Touhou Kouryuudou: Unconnected Marketeers

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Touhou Kouryuudou: Unconnected Marketeers is the eighteenth official installment of the Touhou Project. It was announced by ZUN on the Touhou Project news blog Touhou Yomoyama News, February 2021. A playable demo is scheduled for release on March 21st the same year, at Reitaisai 18, and the full version is scheduled to be released in May.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

99%

Audience ScoreBased on 434 reviews

music45 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The ability card system adds significant replayability and customization to gameplay, allowing for unique strategies in each run.
The game features vibrant graphics and an excellent soundtrack, with many memorable character themes and engaging bullet patterns.
It's a challenging yet rewarding experience, making it suitable for both newcomers and veterans of the Touhou series.

The difficulty can be punishing, especially in certain stages, which may frustrate new players or those unfamiliar with the series.
Some cards feel overpowered while others are nearly useless, leading to an imbalance in gameplay and strategy.
Visibility issues with bullets can make it difficult to navigate through certain patterns, detracting from the overall experience.

music
75 mentions
60 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The music in "Touhou 18: Unconnected Marketeers" is widely praised, with many reviewers highlighting its quality and diversity, showcasing Zun's musical genius. Tracks like "immemorial marketeers" and various character themes stand out, contributing to an engaging gameplay experience that enhances the overall atmosphere. While some opinions vary, the consensus is that the soundtrack is a significant highlight of the game, making it a must-listen for fans.
- “Each song is great in its own aspect, and many of them build and release the tension in ways that have been rarely seen in the series.”
- “The soundtrack is wonderful, as usual, and the art is at an all-time high.”
- “Zun is diversifying his instruments and genres but keeping quite a lot of his musical motifs, so the music is still mostly familiar.”
- “And worst of all, there are no songs that I can really find myself enjoying.”
- “EoSD definitely has better music, maybe because of how iconic they are, and UM is no match for it.”
- “Up to and including stage 4 I was quite impressed with the patterns, difficulty, and especially the music but unfortunately to me stage 5 and 6 feel somewhat unfinished.”
gameplay
58 mentions
36 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this Touhou game is characterized by an innovative ability card mechanic that enhances replayability and introduces strategic depth, allowing players to customize their experience significantly. While the core bullet hell mechanics remain intact, the addition of roguelike elements and deck-building features creates a fresh and engaging gameplay loop, though some players note issues with balance and complexity. Overall, the game is praised for its fun mechanics, challenging difficulty, and excellent music, making it a standout entry in the series.
- “An amazing Touhou game with a new card mechanic that spices things up with many new options and possibilities!”
- “The card mechanic brings so much depth, replayability, and fun to the mix!”
- “Overall, great game with a fantastic card mechanic, fantastic soundtrack, and great bosses.”
- “While it is a very curious mechanic, you're at the complete mercy of the game's RNG.”
- “I was initially apprehensive about the card system, thinking it was probably going to be too unbalanced and feel too detached from the core gameplay.”
- “If you've played Touhou before, you know what to expect from the gameplay; if not, I probably wouldn't recommend starting with this game in particular.”
replayability
39 mentions
23 % positive mentions
69 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is significantly enhanced by the innovative ability card mechanic, which introduces diverse strategies and character synergies, making each playthrough feel unique. Players appreciate the depth and variety this system brings, alongside the roguelike elements that encourage experimentation and self-imposed challenges. Overall, it is regarded as the most replayable entry in the Touhou series, offering substantial value for players.
- “Each playthrough feels completely different based on the cards you choose, so it's super replayable.”
- “The card mechanic brings so much depth, replayability, and fun to the mix!”
- “I love touhou games, but as much as I hate to admit, there isn't much replay value in them.”
- “The ability cards add a mountain of replayability in a game series that asks you to play countless times to get good and eventually beat the game without continues.”
- “Classic touhou bullet hell greatness, with the card collecting mechanic making it much more replayable than the previous entries in the series.”
story
11 mentions
55 % positive mentions
18 % neutral mentions
27 % negative mentions
Touhou 18 features a straightforward and engaging story that is accessible even to newcomers, focusing on a quirky cast of characters with unique motivations. While some players appreciate the lighter tone compared to its predecessor, others feel it lacks tension and depth. Overall, the narrative is complemented by vibrant visuals and a captivating soundtrack, making it a worthwhile experience despite its simplicity.
- “Touhou 18 is not as dark as Touhou 17, and its story is simple enough to understand even without an extended knowledge of the game.”
- “Overall, Touhou 18 has vibrant colors and characters, a simple story, and one of the best soundtracks.”
- “I can appreciate storytelling that doesn't rely on universe or world-ending threats, but this particular one lacked tension.”
- “Story: a shrine maiden who doesn't like to do her job, a kleptomaniac witch, a time-traveling maid, and a clueless shrine maiden from the real world climb up Youkai Mountain to stop someone from spreading dangerous magic cards with magical powers that can be bought and sold as a form of currency.”
- “While the story may be simple, the gameplay is somewhat on the more complicated side.”
humor
6 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by quirky and whimsical designs, such as a humorous centipede girl and amusing characters like a funny cat and fairy cards. While many find the humor entertaining, some users feel that the characters do not resonate with their personal mindset. Overall, the game successfully incorporates a variety of funny elements that contribute to its charm.
- “Oh, and haha, funny Minecraft centipede girl, I guess.”
- “It is admitted that Zun introduces many funny designs to this piece.”
- “The characters look funny and they feel unconnected to my mindset.”
graphics
6 mentions
50 % positive mentions
17 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The graphics have seen significant improvements, showcasing a vibrant and charming Zun-styled artwork that retains its signature appeal. Players appreciate the enhanced visuals and the overwhelming use of color, which adds to the overall experience compared to the previous game.
- “The overwhelming amount of color the visuals have is amazing.”
- “Zun's artwork has seen some major improvements.”
- “His artwork may be his usual Zun-styled artwork, but it's charming in a way.”
- “The graphics are your standard ZUN fare.”
- “ZUN's artwork has gotten some major improvements.”
grinding
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the grinding aspect as a means to unlock new cards and enhance their gameplay experience, emphasizing that it feels rewarding rather than tedious. The process of grinding is seen as a strategic way to improve and discover new content, making it an integral part of the game's progression.
- “You unlock them throughout the game; you do a little multiple run grinding to get some cards you might like, get the cards you like, then kick ass with those cards.”
- “No longer are you just grinding to get good; who knows what the next store has.”
- “Just keep grinding and you'll get closer to that normal clear too!”
character development
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Overall, the new character designs received positive feedback, with particular praise for characters like Takane, Sannyo, Tsukasa, and Megumu. However, some users expressed disappointment with the designs of Misumaru and Chimata, finding them unappealing.
- “I really like most of the new character designs, particularly Takane, Sannyo, Tsukasa, and Megumu.”
- “I really like most of the new character designs, particularly Takane, Sannyo, Tsukasa, and Megumu, but Misumaru and Chimata just look stupid, if I'm being honest.”
stability
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The game's stability is criticized for being significantly flawed, with users noting it as a "buggy mess" and expressing frustration over a lack of effort from the developers to address these issues.
- “I love that the game's a buggy mess and the developers won't even bother fixing it.”
- “The game crashes constantly, making it nearly unplayable.”
- “I can't believe how often I encounter glitches that ruin the experience.”
optimization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The optimization in the game is highly refined, reaching a level of excellence that some players feel may have pushed the boundaries too far, suggesting that alternative scoring methods could enhance the experience.
- “This has already been optimized to the point of counterstop, so maybe the money count at the end of stage 6 would've been a more fitting score tally here.”