Suns out, buns out! In anticipation of Marvel Studios’ “Deadpool & Wolverine” coming to theaters on July 25, Deadpool himself has teamed up with Xbox to design a custom Xbox Wireless Controller that everyone will want to get their hands on (a la viral popcorn bucket). Modeled after Deadpool’s much-discussed, perfectly rounded tush, the Deadpool-designed controller is available to win via a global sweepstakes alongside other custom Xbox hardware.
This hilariously entertaining controller, appropriately named “Cheeky Controller,” channels Deadpool’s buns of steel in its firm (yet surprisingly comfortable) grip. Designed by the Merc with a Mouth himself, it also comes clad in the anti-hero’s instantly recognisable—and might we add, incredibly flattering—red and black tactical suit, bringing a playful twist to the gaming experience.
Fans aged 18+ worldwide can enter for a chance to win this Deadpool collectible by following Xbox on X and retweeting the official Xbox sweepstakes tweet.
Below you’ll find more details on this cheeky collaboration with Marvel Studios. For additional information, check out Xbox Wire.
Custom Xbox Hardware to Die For
But wait, there’s more! Xbox is also offering custom hardware inspired by Deadpool, including a custom Deadpool-themed Xbox Series X and stand, featuring foam replicas of Deadpool’s iconic katanas, Bea and Arthur, along with two Xbox Wireless Controllers. Beginning today, fans aged 18+ around the world can enter for a chance to win by following Xbox and retweeting the Xbox sweepstakes tweet. For more details, check out the official sweepstakes terms and conditions.
Join the Red-Carpet Action
Don’t miss the live broadcast from the “Deadpool & Wolverine” red carpet premiere on July 22, streaming live on Twitch Xbox. Tune in for exclusive content, star-studded interviews, and chances to win amazing prizes. Join the fun with Xbox, Disney, and Marvel Studios for an unforgettable collaboration!
Bandai Namco Europe is pleased to announce its lineup for gamescom 2024. This year, visitors will have the opportunity to engage withLittle Nightmares 3 and Unknown 9:Awakening, featuring world premiere hands-on demos, as well as DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO, playable for the first time in Europe! Get a glimpse of these upcoming titles at the Bandai Namco booth, which will be located in Hall 6, booth A20.
DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZEROtakes the beloved Budokai Tenkaichi gameplay and ignites it to new heights. Assemble your fighting force and choose from playable characters, each recreated with their signature moves, transformations and techniques. Feel the fury of battle and experience the world of DRAGON BALL! DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO will release on 11th October 2024, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
Little Nightmares 3, the newest addition to the acclaimed atmospheric adventure game series, is ready to take players through a new enigmatic story. Players follow the journey of Low & Alone, two friends trapped within the Spiral, a cluster of disturbing places. The two friends will have to work together (in online co-op or solo with an AI companion) to survive in this dangerous world and escape the many threats lurking in the shadows. Little Nightmares 3 will release in 2025 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC
Unknown 9:Awakening reveals the captivating journey of Haroona, a Quaestor with unique abilities she harnesses from the Fold, a mysterious dimension overlapping our own. Master Haroona’s connection to the Fold and protect humanity from the Ascendants, a dangerous faction seeking to control the Fold and its powerful knowledge to alter the course of human destiny. Play this fall on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam.
Bandai Namco Europe S.A.S. is a leading global publisher and developer of entertainment content for platforms including, but not limited to, all major video game consoles and PC.
Bandai Namco Europe is producing intellectual property for a global audience and is building its reputation with franchises such as LITTLE NIGHTMARES™, PARK BEYOND™, and the upcoming UNKNOWN 9™ Awakening – developed by the recently acquired Reflector Entertainment based in Montreal, QC.
Bandai Namco Europe serves as the Headquarters of Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. for mainland Europe, which is known for creating and publishing many of the Toy & Entertainment industry’s top franchises, including PAC-MAN™, TAMAGOTCHI™, GUNDAM™, TEKKEN™, DARK SOULS™ and the recently released ELDEN RING™.
Your tutor is a 3000-year-old vampire: take a seat on his couch and just relax… be yourself
Berlin, Germany — July 18, 2024 | What do the undead have to worry about? How do they deal with the challenges of immortality? And what would a 3,000-year-old vampire do if not live atop a gothic nightclub in Europe? Well, these questions and many more are about to be answered in Vampire Therapist!
