I knewKunitsu - Gami : Path of the Goddesswas special when I hit the oddball strategy game ’s third level , Yuan Cavern .
Until this dot , all of the levels had been simple affairs of guide a maiden from one Torii logic gate to another along a preset path , and defending her along the way by command powered - up villager and struggle enemies pass - on . While Yuan Cavern tax me to do the same , it introduced a light shop mechanic that impacted my scheme . I could no longer just push villagers at the Torii logic gate to kill Seethe as before long as they came out .
My villager could n’t attack in the dark , but could light lanterns along the path to light up incoming enemies . I had to remember more fine about how far I had to move the goddess forward each Clarence Day so I was in a shoes where I could properly defend her . Kunitsu - Gamiis a unique hybrid of action and tugboat defence mechanism , but levels like that almost become conflict into an ingenious puzzle .
Kunitsu - Gamiconstantly encourages players to persist intermeshed , whether that be because they have to plan out the maiden over ’s path , actively struggle enemies during the night , or craft their own interpretation of its mostly dialogue - free narration . While some parts of the journey can get repetitive , Kunitsu - Gamirewards those who pay care , learn its deep systems , and accommodate to whatever wacky situation it throws at them . There ’s nothing else quite like it .
Modern folklore
InKunitsu - Gami , players control a occult being distinguish Soh , who must guide a maiden named Yoshiro from the top of a mess to the bottom after it is infest by “ pollution . ” Across 14 stages , players clear handcrafted levels of befoulment and translate each area into a floor afterward . The further players get down the mountain , the clean-cut it becomes that the defilement is suffer Yoshiro too . With no duologue outside of some narration and occasional callouts from Yoshiro , Kunitsu - Gamileaves participant to decide what the muted tarradiddle is about as if it were a Greco-Roman folktale .
From the cutscenes and some collectibles , I gain that it takes place in a world where humanity have vantage of the natural surroundings and paid the Leontyne Price by enabling the defilement to take over the mountain . While the villager can work together to overwhelm this capital defilement , it comes at a price . Kunitsu - Gamiis a biz about how sacrifice is required to incite great variety , and it ’s up to us as individuals to think about what we ’re willing to give up to get what we want .
While this can be rugged , Kunitsu - Gamialso seems optimistic that there ’s something deserving save on the other side of it all . Of naturally , that ’s just one interpretation of the adventure , as player can interpret its narrative in quite a few dissimilar ways . This narration approach , along with the fantastical esthetic and an insightful drip of payable lore , turnsKunitsu - Gamiinto a modern faery tale that role player can relay to one another like folklore .
Kunitsu - Gami’sbold display alone makes it one of the most memorable titles of 2024 .
That feeing is backed up byKunitsu - Gami’sstunning aesthetics . From the case design to the fantastical color schema , the entire experience is vibrant , distinctly pull out from the looking at and feel of iconic Japanesewoodprint paintings . It ’s cunning with its color shorthand , too . Something is helpful if it ’s pinkish ( the gloss of Yoshiro ) , but anything paint in deep red is a scourge .
fiber and opposition design are also instantly affect ; it ’s easy to keep pay attention during these battles because everything is so pretty to look at . Layer in a mesmerizing soundtrack on top of that , andKunitsu - Gami’sbold presentment alone makes it one of the most memorable titles of 2024 .
A unique take on tower defense
Kunitsu - Gami ’s gameplay reflects the struggle and planning required to move on and evolve . In most of its levels , the goal is to run Yoshiro from one side of a linear function to another along a flavor path during the day . Players cut up this path using crystals , which are obtain by gain defilement around layer and fight down Seethe . Those enemy pop out at night and Yoshiro will stop moving during their attack form . Players can take as long as they need to guide Yoshiro to the defiled Torii at the other conclusion of the level , but they must also press heavily to ensure that she does n’t take too much price at night before she gets there .
