Gaming

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is a dance of its own

Action, strategy, fighting, tower defense all rolled into one

Published

September 11, 2024

Early feedback for Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess spoke highly of the game’s uniqueness in terms of its gameplay system, 18th century Japan-inspired character art, and a lot more in between. Even its ratings on Steam proved to be impressively high in the first month or so.

Indeed, Capcom’s 3D action-strategy-fighting hybrid piqued my interest. Many noted its “tower defense” element. I’ve had my fair share of tower defense games on tablets to kill boredom during my college days. They typically involved fending off hordes of zombies or placing missile-firing towers to destroy heavy artillery.

I always saw tower defense titles as a means to challenge my thinking while also providing an entertainment factor. That’s what really pushed me to try Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess. This, along with the game’s straightforward story of purging Mt. Kafuku’s defilements from evil spirits through 17 stages of sword-dance combat, made up for an absolute adrenaline rush.

Reviving a stained land

For the unacquainted, the game is set in the once lush Mt. Kafuku that serves as the home of the Goddess. However, an ominous black substance has since engulfed the mountain and turned it into a shadow of its former self.

This evil has defiled the Torii gates spread across the mountainside. Worse, it has also stolen the 12 masks containing the Goddess’ power. This event has likewise thrown villagers in turmoil — a sad, pestilent state called Amatsutsumi.

To stop the havoc, players must step in to command villagers, assign them roles, purge the defilement, and bring everything back to normal.

This is the game’s simple premise. For game completion, there are 17 stages and 10 boss fights, with Mt. Kafuku being the last stage.

Simple mechanics

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess

Players play Soh, a bad-ass, samurai-wielding protagonist who does the heavy lifting while protecting the Maiden (who purifies the paths) each step of the way. In defeating the Seethe, they restore the mountain back to its lush and lively form.

The in-battle mechanics are quite simple. On a Legion Go, the combinations are just X-Y, X-X-Y, and X-X-X-Y. These combos allow Soh to hack and slash incoming Seethe, all while twisting and turning in the air (hence, the flying sword dance).

It takes anywhere from three to five rounds of Seethe to finish the stage, before moving on to the stage’s boss. Players get rewards for completing each stage, in the form of musubis which can strengthen villagers through upping their overall HP, durability, and attacking capabilities.

In a way, that straightforwardness is why some who’ve tried this game say it has tower defense elements. That kind of no BS progression where you just finish the round, earn rewards, and move on to the next one does remind me of the usual tower defense or zombie survival titles I’ve tried on a tablet before.

Night and day

Furthermore, gameplay is divided into night and day. The actual battles happen at night. During daytime, Soh explores the surroundings where he purifies defilements and collect more credits to assign roles to villagers. Roles include Woodcutter (melee), Archer (ranged), and Ascetic, to name a few.

After completing each stage, players also enter a screen wherein the areas in Mt. Kafuku covered by that stage gets repaired. Again, Soh will assign villagers to finish the repairs to gain points. There is also a tent there which serves as the hub where Soh can view the game progress or equip Mazo Talismans which gives him a power-up in battle.

Awesome art

Kunitsu-Gami

What else can we say? The 18th century Japan-inspired character art was absolutely stunning. The Seethe came out really disgusting and filthy-looking. The outfits of the villagers were simple yet all the details were appropriate for the theme, like their hats, tops, and bottoms. The overall color palette of the game’s surroundings also proved to be art gallery-worthy to the eyes.

I’m no hiking enthusiast either but Mt. Kafuku reminds me of my college days where I stayed at a dorm located well into a forestry area on the foot of a real-world mountain. The surroundings have a vibrant and lively vibes, and the colors make up for an appealing and picturesque look.

Challenging bosses, maldistributed difficulty?

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess

I found the progression during the first couple of stages quite doable. You’d spend a few “days” in the game per level to advance the path.

Where I got stuck was in Stage 3, where the boss, Gakinyudo, is an annoying giant caterpillar who simply refused to die. I tried beating this level for about 50 times (no exaggeration). I tried to follow all tips and tricks I found online and also tried my own approach.

Fittingly, I did read that some players pointed out how the difficulty level of each boss in Kunitsu-Gami sort of felt randomly distributed, instead of the usual progression you’d expect where it would get a lot harder in the latter stages.

Curiously, on Steam, this level was only accomplished by 60% of players, meaning as early as Stage 3, it proved to be challenging for almost half of those who tried — myself included.

Final thoughts

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is a challenging puzzle that involves a lot of action and fighting, minus the exploration from action-adventure genres. It’s a unique action-strategy blend of its own with a linear story progression that will serve you your dose of adrenaline-pumping, brain-puzzling gaming sessions.

If you have what it takes to star in the tale of the Kami, this is a title worth trying. As for me, I’ll stick to actual strategy games that involves more thinking rather than action. That’s on me.

Related Topics:Capcom Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess

Gaming

Nintendo retires the original Switch in Europe

The original Switch will no longer be sold in Europe after early 2027.

Published

July 7, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

It’s been almost a decade since the original Nintendo Switch. As with every technology reaching a certain age, it’s natural to expect its impending doom. But despite its age, the Nintendo Switch still feels like it’s too young to go off into the sunset. Europe, however, has other plans. The original console will no longer be sold after early 2027.

As always, Europe is a bastion for consumer-friendly devices. The European Union has no qualms about forcing corporations to adopt better practices for consumers. Part of those efforts is to force Nintendo to sell devices with replaceable batteries.

