Touhou Genso Wanderer: Foresight
- May 14, 2024
- AQUASTYLE
- 33h median play time
Get on Steam"Touhou Genso Wanderer: Foresight" is a fan-made dungeon-crawler RPG based on the "Touhou Project" series. After losing her memory and returning to Hakurei Shrine, Reimu Hakurei, joined by Marisa Kirisame, sets out to solve incidents and save Gensokyo from various challenges. Each playthrough features changing dungeon layouts and items, allowing for unique experiences. Leveling and travel mechanics enable players to upgrade Reimu's abilities and weapons throughout the game.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Windows
PlayStation
Reviews
- The game offers a more casual and accessible experience compared to previous titles, making it suitable for newcomers to the genre.
- The graphics and music are well-received, maintaining the high quality expected from the Touhou series.
- The new Izanagi Link system allows for character progression and customization, providing players with a sense of growth throughout the game.
- The game lacks content and depth compared to its predecessors, with fewer playable characters and a limited item roster.
- Translation issues and poor localization detract from the overall experience, with many item descriptions being confusing or incorrect.
- The gameplay can feel grindy and repetitive, especially in the later stages, as players are forced to grind for levels and items to progress.
- story64 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 80 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it enjoyable and ambitious, while others feel it falls flat or lacks impact. Many noted issues with translation quality, which detracted from the overall experience, although some appreciated the serious tone and plot twists that emerged later in the game. Overall, while the narrative has its strengths, it is often seen as a secondary aspect to the gameplay, with some players preferring the mechanics over the story itself.
“The story is ambitious and enjoyable, but rather strictly limits the item roster.”
“As long as you have interest in the story and go in accepting it isn't as stuffed as Reloaded, it's a good experience, with every side quest in the game containing cutscenes and story elements.”
“I personally think this game has a phenomenal story; by the end of it, I was sad that so many of the answers you get were kind of dripped along the way but made you feel less included than you actually are.”
“The story kind of falls flat when you find out that the villain wanted to use Reimu's power to become an all-powerful god.”
“This game did suffer from some early translation issues for item descriptions and some story bits, which have gotten better, but there are still some lines here and there that are botched.”
“The plot is nonsensical and makes little sense, with numerous plot holes that are not addressed.”
- gameplay32 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 81 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay in this title retains elements from its predecessor but introduces a new grinding mechanic that may appeal to some players over time. While the core dungeon exploration is enjoyable, the overall experience is marred by tedious mechanics, a lack of depth, and a linear progression that limits customization options. Many players feel the game is unfinished, with a gameplay loop that can feel repetitive and padded, ultimately questioning its value for the price.
“The basic core gameplay when you're in the dungeons is pretty fun.”
“The gameplay loop is enter a dungeon, breeze through the lower floors of the dungeon, and then you hit a wall where you need to get stronger.”
“Yet so far, I'd say the gameplay systems are pretty well implemented and balanced.”
“This is essentially an early access Gensowanderer game with questionable mechanics, and there's no real guarantee that Aquastyle will stick around to make this a completed product and fix this game up.”
“In conclusion, this game released unfinished, and the core mechanics with the persistent stats and gear clash too much with what the Gensowanderer series is known for.”
“If there was a warning and they had told us post-release content was coming, perhaps this might have been acceptable, but as it stands, this game is about 10 hours of actual gameplay and cutscenes with about 15 to 20 hours of padding, mandatory grind (or more if you don't do cheese).”
- grinding18 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that grinding in the game is excessive, particularly in the latter half, where players often feel forced to repeat dungeons to overcome significant stat walls. Many express frustration with the lack of rewarding gameplay, as a substantial portion of their playtime is spent on mindless grinding rather than engaging with the story or mechanics. While some appreciate the new system as less daunting than previous titles, the overall sentiment leans towards grinding being a detriment to the experience.
“I did eventually get through all of that stuff and the final boss, but all the grinding I had to do left a sour taste in my mouth.”
“Everything is gone, you have nothing to do besides grinding for a measly amount of experience in the same dungeon over and over again.”
“Over half my playtime was grinding izanagi links for the final dungeon, and that was with optimal weapons/armor/charm/medicine.”
- music14 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise, with many reviewers highlighting its quality and the inclusion of numerous remixes from the official Touhou series. Fans appreciate the solid arrangements and familiar tunes, which enhance the overall experience, although some noted that the gameplay can be challenging. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, consistent with the expectations of Touhou project titles.
“The music in this game is a banger, but that's to be expected of anything related to Touhou.”
“There are plenty of remixes to songs from the official Touhou games to be found here, and there were even a few songs that I recognized from Reloaded, which was a nice little surprise.”
“No complaints here either, the music here is just really solid overall.”
“Good game but with a lot of issues, and the usual music as well.”
“While the graphics and music are all fine and will be familiar enough if you're a fan of the other Aquastyle titles, I do find that the screen real estate is far too cramped in this game with no options to address it.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their beauty and consistency, featuring a charming art style and superb character designs that enhance the overall experience. The accompanying music is also highlighted as exceptional, contributing to the game's atmosphere. However, some players noted issues with cramped screen real estate and the removal of content from previous entries, which detracted from the overall enjoyment.
“The graphics and the music are phenomenal, and it wasn't a surprise.”
“I think the art style used for the game looks great.”
“If you want some positives, Reimu was buffed to at least not be as mediocre as in Reloaded in my opinion, the music's great as always, and most importantly the characters' graphics in dungeons are superb.”
“There's just way too much cut content from previous entries, and this was most likely due to Aquastyle redoing the artwork for every character/item in the game.”
“While the graphics and music are all fine and will be familiar enough if you're a fan of the other Aquastyle titles, I do find that the screen real estate is far too cramped in this game with no options to address it.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is highlighted by the entertaining "skin dive dungeons," which provide a challenging experience reminiscent of past titles, despite some translation issues. While the dialogue retains its charm, players lament the absence of material items and combinations that could lead to unexpected comedic moments.
“It has some skin dive dungeons, and hilariously, they are the best dungeons in the game because they at least give you some sense of difficulty and knowledge tests.”
“However, even with the translation issue, some conversations still have the same humor and charm from past titles.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional impact of the game to be profound, particularly in the poignant realization of the story's conclusion. However, some express frustration with translation issues that detract from the overall experience, affecting the clarity of the plot and item descriptions.
“Probably the most heartbreaking part was simply the realization after playing the section that... that was it.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is perceived as limited due to a significant reduction in playable characters, dropping from 19 in the previous version to a lesser number, which may diminish the incentive for players to revisit the game.
“Compared to the 19 different characters that were playable in Reloaded, this is obviously a huge downgrade.”
“Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to go back and play again.”
“The lack of meaningful choices and branching paths makes replaying feel tedious and uninteresting.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is criticized for its limited utility, as players find the shop offerings from Takane and Rinnosuke basic and unhelpful, particularly since the advertised feature of selling items directly from storage is not functional. In contrast, investing in other features, like the torii gate for bonus experience, is seen as a more valuable use of resources.
“The monetization system feels exploitative, with prices set unreasonably high for in-game items that should be accessible to all players.”
“I was disappointed to find that many features are locked behind paywalls, making it difficult to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
“The game heavily encourages microtransactions, which detracts from the overall experience and makes it feel like a cash grab.”
