Info about TouHou Makuka Sai ~ Fantastic Danmaku Festival Part II:

Official game description:
**“Touhou Makuka Sai ~ Fantastic Danmaku Festival partⅢ” is now coming!**
Touhou Makuka Sai ~ Fantastic Danmaku Festival partⅡ is a danmaku shooting game, which is the second part of Touhou Makuka Sai. The repeat of incident is coming again. Can the girls going to the netherworld solve the mystery?
★CONTROL OF KEYBOARD
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*   **→←↑↓** Movement
*   **Z** Shooting, Confirm
*   **X** Bomb, Cancel
*   **Shift** Slow Movement
*   **Esc** Pause
★CONTROL OF GAMEPAD
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**Make sure you have already disabled steam input!**
Support Xbox 360, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 Controller (You can choose a default config on game launcher window)
Basically support most of other controllers but if it lose control you need to modify the move threshold in controller config
★STORY BACKGROUND
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The spring of Gensokyo arrived one month ago...
Unprecedented blizzard suddenly hit, making Gensokyo become colder than Winter.
Soon, Youkais became restless under the overwhelming blizzard.
“It's too similar…it shouldn't be a coincidence, should it?"
Miko from jinja, witch from forest, and wind priestess specially comes for the incident gather again. They all know something in heart but also full of uncertainty and anxiety.
To solve the mystery before thing goes worse, they have to start off to find out the root of the incident, even under the fierce blizzard.
★DESIGN OF NEW CHARACTER
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○Wandering white
**修普**
**Hyp**
Race: Unknown
Ability: to make people fall asleep
Floating in the snowing sky, a white youkai of owl covered by giant white wings, is hard to be awarded for its protection color in the snow.
The feathers change to snow after falling out of his pillow, which slightly contributes to the heavy snow of Gensokyo.
He states that his appearing is for food. But he is very lazy and will fall asleep during battle and seems not very strong.
○Fairy of sweetness and fragrance
**莉莉·怀特**
**Lily White**
Race: Fairy
Ability: To announce the coming of spring
She is arranged to welcome the guests coming to the festival at the entrance of netherworld by the host of the festival and for this reason, she is also heavily dressed up.
She is somewhat mind losing and keep attacking comers without invitation using new ability of unknown origin acquired.
★ABOUT Youmu Konpaku
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It seems like a normal day in Hakugyokuro, Youmu is required strangely by Yuyuko to make purchasement at Human Village.
"You know, how long it takes me to reach Human Village?" Though Youmu complains, she goes out without any further words.
However, when she comes to the outland, the abnormal blizzard totally shocked Youmu.
After continuingly questioned several woodcutters who search for firewood under snow, Youmu finally convinced herself that it is now Spring.
Everyone locked himself at home at Human Village, which totally ruined the purchase plan of Youmu. But what is even worse is that countless youkai is uprising under the blizzard in the Gensokyo…
★GAME FEATURES
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**\-Seems familiar but a brand new different script.**
**\-Significant stage show and danmaku also full of challenges, bringing visual experience different from traditional shooting games.**
**\-Serial sequel after a gap of 5 years, challenging the ultimate limit of danmuku**

Release date: 18 Mar, 2019

Categories: Bullet-hell, Shooting, Single-player, Character Progression, Character-based Combat, Linear Progression, High Score Chasing


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Stunning Visuals & Art Direction (weight 0.99): Players consistently praise the game's gorgeous presentation, top-notch art style, beautiful graphics, and impressive special effects. The visual appeal, including character art and 3D backgrounds, is frequently highlighted as a major strength, often described as a 'masterpiece' or 'artwork'.
- Exceptional Touhou Fan Game (weight 0.77): The game is widely regarded as one of the best, if not the best, Touhou fan-made STG (Shoot 'em Up) games. Many players feel it surpasses official Touhou titles in quality, presentation, and even bullet pattern design, setting a new standard for the genre.
- Gorgeous & Creative Bullet Patterns (weight 0.76): The bullet patterns (danmaku) are consistently described as gorgeous, creative, and visually stunning. Players appreciate the aesthetic beauty, variety, and thoughtful design of the patterns, often noting they are fun to dodge and contribute significantly to the game's visual spectacle.
- Accessible & Balanced Difficulty (weight 0.65): The game offers a well-balanced difficulty curve, making it suitable for both newcomers to the STG genre and veterans. Easy mode is particularly friendly, while higher difficulties provide a fair challenge, allowing players of various skill levels to enjoy the experience.
- Outstanding & Atmospheric Soundtrack (weight 0.52): The game's music receives high praise for being 'god-tier,' 'amazing,' and 'splendid.' Players highlight its quality, unique style, and how well it syncs with the gameplay and atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience and often being cited as a reason to play.
- Memorable Boss Fights & Spell Cards (weight 0.43): Boss fights, particularly with Yuyuko, are highlighted for their beauty, epic animations, and impressive spell card designs. The creativity and visual appeal of the spell cards, along with the practice mode, contribute to a highly engaging and satisfying boss encounter experience.
- Engaging & Polished Gameplay (weight 0.36): Players find the gameplay to be fun, polished, and highly enjoyable, offering a satisfying shoot 'em up experience. The game's mechanics, including small hitboxes and reasonable bullet design, contribute to a rewarding dodging experience and overall high-quality gameplay.

