- Engaging photography gameplay with unique Touhou experience
- Well-designed bullet patterns and flexible progression
- Appealing character focus and excellent music score
- Extreme overall difficulty, aimed at experienced players
- Frustrating luck-based spellcards can hinder progress
- Issues with Hatate unlock and treatment
Emotions
Players felt satisfied by the game's expanded mechanics, deeper strategic gameplay, and improvements over its predecessor, including more relaxed progression and the ability to skip spell cards. The challenge of the bullet patterns, combined with the novelty of the photography genre and the quality of the music and boss designs, also contributed to a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment for experienced players.
Frustration primarily stemmed from the game's high difficulty, particularly specific challenging stages and 'trash' spell cards with super fast bullets and one-hit deaths. Players also expressed frustration with strict unlock conditions for certain characters and the necessity of completing stages multiple times, which amplified the difficulty.
Excitement was generated by the improved gameplay mechanics, the unique twist on bullet hell, and the engaging blend of bullet hell and photography. The presence of favorite characters, lore, and the unmatched exhilaration upon clearing difficult sections also contributed to a strong sense of excitement.
Disappointment arose from the game's extreme difficulty, which prevented many players from unlocking content. Other causes included the perceived poor official treatment of the character Hatate, the lack of a dedicated BGM for her, and technical issues preventing the game from running on some systems.
Admiration was directed towards the character Hatate, particularly her cuteness, and the overall quality of the game's music. Players also admired the developer's creativity and the design of other characters like Aya.
Verdict
Mixed
Summary
Positive 72% · Negative 28%. Score: 28 / 100
Positives:
- Players find the game to be a significant improvement over its predecessor, offering an enjoyable challenge for both experienced players and newcomers. Its short play sessions and unique bullet pattern challenges contribute to its appeal.
- The game is considered a unique and valuable addition to the Touhou series, offering a distinct photography-based gameplay style. It's also seen as a good entry point for Touhou fans to practice basic STG skills.
- The game features well-executed and creative bullet pattern designs, which are a highlight for many players. While some patterns are tough, the overall difficulty is considered acceptable and engaging.
- The game allows players to tackle individual spell cards and skip challenging ones, making progression less strict and more accommodating than previous titles. This flexibility enhances player experience and reduces frustration.
- The game's focus on characters like Aya and the introduction of Hatate add significant nuance and appeal. The presence of characters like Orin and Kogasa also enhances the player's enjoyment.
Negatives:
- Many players found the game exceptionally difficult, even compared to other Touhou titles. This high difficulty level, present from the start and escalating in later stages, makes it challenging for both casual players and those familiar with the series, often leading to frustration and inability to progress.
- Several spellcards are perceived as overly reliant on luck due to random bullet patterns, leading to repeated deaths and significant frustration. Specific stages and spellcards, such as 'Recalling the Golden Pavilion' and 'Dragon Palace's Messenger Swimming Bullet', were highlighted as particularly problematic.
- The unlock conditions for the character Hatate are considered too strict, making it difficult for players to access her. Additionally, Hatate receives poor official treatment within the game, including a lack of a dedicated background music, which negatively impacts her character recognition.
- A few players reported being unable to play photography-based games or experiencing technical issues, such as the game not running on their laptops. There were also mentions of being unable to unlock content, likely due to the high difficulty.
- The calm background music (BGM) is noted to clash with the intense bullet-dodging gameplay. This mismatch can flatten the mood and contribute to player fatigue after clearing stages, making the difficult experience less engaging.
Gameplay:
- The game is a photography-based Touhou title where players capture images of attacking bosses to progress, rather than using traditional attacks. It blends bullet hell mechanics with a Pokemon Snap-like photo scoring system, requiring a specific number of photos to clear stages.
- Hatate is an unlockable character with her own distinct gameplay style and camera mechanics, contrasting with Aya. Unlocking her requires significant progress, including clearing specific 'EX' levels and a high number of scenes.
- A key feature is the ability to rotate the camera between horizontal and vertical orientations. This vertical view is often beneficial for telephoto shots and specific bullet patterns, adding a strategic layer to gameplay.
- The game is designed for quick play sessions, often less than a minute per attempt, due to its immediate boss battles and instant retries. Each stage requires multiple completions with varied approaches.
- The game features unique and challenging bullet patterns, particularly from characters introduced after Subterranean Animism, which often require specific strategies and timing to photograph effectively.
Performance:
- -
No data available
Recommendations:
- This game is highly recommended for players who are already familiar with Touhou bullet hell games, especially those who have cleared previous titles like 'Shoot the Bullet' or can handle Lunatic difficulty. It is not suitable for beginners or casual players due to its high difficulty.
- Double Spoiler is seen as a continuation for fans of 'Shoot the Bullet,' offering more of the puzzle elements of capturing bullet patterns and expanding on Gensokyo's lore. However, one reviewer still preferred the predecessor.
- One player purchased the game specifically to support its development, indicating a level of fan loyalty.
Miscellaneous:
- Players are eager for more Touhou titles, specifically mentioning Imperishable Night and Undefined Fantastic Object, to be released on Steam. They are willing to purchase these games to support the developer.
- One player noted that Secret Sealing Club Nightmare Diary is considered the easiest entry in the photo-taking series. This provides a specific observation about game difficulty.
- This point is based on very limited and non-substantive feedback, likely a joke or meme. Its relevance to game analysis is extremely low.
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