misubi, the currency you’ll use for upgrades.

I came away from the demo for Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess still trying to put it into a box where it just won’t neatly fit. It felt like Onimusha mixed with Tower Defense mixed with Pikmin, and somehow all of that comes together to make something unique and compelling. We won’t have to wait long to see for yourself. This strange little wonder comes to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on July 19th, 2024.

See below for our list of partners and affiliates: