Phantasmagoria of Dim. Dream

[Tengukami]

I have issues with PoFV - if I don't hit the Z button at juuuust the right time at the end of a stage, it will either freeze or crash. The only two things that console me are 1) I bought the official CD of this game, and 2) installed it on my wife's Windows XP machine.

However, going through the PC-98 games recently, I started playing Phantasmagoria of Dim. Dream and I have to say, this is a very good game. Perhaps even better than PoFV.

I can't be the only one who plays this, so what are your thoughts? Any favorites PCs/stages/bosses/spellcards? Let it all out.

[nintendonut888]

I agree that it is a better game than PoFV, because it is a fairer game. No matter how many times you die, your chances of defeating a boss are the same in terms of the computer AI. This way, the game doesn't pity you as you lose lives.

I have to say that its lunatic is absolutely brutal though. It takes a lot of effort to beat this game on it period, let alone 1cc. The bullets are fast and the charge attacks are (mostly) fierce. However, there is a lot less focus on "LOL I WALL YOU IN" than in PoFV (the one big factor that makes me despise the game) and more "can you dodge this," which is what Touhou's all about.

And anyone who doesn't love Kana and Chiyuri and Yumemi are heathens.

[LHCling]

It'd be great if the patterns weren't so ridiculous at the higher end... other than that I have no quarrels about it either.

'nut video post Strange things happened.
@'nut: "walling" in PoFV rarely happens if you know how to "control" the incoming bullets.

[nintendonut888]

...WTF happened to that video? It's now 1:03 long, and super speedy.

[LHCling]

What. Well damn. Might as well cross it off.

[Alice Fact]

PoFV is probably better.

I want to know how well this runs on the actual PC-9801.

[G_gglypuff]

I simply can't agree with the TC. Most clone games have that aspect of "tried really hard, but didn't quite get it". This is the case of HoD and PoDD. They are good, but if you play the game they're based on, you might not want to play the clones again. After playing TSS, I saw what the Amusement Makers were trying to achieve, and also noticed that the gameplay in it is still a lot better, not to mention the visuals and sounds.

When ZUN developed PoFV, he took a step away from PoDD (and consequently TSS) by making the bomb system integrated with the charge system and making more out of the focus ability. These made PoFV become a game on its own, rather than completely inspired on TSS.
The result is that I won't play PoDD when I can turn on my DS and play TSS, but I might still want to play PoFV and even Kioh Gyoku because the three are different.

[?q]

@donut:  By calling PoDD fair I'm assuming you mean "in PoDD you have to get the AI to glitch in order to score a hit EVERY TIME instead of just in the first round".

Also, Rikako > Chiyuri

Also, there's more "walling" in PoDD than there is in PoFV (so say Chiyuri and Yumemi).

Also, the above poster is correct.  I still like the PoDD soundtrack though.

Also, also.

[nintendonut888]

I can heartily disagree. To make up for the AI never getting easier, the AI is pretty weak until stage 7. While it does come down to outlasting the opponent, there's actual strategy to outlasting the opponent. If you just blindly fire, of course you're gonna get walled. Trust me, I had to learn this the hard way. >_>

[G_gglypuff]

Well, the AI is problematic in both Phantasmagorias...

In my opinion, ZUN should have asked for help to make different AI levels, but what is past is past.