Created by and starring Cyrus Nemati (Dionysus in Hades), he is joined by voice actors Matt Mercer (Critical Role), Sarah Grayson (Hades 2), Francesca Meaux (Hades) and newcomer Kylie Clark, to bring these eccentric vampires to life.
Launching today on Steam and GoG, players will step into the boots of Sam, a cowboy from the Old West who is looking to change his murderous ways and connect with what’s left of his soul. Looking for answers in his immortality, Sam travels to Europe and is taken under the (bat)wing of reformed assassin, warrior and undead heartthrob Andromachos.
Together, they help blood-sucking immortals realise that just because they’re dead, it doesn’t mean they can’t live. All of the techniques discussed and used in Vampire Therapist have been created in consultation with licensed therapists to give the game an authentic message.
Inspired by the likes of What We Do in the Shadows and Horrible Histories, Vampire Therapist merges this comedic style with deep, introspective subject matters and heartfelt characters and real-life historical personalities.
Lovingly crafted by solo developer Cyrus Nemati, Vampire Therapist promises to take players on a unique journey through the psychology of vampirism that will leave them changed forever!
For the latest on Vampire Therapist, check out the key links below:
Little Bat Games is an indie games studio funded in partnership with Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg. Helmed by Cyrus Nemati, Little Bat Games aims to create titles with rich stories, engaging characters and innovative mechanics that will resonate with players long after they have finished playing. This is all underpinned by a dedication to sustainable studio practices.
LOS ANGELES – JULY 17, 2024 – Netmarble, a leading developer and publisher of high-quality mobile games, is celebrating 777 days since the global launch of Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds with a variety of activities and brand-new content. Players can join the celebration and take part in a series of events offering valuable rewards.
The Kingdom Village has been added to the game as new playable content. Players can expand their territory by defeating monsters, build their own Village by gathering resources, and receive a variety of buffs and other items. A special check-in event is now available through July 31st, in which players can earn a Rare Higgledy Hiring Certificate by simply logging into the game.
In addition, the Challenge Mode of the Familiar Expedition is now accessible. Players can build an expedition raid group with five Familiars to strategically challenge the never-ending dungeon and earn rewards. The brand-new Helper system, which supports players’ combat with various skills, has also been introduced to enhance players’ adventures.
Other celebratory events include:
777-Day Lucky 7 Mission Event (July 17 – August 14): Clear various missions to earn rewards! Players can receive a 777-Day Rare Random Chest (x1) for defeating 777 monsters and Familiar Summon Coupons (x17) for hatching 7 Familiars.
777-Day Feeling Lucky? (July 17 – July 31): Defeat the field bosses to win a chance to earn a Master’s Magic Tome Chest. Every participant will receive 77,777 Gold as a participation reward.
777-Day Friend Invite Event (July 17 – August 14): Inviting friends to join Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds earns rewards for existing and new players. Dumpling Dish Selection Chests and Diamonds will be awarded based on every invited player that enters the invitation code. Invited players will also be rewarded, receiving Bound Territe (x777) immediately upon joining the game.
777-Day Lucky Draw Event (July 17 – July 24): Players can receive Diamonds (x1,000) by simply entering the Lucky Draw Event, which can be done by purchasing 777-Day Lucky Draw Entry Pack. The lucky winners will have the opportunity to enhance their equipment to +130.
Developed based on Level5 and Studio Ghibli’s original fantasy RPG series ‘Ni no Kuni’, fans can learn more about Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds’ latest game info and updates by visiting the official website (https://ninokuni.netmarble.com/) and following the game’s Facebook, X, YouTube, TikTok and Discord channels.
About Netmarble Corporation
Established in Korea in 2000, Netmarble Corporation is a leading developer and publisher of top-grossing mobile games worldwide. Through powerful franchises and collaborations with acclaimed IP holders, Netmarble strives to elevate the gaming experience and entertain audiences globally. As a parent company of Kabam and SpinX Games, and a major shareholder of Jam City and HYBE (formerly Big Hit Entertainment), Netmarble’s diverse portfolio includes Solo Leveling: ARISE, Seven Knights Idle Adventure, Tower of God: New World, Lineage 2: Revolution, MARVEL Future Fight, Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds and The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross. More information can be found at http://company.netmarble.com.
