Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess

It's really not what you expect from a major publisher these days, but Capcom's curious blend of action, real-time strategy and tower defence is one of the most original games you'll play all year

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From its colourful F costumes to a pastoral message of healing nature, Kunitsu-Gami is proudly Japanese in its inspirations. Your masked warrior is on a mission to help a divine maiden purge a mountain of an evil 'defilement'... but this is no Link/Zelda dynamic: you'll also rely on villagers to help you beat back monsters.

During the day, Yoshiro moves along paths you've carved out for her. She dances forwards slower than a snail, but you're often too busy fighting, rescuing cocooned villagers and assigning them jobs to notice. At night, everyone bands together to fight off the monsters that emerge from the gates until the sun rises again. Rinse and repeat until Yoshiro cleanses the gate for good. Successive stages introduce new elements, or subvert the formula altogether.