Common complaints:
- Poor Bullet Visibility & Hitboxes (weight 0.56): Many players reported that bullet patterns are often blinding, blend with backgrounds, or have unclear hitboxes, leading to eye strain, unpredictable dodging, and frustrating deaths. This issue is exacerbated by dazzling visuals and numerous unique bullet types.
- Tedious Boss Battles (weight 0.34): Bosses are often described as boring, having too many spell cards, or featuring patterns that are drawn out and repetitive. Specific spell cards, particularly from Ran, Yuyuko, and Yukari, are highlighted as frustrating or overly difficult.
- Low Resolution & Visual Clutter (weight 0.24): The game is criticized for its low maximum resolution (720p) on PC, leading to blurry sprites and a generally poor visual experience. Excessive light pollution and visual effects further reduce clarity, making it difficult to see important elements.
- Inconsistent Difficulty Balance (weight 0.2): Player feedback on difficulty is mixed, with some finding Normal difficulty a grind and others clearing Lunatic easily. There are complaints about uneven difficulty spikes, particularly with certain bosses, and a general feeling that the balance is off compared to previous titles.
- Poor Character Balance (weight 0.16): Several characters are noted for having balance issues. Reimu and Sanae's bomb damage and firepower are considered too low, while Marisa's attack range and suppression power are insufficient. Youmu is also described as difficult to control and underpowered.
- Poor EX Stage Design (weight 0.07): The EX stage is generally disliked, with players finding its aesthetic unappealing, its design sanity-draining, and its writing wild. Some specific spell cards within the EX stage are also singled out as particularly frustrating.
- Lack of Quality of Life Features (weight 0.06): The game lacks modern quality-of-life features, most notably a robust practice mode with selectable starting points. The current practice mode is also criticized for not unlocking achievements and having a poor exit flow.
- Rough English Translation (weight 0.05): The English translation is widely criticized for being rough, containing nonsensical phrases, broken dialogue, and errors in stage names and achievements. It appears to lack review by a native English speaker.
- Shinra Kekkai System Flaws (weight 0.05): The 'Shinra Kekkai' system is criticized for poor compatibility with the game's design, with its gauge decreasing during non-combat segments. The grazing mechanic required for its deployment is also difficult with a joystick.
- Technical Issues: V-sync Acceleration (weight 0.05): A notable technical issue causes the game to run at double speed if V-sync is not disabled, especially at higher refresh rates. This important information is not clearly communicated to players.
- Unmemorable Music & Sound (weight 0.05): The game's music is generally considered unmemorable and over-the-top, lacking the depth and satisfaction of previous titles. Sound effects are also described as thin, reducing the impact of gameplay actions.
- Weak Story & Unskippable Ending (weight 0.05): The story is considered a drawback, with a copied ending that suggests a lack of effort. The ending is also criticized for being long and unskippable, forcing players to sit through it.
- Limited Steam Deck Compatibility (weight 0.04): Unlike its predecessor, the game does not fully support Steam Deck, leading to compatibility issues for players on the platform.