Out blast the competition on Meta Quest 2 and Steam VR next month
Brisbane, Queensland – 18 July 2024 – On Point, the vibrant VR light gun shooter from developer Actuator Digital, lines up the perfect shot for its Early Access launch on Meta Quest 2 and Steam VR on Wednesday, 7 August 2024. A free demo is available now on the game’s Steam page.
Check out the bomb new trailer below!
Think fast and blast even faster to claim victory in more than 90 colorful, arcade-inspired minigames. Squash the competition with superior shooting skills during a thrilling family game night or a spirited bout with friends.
Take out moving targets with swift reflexes, ensuring they don’t turn into bombs before pulling the trigger! Blast fast falling fruit in the town square and incoming lava balls from an erupting volcano. Employ spot-on precision to knock down bullseyes surrounded by glass, or hone in on descending leaves and take the shot before the wind whisks them away.
VR veterans can come together with absolute beginners in an epic competition focused on aim and coordination rather than movement. Whether playing with battle-hardened “VR legs” or donning a headset for the first time, On Point’s focus on limited locomotion evens the playing field for everyone while reducing the risk of nausea. Less barfing, more blasting!
“On Point combines every nostalgic aspect of ‘90s arcade games with the immersion of VR,” says Sebastiaan Fehr, Founder of Actuator Digital. “Compelling and easy to pick up gameplay meets vibrant visuals reminiscent of classic genre mainstays. We’re pleased to celebrate the return of lightguns by bringing this lightning-in-a-bottle era of gaming to new audiences this August!”
On Point enters Early Access on Wednesday, 7 August 2024 for Meta Quest 2 and Steam VR, retailing for $14.99 USD.
For more information about On Point please visit their official website, follow the team on Twitter, join the community on Discord, and search #OnPointGame on all social media platforms.
About Actuator Digital
Actuator Digital is home to a small team of passionate developers based out of Brisbane, Queensland. It was formed to create beautiful software for both practical applications and game development. The studio embraces an owner-operator business model and strives to bring great ideas into fruition. Composed of industry veterans with extensive experience working with major IPs and game franchises, Actuator Digital’s approach to creating entertaining experiences combines cutting-edge development and a desire to create fun gameplay for people of all ages and backgrounds.
For more information on Actuator Digital, please visit their official website.
SAN FRANCISCO – July 17, 2024 – Super Evil Megacorp, in collaboration with Paramount Game Studios, is thrilled to announce the worldwide launch of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate on Nintendo Switch. The pizza loving, half-shelled brothers are back and better than ever in this roguelike action game for the device, marking Super Evil Megacorp’s console debut.
Players will take full control over the crime-fighting Turtle brothers, each wielding their own unique powers through this fast-paced roguelike action. Whether playing solo or with friends through the bodacious co-op capabilities, experience thrilling combat, randomized power-ups, boss modifiers and endless challenges – no two runs will be the same! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate’s features include:
Play the way you want! Solo, local or online co-op, up to 4 players.
Play as any of the 4 turtles, Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo, each with their own attack style, special skills, and unique masteries.
Randomized powerups, enemies, and minibosses so no two runs are the same!
Permanent upgrade progression so you can still make progress, even in defeat!
Improved visual design, graphics, audio and optimized controls for Nintendo Switch.
All-new, dynamic story written by legendary comic book author Tom Waltz and Kevin Michael Johnson.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate is designed with Super Evil’s core philosophy that gamers across platforms deserve to play beautiful, responsive and shared experiences. This guiding principle also fuels Super Evil’s proprietary EVIL Engine, known for unlocking the best possible player experiences by delivering high-performance graphics and precision controls across the widest range of hardware and screen sizes.
Players and fans alike may purchase Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate here.
Super Evil Megacorp is a multi-award winning, independent developer and publisher of cross-platform games with a mission to create incredible shared game experiences by breaking creative and technical boundaries. The company is home to leading industry talent previously at studios such as Riot Games, Blizzard Entertainment, PlayStation and Rockstar, and are the creators of Vainglory, Catalyst Black and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate.
Investors include Andreessen Horowitz, General Catalyst, Index Ventures, Signia Venture Partners, Initial Capital and more. Super Evil Megacorp is distributed globally with the HQ in San Mateo, California.
