Info about Touhou Shoujo Tale of Beautiful Memories / 東方少女綺想譚:

Official game description:
Journey through a pixelated, isometric version of Gensoukyou in this quasi-3D action RPG!  
Play as Reimu Hakurei and friends and take a shot at getting to the bottom of the incident!  
This time, Gensoukyou features a rich variety of terrain!  
Explore every nook and cranny of this quasi-3D playing field!  
Using the dash and jump buttons, as well as attacks and special equipment, players can access a great many places!  
There may even be secret locations unrelated to the story waiting to be found!  
Battles are done using quick action commands!  
By hitting the right buttons at the right time to match the life-like movements of Gensoukyou's residents, you can accumulate power and or take down your enemies one after another!  
You can control 8 different characters: Reimu Hakurei, Koishi Komeiji, Tenshi Hinanai, Sakuya Izayoi, Yukari Yakumo, Reisen Udongein Inaba, Nitori Kawashiro, and Doremy Sweet!  
Each of them wields a different weapon and fights in a different style!  
This story features many different characters from Gensoukyou!  
They may present themselves as allies or enemies as you work to uncover the truth behind the incident!  
By following the numerous diverging routes, you may discover surprising sides of the Touhou characters, and perhaps even receive things that may aid in your journey!  
Some characters may even challenge you to a duel!  
Can you win against them all?

Release date: Aug 22, 2019

Categories: Touhou Project, Touhou Fangame, JRPG, Tactical RPG, Isometric Perspective, Puzzle Solving, Exploration, 2D Platformer

Feature scans:
- Wiki: score 50; verdict: The Student; summary: The filtered reviews consistently describe a Wiki Tax driven by the need to learn systems, follow walkthroughs, and locate hidden or completionist content, with the only comprehensive resource being a Japanese-language wiki that requires machine translation. No evidence was found for farming, drop rates, or loot tables (Tier 1), nor for inventory management, 'safe to sell' valuation, blueprints, or crafting requirements (Tier 2). The dominant barrier is instructional and exploratory knowledge, placing the feedback squarely in Tier 3.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $15.00 - $20.00
  - Reasoning: Multiple Chinese reviews call the 90 yuan Steam price too high and advise waiting for a deep discount, while English reviews directly criticize the $30 full price and report that $20 on sale felt worth the 24-hour runtime. Although a few reviews say the full price is acceptable, the dominant sentiment is that the base game should be priced below $30, with $20 or less viewed as fair. This supports a community fair base-game range of about $15-$20.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 22.0h
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The explicit completion reports cluster around 20-23 hours: one player beat the game in around 20 hours while doing most side content, another in about 23 hours of actual play time, and a third had a single playthrough a bit under 20 hours. A fourth reviewer reached 50 hours without beating the game, which suggests completionist or slower play can greatly exceed the typical figure, but it is not a completion time. I therefore set gameCompletion to 22 hours as a representative normal completed playthrough. No review isolates story-only completion time, average session length, or post-game/endgame duration, so those metrics remain null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Touhou Shoujo Tale of Beautiful Memories has a slow, repetitive opening, but it becomes more enjoyable once it opens up and adds non-battle variety; some players still find it repetitious throughout.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: The game opens up
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: slow start; repetitive and recycled encounters, especially at the beginning; excessive grinding with no feeling of progression; too many dungeons that make later sections tedious; repetitive music; lack of UFO finder causes boring repeated exploration
  - Unlock drivers: the game opens up, revealing more scale and detail; mini-games and platforming challenges outside battles add variety and reduce repetition
  - Conditions: tolerance for a slow start; tolerance for repetitive early encounters; appreciation of the game opening up in scale and detail; engagement with non-battle mini-games and platforming; patience for grinding and dungeon repetition
- Player Archetypes:
  - Touhou Franchise Devotee (buy)
    - Motivation: Seeing beloved Touhou characters brought together in a full RPG narrative and spending more time inside the franchise they already love.
