Ephemeral Unnatural Balance
- August 16, 2019
- Ephemeral Entertainment
Get on Steam"Ephemeral Unnatural Balance" is a challenging bullet hell shooter game set in the Touhou Project universe. Players control a variety of magical girls and must navigate through intricate patterns of bullets while battling fierce bosses. The game features a unique mechanic that allows for the slowing down of time, adding an extra layer of strategy to the intense combat. With its beautiful artwork, catchy music, and high replayability value, this game is a must-play for fans of the genre.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features beautiful art and well-designed character sprites, enhancing the overall visual experience.
- The unique Discord Mode adds depth to the gameplay, offering a high-risk, high-reward mechanic that keeps players engaged.
- The music is well-composed and reminiscent of classic Touhou tracks, contributing to the game's immersive atmosphere.
- The difficulty level may be too high for beginners, making it less accessible for new players to the genre.
- Some character dialogues feel bland and inconsistent with their established personalities, detracting from the overall narrative experience.
- The game suffers from occasional lag and technical issues, which can disrupt the flow of gameplay.
- music18 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and emotional impact, featuring a mix of calm, slow-paced stage themes and more intense tracks that enhance the gameplay experience. Many reviewers appreciate the blend of rearranged songs from previous Touhou titles and original compositions, noting that the soundtrack captures the essence of the series while adding its own charm. Overall, the music is considered a standout aspect, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere and appeal.
“If I were to explain the music of Touhou EUB, I would say it's quite calm. The stage themes are especially slow-paced, but that isn't a bad thing. More faster and intense songs also appear in the game, and these are quite fun and get me into the mood to play.”
“The clear standouts of the game are both the beautiful attack patterns and the amazing soundtrack.”
“The music in this game is brilliant and reminiscent of ZUN's older works, Touhou 7, 8, and 9, and it has its own charm as well.”
“There seem to be both rearrangements of songs that already appear in other Touhou games, mostly for the bosses, and self-made songs.”
“Music doesn't reach SA's quality, in my humble opinion.”
“The general atmosphere of the game is just like the official games, yet the unique art style and music gave the game its own personality.”
- gameplay11 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a well-crafted blend of classic Touhou mechanics, featuring character selection, stage navigation, and engaging enemy patterns, enhanced by a unique discord mechanic that adds depth and replayability. Players appreciate the fair and challenging difficulty, with each stage and boss offering distinct gimmicks that keep battles fresh and memorable. Overall, the game delivers a fun and rewarding experience, though some users noted a minor inconvenience regarding spell practice access.
“Great fangame, super fun take on the characterization of some lesser-known residents of Gensokyo and a great gameplay loop of risk vs. reward.”
“The gameplay is what you would expect from a Touhou game; you select a character, fly through the stage, and fire at the enemies and bosses that come your way.”
“I love that each stage and boss has their own gimmick in the gameplay, which makes each battle unique and more memorable.”
“As far as I can tell, the only gimmick the player has is lowering the item collection line after collecting enough points, which is nice because it gives the player a useful mechanic without being annoying or overpowered.”
“Gameplay-wise, I find the difficulty fair and challenging; the easy and normal modes are quite similar to the average official games.”
“The gameplay is what you would expect of a Touhou game: you select a character, fly through the stage, and fire at the enemies and bosses that come your way.”
- story6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The story is initially understated but reveals its depth by the end, focusing on Koakuma empowering Lily White to shift power dynamics from the strong to the weak. This intriguing concept highlights underappreciated characters and features a well-paced progression that aligns with the themes typical of mainline Touhou games.
“I think the concept of the story was very interesting and gave a spotlight to some underappreciated characters.”
“What I also really liked was the story progression.”
“The plot is something that wouldn't be out of place in any mainline Touhou game, really.”
“While I was playing, I didn't think much of the story until the very end of the game.”
“The story itself is about Koakuma giving power to Lily White in order to take power from the stronger and giving it to the weaker.”
“And the plot is something that wouldn't be out of place in any mainline Touhou game, really.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics and music of the game are highly praised for their quality and unique art style, which contribute to a captivating atmosphere reminiscent of official titles while also establishing its own identity. Reviewers note the stunning aesthetics and the evident passion of the developers in creating a visually and audibly appealing experience.
“The general atmosphere of the game is just like the official games, yet the unique art style and music gave the game its own personality.”
“The aesthetics (art, graphics, backgrounds) and music are all gorgeous -- the makers really put a ton of heart into this.”
“Well made and with good graphics and music.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by the comical interactions between characters and the clever subversion of expectations, particularly with weaker characters taking on boss roles that humorously contrast with their themes. This blend of unexpected scenarios and character dynamics adds a lighthearted charm to the overall experience.
“The interactions between the characters can be quite funny and comical.”
“The subverted expectations of weaker characters being the boss is very funny, and I find it especially amusing that the boss themes don't match the boss.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While the character designs and sprite work are praised for their quality and animation, the reviews do not provide specific insights into the depth or progression of character development within the game.
“The character designs are really good, and the sprite work is amazing. The animation for the bosses is exceptionally well done.”
“The depth of character development in this game is impressive, allowing players to form strong emotional connections with each character.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, making their journeys feel authentic and engaging.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere closely resembles that of the official titles, but its distinctive art style and music contribute to a unique personality that sets it apart.
“The general atmosphere of the game is just like the official games, yet the unique art style and music gave the game its own personality.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the gameplay enjoyable, with the well-designed discord gimmick adding significant depth and enhancing replayability.
“The gameplay is very fun, and the discord gimmick is well designed, providing a lot of depth and replayability.”
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