ABOUT PARAMOUNT CONSUMER PRODUCTS
Paramount Consumer Products oversees all licensing and merchandising for Paramount (Nasdaq: PARA, PARAA), a leading global media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Driven by a diverse slate of consumer brands, Paramount Consumer Products’ portfolio is based on content from platforms including Paramount+, CBS (including CBS Television Studios and CBS Television Distribution), cable networks (including MTV, Nickelodeon and Showtime), and Paramount Pictures. Additionally, the division operates Paramount Game Studios. With properties spanning animation, live-action, preschool, youth and adult, Paramount Consumer Products is committed to creating the highest quality product for some of the world’s most beloved, iconic franchises. To view our range of consumer products and Paramount branded apparel, visit ParamountShop.com.
Rome, Italy –June 3, 2024– Independent publisher IndieGala will be releasing Vorax, a first-person open-world survival horror game on Steam on July 18. The game was recently featured in the Open World Survival Craft Fest on Steam.
Vorax is a thrilling adventure set on a once-tranquil Mediterranean island now plagued by a deadly pathogen. You must survive with minimal resources after a failed mission and a crash landing.
Craft tools, weapons, shelter, and fortify buildings to protect against lurking horrors. Explore diverse landscapes, face unique adversaries, and unravel the island’s dark secrets. Utilize a military-grade tactical helmet, manage realistic survival mechanics, and navigate using various vehicles.
The game challenges your mental and physical endurance in a dynamic environment with a day-night cycle and dynamic weather system as you strive to survive and uncover the island’s darkest secrets.
Features
Scavenge and Craft: With limited supplies, you must improvise to create tools, weapons, and shelter. The art of survival demands ingenuity and resilience.
Seek Safe Haven: Construct barricades, fences, and traps in a variety of buildings. Your temporary shelter is your fortress against the horrors that lurk in the shadows.
Unravel the Mystery: As you delve deeper, the dark origins of the virus and its grotesque effects on its hosts emerge. What secrets does this island hide?
Dynamic Environment: Explore diverse landscapes – urban sprawls, haunting sewers, enigmatic caves. Each location holds its own dangers and mysteries.
Unique Adversaries: Face off against foes with unpredictable attack patterns. Every encounter is a test of your survival instincts.
Tactical Advantage: Utilize a military-grade tactical helmet with an integrated HUD for a strategic edge.
Realistic Survival Mechanics: Hunt, cook, treat injuries, and manage resources in a world where every decision can mean the difference between life and death.
The Elements Against You: A day-night cycle and dynamic weather system add layers of complexity to your survival strategy. Mental and Physical
Endurance: Overcome the psychological toll of isolation and the physical demands of survival.
Transportation and Repair: Navigate the island with various vehicles, maintaining them to ensure your mobility and survival.
About Indie Gala
Indie Gala is a digital distribution platform run by an independent video game developer and publisher based in the city of Rome, Italy. The studio has published hits such as Die Young, Blockstorm, Stayin’ Alive, Gates Of Nowehere, Red Rope: Don’t Fall Behind, Tyler, Downward, Exit Limbo: Opening, and SuperTotalCarnage!
As the world of Kunitsu-gami: Path of the Goddess falls to ruin with the emergence of the demonic Seethe we take up the sword as Soh in an effort to protect the maiden and purify the land once again. Along the way we take down a few bosses, purify a few locations, save some villagers, and even rebuild some of the destroyed locations in Capcom’s latest game.
A new tale of the Kami awaits… Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is a unique Japanese-inspired, single player Kagura Action Strategy game.
The game takes place on a mountain covered by defilement. During the day, purify the villages and prepare yourself for sundown. During the night, protect the Maiden against the hordes of the Seethe. Repeat the day and night cycle until you cleanse the mountain of defilement and return peace to the land.
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess Developer: CAPCOM Co., Ltd. Publisher: CAPCOM Co., Ltd. Platform: Windows, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 Release Date: 19th July, 2024 Price: $49.99 USD
Recommended – “Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess’ amazing art style and clever blend of action and tower defense make this experimental title one that succeeds despite some flaws.”