    - Playstyle: Plays primarily for the story and cast, recruits and switches party members for favorites, and tolerates platforming jank and grindy spots to keep progressing.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Touhou fan; fellow Touhou fans
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Old-School Mario RPG Nostalgist (buy)
    - Motivation: Reliving the feel of classic console turn-based RPGs with timed-action combat and hidden side content.
    - Playstyle: Approaches the game as a throwback JRPG, comparing its systems to Super Mario RPG, engaging with leveling bonuses, hidden elements, and side quests.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: old school RPG fan
    - Reference games: Super Mario RPG; Mario RPG
  - Patient Deal-Hunting Value Shopper (sale)
    - Motivation: Getting a good amount of RPG content for a fair price, ideally on discount.
    - Playstyle: Waits for sales before committing, weighs hours of content against sticker price, and treats the game as an average-to-good pickup only at a reduced cost.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Timing-Combat Mechanics Optimizer (buy)
    - Motivation: Mastering the timing-based defensive combat and testing builds against the difficulty curve and optional bosses.
    - Playstyle: Plays on higher difficulties, uses timed button presses to block and dodge debuffs, gauges whether grinding or min-maxing is required, and seeks out extra bosses.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A


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:
- Craftsmanship and Attention to Detail (weight 0.37): Many reviewers praise the game for being well made, thoughtful, and clearly crafted with care. The game shows obvious effort and love in its creation, with many small details noticed by players.
- Overall Fun and Enjoyment (weight 0.3): The game is frequently called fun and entertaining throughout. Many players highlight the sheer enjoyment they experience from start to finish.
- Super Mario RPG References (weight 0.26): The game is praised for its abundant references to Super Mario RPG, serving as an excellent tribute. Players appreciate the fun mechanics and minigames that nod to the classic.
- Hidden Head-Stepping Dialogues (weight 0.22): A unique feature allows players to step on character heads to trigger hidden dialogues. The different dialogues based on this action add a layer of discovery.
- Extensive Touhou Character Cast (weight 0.2): The game features a huge cast of Touhou characters, including PC-98 era, fused impressively into one world. Almost all Touhou characters appear.
- Engaging Story (weight 0.19): The story is repeatedly described as interesting, great, and good. Players find the narrative compelling and well-written.
- Charming Gensokyo Setting (weight 0.19): The portrayal of Gensokyo is charming and fleshed out, with many locations to explore. Players enjoy walking around every corner of this world.
- Variety of Minigames and Puzzles (weight 0.19): Many puzzle minigames and challenges are included, adding variety to the experience. They break up the battling and keep the game engaging.
- Attractive Character Art (weight 0.17): The character art and portraits are often described as sexy or beautiful. The visual design of characters is appealing.
- Better Than Mario RPG (weight 0.15): Some players feel the game surpasses Super Mario RPG with better characters, richer story, and more party members. It retains the strengths of the original while adding more depth.
- Fun Action Gameplay (weight 0.15): The action gameplay is described as quite fun and entertaining. The gameplay remains engaging for players.
- High Quality Touhou Fangame (weight 0.12): The game is considered an excellent Touhou fangame with high playability. It stands out as a high-quality tribute.
- Hidden Elements Encourage Exploration (weight 0.11): The game is full of meaningful hidden elements that reward exploration. There are countless secrets to discover.
- Enjoyable for Non-Touhou Fans (weight 0.11): Even players unfamiliar with Touhou find the game fun and accessible. It works as a standalone RPG experience.
- Good Music (weight 0.11): The music is praised for its quality and atmosphere. It enhances the overall experience.
- Interesting Dialogue (weight 0.11): The dialogue is fun and interesting, adding to the game's charm. It keeps players engaged in conversations.

Common complaints:
- Platforming Janky and Frustrating (weight 0.67): Platforming sections are plagued by poor controls, awkward diagonal jumps, and precision issues due to isometric perspective and camera angles. Many players find them extremely painful and require save-scumming.
- Inconsistent and Polarizing Art (weight 0.6): Character portraits are often criticized for exaggerated breast sizes, low resolution, and off-putting fan-service, which can clash with the game's tone. Some also find the art style odd or inconsistent.
