Touhou Double Focus Review Summary

Last updated: 2026-02-23
  • Cute and charming visual design
  • Full Japanese voice acting
  • Good soundtrack and sound effects
  • Poor controls and combat mechanics
  • High difficulty and spikes
  • Lack of save points
Touhou Double Focus header

Emotions

Archetypes

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Review evidence

Why players say this

What players like

Cute and charming visual design: The game features cute character designs, colorful backgrounds, and well-animated characters. The art style is consistently praised for its charm and visual appeal.

Full Japanese voice acting: The game includes full voice acting, which enhances the character explanations and overall experience. The voice acting is well-received and matches the character images.

Good soundtrack and sound effects: The game features a great soundtrack and decent sound effects, contributing to the overall audio experience.

Good value for money: Players feel the game is worth the price, offering good value for the content and experience provided.

Touhou Project theme: The game is noted for its Touhou Project theme, making it appealing to fans of the series with many characters and references.

Common complaints

Poor controls and combat mechanics: Many players have reported issues with the game's controls, describing them as sloppy, janky, and difficult to use. Combat mechanics are also criticized for being unsatisfying, stiff, and frustrating.

High difficulty and spikes: The game is noted for its high difficulty, with players experiencing difficulty spikes and challenging progression. Some players found the normal difficulty frustrating and had to switch to easy mode.

Lack of save points: Players are frustrated by the lack of save points, especially during boss fights and within stages. The manual save system and the inability to save progress frequently have been criticized.

No control rebinding: The game does not allow players to rebind controls, which has been a significant issue for many players, especially those using gamepads or keyboards.

Tedious exploration and tasks: Exploration in the game is described as tedious, with some tasks and sections requiring excessive grinding or being overly tedious to complete.

Gameplay and performance

Controller and keyboard support: The game supports both controller and keyboard control schemes, with options for customization and configuration to suit player preferences.

Exploration and discovery mechanics: The game features extensive exploration mechanics, allowing players to discover new areas and unlock sequences. This includes solving puzzles and navigating through a Metroidvania-style map.

Character animations and art style: The game features detailed character animations and a distinctive art style. The design includes careful attention to hitboxes and visual effects.

Stamina-based mechanics: A stamina system affects skills and movement, adding a layer of strategy to combat and exploration. Players must manage their stamina effectively to succeed.

Turn-based and souls-like combat: The game incorporates turn-based and souls-like combat mechanics, requiring players to strategize and memorize enemy patterns.

Controller recognition problems: Multiple players reported issues with the game recognizing or properly functioning with gamepads and controllers.

Full screen display issues: Players have encountered problems with the game's full screen display mode, affecting visual quality and gameplay.

Compatibility issues with Windows 7: There are reports of compatibility issues specifically with Windows 7, which may limit access for some users.

Recommendations

Recommended for Touhou fans: The game is highly recommended for fans of the Touhou series despite its flaws. It is considered a must-buy for enthusiasts of the developer's previous works.

Recommended for Metroidvania fans: The game is worth buying for fans of Metroidvania-style games and those who enjoy the developer's previous works. It is particularly recommended for its genre-specific appeal.

Recommended for 2D action gameplay: Luna Knights is recommended for its general 2D action gameplay, making it appealing to a broader audience beyond specific fanbases.

Recommended for full voice acting: The game is recommended for those who appreciate full voice acting, adding an extra layer of immersion and enjoyment.

Recommend buying on discount: It is suggested to purchase the game at a discount of 60% or more off the full price, indicating that the value proposition is better at a lower cost.

Buying context

Community fair range: $6.00 - $11.00.

Game completion: 6.0h.

Story completion: 4.5h.

Session length: 2.0h.

Endgame: 1.5h.

The game is perceived as boring and annoying from the start, with core mechanics and exploration failing to engage players.

Friction: Tedious exploration; Boring combat; Stiff movement; Annoying game system.

Player profiles

Touhou Enthusiast: Focuses on the game's art, humor, and world rather than gameplay mechanics. Motivation: Enjoyment of the Touhou series and its unique presentation. Stance: sale.

Metroidvania Connoisseur: Critical of gameplay mechanics and values smooth controls and fair combat. Motivation: Appreciation for well-crafted Metroidvania gameplay mechanics. Stance: no buy.

Casual Gamer: Prefers easier gameplay and is not as concerned with challenging mechanics. Motivation: Enjoyment of the game's story, characters, and getting a good deal. Stance: deep sale.

Platform notes

Steam Deck: The game experiences significant stability issues, including frequent crashes, particularly during critical gameplay moments. Additionally, there are notable problems with controller recognition and control responsiveness, which hinder the overall user experience. Compatibility settings need to be adjusted to mitigate some of these issues, indicating that the game is not fully optimized for a seamless experience on the Steam Deck.