Checkmate! In celebration of International Chess Day 2024 on July 20, Arkadium, a leader in browser-based games (BBGs), is offering players a new way to test their skills with the launch of its new game, Multiplayer Chess Online. Just in time for chess fans worldwide, Multiplayer Chess Online will offer players the ability to play with others in real time matches – family, friends, and other players. The game is free to play and available on Arkadium.com, which is easily accessible and supports all connected devices – PC, mobile, tablets. No downloads required, which supports the ease and benefits of BBGs for the masses.
Arkadium also has Chess Online, a single player chess game on its platform, that individuals can currently play before they test their skills with other real players. The game has been a player favorite for over 10 years with millions of games played to date.
Multiplayer Chess Online features:
Public and Private Matches of traditional chess
11 difficulty levels ranging from trivial to grandmaster
Players can spectate in public games to observe others or hone their skills in their own room
Arkadium makes games you can feel good about. Its mission is to create and curate quality browser-based games that can be enjoyed by grown-ups anywhere, anytime. With an active portfolio of 75 first party games and counting, Arkadium titles are played by 18 million players monthly, resulting in 150 million unique game starts. Arkadium’s distribution network goes beyond a single URL as the company powers more than 300 game channels of some of the largest web destinations in the world, including The Washington Post, AARP, DailyMail and USA Today. Arkadium serves a global audience, with a majority of its players being based in North America and over 18 years old.
It feels like quite some time has passed where large developers felt free to take a risk with something different. Sure, there are occasional indie projects that are pushed along with the help of a major publisher, but few of them happen to come from one of the developers themselves. So, with Capcom raking in plenty of praise for their handling of Resident Evil and Street Fighter franchises, nevermind their myriad of remakes bringing classics to new life lately, the appearance of the unusual Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess was quite surprising. Combining action and strategy together with a very Japanese based aesthetic focused around harmony, this title is as experimental as they come, but is it a successful one?
Story
During a usual cleansing ceremony atop the peak of Mount Kafuku the darkness trapped within the mountain surges forth like never before, pushing the Maiden and her defenders to the limit to the point that the Maiden is forced to flee with her sole defender left by her side, letting the “Seethe” swarm through the demonic gate on the top of the mountain and swarm over the land. With players taking on the role of Soh, the maiden Yoshiro’s last guardian, it is up to them to defend her and purge the mountain of the Seethe’s miasma and demonic influence once and for all.
Kunitsu-Gami‘s storyline in an incredibly simple manner and is rather sparse when it is told. Players will mostly spend their time traveling down the mountain while freeing villagers and their homes from the Seethe’s miasma and rebuilding their homes at the same time. There is a bit of story to be found, especially in the form of little collectables players can obtain either from repairing certain objects in villages or accomplishing certain “objectives” but other than that it is clear that the story is mostly a set-piece in the background, with even Yoshiro and Soh not having nearly enough interactions as one may hope.
Gameplay
The mission structure throughout Kunitsu-Gami is generally set up in a manner that has players tackle a stage, fight against a boss once that stage has been completed in order to unlock the next stage, and so on. But what makes the gameplay unique is the way players will be blending both strategic tower defense setups with action gameplay as they seek to reclaim the various abandoned villages and shrines along the way. As players arrive at a stage, during the day they will spend their time moving around and using Soh’s ability to purify small pieces of Seethe corruption that has latched onto parts of the town, liberate citizens from being cocooned in miasma, and even gather “gems” and rations from breaking objects around town. In fact, players can even free wildlife from being plagued by miasma who will, in extremely cute fashion, gather around the Maiden during daylight hours.
It is also during these daylight hours that players will use the gems they acquire from purifying things and smacking down corrupted plants to assign roles to the villagers that they save. These roles range from simple woodcutters that deal melee damage, archers that prioritize flying enemies, to more complicated classes like sumo wrestlers, thieves, and even those that buff or construct barriers. All of these jobs require different levels of gems and players will need to plan accordingly and then place these villagers turned warriors in specific locations throughout the map to best defend the Maiden. This is because alongside assigning jobs to villagers or telling them to rebuild fortifications, Soh must also use gems to “carve a path” for the Maiden to dance down in an incredibly slow fashion. This is all done as time passes as indicated by a water bowl in the bottom corner and when night falls, not only will Yoshiro stop her slow dance but she will now need to be defended as Seethe will begin to pour out of any unpurified Torii gates.
