Touhou 14.5: 東方深秘録 ~ Urban Legend in Limbo. is HM sequel, demo at Comiket 87

[Colticide]

The added characters will be connected to mundane horrors similar to urban legends. An example lineup: Hina (dolls and curses), Orin (corpse stealing), Kogasa (Boo!), Yoshika, Sekibanki.

I would die of happiness if they where in, but I think I just say that about any character really lol. I just really want characters new in the fighting games to get updated art and story and see how they fight.

[Fumi]

Since making sprites for a fighting game takes a lot of work, I think the odds of them not reusing most of the HM cast are pretty much zero. They might drop one or two, but I'd expect most of them to come back even if it doesn't make much sense. Remilia came back for SWR, for example, and her story was all about how she couldn't go outside and therefore couldn't interact with the plot in any way.

Interesting, could be nice to see it that way, I would also love to see a story mode like SWR, in which everyone's story happened but in different time lapses (unlike in HM in which characters stories would go the order you unlocked them) because let me tell you I loved the HM cast.

For people who don't want this game, I say you can just treat it as the next slightly expensive Touhou multimedia package, in the form of music, high definition artwork, character banter, and demonstrations of the characters' fighting styles.

Yes, that's why I'm getting excited when any kind of media (games, CDs, books, manga) gets released, I simply love Touhou and anything will be accepted! I don't really understand why people are so negative about this, if they don't like the game they just don't play it and check out later story/music, etc...

If HM is in major key, this game will be in minor key. Where HM's atmosphere is grandiose, bright and festive, ULiL's stages will be small, dark, and quiet.

The added characters will be connected to mundane horrors similar to urban legends. An example lineup: Hina (dolls and curses), Orin (corpse stealing), Kogasa (Boo!), Yoshika, Sekibanki.

I was thinking the same, ULiL stages would be set in more small, quite enviroments, actually that's one of the things that excites me the most. Which kind of places will we see rendered in pseudo-3d?

Since ULiL is really youkai-ish I hope a lot of youkai make it to the game, I can see Seija, Shin, Sekibanki, Kogasa, Rumia or even the Prismrivers appearing. I also wonder which character will appear in the demo, back during HM we got Ichirin.

[notext]

Possibly worth noting that only 3 existing Touhou characters were added from IaMP to SWR, plus two bosses, so I wouldn't expect more than 4 existing characters to make their way in. If they added in Parsee and Hina (references to whom were supposedly uncovered when digging through the HM code, although that could just be a nonsense rumour) plus two DDC characters (Kagerou is low hanging fruit, Sekibanki has potential, Seija and Shinmyoumaru could be very annoying boss-type characters) then that would be two characters from every main Touhou game from Mountain of Faith onwards, plus Mamizou, which seems to fit with HM's MO.

[Starxsword]

Newhu is very probably and is probably going to be universally liked (see suika, tenshi, iku, and kokoro).

I don't know if Tenshi was universally liked, I get the feeling that some people don't like her.

The added characters will be connected to mundane horrors similar to urban legends. An example lineup: Hina (dolls and curses), Orin (corpse stealing), Kogasa (Boo!), Yoshika, Sekibanki.

Alice also deals with curses and stuff. There's also Kisume, but is that an urban legend?

Possibly worth noting that only 3 existing Touhou characters were added from IaMP to SWR, plus two bosses, so I wouldn't expect more than 4 existing characters to make their way in.

Yeah, let's hope they add more characters.

[ToyoRai]

I am going to guess that the new character for the game has the power to turn rumours to reality. A dangerous ability to have (just look at Persona 2).

Seija would also fit in, in the idea that the events start to change people's concept of what is real and what is lie.

[Failure McFailFace]

I'm going to be patient this time. When I predicted that Sukuna was going to appear last year was pretty random, so I'm not going to place any bets on who's going to appear  in UNiL compared to HM.

And guys, we only have three days until the demo!

[Kurtis]

And guys, we only have three days until the demo!

I'm so excited for the demo! I'm practically drooling just thinking about it.  :getdown:

I wonder if the demo is going to feature Reimu and Marisa as the only playable characters, or a couple of others besides Reimu and Marisa?

