Touhou New World Review: Unveiling the Magic (PS4)

Touhou: New World, a creation of Ankake Spa, takes the Touhou series to new heights. This fan-made marvel immerses players in the enchanting realm of Gensokyo, a land where feudal tradition, folklore, and pop culture seamlessly intertwine. It continues the story from the series’ initial release, Touhou: Scarlet Curiosity. This game is a fusion of action-RPG elements and the signature bullet-hell gameplay. 

For PlayStation users, there’s an added thrill with the introduction of the ‘Bullet Hell‘ difficulty mode, ramping up the intensity and introducing gameplay elements that were once exclusive to the PC version.

While the game features extended, dialogue-rich scenes, it’s worth mentioning that deep character interactions may not be its strongest suit. What it does deliver, are countless opportunities to elevate your magical abilities through battles against Youkai. But be prepared, you might occasionally yearn for more social interactions amidst the action. Before combat, you’ll have to navigate through subtitles, which can leave you itching for the real battle. Luckily, the game’s sensational Touhou music keeps your spirits high. Nevertheless, the subtitle-heavy approach doesn’t overshadow the fact that many RPGs often feature solo protagonists on their quests. 

If you are ready for Combat in a fantastical realm and want to get your hands on this game. The game is available on PC, Nintendo Switch or PS4 for $24.99 via Steam.

Be prepared for minor spoilers for Touhou New World.

Story of Gensokyo: Touhou New World

Set in the enchanted realm of Gensokyo, the game offers you a choice between two main characters: Reimu Hakurei, a formidable shrine maiden with unparalleled martial arts skills and an unyielding resolve against the Youkai, and Marisa Kirisame, a human sorceress and long-time acquaintance of Reimu who possesses the unique ability to harness Youkai magic. As you embark on your journey, the game unfolds with a captivating scene that unravels the rich history of Gensokyo and its inhabitants.

For a millennia both Youkai and humans called Gensokyo their home.

“Youkai started to slowly disappear and The Great Hakuei Barrier was created in Gensokyo. It protected the Youkai.”

Reimu and Marisa, while residing in Gensokyo, encounter unusual occurrences that lead to their sudden transport to the mysterious Outside World. There, they meet a human named Sumireko, and through a twist of fate, she finds herself transported back to Gensokyo alongside Reimu and Marisa. Sumireko’s arrival stirs up some big worries about the delicate balance between these two worlds. So, it’s up to your chosen character to tackle this situation. Your mission? Fix the balance and save both worlds. 

Sumireko Speaking to Reimu about Gensokyo

Gameplay Exploration

Exploring the game world is quite basic. Nevertheless, while progressing through the levels, you’ll notice that the backdrops can be hard to navigate through and you will find yourself forgetting where you are. The game’s environments are labyrinthine, which can make navigation a bit of a challenge until you locate your mission marker. You’ll be kept on your toes, defending yourself against a variety of adversaries, from animated cleaning tools to irate wolves and mischievous fairies. Occasionally, you’ll come upon secret pathways that lead to gear. What adds intrigue to the game is that you don’t really have to venture out for exploration; the side quests will naturally guide you to different locations.

The bullet hell element of the game is revealed when you are swarmed with countless enemies, which can become a real hassle. While a fair challenge is expected, the developer Ankake Spa, adopted the strategy of throwing an overwhelming number of enemies at you to test your survival skills. Fortunately, you have access to special attacks that come in handy when defeating these adversaries.

Combat Tutorial 

Let’s dive into this part of the game, where the real action begins. After a few minutes of learning Gensokyo’s history, you dive headfirst into the gaming experience. You’ll be greeted with a screen that presents the option to start the combat tutorial or skip it. It might be tempting to skip it, but it could be useful if this is your first time playing. As you venture into the tutorial, you’ll soon realize that Reimu and Marisa bring their own distinct fighting styles to the table. Here’s the twist: the tutorial unfolds in a gym setting with challenging target objectives. Your mission? Defeat the enemies. Only when you’ve conquered these objectives can you advance. 

What’s interesting is that, depending on your character choice, the path after the tutorial varies. However, regardless of your selection, you’ll find yourself amidst a Youkai showdown before returning to your characters home. It’s here that you’ll appreciate the combat tutorial; it’s where you’ve learned those invaluable special moves that will prove crucial in your journey through Gensokyo. So, get ready to unleash your combat skills!

Navigating Through The Game

It may be more convenient to avoid unnecessary confrontations with enemies, simply choosing to run past them to keep the momentum going. However, it’s important to note that defeating enemies can earn you valuable cash to splurge at the general store, so battles inevitably become a part of the journey. The game offers a commendable level of customization, and the customizations evolve throughout the game. Players will gradually unlock the ability to enhance their weapons, upgrade character stats, and rank up their abilities. This flexibility in character development provides various avenues for players to fine-tune their experience and maximize their enjoyment.

