I recently got an extended preview of Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess at Capcom. The game feels like a throwback to older Capcom games with its unique action strategy and characters.
During my playthrough, I continued from where I left off at Summer Game Fest which served as an introduction to the game and mostly trying to understand the character and strategy controls. Although my time was short, I was surprised by the amount of depth in the combat and resource management and was eager to play more.
As Kunitsu-Gami progressed, I became more comfortable with the core loop of protecting the maiden, directing villagers, battling demons, and purifying the spirit gate to advance.
The maps became more diverse as I progressed, with varying terrain and elevation, which influenced my strategic approach to each stage. The demons, known as the Seethe, came in different forms and sizes, requiring distinct tactics to overcome.
Each stage presented a new challenge; for example, one stage was completely dark, requiring me to assign villagers to light the paths. In another stage, my character was in a spirit state and could not attack, adding complexity to the strategy as I had to manage only villagers as well as build and use traps to defend the maiden from incoming demons. This removed the core character action and turned it into a real-time strategy game, which was a delightful twist.
I was introduced to new villager units, including a resource-collecting thief, a durable sumo wrestler, a healer shaman, and a spearman. These units offered unique advantages based on the stage and the types of demons encountered. For example, there would be a mini-boss demon that required using healers and damage-focused units.
The main character, Soh, had various combo attacks and special Tsuaba Guards to battle demons. I was impressed by the flexibility to swap out guards, allowing me to create buffs for villagers, set traps, or raise defensive barriers, providing versatility in battle. Kunitsu-Gami also features Mazo Talismans, which offer additional healing items and quicker revival times.
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is set to release on July 19, 2024, for Xbox Game Pass, Xbox, PlayStation platforms, and PC.
