Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess review: "A stunning throwback to a classic Capcom era"

GamesRadar+ VerdictKunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is a gorgeously grotesque and endearingly cozy adventure that offers a gorgeous setting along with a satisfying blend of tower defense-style strategy and hack-and-slash combat.Pros+Gorgeous visual style and aesthetic+Clever and fun mix of real-time strategy with hack and slash combat+Surprisingly cozy vibe that showcases a different side to a Japanese fableCons-Sharp difficulty spikes in encounters-Often unclear explanation of systems and strategies GamesRadar+ Verdict GamesRadar+ Verdict Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is a gorgeously grotesque and endearingly cozy adventure that offers a gorgeous setting along with a satisfying blend of tower defense-style strategy and hack-and-slash combat. Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is a gorgeously grotesque and endearingly cozy adventure that offers a gorgeous setting along with a satisfying blend of tower defense-style strategy and hack-and-slash combat. Pros+Gorgeous visual style and aesthetic+Clever and fun mix of real-time strategy with hack and slash combat+Surprisingly cozy vibe that showcases a different side to a Japanese fable Gorgeous visual style and aesthetic Clever and fun mix of real-time strategy with hack and slash combat Surprisingly cozy vibe that showcases a different side to a Japanese fable Cons-Sharp difficulty spikes in encounters-Often unclear explanation of systems and strategies Sharp difficulty spikes in encounters Often unclear explanation of systems and strategies Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess has really strong mid-2000s energy. It captures that same sort of weirdness and out-of-the-box thinking that developers had after finding confidence in the second generation of 3D gaming. It’s especially novel to seeCapcom, now hot off the success of its major franchises, taking a risk on a modest new game that’s all about its weird vibes and genre mash-up gameplay that feels cut from the same vibrant cloth of the 2006’s Okami. Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess leans into a peculiar yet cozy vision of Japanese folklore while running on an engaging blend of tower-defense-style strategy action and smooth-as-hell hack-and-slash combat. As I undertook Kunitsu-Gami’s pilgrimage to purge malevolent demons across a corrupted mountain, I found a lot of comfort in leading a ragtag crew of villagers into some thrilling battles – even if some of those challenges were a bit too much to handle. Re-building a community anew (Image credit: Capcom) Fast FactsRelease date:July 19, 2024Platform(s):PC, PS5, Xbox Series XDeveloper:In-housePublisher:Capcom Fast Facts Release date:July 19, 2024Platform(s):PC, PS5, Xbox Series XDeveloper:In-housePublisher:Capcom Release date:July 19, 2024Platform(s):PC, PS5, Xbox Series XDeveloper:In-housePublisher:Capcom Taking on the role of a guardian spirit named Soh, you’re brought to the mortal realm to protect the shrine maiden Yoshiro after demonic forces have invaded the mountaintop temple and the surrounding communities below. To fight against the growing corruption, Soh and the titular goddess must collect masks of power and recruit rescued villagers to purge the defilement and restore the mountain to make it a safe haven again. Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess keeps its storytelling light throughout its 20-hour campaign, focusing more on building an atmosphere and tone as you tear through demon dens with your party. Aside from the occasional transitional cutscenes between missions, Capcom leans on lore details from menus and the striking visual style with an almost psychedelic aesthetic applied to Kunitsu-Gami’s unique vision of a Japanese fable. This subdued narrative works in Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess’s favor, and much like Capcom’s Okami, the core plot taps into that same aspect of restoring harmony between nature and the world’s inhabitants. It’s a compelling hook in action, and Kunitsu-Gami somehow manages to be both gorgeously grotesque and tranquil in its coziness as you retake areas from the demons after a hard-fought battle. As something of a road story, Soh and the Maiden’s trek showcases the many ruined villages and settlements and seeing them rebuilt with rescued villagers. Once restored, you can spend time rebuilding them with the villagers to earn rewards. This manifests as a light-city builder mechanic, although Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess doesn’t dwell on it much. Still, it added a sense of community and newfound harmony, adding to the familiar, cozy feeling that the experience does such a fine job of cultivating throughout its runtime. The Guardians of the Mountain (Image credit: Capcom) Mountaintop fatigue (Image credit: Capcom) Unfortunately, one of my significant struggles with Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is that I felt it had some difficulties with properly explaining its systems or, in more frustrating instances, locking out additions to the toolkit that would have been far more useful earlier on. There’s so much to the unit management and upgrading; some parts feel unexplained. At times, during the more intricate fights that required more nuance, I was struggling to figure out how best to manage my units and the flow of battle. During the early hours, I often felt that Soh’s abilities could handle most encounters, which left my villagers serving in support roles. Whenever I felt things were getting too familiar, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess throws in some wild curveballs to battles, such as fighting on moving boats, in poisonous swamps, or having Soh turned into a spirit form, making them entirely dependent on unit management in the field. Some of my favorite moments came from these encounters where I had to use every tool I had, all while running from one encounter to the next as Soh. (Image credit: Capcom) Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess balances its difficulty well, but a few encounters made such a sharp uptick in challenge that I had to restart the level to go in with a fresh start. Most of these frustrations come from the encounter design in certain missions, which sees enemies flood the field in higher frequency while adding elite monsters that can buff enemies. In addition to getting the shrine maiden to the checkpoint, you also have to ensure she’s safe and you have proper defenses. In a few frustrating instances where battles went wrong, the shrine maiden would stop her movement at a particularly rough spot – an unexpected kill box positioned near two enemy spawn points. No matter how I lay out my defenses, enemies still clobber me. Since the maiden can’t move at night, you must commit to a battle as it lands. While you can control her movement and where she can stop, it’s easy to lose track of the maiden, while collecting resources and building your squad can be easy. Even with the generous checkpoints, all that did was restart