Touhou: Gensokyo Survivors
- May 11, 2023
- Xeloph
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io StoreIn "Touhou: Gensokyo Survivors," Gensokyo is overrun with supernatural beings, and it's up to Reimu and other characters to resolve the incident. This fast-paced game features a grid-based inventory system, 26 weapons with alternative attack modes, 5 spell cards, and 8 playable characters. A typical playthrough lasts 15-20 minutes.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features charming pixel art and pleasant music, making it visually and audibly appealing.
- The inventory management system adds a unique twist to the gameplay, allowing for strategic item placement and spell card combinations.
- At its low price point, the game offers a fun and quick experience, especially for fans of the Touhou series.
- The game lacks content, with only one stage and limited character differentiation, leading to repetitive gameplay.
- Combat mechanics are clunky, with poor aiming controls and a lack of feedback on weapon effectiveness, making it frustrating to play.
- There are significant balance issues among characters, with some being nearly unplayable due to weak starting items, which detracts from the overall experience.
- gameplay42 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay is described as fun and addictive, drawing comparisons to other survivor games while incorporating unique mechanics like inventory management and a spell card system. However, it suffers from limited character selection, clunky weapon mechanics, and a lack of engaging progression, which may lead to a loss of motivation after a short playtime. Overall, while it offers some interesting elements, it falls short of fully capitalizing on its potential as a Touhou-themed game.
“Fun and addicting gameplay.”
“For a one dollar survivor-clone that doesn't have much of a mechanic, it managed to have more challenge and depth than it should.”
“Better than average vampire survivors clone, but with an extremely interesting 'inventory management puzzle' level-up mechanic, and some resource management that serves to elevate it well above the rest.”
“I have several massive problems with the gameplay, but in short: it's Vampire Survivors with barely anything that made me like it so much: no macro game progression, the weapons feel weak and clunky, and it commits the cardinal sin of the action roguelike: getting a good run doesn't make me feel powerful.”
“Games like Vampire Survivors survived without mouse look because most weaponry was entirely independent of your character's facing, and the more you upgraded the weapons, the more of the screen it hit; it was a game without aiming, not this, which is a game with aiming mechanics worse than your average NES game.”
“It really costs them to diversify the mechanics so that the player more often wants to experiment with builds and characters, and that he does not lose motivation in the fifteenth minute of the game.”
- music26 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its quality, particularly as it draws from the beloved Touhou series, but it is criticized for being limited to a single looping track throughout gameplay. While players find the music pleasant and fitting, many express a desire for additional tracks to enhance the overall experience. Overall, the music is seen as a highlight, albeit one that lacks variety.
“For one, the game is great on the eyes and ears: the pixel art is well done, the music is wonderful, if very limited, and enemies pop out from the background very nicely.”
“Music was a pleasant surprise.”
“Fun survivors gameplay, great music.”
“There is currently only one song during the whole gameplay, so hopefully other themes will be added in the future.”
“Music is one whole looping track, which is surprising considering it's a Touhou game.”
“One stage, with the same flat background, playing the same music (though I will say, it's a certified bop), with no consumables to pick up, only a few objects to obstruct movement; there's just not enough there.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features charming pixel art graphics that enhance the overall polished gameplay experience. Players appreciate the superb visuals and excellent music, particularly fans of the Touhou series.
“This is a fun 'survivor-like' game with good pixel art graphics.”
“Charming graphics and music.”
“While simple, the polished gameplay experience is enhanced by an excellent score and superb visuals that fans of Touhou will appreciate.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received criticism, particularly regarding its inventory management system, which feels clunky and poorly suited for controller use. Additionally, performance issues have been noted on the Steam Deck, indicating that the game may not be fully optimized for all platforms.
“The game isn’t properly optimized (at least not on the Steam Deck).”
“Gameplay is functional, but placing weapons you get from a level up in your inventory feels janky and not properly optimized for controller support.”
“Another thing is that the game isn’t properly optimized (at least not on the Steam Deck).”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the heart and quick gameplay of Gensokyo Survivors, but many feel that additional quality-of-life improvements are needed to enhance its replayability. Overall, while the game is enjoyable, it currently lacks features that would encourage repeated playthroughs.
“Gensokyo Survivors has a lot of heart and is a quick play, but I would love a few more quality of life improvements added to the game to enhance its replayability.”
“Gensokyo Survivors has a lot of heart and is a quick play, but I would love a few more quality of life improvements added to the game to enhance its replayability value.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that grinding is a fundamental aspect of this genre, primarily driven by the pursuit of novelty and the gradual completion of significant tasks. Players often find themselves engaged in repetitive activities to unlock new content and progress.
“This genre is almost entirely propped up by novelty, grinding for new things, and slowly chipping away at a monumental task.”
- story2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game lacks a coherent story or initial plot, leaving players without any narrative context to engage with, which may detract from the overall experience. Additionally, the heavily pixelated character sprites may not appeal to everyone.
“The heavily pixelated character sprites during gameplay might not be anyone’s cup of tea, and as I mentioned previously, there is no story to follow or an initial plot explaining what’s going on.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The reviews do not provide relevant information regarding the aspect of "stability." Instead, they focus on character abilities and comparisons, which do not address the game's performance or reliability.
