Ore no Shikabane wo Koete Yuke (1999)

Ore no Shikabane wo Koete Yuke (roughly, "over my dead body,") is a dungeon crawler RPG where the player controls a clan of warriors, cursed to die young, over several generations as they try to defeat the demon that cursed them. Aside from combat, the player must also manage the clans resources, and ensure a new generation is ready to take over when the curse kills their parents. Set in ancient Japan, the game is heavily influenced by traditional Japanese art and mythology.

Storyline

Married warriors Orin and Genta storm Shutenkaku Castle to defeat the oni lord Shutendoji, who threatens Kyoto and has taken their children hostage. Shutendoji kills Genta and their captured elder daughter, but Orin offers herself to Shutendoji if their surviving child is spared. Shutendoji agrees, but places twin curses on the child in secret; the child can only live two years, and can never have children with a mortal. Concerned at Shutendoji's actions, the gods led by Hiruko Taishoten bless the child, giving them the ability to immediately reach adulthood and permission to have children with gods. With these gifts, the family sets out to fight Shutendoji, who is also cursing earthbound gods across Japan. To aid the family, Hiruko joins them in human form as an aide, and a spirit called Kitsuto acts as a self-proclaimed divine messenger. The family undermine Shutendoji's influence across Japan, then successfully assault Shutenkaku Castle and defeat Shutendoji. Shutendoji is revealed to be the cursed physical form of Kitsuto, Hiruko's twin brother born from a union between a human and a goddess. Harbouring resentment against humans for his mortal family's deaths and the gods who imprisoned him as Shutendoji to control an earlier rampage, he enacted his plans to free himself and torment the family of Orin, revealed to be his aunt in human form. The family pursues Kitsuto, who has been using the captured Orin's power to birth his demon army and control the local gods. During their fight Kitsuto merges with Orin, forcing the family to kill them both. Orin regains her divine form, and takes Kitsuto−reborn as a baby−to heaven to raise him as one of the gods. This action lifts the family's curse.