Starting February 2027, Nintendo will start replacing its current with models carrying replaceable batteries. The new lineup is headlined by a new Switch 2. It’s virtually identical to the old model but with a replaceable battery.

The official list of new devices conspicuously lacks the entirety of the original Switch generation, including the Lite and the OLED. That’s because Nintendo has decided to skip these models for the update. If you live in Europe after February 2027, the original console is effectively dead.

That’s not to say that the original consoles will just shut down. Existing consoles sold before February 2027 will continue to work. Likewise, you can still get the old ones in countries that don’t have an updated policy regarding device batteries.

Alongside the Switch, Nintendo has also skipped the NES Controller, Pokémon GO Plus +, SEGA Mega Drive Control Pad, SNES Controller, and the Switch Pro Controller.

Gaming

PlayStation declares AI as “foundational piece” in future

The brand, however, sees it more as a tool than a cost-cutting measure.

Published

July 6, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Being the gaming company that they are, Sony has embarked on a speedrun of its own: to deliver as much eyebrow-raising decisions as it can in a short span of time. Last week, PlayStation announced that the company will stop producing physical copies of its games in 2028. Now, the brand has confirmed that it will rely on AI for future game development.

In an interview with CEO Hideaki Nishino, via TweakTown, PlayStation has stated that AI will be a “foundational piece” in the company’s future game development. It is, however, some consolation that Nishino is adamant that it’s only a tool, rather than a cost-cutting measure.

Nishino says that AI usage can cut out repetitive tasks which frees developers up for more critical tasks. Interestingly, he also confirms that it will be used for asset placeholders and synthetic voices.

AI in game development isn’t completely new. In fact, some developers already use the technology just as how PlayStation describes it. However, it’s relatively uncommon for companies to essentially push AI to the forefront of development. Also, to be fair to Nishino, AI isn’t as maligned in Japan as it is in the Western world.

That said, it’s still an interesting decision to make, especially coming after Sony’s decision to cut off physical copies in 2028. PlayStation’s upcoming AI usage will surely raise some eyebrows.

Accessories

UGREEN x Honkai: Star Rail is a complete charging kit

More than just a collab

Published

July 6, 2026

GadgetMatch

Most brand collaborations usually lean on one thing: aesthetics.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing. If you’re already a fan of the franchise, seeing your favorite character on something you use every day is reason enough to pick it up.

The UGREEN x Honkai: Star Rail collection certainly delivers on that front. Inspired by Yao Guang, each accessory gets a distinct look without sacrificing the clean, minimalist design UGREEN is known for.

After spending some time with the collection, however, another idea stood out.

Rather than treating each accessory as a standalone product, the lineup makes the most sense as a complete charging kit.

Built around everyday carry

Inside the limited-edition gift box are four of UGREEN’s everyday essentials: the MagFlow Air Magnetic Power Bank, Nexode Air 65W Charger, Nexode Retractable USB-C Cable, and FineTrack Mini 2 tracker. The package also comes with exclusive Yao Guang collectibles, including an acrylic stand, badge, holographic ticket, and a matching pouch.

UGREEN also sent over the Nexode Pro Power Bank Honkai: Star Rail Edition. While it isn’t included in the collector’s gift box, it naturally rounds out the entire collection. Its built-in USB-C cable, compact size, and smart display make it feel like it belongs alongside the rest of the lineup.

Looking at everything together, the collection already covers most everyday charging needs.

There’s a compact GaN wall charger for laptops and tablets. Two power banks for different situations. A retractable USB-C cable that cuts down on cable clutter. And a tracker for bags, keys, or anything else you don’t want to misplace.

It’s a practical combination before the collaboration artwork even enters the conversation.

Familiar products with fresh personalities

That familiarity is also part of what makes this collaboration work.

We’ve already spent time with the standard versions of both the Nexode Air Charger 65W and the MagFlow Air Power Bank. Their biggest strengths weren’t flashy gimmicks. They were reliable accessories that earned a place in an everyday carry setup.

That doesn’t change here.

The Nexode Air remains a compact 65W GaN charger that’s easy to slip into a backpack or travel pouch. Meanwhile, the MagFlow Air continues to offer the flexibility of wired and wireless charging in a compact package.

Instead of reinventing the hardware, UGREEN simply gave the products a little more personality.

For Honkai: Star Rail fans, that’s probably exactly what they’re looking for.

The little things make a difference

Another pleasant surprise is how cohesive everything feels.

The included pouch makes it easy to keep most of the essentials together, whether they’re headed into a backpack, messenger bag, or carry-on luggage.

Even the color ended up being more practical than expected.

Most chargers, cables, and power banks tend to disappear into a sea of black accessories inside a bag. The light blue finish used throughout this collection makes each item surprisingly easy to spot at a glance.

They’re small details.

But they’re the kinds of conveniences that make these accessories feel like they’re meant to be used every day instead of staying inside the collector’s box.

More than a collector’s item

There’s no question that Honkai: Star Rail fans are the primary audience here.

The artwork alone gives the collection plenty of appeal.

What makes it interesting, though, is that the collaboration doesn’t rely on aesthetics alone.

Instead of creating a single themed accessory, UGREEN assembled products that naturally complement one another. Whether it’s charging a laptop, topping up a phone during the day, carrying a single cable, or keeping track of everyday essentials, each product has a clear role within the lineup.