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 features upgraded art and animations, enhancing the visual experience compared to previous titles.
- The music is high-quality and enjoyable, with some tracks being memorable and fitting for the game.
- The new Izanagi Link system allows for permanent character growth, making it easier for players to progress without losing levels upon death.
- The game lacks content compared to previous entries, with fewer playable characters, items, and overall gameplay depth.
- The English translation is rough and inconsistent, leading to confusion and detracting from the overall experience.
- The gameplay can feel overly simplified, with a focus on grinding and less strategic depth than earlier titles in the series.
- story119 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 82 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game's story features a mix of engaging concepts and notable twists, with many players appreciating its darker tone compared to previous entries in the series. However, criticisms arise regarding its pacing, with some feeling the narrative progresses too quickly and lacks depth, while others find the plot convoluted and filled with inconsistencies. Overall, while the story has its merits, it may not resonate with everyone, particularly those seeking a more substantial narrative experience.
“The story is fine; I won't spoil too much, but I actually like the story concept with the twist it's pulling. I like it even more than the other two.”
“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.”
“As a positive, the story turned out pretty appealing, yet almost untypically serious for Aquastyle.”
“The story progressed way too fast and the side quests are all short fillers.”
“The plot is nonsensical.”
“This is all in service of a plot twist that, to put it simply, makes little sense and they don't try to handle the numerous plot holes.”
- gameplay76 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 87 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Foresight" has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its simplified mechanics and story focus, while others criticize the removal of core features and the linear progression that limits customization. Many noted that the game feels unfinished, with tedious dungeon designs and a reliance on grinding, leading to a gameplay experience that may not justify its price. Overall, it appears to cater more to newcomers to the genre rather than fans of the previous "Gensou Wanderer" titles.
“I was a huge fan of Reloaded with over 700 hours in it, all of which felt like it breezed right by because its gameplay loop and customization were paced so well and showed the player just how much the game keeps giving. It felt like it never stopped and was very well pieced together.”
“Yet so far, I'd say the gameplay systems are pretty well implemented and balanced.”
“The gameplay loop is to enter a dungeon, breeze through the lower floors, and then you hit a wall where you need to get stronger.”
“This is essentially an early access Genso Wanderer 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 Genso Wanderer 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).”
- grinding38 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Grinding is a significant aspect of gameplay, with many players reporting that over half of their playtime is spent on it, particularly in the latter half of the game due to steep stat walls and the need to unlock powerful link trees. While some players appreciate the grinding as a means to enhance their characters, others feel it detracts from the overall experience, making the game feel unfinished and tedious. The reliance on grinding for progression has led to mixed feelings, with some preferring a more streamlined leveling system.
“Grinding in video games isn't something I am opposed to entirely, otherwise I wouldn't have beaten Touhou Gensou Wanderer Reloaded, but when 50% of my playtime was spent grinding, it makes me feel that the game developers released an unfinished game and added stat walls to inflate playtime.”
“There is way too much grinding in the latter half of the game, and you will not feel the same rewarding feeling as getting powerful equipment in GWR.”
“Everything is gone, you have nothing to do besides grinding for a measly amount of experience in the same dungeon over and over again.”
- music29 mentions
- 62 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in the game is consistently praised, with many reviewers noting the inclusion of new tracks alongside beloved songs from previous titles, making it a standout feature typical of the Touhou Project. Fans appreciate the high-quality arrangements and beautiful compositions, which enhance the overall experience, despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics and screen space. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong point, reinforcing the game's appeal to both new and returning players.
“The music is still nice; some I would even consider getting the OST for if it was available.”
“Foresight comes with new visuals and effects that I enjoyed, a new array of arranged Touhou music, new mechanics, reworked mob enemy skills, and the usual unreasonable boss fights.”
“The graphics and the music are phenomenal, and it wasn't a surprise.”
“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.”
“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.”
- graphics17 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 24 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The graphics have seen a significant upgrade, with improved art styles for characters and items that enhance the overall visual experience. While the new artwork is praised, some players feel that the cramped screen real estate detracts from gameplay, and there are concerns about cut content from previous entries. Overall, the visuals are considered beautiful and familiar to fans of the series, complemented by great music.
“The art has been upgraded; most characters, including players, companions, and enemies, have improved art styles that look much better than the previous sprites.”
“The characters' graphics in dungeons are superb, and the music is great as always.”
“The graphics and music are phenomenal, and it wasn't a surprise.”
“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 and 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.”
“The art has been upgraded; most characters, including the player, companions, and enemies, have improved art styles that look much better than the artifact sprites.”
- humor9 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is noted for its charm and consistency with past titles, despite some translation issues. Players find the "skin dive" dungeons to be particularly amusing, as they provide a sense of challenge and knowledge testing, although the lack of material items and power combinations limits opportunities for comedic surprises. Overall, the humor remains a highlight, contributing to the game's appeal.
“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, most conversations still have the same humor and charm from past titles.”
“However, even with the translation issue, some conversations still have the same humor and charm from past titles.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional impact of the game to be significant, particularly in the poignant realization of the game's conclusion. However, translation issues detract from the overall experience, with item descriptions often being confusing or nonsensical, which can undermine the emotional depth of the narrative.
“Probably the most heartbreaking part was simply the realization after playing the in section that... that was it.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received criticism for its limited utility, as players find the shops run by Takane and Rinnosuke to offer basic inventories and ineffective selling options. Many players suggest that investing in other features, like the torii gate for bonus experience, is a more beneficial use of resources. Overall, the monetization system appears to lack depth and practicality.
“Other renovations can have Takane and Rinnosuke set up shop at the shrine as well, but I didn't find that to be particularly useful. Their inventories are extremely basic, and despite advertising that you can sell items directly from storage to Rinnosuke, this doesn't actually seem possible compared to investing in the torii gate for bonus experience.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the game's optimization is generally satisfactory, with a reduced size suggesting effective performance management. However, players note that completing the link list can be time-consuming, although there are options available for those looking to optimize their progress.
“I hoped it was just the game optimized well so the size got reduced.”
“The link system is inoffensive; it takes a while to complete the link list. However, if you enjoy min-maxing, you can visit Misumaru to reset and get the optimized link for the next area or boss.”
“The link system is inoffensive, but it takes a while to complete the link list. Unless you enjoy min-maxing, you'll need to visit Misumaru to reset and get the optimized link for the next area or boss.”
