Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess

97%
Game Brain Score Based on 831 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess Game Cover
Kunitsu-Gami combines real-time strategy, tower defense, hack 'n slash, and management into the most innovative AAA game of the last decade.
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In "Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess" , you must purify a defilement-covered Japanese mountain during the day and protect a Maiden from assaults by the Seethe at night. The game features Japanese-inspired elements such as Kagura dance, masks, and music that enhance the unique world setting. Repeat this day-night cycle to cleanse the mountain and restore peace to the land. No information available on the release date or developer/publisher.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Cloud
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
  • Xbox Game Pass
  • x_box_cloud_gaming
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

97%
Audience ScoreBased on 831 reviews
gameplay106 positive mentions
grinding20 negative mentions
  • The game features stunning visuals and a unique art style inspired by Japanese folklore, creating an immersive atmosphere.
  • Gameplay combines action and tower defense mechanics, offering a refreshing and engaging experience with a variety of villager roles and strategies.
  • The soundtrack is captivating, enhancing the overall experience and complementing the game's aesthetic.
  • The game can feel repetitive, especially with the need to replay levels for bonus objectives and resource collection.
  • Some players have reported crashes and performance issues, particularly when streaming or using certain software.
  • The difficulty can be inconsistent, with some levels being too easy while others present unexpected challenges.
  • gameplay291 mentions

    The gameplay of Kunitsu-gami is a unique blend of tower defense, hack-and-slash mechanics, and real-time strategy, offering a refreshing and engaging experience. Players enjoy the strategic depth of positioning villagers as units while engaging in action-packed combat, although some find the gameplay can become repetitive over time. The game is visually stunning and features a well-paced progression system that introduces new mechanics and challenges throughout its runtime, making it appealing for fans of the genre.

    • “The gameplay mixes tower defense, real-time strategy, and third-person action, creating a unique and engaging experience.”
    • “The flow of the gameplay is very well thought out and doesn't feel too repetitive thanks to the variety in stages and their quirks.”
    • “Its unique blend of gameplay mechanics, stunning visuals, and engaging combat make it a must-play for fans of the genre.”
    • “The gameplay is not anything to run home about.”
    • “Gameplay is only decent.”
    • “The game might feel repetitive and slow at first, but after a while, you'll unlock various mechanics and encounter new enemies, making the game more challenging and offering multiple approaches and tactics.”
  • story184 mentions

    The game's story is minimalistic, relying heavily on non-verbal storytelling through cutscenes, environmental cues, and gameplay mechanics, which some players find emotionally resonant despite the lack of dialogue. While the narrative is straightforward and not deeply complex, it effectively conveys themes of nature, balance, and community, creating a unique atmosphere that resonates with Japanese folklore. Overall, the story is appreciated for its subtlety and the way it enhances the gameplay experience, even if it may not satisfy those seeking a more traditional, dialogue-driven narrative.

    • “Over time, you develop a silent bond with her, piecing together her connection to Soh as the story unfolds.”
    • “The story is mostly told via physical performance, environmental cues, and lore collected through ema plaques; there is almost no dialogue uttered in the entire game. It's an interesting stylistic choice, but I loved it for this type of story and atmosphere; it's very quiet, it feels almost sacred, like an actual Shinto ritual.”
    • “Despite being an extremely simple story and premise, it still feels really emotional and deep, thanks to Yoshiro and the themes of nature and balance typical of Shinto.”
    • “The basic plot is pretty straightforward, and characters lack any semblance of personality.”
    • “While there is no real story, the gameplay it offers is enough to keep me entertained.”
    • “The story is thin, but it is enough to get the gameplay going.”
  • graphics160 mentions

    The graphics of the game have been widely praised for their stunning art style and unique aesthetic, drawing heavily from Japanese folklore and traditional themes. Reviewers highlight the vibrant colors, intricate details, and immersive environments that enhance the overall gameplay experience, making it visually captivating despite some minor performance issues. Overall, the art direction is considered a standout feature, elevating the game beyond typical graphical fidelity.