me right before the bloodbath. Despite these steep difficulty spikes, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess does present a fair engagement overall – and it was especially thrilling clearing through some challenging hurdles. A guardian’s journey (Image credit: Capcom) What I enjoyed most about my time with Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is how unapologetically strange it can be with its monsters and combat, all while revealing a very endearing and cozy side with the setting and its characters. This game lets its calm, harmonious tone establish such a vibe, and when taken in as a whole, it makes going through Kunitsu-Gami’s world feel so serene – which adds a sense of satisfaction when seeing villages once demon nests now teeming with life. While some of the game’s battles presented some frustrating roadblocks, I found a lot of fun and thrills in successfully combining the strategy and action components. In many ways, it’s a throwback to a now-classic era of Capcom. We don’t get many weird and equally stunning games like this one these days, and I’m glad that such an odd game walks its path with confidence and delight. Disclaimer CATEGORIESActionPC GamingPS5Xbox Series XPlatformsPlayStationXbox CATEGORIES More about strategyThe devs behind “the biggest PC strategy game on the market” say their main aim is “to be everyone’s second favorite game"Forget AAA: this year, all I wanted to do was optimize my conveyor belts in SatisfactoryLatestI can’t lie - my Christmas plans including using this 480Hz monitor to play Overwatch 2 at ridiculous speedsSee more latest► More about strategyThe devs behind “the biggest PC strategy game on the market” say their main aim is “to be everyone’s second favorite game"Forget AAA: this year, all I wanted to do was optimize my conveyor belts in SatisfactoryLatestI can’t lie - my Christmas plans including using this 480Hz monitor to play Overwatch 2 at ridiculous speedsSee more latest► More about strategyThe devs behind “the biggest PC strategy game on the market” say their main aim is “to be everyone’s second favorite game"Forget AAA: this year, all I wanted to do was optimize my conveyor belts in Satisfactory More about strategy The devs behind “the biggest PC strategy game on the market” say their main aim is “to be everyone’s second favorite game"Forget AAA: this year, all I wanted to do was optimize my conveyor belts in Satisfactory The devs behind “the biggest PC strategy game on the market” say their main aim is “to be everyone’s second favorite game” The devs behind “the biggest PC strategy game on the market” say their main aim is “to be everyone’s second favorite game” Forget AAA: this year, all I wanted to do was optimize my conveyor belts in Satisfactory Forget AAA: this year, all I wanted to do was optimize my conveyor belts in Satisfactory LatestI can’t lie - my Christmas plans including using this 480Hz monitor to play Overwatch 2 at ridiculous speedsSee more latest► Latest I can’t lie - my Christmas plans including using this 480Hz monitor to play Overwatch 2 at ridiculous speeds I can’t lie - my Christmas plans including using this 480Hz monitor to play Overwatch 2 at ridiculous speeds I can’t lie - my Christmas plans including using this 480Hz monitor to play Overwatch 2 at ridiculous speeds See more latest► Most PopularAnbernic RG28XX review: “a tiny budget handheld that fits in my weird tiny jeans pocket”Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"Razer Kraken V4 review: “an iconic headset, all grown up"Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"Meta Quest 3S review: “Maybe the best entry-level VR device ever created”Glorious Series 2 Pro review: “comfortable and nimble, but not quite punching with the flagships”Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"Bouiles Elite Series review: “The longer I sat in it, the more comfortable I became"Azeron Cyborg II review: “One of the best gaming peripherals I’ve ever used”Atari 7800+ review: “a retro console remake for the ‘80s kids”Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” Most PopularAnbernic RG28XX review: “a tiny budget handheld that fits in my weird tiny jeans pocket”Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"Razer Kraken V4 review: “an iconic headset, all grown up"Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"Meta Quest 3S review: “Maybe the best entry-level VR device ever created”Glorious Series 2 Pro review: “comfortable and nimble, but not quite punching with the flagships”Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"Bouiles Elite Series review: “The longer I sat in it, the more comfortable I became"Azeron Cyborg II review: “One of the best gaming peripherals I’ve ever used”Atari 7800+ review: “a retro console remake for the ‘80s kids”Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” Most PopularAnbernic RG28XX review: “a tiny budget handheld that fits in my weird tiny jeans pocket”Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"Razer Kraken V4 review: “an iconic headset, all grown up"Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"Meta Quest 3S review: “Maybe the best entry-level VR device ever created”Glorious Series 2 Pro review: “comfortable and nimble, but not quite punching with the flagships”Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"Bouiles Elite Series review: “The longer I sat in it, the more comfortable I became"Azeron Cyborg II review: “One of the best gaming peripherals I’ve ever used”Atari 7800+ review: “a retro console remake for the ‘80s kids”Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” Most Popular Anbernic RG28XX review: “a tiny budget handheld that fits in my weird tiny jeans pocket” Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” Razer Kraken V4 review: “an iconic headset, all grown up” Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” Meta Quest 3S review: “Maybe the best entry-level VR device ever created” Glorious Series 2 Pro review: “comfortable and nimble, but not quite punching with the flagships” Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” Bouiles Elite Series review: “The longer I sat in it, the more comfortable I became” Azeron Cyborg II review: “One of the best gaming peripherals I’ve ever used” Atari 7800+ review: “a retro console remake for the ‘80s kids” Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1 Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2 Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3 Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5 Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2 Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3 Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4 The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5 Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 1 Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 2 Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 3 Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 4 Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” 5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” 5 Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”