Gameplay feedback:
- Touhou 7-inspired Barrier System (weight 0.37): The game heavily features a 'Sakura Barrier' or 'Cherry Barrier' system, similar to Touhou 7's Perfect Cherry Blossom. This system allows players to collect points or graze bullets to activate a shield, clear bullets, and gain fragments for lives or bombs, making gameplay more forgiving.
- Character Balance & Playstyles (weight 0.33): The game features four playable characters: Reimu, Marisa, Sanae, and Youmu, each with distinct playstyles. Marisa is noted for high speed and firepower, Youmu for high damage but requiring skill, while Sanae is often criticized for having low firepower, making some spell cards difficult to clear within time limits.
- Unique Thematic Elements (weight 0.29): The game incorporates new thematic elements, notably Cthulhu and Lovecraftian horror, especially in the EX stage. This blend with traditional Touhou characters and settings creates a distinct and memorable experience.
- Practice & Progression Features (weight 0.21): The game includes unlimited continues and a practice mode for individual boss spell cards, which aids in learning and progression. Clearing lower difficulties unlocks training modes, but harder difficulties are required to access the Extra Stage.
- Bomb & Life Management (weight 0.16): The game provides a generous number of bombs and life pieces, especially on lower difficulties, making it more forgiving. However, getting hit while holding bombs is costly, as it resets the bomb count, encouraging strategic bomb usage.
- Game Length & Replayability (weight 0.09): A single playthrough typically lasts around 40 minutes to an hour. The game offers decent replayability, with players reporting 10-30 hours of engagement, driven by multiple characters, difficulties, and achievements.
- Minor Gimmick Confusion (weight 0.06): Some players encountered confusing gimmick patterns, such as unexpected one-shot kills from bosses or unclear mechanics, though these were generally overcome through trial and error.
- Player Manual Availability (weight 0.05): A comprehensive player manual is available, accessible via the Steam library, which is recommended for understanding the game's systems and mechanics.

Performance notes:
- Performance issues and stuttering (weight 0.06): Players reported significant performance problems, including stuttering in full-screen mode and the need to disable V-sync to prevent the game from running too fast. This indicates a need for optimization.
- Clear bullet visibility (weight 0.03): The game effectively handles bullet visibility, even against similar background colors. Bullets are bright and have a slight outline, making them easy to track.
- Smooth performance for some (weight 0.02): Despite some reports of performance issues, other players experienced smooth gameplay. This suggests that performance problems might be hardware-specific or inconsistent.

Recommendations:
- Highly Recommended for Touhou Fans (weight 0.67): The game is overwhelmingly recommended for fans of the Touhou series and bullet hell (STG) games, both veterans and newcomers to the genre. Many consider it one of the best fan-made Touhou STG titles available, even suggesting it could introduce new players to the franchise.
- Worthwhile Purchase, Especially on Sale (weight 0.32): The game is considered well worth its price, with many recommending purchasing it, especially when on sale. It's seen as a fun and replayable experience.
- Anticipation for Future Chapters (weight 0.2): Players are eagerly awaiting future installments, particularly an 'Imperishable Night' chapter, hoping it maintains or surpasses the current game's quality. There's strong intent to purchase upcoming releases immediately.
- Caution for New STG Players (weight 0.12): While generally recommended for beginners to Touhou, some reviewers advise caution for players with no prior STG experience or those sensitive to intense visual effects, suggesting they might need to master basics on easier games first.
- Praise for Production Team (weight 0.09): The development team, Makuka Sai, receives significant praise for creating such an excellent fan STG. Players express strong support and hope for continued quality and innovation from the team.
- Specific Gameplay Recommendations (weight 0.06): Players recommend trying the EX stage and Stage 6, and suggest picking Youmu as a character. There's also a note about the game requiring effort to '1CC' despite generous continues.
- Minor Improvement Suggestions (weight 0.03): A specific request was made to strengthen Sanae's low-speed shot by increasing its range. There's also a general hope for future fan games to adopt animated spell card cut-ins.
- Mixed Feelings on PCB Comparison (weight 0.03): Some players feel the game appeals to those put off by the graphics and difficulty of 'PCB' (Perfect Cherry Blossom), while others suggest buying a different game if looking for a direct 'PCB' remake or a fast-paced, difficult experience.
- Gamepad Recommended (weight 0.02): One reviewer explicitly states that a gamepad is mandatory for playing the game, implying it significantly enhances the experience or is necessary for optimal control.
- Play Previous Work for Story (weight 0.02): It is recommended to play the previous game in the series first to understand the story context, suggesting a continuous narrative across titles.
- Encourage STG Genre Support (weight 0.02): There's a general encouragement to support the STG genre, recognizing it as a niche but valuable gaming category.
- Preference for Other Games (weight 0.01): One reviewer expressed a preference for playing 'Legacy of Lunatic Kingdom' instead, indicating that while this game is good, it might not be everyone's top choice.
- Humorous Rating (weight 0.01): A humorous rating of '10 Ran without panties on her head out of 10' was given, which is not constructive feedback but reflects a positive sentiment in a non-standard way.