- Translation Quality Issues (weight 0.59): The English translation suffers from missing lines, grammar errors, misspelled names, and machine-translation feel, with some hints being outright wrong. This impedes understanding of the story and gameplay.
- Unclear Defense Timing Mechanics (weight 0.59): Defense timing is often unclear, with short windows, no visual aids, and arbitrary frames, leading to frequent failures and reliance on guesswork. This makes combat frustrating, especially on Normal difficulty.
- Music Lacks Touhou Identity (weight 0.47): The soundtrack is forgettable, repetitive, and lacks original Touhou arrangements, using generic or unlicensed tracks instead. This hurts immersion for fans expecting Touhou music.
- Lack of In-Game Guidance (weight 0.46): The game provides insufficient hints for progression, hidden elements, and quests, making it easy to get stuck or miss content. This is frustrating without external guides.
- Bugs and Glitches Beyond Miko (weight 0.43): Various bugs exist, such as Reisen's level exploit, Yuuka battle glitch, item errors, and menu glitches. These can affect gameplay and are not always fixed promptly.
- Difficulty Spikes and Balance Issues (weight 0.35): The difficulty curve is erratic, with sudden spikes in the last half, one-shot bosses, and unwinnable final boss phases. Normal difficulty can feel too hard, while late-game battles are time-consuming.
- Miko Fight Game-Breaking Bug (weight 0.34): A critical bug in the Miko fight causes asset loss, save corruption, and softlocks, requiring manual file fixes or language changes that may delete saves. It severely affects progress and was possibly fixed in a recent update.
- Poor Keyboard and Control Defaults (weight 0.3): Default keybinds are awkward, and controls remain problematic even after remapping. F12 resets the game instead of taking screenshots, and fullscreen mode can freeze.
- Combat Tedious and Item-Dependent (weight 0.3): Combat becomes a chore due to item spam, unclear mechanics, and time-consuming battles. Many enemies and attacks are poorly telegraphed, leading to frustration.
- Excessive Grinding and Slow Progression (weight 0.3): Leveling is slow with low EXP and money drops, making grinding necessary for equipment and levels. This creates a vicious cycle that feels unrewarding and time-consuming.
- Price Too High for Content (weight 0.25): Many players feel the game is overpriced for its quality and amount of content, especially at full price. This is a common complaint that affects perceived value.
- Camera and Jumping Imprecision (weight 0.25): Camera angles make jumping imprecise and frustrating, with poor depth perception and alignment issues. This exacerbates platforming difficulties.
- Repetitive Enemies and Dungeons (weight 0.25): Enemy variety is low, often just fairies with different outfits, and dungeon designs are simplistic with repetitive encounters. This makes exploration tedious.
- Menu and UI Issues (weight 0.2): No confirmation for buying/selling items, missing level-up stat info, and low-resolution graphics cause usability problems and accidental actions.
- Steam Achievements and Promotion Lacking (weight 0.16): No Steam achievements and insufficient promotion, with store videos not representative, may deter potential buyers.
- Story and Presentation Lacking (weight 0.14): The story is thin, and presentation feels lazy with minimal animation and text-heavy scenes. This reduces engagement and makes the game feel unfinished.
- Character-Specific Issues (weight 0.13): Yukari is often asleep and useless, Reimu cannot be swapped out until NG+, and equipment slots are limited. These quirks affect team composition and balance.
- Missing Auto-Save and Progress Loss (weight 0.11): The lack of auto-save and sudden boss battles can cause significant progress loss if the player forgets to save. This is a major inconvenience.

Gameplay feedback:
- Super Mario RPG-Style Combat (weight 0.64): The battle system closely imitates Super Mario RPG, featuring timed hits for attack and defense that reward precise button presses. QTE elements are integrated into attacks, skills, and guarding, with different weapons having distinct timing windows.
