東方憑依華 ～ Antinomy of Common Flowers.
- January 5, 2018
- 黄昏フロンティア
- 14h median play time
Get on SteamTouhou Hyouibana: Antinomy of Common Flowers is the 15.5th official installment of the Touhou Project, developed by Team Shanghai Alice in conjuction with Twilight Frontier. The game was announced during the Play, Doujin! Year-End Party stream.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Windows
PlayStation
Reviews
- The game features a unique aerial combat system that allows for innovative gameplay mechanics and strategies.
- The soundtrack is exceptional, with remixes and original compositions that enhance the overall experience.
- The character roster is diverse and well-balanced, providing players with a variety of playstyles and interactions.
- The online multiplayer experience is plagued by connectivity issues and lacks proper matchmaking support.
- There is no tutorial or comprehensive move list, making it difficult for new players to learn the mechanics.
- Single-player content is limited, and the story mode can feel repetitive after a short time.
- gameplay87 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this fighting game is characterized by its unique aerial mechanics and the innovative master-slave system, allowing for dynamic combos and strategic depth. Players engage in fast-paced, fluid combat that combines traditional fighting elements with bullet hell mechanics, resulting in a distinctive experience that encourages experimentation. While the controls are generally easy to learn, the absence of a tutorial may leave some players needing external guides to fully grasp the complex mechanics.
“Gameplay is unique among fighting games, being that the fights are always airborne, allowing for the ability to dive under the opponent in addition to jumping over them.”
“A brilliant, super-unique, competitively-viable fighting game that never ceases to interest me with its completely original mechanics and fluid gameplay.”
“The perfect possession mechanic makes games fairly interesting and quicker.”
“You'll have to look up a guide to understand the basic mechanics beyond 'use these buttons to do different types of attack.'”
“There's no tutorial though, so your best bet is just to go straight to the Steam guide to learn the mechanics.”
“At some point, I wanted to have the possibility of disabling the master/slave mechanic... I don't know, but I miss simplicity quickly.”
- story71 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story mode of the game is generally well-received, featuring a creative narrative that involves characters navigating the concept of "perfect possession" through various chapters and boss fights. While some players find the story engaging and humorous, others note issues with translation quality and incomplete elements, leading to a somewhat short experience. Overall, it appeals particularly to fans of the Touhou series, offering enjoyable character interactions and a unique blend of fighting and bullet hell mechanics.
“The story mode is deeper than one might think.”
“The game's story is good, with the cast divided into pairs of two while you traverse the paranormal world of Gensokyo, trying to find explanations for the 'perfect possession' incident. It is best experienced for yourself, so I won't spoil much.”
“It's fun, it's got a creative and intriguing story, it's got humorous moments, and as always, the soundtrack is spectacular.”
“The game's story chapters were the reason I was so hesitant to review this for so long; they were unfinished, and many encounters lacked any spells whatsoever.”
“The boss of the second to last story chapter is impossible to beat, even on easy.”
“Story mode seems very short; many characters are missing spell cards (noted to be in the works).”
- music60 mentions
- 68 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in this game is widely praised, with many reviewers highlighting its spectacular quality and variety, characteristic of the Touhou series. Fans appreciate the engaging soundtracks, which include both new tracks and remixes from previous games, making it a standout feature that enhances the overall gameplay experience. Overall, the music is described as energetic, enjoyable, and a significant draw for players, often elevating the game's appeal beyond just its mechanics.
“The music, as always, is spectacular.”
“An amazing touhou fighting game with great characters, fun gameplay, and an awesome soundtrack.”
“The sprites are very detailed, the backgrounds are amazing, and the music is, as always, beyond compare, especially the story mode themes.”
“More like a music player than a game.”
“A Touhou fighting game that mixes fighting and bullet hell with music that makes you glad you lost your hearing.”
“After you beat the story, the title screen music changes and there is no way to change it back (weird nitpick).”
- graphics21 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their stunning quality, featuring gorgeous artwork and flawless 2D animations that enhance the overall visual experience. Many reviewers highlight the unique art style, which is considered a significant improvement over previous titles in the series, and commend the character designs and sprite animations as particularly impressive. Overall, the visuals contribute to a fun and engaging gameplay experience, making it one of the most visually appealing entries in the Touhou franchise.
“Finally, the graphics are very well done.”
“The sprites and artwork are gorgeous, also props to Moe Harukawa for drawing all these pretty girls in her style; it's very nice on the eyes.”