Other player notes:
- Significant controller issues (weight 0.24): Many players experienced severe controller issues, including non-functional buttons, character drifting, and the need to disable in-game controller support. Solutions often involved complex remapping via Steam Input or setting in-game controller options to 'None'. This indicates a fundamental problem with controller compatibility.
- High anticipation for Imperishable Night (weight 0.14): Players are eagerly awaiting the release of the 'Imperishable Night' chapter, frequently expressing their excitement and urging for its quick release. This suggests a strong demand for future content, particularly this specific chapter.
- Unique TouHou experience (weight 0.1): The game offers a distinct experience compared to other mainline and fan-made TouHou games. This highlights its unique position within the genre, which could be a strength or a point of divergence for fans.
- Optimization and resolution needed (weight 0.07): Players are requesting better optimization and an increase in resolution, suggesting that the current technical performance or visual fidelity could be improved. One specific fix mentioned was disabling 'Vertical Sync' for abnormal running speed.
- Minor design and UI issues (weight 0.06): Players noted minor issues such as the lack of voice dubbing, questionable bomb fragment mechanics, and the spell card practice exit returning to stage selection instead of difficulty selection. These are small quality-of-life improvements.
- In-game manual is insufficient (weight 0.05): Players suggest that a more comprehensive and clearly labeled manual should be included directly within the game. This manual should cover not only game rules but also background information, indicating a need for better in-game guidance.
- Long but fragmented story (weight 0.05): The game is noted for its length, but some players find the long-playthrough story lacking, with fragmented plot points and uninspiring dialogue. This suggests that while content quantity is present, narrative quality could be improved.
- Concerns for Eiyashou remake (weight 0.05): Players are concerned about the upcoming remake of Touhou Eiyashou and are eager for its quick release. This indicates a strong interest in this specific title and potential anxieties about its development.
- Minor character interactions (weight 0.04): Players commented on specific character interactions, such as finding Youmu cute, being surprised by Yuyuko's entrance, and being killed by Ran's attack. These are anecdotal and reflect personal experiences rather than systemic issues.
- Mixed feelings on value (weight 0.04): Some players would have refunded the game if not for a sale purchase, and one considered it a 'net zero' experience. This suggests that the game's value proposition at full price might be a concern for some.
- Difficulty with extra stages (weight 0.03): Some players anticipate never clearing the extra or phantasm stages, indicating a high difficulty curve for advanced content. This is a common sentiment in bullet-hell games.
- Minor visual distinction needed (weight 0.01): A player suggested that red and green barriers should have different appearances for better clarity. This is a minor visual feedback improvement.
- Recalled multiplayer plan (weight 0.01): A player recalled a plan for a multiplayer mode, suggesting a potential feature that was either discussed or desired. This is based on limited feedback.