- Touhou Parody of Mario RPG (weight 0.52): It is a Touhou-themed fan game that parodies Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, blending Touhou characters with classic Mario RPG mechanics. The game is a Touhou RPG with a distinct parody tone.
- Turn-Based RPG Exploration (weight 0.45): The game is a turn-based RPG that features map exploration in Gensokyo, allowing players to explore iconic Touhou locations. Exploration includes 2.5D platforming sections with jumping and shooting mechanics.
- Mini-Games and Puzzles (weight 0.44): The game includes various mini-games, puzzle elements, and platforming challenges integrated into the exploration and dungeons. Hidden items and side quests further encourage thorough exploration.
- Multiple Playable Characters (weight 0.35): Players can choose from multiple playable characters, with eight customizable options and more party members than in Super Mario RPG. New Game+ adds further customization and different character choices.
- Head-Stepping Dialogue Secrets (weight 0.2): Stepping on a character's head triggers hidden dialogues, with different lines depending on the character. This quirky feature encourages players to experiment with interactions.
- Secret Bosses and Collectibles (weight 0.18): Dungeons contain secret bosses, optional bosses, and hidden collectables, adding replay value. Secrets and gimmicks are scattered throughout the dungeons.
- Challenging Difficulty Settings (weight 0.17): The game offers four difficulty options, with Normal and higher difficulties proving quite challenging. This provides a suitable challenge for players seeking a tougher experience.
- Equipment and Leveling System (weight 0.1): Players can buy equipment and level up their characters, similar to traditional RPGs. This system supports character progression and customization.

Performance notes:
- Stable performance on low-end hardware (weight 0.07): Reviewers note the game runs smoothly without issues even on low-spec PCs, indicating good optimization for a wide range of hardware configurations.
- Alt-tab freeze in fullscreen (weight 0.06): Using F11 fullscreen mode and then alt-tabbing can cause the game to freeze, disrupting the player's experience.

Recommendations:
- Touhou fans strongly recommended (weight 0.59): Many reviewers recommend the game specifically for Touhou fans, calling it a must-play or must-buy for that audience. It is frequently described as especially suitable for Touhou fans who enjoy RPGs.
- Mixed full-price value (weight 0.4): Opinions differ on whether the game is worth its full price, with some saying it is worth full price and others saying it is not. Several suggest buying on sale for better economy.
- Worth playing overall (weight 0.3): Many reviewers simply state the game is worth playing or highly recommend trying it. They highlight its entertainment value and the number of hours it can last.
- Appeals to Mario RPG fans (weight 0.26): Reviewers often compare the game to Super Mario RPG and recommend it to fans of that classic. If you liked Super Mario RPG or SNES-era JRPGs, this is considered a safe purchase.
- High difficulty on normal (weight 0.25): Reviewers warn that the game is quite hard on Normal or higher difficulties and advise starting on Easy to learn mechanics. They suggest playing on Easy for fun or story, and Hard only for a challenge.
- Wait for discount recommended (weight 0.19): Reviewers suggest putting the game on your wishlist and waiting for a discount. Some note that it never goes on sale, so you might look elsewhere.
- Recommended despite flaws (weight 0.18): Even when reviewers acknowledge problems such as camera controls, they still recommend the game overall. The issues are seen as overcomeable or outweighed by the game's strengths.
- Strong despite Touhou focus (weight 0.17): The game is highly recommended for Touhou fans, but non-fans may also enjoy it for its humor and cute girls. However, some reviewers say only Touhou fans should buy it due to the high price.
- Good for JRPG fans (weight 0.14): The game is recommended for those who love RPGs generally, and it satisfies fans of the genre. It is also noted as one of the best RPGs of its type in ages.
- Not recommended for some (weight 0.13): A few reviewers say to skip the game if it's not for you, or if your reaction time isn't fast. They warn you might have a bad time.
- Good content for price (weight 0.1): The game offers lots of content for its price and is considered one of the better Touhou games available. Reviewers highlight its length and entertainment value.
- Save frequently reminder (weight 0.09): Players advise remembering to save after boss fights and to save often in general. This may indicate that progress loss is a risk if you forget.