    • “The art style, character design, music, color palette, and environments are crafted with a level of originality and love that you don't often see these days - really makes you feel immersed in Japanese folk tales.”
    • “Stunning visuals: the game's art style is absolutely breathtaking, with vibrant colors and intricate details that bring the world to life.”
    • “The art direction and visuals are so strong; it's very inspired.”
    • “Repetitive level design: while the visuals are stunning, some levels can feel a bit repetitive, especially in the later stages.”
    • “You need to mess with the graphics a bit to get an acceptable frame rate though.”
    • “Graphics is not this game's strong suit, but the art style is so pretty, like Okami.”
  • music138 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its enchanting and immersive qualities, effectively blending traditional Japanese styles with modern influences to enhance the overall atmosphere. While many players appreciate the captivating soundtrack and its ability to evoke emotions during gameplay, some note a lack of variety, particularly in battle themes, which can become repetitive. Overall, the music significantly contributes to the game's unique aesthetic and cultural depth, making it a standout feature for many players.

    • “The traditional Japanese soundtrack complements the visuals, creating an immersive experience that transports players to a world of ancient spirits and mythical battles.”
    • “The music is very energetic and draws from traditional Japanese music, it also ties with the lore since the act of purification is tied to the priestess and the villagers doing a purification dance, and not only do the characters dance to the beat but the very background itself and the demonic infestation being purified pulses with the beat of the music.”
    • “The highlight is the traditional Japanese aesthetics, perfectly done ukiyo-e inspired art style packed with a superb soundtrack and awesome sound effects.”
    • “The scarce voice acting that the game has is barely audible, even maxing out the volume, and the soundtrack lacks variety; most of the tracks, especially the ones of the villages after the land is healed, are plain boring.”
    • “Protip: play some of your favorite music instead of the in-game music if you want to prevent headaches and trauma.”
    • “In ng+ the music changes, but you may not notice.”
  • atmosphere28 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its enchanting blend of art style, music, and environmental storytelling, evoking a sense of sacredness and immersion reminiscent of Japanese folklore. Players appreciate the distinct levels that alternate between calming and tense moments, creating a compelling experience that enhances both the gameplay and narrative. Overall, the atmosphere is described as beautiful, atmospheric, and deeply engaging, making it a standout feature of the game.

    • “The story is mostly told via physical performance, environmental cues, and lore collected through ema plaques; there is almost no dialogue uttered in the entire game. It's an interesting stylistic choice, but I loved it for this type of story and this type of atmosphere; it's very quiet, it feels almost sacred, like an actual Shintoist ritual.”
    • “From beginning to end, I was enraptured, completely taken by the magical atmosphere of this masterpiece.”
    • “The art style is reminiscent of classic titles like Okami, with beautifully executed graphics and effects that enhance the mystical atmosphere.”
    • “The story is mostly told via physical performance, environmental cues, and lore collected through ema plaques; there is almost no dialogue uttered in the entire game. It's an interesting stylistic choice, but I loved it for this type of story and this type of atmosphere; it's very quiet, it feels almost sacred, like an actual Shinto ritual.”
    • “Incredible setting and design creates an atmosphere of horror, and tense level design (especially near the end) compliments this.”
    • “The first half of the game is a lot of fun, but as it gets near the end, it becomes much more stressful, especially with the time limit and creepy atmosphere.”
  • replayability25 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability through its well-structured levels, additional challenges, and various side objectives that encourage players to revisit completed stages. While some players feel the game could benefit from more content, the absence of microtransactions and the engaging gameplay mechanics contribute to a high replay value. Overall, the combination of unlockable content and diverse strategies enhances the replay experience, making it enjoyable for players seeking to fully explore the game's offerings.

    • “The additional challenges that offer substantial and meaningful rewards also make replayability great, and I was constantly thinking of new ways to manage my resources and plan to tackle a previously cleared level.”
    • “Replayability is high with many varied ways to approach missions and the various aforementioned bonus goals.”
    • “As is tradition with Capcom titles, the game is big on being replayable with side objectives becoming unlocked after completion and the ability to farm up crystals and rations in easier missions if a more current one is giving you a hard time.”
    • “My only wish is for more content—27 levels feels a bit short; yeah sure it has replay value, but still.”
    • “It forces replayability where unnecessary.”
    • “Base building after finishing levels is tedious and another excuse for 'replayability' as the only way to make progress on the base building is to replay levels (sometimes multiple times).”
  • grinding20 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience. While some appreciate the replayability and the cathartic nature of revisiting stages, many criticize the repetitive tasks, such as base building and collecting rewards, as tedious and time-consuming. Despite these frustrations, the enjoyable gameplay loop and unique blend of genres help mitigate the grind for some players.