Emotions:
- Satisfaction (weight 0.78): Players felt satisfied due to the game's high overall quality, including excellent art, music, and engaging gameplay. Accessible difficulty options and generous resources contributed to a rewarding experience, allowing both beginners and veterans to clear stages and enjoy the game for extended periods. The game's value as a fan-made title, often compared favorably to official entries, also enhanced player satisfaction.
- Excitement (weight 0.32): Excitement stemmed from the game's high quality, particularly its gorgeous and outstanding bullet patterns, music, and art. Players were thrilled by intense gameplay moments, unique stage designs, and innovative story elements. A significant cause of excitement was the anticipation for future content, especially the 'Imperishable Night' chapter, indicating strong engagement and a desire for more from the developers.
- Admiration (weight 0.32): Admiration was primarily driven by the game's artistic presentation, including beautiful and elegant bullet patterns, stunning visuals, and excellent music. Players viewed the game as a work of art, praising its creative design, high production quality, and the overall spectacle it provided. Specific boss encounters and their unique barrages also garnered significant admiration.
- Frustration (weight 0.31): Frustration arose from technical issues such as poor or broken controller support, unclear hitboxes, and visibility problems caused by excessive light pollution or blinding bullet patterns. Players also struggled with specific difficult spell cards, confusing game mechanics, and minor quality-of-life issues, which hindered their overall enjoyment and progress.
- Disappointment (weight 0.21): Disappointment was linked to technical issues like low resolution and poor Steam Deck compatibility, as well as perceived flaws in game balance, visual clarity, and music compared to expectations. Players also expressed disappointment over missing characters, rough translations, and a lack of expected quality-of-life features, suggesting the game didn't fully meet their hopes in certain areas.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.15): Players found enjoyment in dodging challenging bullet patterns, the game's accessible difficulty levels for beginners, and the overall immersive STG experience. The beautiful music, gorgeous spell cards, and unique danmaku designs contributed significantly to a fun and engaging gameplay loop. High replay value and well-written dialogue also enhanced the enjoyment.
- Joy (weight 0.12): Joy was experienced through the game's fun gameplay, engaging music, and visually appealing art and character designs. The moderate difficulty, unique bullet patterns, and overall positive experience for newcomers contributed to a sense of delight. Players also expressed joy from the game's beautiful and poetic visuals, creating a sparkling spectacle.
- Awe (weight 0.08): Awe was inspired by the game's stunning visuals, particularly its gorgeous bullet patterns and dynamic backgrounds, combined with immersive music and creative danmaku. The overall aesthetic presentation and high production value created a sense of wonder and amazement among players, highlighting the game's artistic and technical achievements.
- Appreciation (weight 0.06): Players appreciated the game's top-notch art direction, music, and bullet design, recognizing the comprehensive quality of its aesthetics. The well-designed interface, matching difficulty levels, and multi-language translation also contributed to a sense of gratitude for the developers' efforts.
- Anticipation (weight 0.04): Anticipation was primarily focused on future content, specifically the 'Imperishable Night' chapter or next installments of the game. Players eagerly looked forward to buying sequels and experiencing more of the high-quality content the developers had to offer.
- Confusion (weight 0.04): Confusion arose from unclear spell card functions, odd character choices, and unexplained game mechanics like forced barrier breaks. Players also experienced confusion with controller issues, particularly when their controllers worked normally in other games but not consistently in this title.
- Love (weight 0.03): Love for the game stemmed from its overall quality, including the songs, illustrations, and spell cards, often linked to a nostalgic connection to the Touhou series. Players deeply appreciated the music, character arrangements, and cut-in animations, indicating a strong emotional attachment to the game's aesthetic and design.
- Surprise (weight 0.03): Surprise was caused by the game's unexpectedly high quality, especially for a domestic fan game, and significant improvements over its prequel. Players were also surprised by stunning visuals and atmosphere, sometimes to the point of being mesmerized and getting 'retired' in-game.
- Discomfort (weight 0.02): Discomfort was primarily caused by visual clarity issues, such as severe light pollution on higher difficulties and blinding danmaku patterns. These visual elements led to eye strain and physical discomfort after playing, particularly for players with conditions like astigmatism.
- Pride (weight 0.02): Pride was felt through personal achievements, such as skill improvement and successfully overcoming challenges in the game. Players also expressed pride in the game being a high-quality domestic work, reflecting a sense of accomplishment and national pride.
- Hope (weight 0.01): Hope was expressed for future game optimization and a desire for subsequent Touhou installments to be 're-released' with a similar high level of quality. This indicates a positive outlook and a wish for continued excellence from the developers.
- Amazement (weight 0.01): Amazement was triggered by the game's magnificent presentation, refreshing EX stage design, and the realization of innovative danmaku gameplay. Players were struck by the game's overall quality and the novel ways bullet hell could be experienced.
- Amusement (weight 0.01): Amusement arose from self-deprecating humor, exaggerated complaints, and humorous character descriptions within the reviews. This indicates players found lighthearted entertainment in their own struggles or the game's quirky elements.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.01): Nostalgia was evoked by the game being a player's first in the genre or by re-experiencing memorable boss encounters. This connection to past gaming experiences created a sentimental feeling for players.
- Helpfulness (weight 0.01): Helpfulness was demonstrated by players providing solutions to technical issues, such as detailed instructions and configuration links to fix controller bugs. This indicates a community effort to assist fellow players in overcoming game-related problems.}