- Steam Deck compatible (weight 0.05): One reviewer notes that the game is perfect for Steam Deck. This suggests good compatibility for handheld play.
- Long game warning (weight 0.05): The game is described as long, which may be a downside for players with limited time. This is something to consider before purchasing.
- Lower quality than Mario RPG (weight 0.05): One reviewer feels the game is much lower in quality compared to Super Mario RPG. This is a caution for players expecting a similar level of polish.
- Recommended for first-timers (weight 0.05): The game is recommended for first-timers to the genre or series. It can serve as a good entry point.
- Use a wiki (weight 0.05): One reviewer recommends playing with a wiki to fully enjoy or navigate the game. This suggests that external information can improve the experience.
- Supports DLsite (weight 0.05): Touhou fans are encouraged to buy a copy to support DLsite. This is a way to show support for the platform.
- Recommended for pipeworker RPG fans (weight 0.05): One reviewer recommends the game for those who played the original pipeworker RPG. This suggests a specific niche appeal.

Other player notes:
- Strong Super Mario RPG Inspiration (weight 0.59): The game heavily borrows from Super Mario RPG, with many scenarios, attacks, timing mechanics, area layouts, and enemy types being almost 1:1. It is described as a Mario RPG tribute that captures both the strengths and weaknesses of its predecessor.
- Touhou RPG Fusion Concept (weight 0.5): The game is essentially Super Mario RPG with a Touhou theme, fusing characters from Touhou 6 to 15, including decimal games and manga, into one RPG. It is compared to Touhou Mother and other Touhou fangame RPGs.
- Playtime Length Varies (weight 0.41): Reported playtimes range from about 15 to 53 hours for a first playthrough, depending on difficulty and completion level. Many reviews mention around 20-24 hours for normal play, with longer times for full completion.
- Expensive Pricing Criticism (weight 0.4): The game is considered expensive at $30, especially for an indie or fan game. Some reviewers note the high price is due to Japanese domestic market strategy and does not work globally on Steam.
- Large Character Proportions (weight 0.37): Character designs, especially bust sizes, are unusually large and exaggerated. Many characters have considerably large breasts, with some sprites enlarged, which can make the artwork mistaken for a porn game.
- Touhou Fan Game Appeal (weight 0.31): As a Touhou secondary doujin game, it references locations and characters from the Touhou series and follows canon settings closely. It gives hope that similar Touhou games will come to Steam.
- Royalty-Free Music Used (weight 0.24): The soundtrack and sound effects are royalty-free and reused from other media, not Touhou theme remixes. Some find the music great, while others note it is basically the same throughout.
- Developer Adult Game Background (weight 0.23): The developer is known for publishing adult games, and the artist is known for creating adult content. This game is a regular title, but adult content is available in their other games on DLsite.
- Multiple Difficulty Levels (weight 0.21): The game offers three difficulty levels at start, with another unlocking after beating the game. Easy difficulty provides defense timing hints, while normal mode does not.
- Steam vs DLsite Purchase (weight 0.21): The game is cheaper on DLsite, but the Steam version provides automatic updates, saving manual version updates. Steam purchase is acceptable if account creation is troublesome or during a sale.
- Character Roster Range (weight 0.2): The game covers characters and locations from Embodiment of Scarlet Devil to Legacy of Lunatic Kingdom, with some up to Touhou Hyouibana. It fuses characters from Touhou 6 to 15, including decimal games and manga.
- Art Style Mismatch (weight 0.19): Character designs are in an old-style art with simple sprites and grid floors, and the resolution is based on WOLF RPG Editor. Some compare the art style to Newgrounds hentai.
- Missable Content Exists (weight 0.14): There is missable content such as quest items and the Seija minigame near the end of the game. A sidequest involving finding UFOs is also present, with a UFO finder purchasable at the Korindou.
- Gameplay Execution Barrier (weight 0.13): The game has a barrier to entry due to execution demands, such as timing-based attacks. It is slightly more challenging than the original Super Mario RPG.
