Touhou Chireiden: Subterranean Animism

About

"Touhou Chireiden: Subterranean Animism" is a bullet hell shooter game set in the fantasy world of Gensokyo. Players control either the scarf fairy Sanae or the Asian paladin Youmu, battling against a variety of spirit creatures in order to seal a hole leading to the subterranean realm. The game features fast-paced action, intricate patterns of projectiles, and a unique cast of supernatural characters.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Touhou Chireiden: Subterranean Animism screenshot

98%

Audience ScoreBased on 252 reviews

music24 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game features an outstanding soundtrack, with many memorable tracks that enhance the gameplay experience.
Subterranean Animism is known for its challenging yet fair gameplay, rewarding players for mastering its mechanics and patterns.
The character designs and unique shot types add depth and variety to the gameplay, making each run feel fresh and engaging.

The game is extremely difficult, which may frustrate new players and is not recommended as a starting point for those unfamiliar with the Touhou series.
Some shot types are considered weak or ineffective, leading to a lack of balance in gameplay options.
The continue system can disrupt the pacing, forcing players to restart levels rather than allowing them to pick up from where they left off.

music
49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
45%
6%
The music in this game is widely praised as exceptional, with many reviewers highlighting its ability to enhance the gameplay experience and create a captivating atmosphere. Iconic tracks like "Lullaby of a Deserted Hell," "Nuclear Fusion," and "Hartmann's Youkai Girl" are frequently mentioned as standout pieces that complement the game's challenging stages. Overall, the soundtrack is considered one of the best in the series, contributing significantly to the game's appeal and memorability.
- “The music is consistently quite good, being some of the best in the series; 'Lullaby of a Deserted Hell', 'Nuclear Fusion', and 'Green Eyed Jealousy' are some of note.”
- “The music absolutely bangs... ZUN absolutely popped off.”
- “Each song feels like it ushers you onwards, and like most of the songs in the series, each one sounds fun and fits well with its corresponding stage.”
- “The music is as always with ZUN's music really good, but some of the later stage themes can be forgettable. It still has a lot of exceedingly excellent tracks (3rd Eye, Nuclear Fusion, Last Remote, Hartmann's Youkai Girl...).”
- “What motivated me to keep playing even though I was getting absolutely annihilated was the soundtrack.”
- “The dark music of this game composed by his highness (ZUN) is also truly fitting like nothing else.”
gameplay
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
73%
12%
The gameplay in this title is characterized by refined mechanics that emphasize skill over luck, with unique shot types and the innovative grazing mechanic that enhances scoring and item collection. Players appreciate the challenge presented by the game's difficulty and the clarity of bullet patterns, making it satisfying to master. Overall, the gameplay is well-integrated with the music and story, providing a rewarding experience for those who invest time in learning its intricacies.
- “Firstly, I will say the mechanics of the game are very refined and to the point.”
- “It is incredibly satisfying to master, unlike certain other Touhou games that use 'luck' mechanics.”
- “Grazing also returns as a major mechanic, filling up a gradually decaying meter as you get in close proximity to bullets, auto-collecting items when at maximum and increasing your scoring potential.”
- “There isn't much difference between non-spells and spells gameplay-wise, apart from score.”
- “Gameplay-wise, this is where I have to mention the sheer difficulty of this game.”
- “Sure, there are mechanics in every new game, but this one is even more foreign from those traditional changes.”
story
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
58%
25%
The story is set in a hellish environment and features a mix of unique character backstories, particularly highlighting Parsee and Koishi. While it draws on events from previous games, some reviewers find it somewhat weak and convoluted, with themes that touch on deeper psychological concepts. Overall, the narrative is praised for its continuity and how well it integrates with the gameplay, creating a cohesive atmosphere that matches the game's difficulty.
- “It is also notable for how the story makes good use of plot points from previous games, which keeps a strong sense of continuity.”
- “Love how the story, location, and atmosphere all match the difficulty level.”
- “The story in this game is a direct result of the events of Mountain of Faith and feels somewhat weak due to it relying on that, but it's passable for what the stories in this series are.”
- “The story is something about Reimu fighting against the industrial revolution (Moriya Conspiracy) or something; I don't know, I haven't read the Unabomber manifesto.”
- “The story of this game takes place in hell, and boy does it really feel like it.”
atmosphere
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
29%