“Graphically, it is one of the most beautiful Touhou games out there, with beautiful artwork and wonderful sprite animation.”
“However, I'm still very lucky since at least I'm not a Windows 7 + NVIDIA graphic card user, an unfortunate group that even has no way to hack to make their game playable.”
“In comparison, the English fan patch places the translations inside of the talk bubbles themselves; in addition, the creators of the patch also went out of their way to modify the art of some text to be in English while also sticking to the original artwork style.”
“It is obvious to see that this game inherited the same art style from the previous game, and it works great.”
- humor11 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its quirky characters, particularly the amusing dynamic between a short pimp girl and her sister, which adds a comedic layer to the gameplay. Players appreciate the funny interactions and moments throughout the story, contributing to its replay value despite a generic storyline. Overall, the humor is well-received, enhancing the enjoyment of the fighting mechanics and character relationships.
“It's fun, it's got a creative and intriguing story, it's got humorous moments, and as always, the soundtrack is spectacular.”
“Plenty of humor too.”
“+ the master-slave mechanic can result in fun couples and the interactions between a certain member with another are fun and accurate with the story of each one (see Byakuren and Miko together was kinda hilarious)”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is criticized due to persistent bugs and glitches, particularly in the netplay and lobby search features, which detract from the overall experience. While players have found workarounds through Discord, the ongoing issues have led to frustration, especially given the history of similar problems in previous titles. If these glitches remain unaddressed, many users feel the game may not be worth recommending.
“While the game's built-in netplay isn't really working for me, there is a Discord with players who use the direct invite system to get past the buggy lobby search.”
“The buggy online experience is frustrating, but every Touhou fighting game before this has had the same issues.”
“The biggest issue is that there are glitches since the game has just come out.”
- character development3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highlighted by impressive character design and expressions, which resonate well with fans, particularly those of the Touhou series. However, some players express a desire for deeper insights into the characters' personalities through the game text, as language barriers limit their understanding. Overall, the visual appeal and gameplay are strong draws, even for those unfamiliar with the franchise.
“I really liked their character design, but I would have loved to read more about their personalities in the game text. Unfortunately, I can't read Japanese, so I focused on their expressions.”
“A must-have if you're a Touhou fan, and even if you're not, the character designs and gameplay are likely to grab you.”
“I really liked their character design, but I would like to read about their personalities in the game text. Unfortunately, I can't read Japanese, so I had to rely on their expressions.”
“The character development feels lacking; I wanted to connect with the characters on a deeper level, but there wasn't enough backstory or dialogue to make that happen.”
“While the character designs are visually appealing, the lack of meaningful character development left me feeling disconnected from the story.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The optimization in the latest Touhou fighter is notably improved, enhancing gameplay mechanics and overall performance. While it doesn't introduce significant new content for veterans of previous titles, it stands out as the best in the recent series due to its larger roster and refined optimization.
“Six new fighters: Reisen Udongein Inaba (previously available only in the PS4 version of ULIL), Doremy Sweet from TH15 LOLK, Tenshi Hinanawi from TH 10.5 SWR, Yukari Yakumo from TH7 PCB, and 2 new characters who function as 1 fighter, bringing the total roster up to 19 playable fighters, along with some new stages, new arrangements including the PS4 version’s soundtrack, and most notably improved optimization!”
“In conclusion, AOCF doesn’t offer much that is new if you’ve previously played ULIL or HM, but it is easily the best of the recent Touhou fighters, with a fairly large roster, improved mechanics, better optimization, and of course the ever fantastic arrangements.”
“The optimization in this game is severely lacking, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
“Despite the addition of new characters, the overall performance suffers due to poor optimization, making it frustrating to play.”
“I was excited for the new content, but the optimization issues make it almost unplayable at times.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game offers moderate replayability due to its generic yet humorous story mode, allowing players to explore different paths and experiences on subsequent playthroughs.
“The story mode may be generic, but it's also quite funny, and you'll find plenty of replay value as you explore different paths.”
“Each playthrough offers unique choices that significantly change the outcome, making you want to dive back in for more.”
“The variety of character builds and strategies keeps the gameplay fresh, encouraging multiple runs to experience everything the game has to offer.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by the personal connection players feel when interacting with the ball, as it becomes a representation of their involvement and effort. This mechanic fosters a sense of competition and attachment, enhancing the overall emotional engagement during gameplay.
