Capcom’s Kunitsu-Gami is one of the freshest new games in a while

I’ve become quite enamoured with Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess in just a short time.

Unwieldy name aside, the new Capcom IP offers a smart, unique and stunning blend of the action and strategy genres. The game draws you in with its vibrant Japanese folklore-inspired aesthetic and hooks you with its tight mechanics.

The premise is simple: you’re a samurai named Soh who must aid a woman named Yoshiro in purging a hideous plague known as the ‘Seethe’ from Mt. Kafuku. Admittedly, there’s not much more to the story than that, with brief, largely nonverbal cutscenes bookending each mission. While this does feel like a bit of a missed opportunity given the heavy influence of Japan’s rich folklore, Capcom does, at least, go all in on the gameplay.

Essentially, each stage has you protecting Yoshiro until she can reach an endpoint and successfully purify the map, a process that is broken into two parts. The first, which is set during the day, has you scouting the map to clear defiled areas and acquire Crystals. These can be spent on villagers filling different jobs ranging from basic swordsman and archers to even sumos and barrier-creating mages.

But where some actions have light strategy elements, like simply directing NPC allies to go to one point, Kunitsu-Gami feels much more purposeful. Part of that stems from Crystals also being used to carve the actual path Yoshiro must walk, so you’ll constantly have to weigh on the fly how best to use this resource. Because come the latter nighttime section of levels, things can get really hectic.

It’s here where Capcom throws an impressively varied array of fiendish Seethe at you, from grotesque, long-tongued crawling grunts to towering four-legged beasts. Soh does have his own sword-based combos, which is the most action-heavy aspect of the game, and you’ll unlock new combos over time. But because you’re often swarmed with large waves of foes, you really have to consider how to best manage both the villagers and Yoshiro, especially since protecting the latter is essential. This creates a compellingly balletic rhythm to combat, where there’s a constant back-and-forth between hack-and-slash, unit deployment and escort mission, all rendered through the gorgeous visuals.

And because you can’t normally complete a stage in one day’s cycle, you have an opportunity in between bouts to rethink your strategy. Maybe units would be best positioned in this other area, or you should focus on that new enemy deadly enemy type — that’s the sort of thought process I found myself going through. This daily ritual also adds to the sense of tension and gravitas of Soh and Yoshiro’s quest, contextualizing everything through meticulous days-long battles.

The only area in which Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess lost me was its base-building in between stages. I don’t enjoy this mechanic in most games to begin with, and it feels especially unneeded here when there’s already enough flair and depth to the core gameplay loop. This isn’t some optional element, either, as you have to backtrack to different bases to complete repairs and gather the Musibi resource necessary to upgrade villagers’ roles. It’s understandable that there’d be a combat reward to the base-building, but this mechanic, as repetitive and rudimentary as it is, just feels tedious.

Otherwise, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess proved to be quite a surprise. I went in intrigued by the Japanese art style and came away thoroughly impressed by its thoughtful approach to both combat and strategy. It’s rare to see a big publisher take such a bold swing like this, and I’m so grateful that Capcom has done just that.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is now available on PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC. It’s also included with Xbox Game Pass.

Image credit: Capcom