Chrith: Ai no Tabidachi

About

Chrith: Ai no Tabidachi is an early 1980s side-scrolling action game where you guide a figure tasked with spreading light through a troubled world. As the protagonist, you use a glowing staff to "bless" NPCs while dodging shadowy enemies that try to block your path. The gameplay is straightforward but rhythm-based, requiring precise timing to avoid hazards and maintain momentum across each level. The goal isn't to fight but to reach people in need, with your score depending on how many you touch before the screen ends. The game stands out for embedding religious themes into arcade mechanics at a time when such narratives were rare in the genre. Set on a fictionalized planet called Lourdes, it leans into biblical motifs without overt references, focusing on a figure's quest to ease suffering through nonviolent means. As one of Koei's earliest titles and a 1984 release, it offers a glimpse into how action games explored storytelling in their formative years. The emotional tone and visual symbolism, particularly the contrast between light and darkness, make it a curiously earnest artifact of early arcade design.

Storyline

Christ was born as a son of peasants on the planet of Lourdes. The farmers of Lourdes were poor, and the king was ruthless. Their only hope was a prophecy from long ago. As said by Saint D'Allones, "a child will be born with light. During a time of great evil, that child will set out on a journey to cleanse Lourdes of its grief. This year was terrible. It was truly astonishing; crops were destroyed due to extreme weather, and tyranny reigned since the crown prince became consul. Then one day, as Christ walked in despair through the destroyed land, he was suddenly wrapped in a bright light and received a divine revelation. "Christ, my child. Save those who are suffering. I will give you a holy staff. Cast on them the light of love. However, you must never fight." After the light went out, a staff was left for him. Christ took the staff in his left hand and began to walk the path towards a cruel salvation.