- Touhou Theme Sales Impact (weight 0.1): The Touhou theme may be a negative factor affecting sales, and some reviewers speculate it limits the game's appeal beyond the fanbase.
- Minimal Story Focus (weight 0.09): The story is minimal with no proper focus, according to some reviewers. English language is mandatory to understand the story and humor.
- Sequel In Development (weight 0.05): A sequel to the game is currently in development, as mentioned in one review. This suggests potential future content or continuation of the series.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.23): Players frequently cite unclear defense timing, imprecise platforming with camera issues, and game-breaking bugs in the Miko fight that can corrupt saves. Translation errors, scarce money, and hidden sidequests without guides add to the frustration.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.15): The game is praised for its fun early and middle sections, engaging story, and abundant Touhou references that delight fans. Mini-games, exploration, and tactical character combinations provide a highly enjoyable experience.
- Disappointment (weight 0.13): Many are let down by a difficulty spike and anticlimactic final boss, along with music lacking Touhou remixes and excessive lewd art. Bugs, translation issues, slow leveling, and repetitive dungeons further diminish the experience.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.08): Satisfaction comes from great map exploration, fun action and puzzle-solving, and the rewarding timed-hit combat gimmick. Mastering weapon timings and successfully guarding against powerful attacks deliver a strong sense of accomplishment.
- Amusement (weight 0.06): Amusement is derived from humorous character interactions, such as unique dialogues when standing on characters' heads. The game's funny references and charming details consistently bring smiles to players.
- Joy (weight 0.04): Joy stems from exploring iconic Touhou locations, enjoying improved characters and story compared to Mario RPG, and delightful interactions like jumping on heads. The erotic portraits and joyful sound effects also contribute.
- Appreciation (weight 0.04): Appreciation is felt for the game's meticulous details, evident heart, and faithful adherence to Touhou canon. The developers' dedication and charming artwork are highly valued by players.
- Excitement (weight 0.03): Excitement is driven by the fun gameplay mix, interactive characters, and the unique fusion of Touhou with Super Mario RPG style. The high completion and strong Touhou identity prompt eager purchases.
- Surprise (weight 0.03): Surprise arises from unexpected delights when revisiting maps, the game being more challenging than anticipated, and discovering unique dialogue interactions. Despite the horny art, the game proves absurdly fun.
- Confusion (weight 0.03): Confusion often results from translation errors, such as Koishi's reversed insight skill, and not knowing where to go after a break. Suspected bugs, like inability to enter the dream world, further perplex players.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.03): Nostalgia is evoked through respectful references to the original Mario RPG and a throwback feel to old-school platform/RPG games. The game's atmosphere resonates with fond memories.
- Admiration (weight 0.02): Admiration is inspired by the impressive fusion of Touhou characters into one cohesive world, faithful character portrayals, and a large story. The artist's skill also garners praise.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.02): Enthusiasm is fueled by the interesting story, cameos of outside world girls, and the characters' large breasts. Rich content and mini-games keep players eager.
- Happiness (weight 0.01): Happiness is brought about by the charming Gensokyo setting, loving character dialogues, and the availability of an official Chinese version. These elements create a warm, pleasant experience.
- Annoyance (weight 0.01): Annoyance is caused by late-game QTE battles with insufficient prompts requiring trial and error, and the lack of auto-save before sudden boss battles leading to restarts.
- Discomfort (weight 0.01): Discomfort arises from diagonal platform jumping and awkward default key bindings, as well as initial unfamiliarity with controls, especially jumping.
- Disgust (weight 0.01): Disgust is reported specifically for the mansion area, which some players find extremely unpleasant.
- Relief (weight 0.01): Relief was experienced when a workaround involving creating a Data/EnemyGraphic folder with a renamed png allowed the game to continue after a buggy fight.
- Distress (weight 0.01): Distress occurs when using F12 for screenshots causes the game to return to the title screen, potentially losing progress.
- Amazement (weight 0.01): Amazement grows as players are blown away by the game's quality the more they play, surpassing initial expectations.}