    • “My biggest dislike frankly are some of the bosses, while they all have an impeccable presentation, actually fighting a certain number of them is tedious.”
    • “A few criticisms that I have are: 1) each level has challenges to complete for currency or equipment that range from fun to beyond tedious.”
    • “3) base building after finishing levels is tedious and another excuse for 'replayability' as the only way to make progress on the base building is to replay levels (sometimes multiple times).”
  • optimization17 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is praised for its outstanding polish and smooth performance on high-end systems, with a wide range of graphical settings available. However, some players have reported performance issues on specific platforms, including the Steam Deck, and occasional crashes even on powerful setups. Despite these concerns, the control optimization and quality of life features enhance the gameplay experience significantly.

    • “Outstanding game with wonderful polish (wide range of graphical optimization settings to your PC's content) despite Denuvo out there to eat your PC for breakfast.”
    • “The control optimization is spot-on, letting you dive into the hack and slash action while effortlessly commanding your villagers to assist you.”
    • “Beautiful game and well optimized.”
    • “Performance issues: some players have reported performance issues, particularly on certain platforms.”
    • “I found performance to be sometimes disappointing on the Steam Deck.”
    • “Hoping for some optimization down the line, but could just be my 2-year-old system starting to feel its age.”
  • monetization5 mentions

    The game is praised for being free from microtransactions and offering a complete experience without the pitfalls of live service monetization. It emphasizes replay value and a well-contained story, standing out as a passion project that prioritizes fun and unique gameplay over cosmetic monetization strategies.

    • “The game is free from microtransactions, boasts significant replay value, and delivers a well-contained story.”
    • “Also, they released it as a full game with no microtransactions, unlike a lot of games going towards the live service route.”
    • “It seems every other game is the sequel 4, game from 5 years ago: remastered, live service cash grab.”
    • “Kunitsu-gami is a reminder that great games start with fun and unique experiences, not cosmetic skins and monetization loops disguised as gameplay.”
    • “It's clearly a passion project of someone at Capcom, but I don't think the game is getting the advertisement it deserves; it seems to be disappointingly unnoticed.”
  • character development5 mentions

    The character development in the game is highly praised for its originality and depth, with standout designs for characters like Soh and Yoshiro that enhance the storytelling, often conveyed without dialogue. The integration of medieval Japanese lore and a well-paced narrative, combined with a variety of unlocks and challenges, contributes to a rich and immersive experience that keeps players engaged. Overall, the game's artistic elements and character design significantly elevate its storytelling and gameplay.

    • “Soh and Yoshiro have outstanding character design, and the game does a great job of telling the story with almost no dialogue.”
    • “Steeped in medieval Japanese lore, tons of unlocks, a surprisingly large reward and skill ceiling, in-game challenges, very good pacing, new game+ with unique add-ons, awesome character design... this game just kept surprising me.”
    • “Great mix of action and strategy with a well-crafted story, amazing character design, and a surprising difficulty curve.”
  • emotional5 mentions

    Players find the emotional aspect of the game deeply resonant, highlighting the developers' passion and attention to detail that enhance the storytelling. The simple yet profound narrative, enriched by themes of nature and balance, evokes a range of feelings, from empathy for the bosses to a bittersweet sense of closure, making it a unique and beautiful experience. Overall, the game successfully intertwines gameplay with emotional depth, leaving a lasting impact on players.

    • “Despite being an extremely simple story and premise, it still feels really emotional and deep, thanks to Yoshiro and the themes of nature and balance typical of Shinto.”
    • “There's an emotional core that resonates through the gameplay.”
    • “This is a game that made me feel pity for the bosses' backstories, a sense of relief when dawn approaches, and a bittersweet ending.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by quirky and amusing activities that add a lighthearted touch to the experience. Players find it reminiscent of the humor in "Bujingai," with some even wishing for playful unlockable content, such as a Gackt skin.

    • “There are also lots of quirky, funny little things to do.”
    • “Also hilariously reminds me of Bujingai, and I wish for an unlockable Gackt skin.”
  • stability1 mentions

    The game demonstrates strong stability, with users reporting smooth performance during extended play sessions.

    • “The game runs great and stable in the 2 hours I've played it so far.”
    • “I've experienced no crashes or bugs, making for a smooth gaming experience.”
    • “The stability of the game is impressive; I can play for hours without any issues.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

82% average critic score

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Play time

7hMedian play time
10hAverage play time
2-18hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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