- Engaging card system offers high replayability
- Accessible difficulty, suitable for newcomers
- High-quality music and art design
- Core roguelike elements with card system
- Unbalanced cards and characters reported
- Subpar stage and bullet design
Emotions
Players feel satisfied due to the game's high replayability, primarily driven by the innovative roguelike card system which allows for varied playstyles, strategic depth, and easier difficulty progression. The overall quality of music, bullet patterns, and user-friendly design also contribute significantly to this positive experience, making it enjoyable for both new and returning players.
Frustration stems from perceived character imbalances, particularly Marisa's weakness, and challenging stage designs, including difficult boss attacks and an overly hard EX stage. Technical issues like game crashes and bugs in the replay system, along with high penalties for missing bullets and visibility problems, further contribute to player annoyance.
Excitement is generated by the game's innovative card system, which significantly enhances replay value and offers fresh, strategic gameplay. Players are also thrilled by the overall fun and satisfying experience, new surprises, and the game's potential to revitalize the Touhou series, making it highly recommended for new players or those feeling burnt out.
Enjoyment is consistently linked to the game's card system, which provides strategic depth and high replayability. The quality of the music, engaging bullet patterns, and appealing characters also contribute to a fun and immersive bullet hell experience.
Disappointment arises from comparisons to other games in the series, particularly regarding music quality and character design, which some players found underwhelming or forgettable. The perceived lack of tension in the story, dry early stages, and poor bullet design for traditional bullet-dodging players also contribute to this sentiment.
Verdict
Mostly positive
Summary
Positive 95% · Negative 5%. Score: 5 / 100
Positives:
- The new card system is a major highlight, offering strategic depth, diverse playstyles, and significant replay value. Players enjoy collecting, combining, and experimenting with cards, which also makes the game more accessible for beginners and provides fresh experiences for veterans.
- The game's difficulty is considered fair and user-friendly, with low difficulties being very beginner-friendly while still offering challenges for experienced players. The card system plays a role in balancing this, allowing players to adjust the difficulty to their preference.
- Players consistently praise the game's music as amazing and high quality, often noting its distinctiveness and synergy with bullet patterns. The character art and overall visual design are also well-received, contributing to an immersive experience.
- The bullet patterns are described as solid, well-designed, distinctive, and visually appealing. They offer clear strategies and are often synchronized with the music, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
- Players commend ZUN's design skills, particularly in creating unique bullet patterns, evolving art style, and high-quality music. His ability to creatively combine roguelike elements with bullet hell gameplay is also highlighted.
Negatives:
- Many ability cards are considered useless or suboptimal, leading to a grindy unlocking system and frustrating gameplay. This imbalance extends to playable characters, with some being significantly weaker or less effective than others, particularly Marisa and Sakuya.
- Stages are often described as uninspired, difficult, and lacking in layout, particularly mid-stages. Bullet patterns are criticized for being crude, visually overwhelming, and sometimes having poor visibility, leading to a less enjoyable bullet-dodging experience.
- Players report a generally high difficulty, with significant spikes, especially in later stages and between difficulty settings. The game's roguelike elements and reliance on card usage contribute to this challenge, making it less friendly for casual players or those relying on memorization.
- The game's background music is generally considered less memorable and not as good as previous entries in the series. Additionally, some character designs are criticized for being 'weird,' 'creepy,' or 'underwhelming,' with ZUN's aesthetic choices being questioned.
- Losing a life results in a heavy penalty, simultaneously reducing both Power and funds. This makes recovery difficult and significantly impacts the ability to purchase new abilities, creating a harsh feedback loop.
Gameplay:
- The game's central feature is its ability card system, which introduces roguelike elements. Players acquire cards throughout a run, which significantly alter gameplay, difficulty, and strategic options, allowing for diverse playstyles and character builds.
- The game's difficulty is highly dynamic and heavily influenced by card choices. While early stages or card-less runs can be challenging, acquiring and strategically combining cards can significantly ease or increase difficulty, even allowing for Lunatic clears or hardcore challenge runs.
- The game features multiple endings (Normal, Bad, Another) and unlocks. Clearing the game or specific criteria unlocks additional card slots, the Extra Stage, and makes purchased cards available for initial setup in future runs.
- There are four playable charactersâReimu, Marisa, Sanae, and Sakuyaâeach with unique abilities, shot types, and bombs. Some characters, like Sanae and Sakuya, are noted for their strength or technical playstyles, offering varied experiences.
- Bosses exhibit more random movement than in previous titles, and bullet patterns are generally difficult, requiring careful evasion. Specific stages, like Stage 4 and 6, are highlighted for their tricky attacks and demanding spell cards.
Performance:
- Players reported encountering technical difficulties in the game, which were notably absent in prior Touhou installments. This suggests a regression in technical stability compared to previous titles.
- A specific usability issue was highlighted where the number pad could not be used for character movement. This impacts player control options and accessibility.
- The game's handling of the Windows key differs from previous Touhou games, where it was typically disabled even in windowed mode. This change might affect player experience, especially for those accustomed to the old behavior.
Recommendations:
- Players overwhelmingly recommend this game, citing high enjoyment and overall quality despite some minor flaws. Many consider it a worthwhile purchase and a great entry point for new players to the series.
- The game is highly recommended for both long-time Touhou fans and those new to the series or the STG genre. It's considered a strong entry in the Touhou series, offering a fresh experience with its card system.
- Players recommend experimenting with card combinations and earning money to acquire ability cards, suggesting this is a key gameplay element.
- Some players recommend purchasing the game to support the developer, ZUN, and encourage continued game releases on Steam.
- Players suggest repeatedly playing to get accustomed to boss normal attacks, indicating a learning curve for combat.
Miscellaneous:
- The game appeals strongly to long-time Touhou fans, with many expressing their history with the series and anticipation for new titles. There's a clear desire for ZUN to continue developing Touhou STGs that surpass previous entries.
- Players commented on the game's story, interpreting it as city guards cracking down on illegal vendors or a fading god's struggle. There were also observations about character designs and humorous descriptions of new characters.
- Several comments reflect individual player experiences, such as difficulty levels achieved, personal skill assessments, and general enjoyment or time commitment expectations. These are subjective and offer limited actionable insights.
- Many players noted that the game is in Japanese and requires a third-party patch (thcrap) for an English translation, especially to understand card abilities. This is a significant barrier for non-Japanese speaking players.
- Watching replays, both one's own and those of skilled players, is highlighted as a crucial strategy for improving in bullet hell games. This method helps players learn and apply effective techniques.
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