29%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised, sharing qualities with its Touhou series predecessors while enhancing anticipation for its climactic finale. Reviewers highlight the superb soundtrack and creative spellcards, noting how the visuals and music effectively contribute to the overall ambiance, particularly in the challenging later stages. The combination of story, location, and atmosphere aligns well with the game's difficulty, creating a memorable experience.
- “It shares the quality and sense of atmosphere of its Touhou game siblings, along with what felt to me like a bigger emphasis on anticipation for the later stages of the game, with a fantastic finale.”
- “While this game is much harder than its predecessor (which I recommend for a beginner), the atmosphere and soundtrack are quite superb.”
- “I like how it creates an atmosphere with just the visuals and music; reaching the last stage is always very impactful.”
- “While this game is much harder than its predecessor (which I recommend for a beginner), the atmosphere and soundtrack are quite subpar.”
- “However, the characteristic horrible atmosphere of this work is really good.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of quirky characters, such as a funny catgirl and a nuclear bird, alongside mostly amusing dialogues and memorable interactions, particularly highlighted by unique spellcard references. Overall, the comedic elements contribute to a lighthearted and entertaining experience.
- “Shooty funny hat girl”
- “Funny nuclear bird goes brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr”
- “(mostly) funny dialogues and memorable characters (like Satori having the spell cards of the guest stars, for example)”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players find the game highly replayable due to its engaging dialogue and the unique mechanics associated with different shot types, which encourage experimentation and mastery. The challenge reminiscent of classic 'Nintendo hard' games further enhances the sense of accomplishment and replay value. Overall, the combination of varied gameplay elements and rewarding difficulty makes for a compelling reason to revisit the game.
- “The dialogue in the game is fun to read and adds replayability.”
- “Not to mention, the game is very replayable; each shot type has its own special gimmick that is more fleshed out than usual.”
- “This allows for variation in the dialogue based on which shot type you're using, adding that small bit of replayability to the game.”
- “If you grew up on older 'Nintendo hard' games that similarly didn't pull their punches and forced you to get better, and you enjoyed that feeling of accomplishment and replayability from mastery, you'll not go wrong picking this game up.”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The graphics in the game are praised for their clarity and ability to enhance gameplay, with a beautiful visual style that effectively creates an immersive atmosphere alongside an incredible soundtrack. Reviewers note the impressive variety in shot types and spell cards, contributing to a visually engaging experience that remains impactful throughout.
- “Best balance of shot types having variety and also being useful, incredible spell cards, the best music out of them all, and beautiful visuals.”
- “I like how it creates an atmosphere with just the visuals and music; reaching the last stage is always very impactful.”
- “Fantastic soundtrack, graphics that still hold up.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express a strong emotional response to the character Parsee, highlighting feelings of frustration and trauma from repeated defeats, while also appreciating the depth and emotional resonance of the music and storytelling associated with her character. The contrast between negative experiences and the admiration for the heartfelt elements of the game underscores its impactful emotional engagement.
- “I could go on forever about how much I love 'Heartfelt Fancy' and how it's a brilliant song that leads into Satori and into her character.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The character development in the game is highlighted by well-crafted designs, with particular praise for Utsuho, who stands out as a favorite among players.
- “The character designs are also really good in this game, and Utsuho is my favorite character in the series.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate that the game eliminates grinding and tutorials, allowing for a more respectful and engaging experience that encourages skill development without a significant time commitment.
- “No grinding, no tutorials, no major time commitment -- the game respects you as a player and doesn't pull its punches so you can become better.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for resembling the misleading tactics often seen in low-quality mobile game ads, suggesting a focus on exploiting players rather than providing a fair gaming experience.
- “If you've seen those terrible mobile game ads that have captions like 'I can't get past level 3!!1!', this is basically that but for real.”
- “The monetization strategy feels like a cash grab rather than a fair system for players.”
- “It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending money.”