Sound & Graphics

The visuals have a nostalgic charm, reminiscent of the PSP graphics. The map of Gensokyo is an immersive experience. There are a few locations on the map, like Hell and the hot springs, that are visually stunning. However, it seems the rest of the game’s backdrops and levels may suffer from structural problems that occasionally cause problems in the boss battles.

You will find that Touhou New World offers a unique experience when it comes to sound design. Players navigate the throughout the game  in relative silence. Players communicate solely through subtitles, immersing themselves in a text-driven narrative. The plus side to this is it allows the story unfold. Unless you like reading your games you might not like this aspect of the sound design. It’s worth mentioning that the sound design, especially when it comes to how you feel hits and combat, relies more on how your controller vibrates than on specific sounds.

Although, players remain silent, the game isn’t entirely devoid of sound. Characters do occasionally express themselves with vocal expressions like sighs and grunts. Furthermore, in the heat of battle, you can hear weapon clashes and collisions. Ultimately, the true star of the show is the Touhou New World soundtrack, which enhances the overall charm of the gaming experience. 

Listen to  “A New World” from the Touhou New World soundtrack below on Youtube @JoeJoe-23

Touhou New World Review: Craving More 

You go on an adventure, playing as either Reimu or Marisa. As you move forward, you’ll face intense battles against crowds of enemies, building up to an epic showdown with a powerful boss at the end of each level. During these boss battles, the enemies throw a mesmerizing storm of projectiles at you, much faster than what regular enemies usually do. These battles really add a lot of excitement to the game. One particularly cool moment is when you fight a massive enemy crab, and it becomes one of the most memorable fights in the game.

See @TitaRussell beat the Crab Boss of Touhou New World

In The Heat of The Moment

In the heat of the gameplay, you might notice that some of your attacks fall short of delivering that satisfying ‘oomph’ that gamers often yearn for. There’s a certain thrill that comes from a well-executed move, a sense of empowerment, and engagement that many players crave. However, in this game, the punches sometimes feel a bit lackluster. Conversely, when it comes to the enemy strikes, they often lack the impactful haptic feedback that keeps you immersed in the heart-pounding action. You want each hit you take to resonate, to feel the impact, to know you’re in the midst of an intense showdown.

Ghost Projectile Attacks

Throughout the gameplay, you might encounter countless moments where it’s tough to discern if you’ve even been hit. You’re in the thick of things, maneuvering through a hailstorm of attacks, and then you realize your health bar has taken a beating. It’s as if a barrage of stray projectiles from the game’s perimeter silently chipped away at your vitality. These moments can leave you slightly bewildered, questioning whether the thrill of the action should have been more palpable. Despite its many exciting aspects, the gameplay can sometimes leave you with a sense of longing, hoping for that extra dose of intensity to truly make the adventure unforgettable.

Unleashing Your Arsenal

As you progress through Touhou New World, you’ll gradually unlock the ability to enhance your combat skills. These enhancements encompass an array of aspects: from bolstering your weaponry to upgrading your character’s statistics, and even the ability to level up your unique abilities. These systems come as a welcomed addition, especially considering the formidable challenge posed by many of the boss battles. Having a way to bolster your strength is indeed a valuable asset.

Now, when it comes to abilities, each of them is linked to one of the four special moves and operates on a cooldown basis. Figuring out their intricate mechanics and the most effective ways to use them can be an experiment in itself. It’s worth noting that the more you use your special attacks the better they become. These specials are an extension of your basic combat combo, allowing you to string attacks together to form combos that amplify your damage output.

The game’s combat mechanics often emphasize the necessity of jumping to evade enemy attacks, although dodging is a viable alternative. Even though jumping is the best way to evade enemies it is not easy to do. Jumping primarily serves as a means to overcome enemy projectiles, this probably separates seasoned fighters from novices. The game also introduces a guard action that, when timed correctly, can temporarily slow down time. Yet, it’s crucial to bear in mind that you can only block when your adversary is marked by a blue circle. Some players may find the timing for blocking and jumping to be initially challenging, especially during the first encounters.

Learn a few moves by watching @pokedude900 play with Marisa to battle a huge snake 

Touhou New World Review: In The End

Touhou New World offers a unique gaming experience tailored for dedicated Touhou fans. It’s a great way to dive into the enchanting world of Gensokyo, although it may not match the depth of larger RPGs or the dynamism of action games. Still, it effectively keeps you engaged with a variety of missions, stat customization, and post-game content. It serves as an excellent starting point for newcomers to the Touhou universe, providing an enjoyable adventure for longtime fans.