Soh can actively crusade enemies with their sword in scrap , which is most similar to Capcom ’s underrated and long - hibernating Onimusha serial . Soh is quite the action at law hoagie on their own , thanks to a wealth of flashy combos and special abilities players have access to . Still , Soh needs help from villagers . They can be exempt from toxicant cocoons during the twenty-four hour period and assign function during a struggle . These compass from Woodcutters , who melee attack enemies quickly for not a lot of price , to the Ascetic , which can retard the movement of enemies and leave them vulnerable to strikes .
Players can overlook these villagers to stomach on specific constituent of the map , and they will automatically attack any enemies that amount within range ( depict a more violentPikmin ) . As I unlock more stratum throughout the risky venture , it was up to me to coalesce and fit all of the villager I dislodge to make the most good combination at nighttime to protect Yoshiro . She ’s the “ towboat ” that needs defending , put a clever whirl on a familiar recipe . villager act as the defence reaction around her as they need to be positioned decent to kill all the Seethe before they even get close . Of course , that ’s easier said than done , and that ’s not because the location of Yoshiro moves over clock time .
I do n’t think any two players will complete a level in exactly the same way .
Assigning a persona to a villager costs crystal , the same currency demand to carve the spirit path . I could create some potent units , like the attention - grabbing Sumo Wrestler , too soon on in a level , but that would mean I ’d have to drop more nights fighting Seethe . Conversely , I could now carve a spirit track to the exit , but would belike have to use less powerful villagers to fight off the Seethe at night . Each level , and even each night , presents a unique challenge , so I do n’t mean any two musician will complete a point in exactly the same room .
This push and pull is at the centre of everyKunitsu - Gamilevel , and then each stage layer in a unique twist on the formula . Some levels forgo traveling between the Torii entirely , instead ask players to gather a sure amount of crystals to discharge Yoshiro from corruption or struggle a more sinewy boss while simultaneously defending Yoshiro from belittled enemies . While it ’s easy for tugboat defense game to get insistent , Kunitsu - Gamicircumvents that by find ways to keep each point fresh , whether that ’s with toxic pool , drab caverns , or enemies coming at Yoshiro from both directions .
While I delight the variance of every level inKunitsu - Gamiearly on , I worry that the secret plan would n’t provide enough in terms of long - terminus progression . gratefully , that was n’t the case . Around the halfway point of the game , it introduces system that let me enhance the abilities of Soh and villager by spending a up-to-dateness called Musubi . I had to complete challenge , find hidden chest with a stealer villager , and build pedestal around the mountain to collect it . Every fourth dimension I beat a stage , it became a stand for me to work up up and garner rewards from .
Once players enter a colonisation , they can assign villager to build structures around the base and return a deputation or two later to glean the rewards . This is the elemental way to assume Musubi , alongside other more lore - based items and Mazo Talismans that can further enhance Soh ’s ability . While I was grateful to finally have an aspect of the secret plan that added a lot more progression and depth , it wind up being a bit of dull busy body of work .
While Soh ’s relatively slow drift speed is n’t an takings in more tactical battle , it became one for me when I had to go through upwards of five to 10 bases between every stage to call for resource and start out newfangled construction . I translate that Capcom desire to highlightKunitsu - Gami’sbeautiful level designing and demonstrate how these Village are working together to cure , but I could n’t help but wish this was all relegated to a single , easy - to - navigate menu rather than a 10 - plus moment interlude between every microscope stage .
gratefully , that ’s the single low-toned point in an otherwise grand escapade . I ’ve appreciated how unabashedly weirdKunitsu - Gamilooked ever since its reveal in 2023 , and I ’m glad to report that the final waiver bid an experience not quite like anything else out there . While gather materials at floor between stages could be a slog , when I was in a battle , Kunitsu - Gamiwas exhaustively engaging because of its unique core gameplay eyelet that Capcom incessantly found new ways to build upon .
Kunitsu - Gami : way of life of the Goddesswas tested on an Xbox Series X.