Soh can preemptively tell the Maiden to stop her advance, allowing them to take advantage of terrain, barriers, and more to help protect her from incoming attacks but once night falls it’s all up to the player’s strategic placement of villagers to help suppress the enemy in tower defense fashion while taking advantage of Soh’s useful skill set to combine the action gameplay with it. Unlike a standard tower defense title, Kunitsu-Gami allows players to take an active role in fights as Soh is more than capable of cutting through swathes of low level Seethe on his own, leaving the villagers either to pick off stragglers or cut off a separate path and allow them to focus only on one. It is nice to note that players can command all villagers to assault the enemy directly or immediately retreat to defend the Maiden with a single press of a button on the character placement screen, but it is a bit unfortunate that said screen is also incredibly limited in size as players cannot move the camera freely around the map, instead having to have Soh leave his post to move villagers into further positions, heal them, or even change their profession if needed.
Soh’s moveset is a fairly simplistic one that works fluidly but also lacks a lock-on of any kind making some larger scale boss fights quite annoying. Players can mix together light attacks and heavy “dance” attacks to deal extra damage as well as unleash powerful skills that recharge over time and often are focused on weakening a larger Seethe’s “break” gauge that will leave thjem wide open for punishment. He can also be upgraded with a variety of extra moves, skills and other pieces of equipment obtained from completing missions, repairing parts of villages, and accomplishing challenges. Similarly, all villager class types can also be enhanced in similar fashion to have extra health, deal extra damage, or even unleash new skills that will make them more effective fighters.
Unfortunately the way to obtain some extra upgrade materials breaks the flow of the game a bit, which is really a drag at times considering how often the game likes to throw something new at players. One stage might have players fighting to keep boats afloat from the attacking Seethe or keep lanterns alit all while trying to survive but every stage, even boss battles, have hidden objectives that aren’t revealed until players beat them once. This can range from having villagers slay a certain number of enemies, completing a stage within a certain time, and more often reward players with extra upgrade materials that will make their units stronger in the end. Also, repairing destroyed parts of villages often require stages to be played to force time to pass, including replaying levels to grind them out. This is a nice little reward but tacking them on at the end of a mission reeks of forced replayability. Of course, since the game does offer a New Game+ mode with unique unlocks that are only available in this mode, it might not be best to grind more than needed.
Kunitsu-Gami‘s boss battles are a fairly mixed bag. Some are as straightforward as they come and offer a unique challenge compared to the waves of general enemies players battle against while others throw some rather daunting difficulty spikes at the player, making even a seemingly well-prepared fighter struggle against it. There are also a number of gimmick fights as well against bosses, such as using only villagers or having to take one on solo, but these are more refreshing than anything else. If nothing else, the more annoying fact that comes with some bosses is that they are simply walking tanks that take far more damage than they likely should, simply prolonging battles that are otherwise not too difficult outside of a few cases.
Audio & Visuals
Kunitsu-Gami has perhaps one of the most unique art styles that players will see in some time. Part of this is due to the pain-staking level of detail that the RE Engine allows developers to put into creating character and enemy models as well ad the environment and part of it is due to the Japanese aesthetic that runs through every aspect of the game. This Japanese fantasy game features vibrant and bright colors even on the most horrific looking enemies that players will need to face down and there is some solid variety on offer here. It also helps that the game never once stuttered in performance even when facing down hoards of Seethe with Soh and his allies. It is worth noting the camera itself can be rather annoying to deal with and it is made all the worse by the lack of a lock-on.
Since the storyline mostly takes a backseat to the action there is very little in the way of voice acting throughout the game but what is there is handled well-enough. The real special part of the audio comes from how authentic the soundtrack is. All musical pieces use traditional Japanese instruments to create authentic background music during battles and exploration and there are a number of which just fit perfectly, especially during some of the more intense boss battles.
Overall
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess feels like an experimental title that one would have seen a few console generations ago and is all the better for it. It might have some flaws, such as a bare-bones storyline, poor usage of base building, and some balancing issues, but it also happens to put together a splendid fusion of action and tower defense wrapped up in a gorgeous looking package. The presentation is the real star here and when combined with the fluid combat and clever ways the developers like to keep players on their toes, this experiment was quite a success.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
