There is no shortage of games centered around Japan. Following the release of Ghost of Tsushima 4 years ago, studios and publishers took turns to embark on this adventure of Japanese storytelling, exploring all its possible forms. But as an overdose began to be felt, Capcom announced Kunitsu-Gami : Path of the Goddess. Although it initially surprised with its colorful artistic direction, it was above all its gameplay that created the surprise a few weeks ago.
Far from open worlds and samurai-esque adventures, the title juggles between real-time strategy, action and reflection. This strange mix has given birth to an innovative experience. But is it effective? The answer in this test of Kunitsu-Gami : Path of the Goddess.
Day, night, day, night
Kunitsu Gami opens with a cinematic sequence that explains the purpose of the game. The action takes place on Mount Kafuku, once a haven of peace, which is now infected by a malicious corruption. Every night, mystical creatures come to torment the place and the inhabitants of the mountain. Soh, the character we play, must help the “miko” (equivalent to a priestess) to purify the corrupted places.
In terms of the game system, each village corresponds to a very distinct level. A well-oiled mechanism then follows. During the day, Soh must free the inhabitants imprisoned by the curse in order to enlist them in his team. Some strategic places must also be purified to earn rewards and have more room to maneuver. All this with the aim of advancing the miko to the door where she can definitively eliminate the threat.
But all these actions take time out of your day, and night quickly arrives. Hordes of creatures then appear, attacking the characters in waves until the sun returns. This is precisely when strategy comes into play. While the player can personally take part in the fight across Soh, he will mainly have to assign roles to each freed inhabitant and place them one by one on the level’s terrain in order to protect the miko, who finds herself defenseless once night falls.
We therefore find ourselves having to manage exhaustible and yet indispensable resources, the position of all the characters in real time, environmental obstacles or advantages, as well as the health of all the people on the ground, including our own. Each night holds its share of challenges that contrast with the apparent tranquility of a day. It is only as the levels progress that we understand to what extent good preparation is more important than any combat skill.
Constant renewal
After being freed from corruption, the village becomes a base, which must be renovated to obtain more rewards and resources. This is where you acquire skills specific to each profession, unlock assets and save your game. This is not the most interesting aspect of the game, at the risk of even wondering what is the point of taking part in this “superficial” micro-management in addition to the levels and bosses. Even if you ignore it, it is in no way a nuisance.
One might wonder if the chaining of levels does not encourage repetitiveness, a feeling that is entirely legitimate given the formatted game system of Kunitsu-Gami. However, Capcom surprises us with the diversification of each level. Village after village, we unlock skills that make us, in the long term, review our strategic choices, our game preferences, especially since each stage introduces new threats and makes the best use of all the resources we have at our disposal.
As we arrive in the valley of Mount Kafuku, we find ourselves having to use several of our senses, choosing between different paths to complete the level, or changing our team’s professions in the middle of the fights to get the most out of it. The excitement is present from start to finish, and the day/night cycle only reinforces a feeling of curiosity for what is still to come rather than weariness.
A visual force
From a narrative point of view, the game lacks context, although this does not prevent us from becoming attached to the characters. Kunitsu-Gami takes the decision to completely dispense with dialogues, in favor of a visual narration all in music and ritual dances. The artistic direction is quite unique.
Far from the photorealism acclaimed by Ghost of Tsushima, Rise of the Ronin and other games of the styleKunitsu-Gami offers us an almost isometric point of view, in third person view that can at any time transform into a top-down view for a more strategic side, with extremely colorful graphics and imaginary creatures galore.
With this opus, Capcom proves once again that monsters are its great specialty. Without ever going into horror, the opponents are always with a stroke of a pencil of great precision, and push the limits of what we thought possible in terms of monstrosity. On the one hand, the more hideous they are, the more it is a magnificent spectacle to see.
Source: www.journaldugeek.com