[Failure McFailFace]

I'm so excited for the demo! I'm practically drooling just thinking about it.  :getdown:

I wonder if the demo is going to feature Reimu and Marisa as the only playable characters, or a couple of others besides Reimu and Marisa?

Maybe it's going to be like HM's demo, where Reimu and Marisa are playable, along with one or two other characters.

[Kurtis]

Maybe it's going to be like HM's demo, where Reimu and Marisa are playable, along with one or two other characters.

Oh, that actually sounds very likely. If that's the case, then we'll find out who two of the characters are (besides Reimu and Marisa) in three days!

[Clarste]

Maybe it's going to be like HM's demo, where Reimu and Marisa are playable, along with one or two other characters.

The SWR demo had Alice and Aya while the HM demo had Ichirin. Part of the point of these demos is to show off a new character.

[Gpop]

The SWR demo had Alice and Aya while the HM demo had Ichirin. Part of the point of these demos is to show off a new character.

Actually the SWR performance test only had Reimu, Marisa, and Aya, while the demo right before SWR's release included Alice, though feel free to correct on this because it's been a while since I last remember.

[Clarste]

Actually the SWR performance test only had Reimu, Marisa, and Aya, while the demo right before SWR's release included Alice, though feel free to correct on this because it's been a while since I last remember.

That sounds about right. I don't remember the particulars either.

[Tiamat]

Playable Kogasa would make everything forgiven for me.

[game2011]

Plot-wise, I don't think everyone will return, because some of the characters don't strike me as someone who would want to obtain more power, like Byakuren and Koishi.

[Gpop]

Plot-wise, I don't think everyone will return, because some of the characters don't strike me as someone who would want to obtain more power, like Byakuren and Koishi.

Koishi could literally throw herself in any game if anything. All the reason she needs is, "while travelling around Gensokyo as usual, she found herself in the midst of the incident"

Actually, considering how Koishi lurks within the shadows a lot, she could become an urban legend herself because no one remembers her except for a select few, and so they only learn of her through rumors and such.

[game2011]

Since WaHH is tied into this, I can see Kasen being playable.

The roster is more of a free-for-all this time around.  The last game was mostly restricted to characters associated with religions, but this time, anyone who wants more power can join.

[Leon゠Helsing]

Plot-wise, I don't think everyone will return, because some of the characters don't strike me as someone who would want to obtain more power, like Byakuren and Koishi.

Well Byakuren might not, but would Miko? If so, then stopping her would be in Byakuren's best interest, I think.

[Clarste]

Plot-wise, I don't think everyone will return, because some of the characters don't strike me as someone who would want to obtain more power, like Byakuren and Koishi.

Byakuren loves power, she bragged about it in SoPM. "It's thanks to these youkai that I have so much power." Borrowing power from youkai is kinda her thing.

[DTM]

Byakuren loves power, she bragged about it in SoPM. "It's thanks to these youkai that I have so much power." Borrowing power from youkai is kinda her thing.

Um... that sounds more like an explanation than pure bragging (Byakuren doesn't really strike as that type of character).

Anyways, if i comes to horrors and urban legends, Nue would be a likely character to appear, considering that she supposedly brings bad luck according to legend.

[notext]

I would be quite surprised if any additional characters from UFO or Ten Desires were added, since those games are fairly well represented. I suspect the characters are likely to be added based on what they add to the game and to provide a broad selection of characters from different Touhou games first, and the story based on any general trends, rather than the other way around.

[Clarste]

Um... that sounds more like an explanation than pure bragging (Byakuren doesn't really strike as that type of character).

Anyways, if i comes to horrors and urban legends, Nue would be a likely character to appear, considering that she supposedly brings bad luck according to legend.

In context... I have no idea why she said something like that. Miko was insulting youkai, and her response was "but they gave me so much power!"

[game2011]

In context... I have no idea why she said something like that. Miko was insulting youkai, and her response was "but they gave me so much power!"

That doesn't sound like she is bragging, but simply saying she got her powers from them.

Being a monk means to be humble and to detach yourself from desires such as power.  She would be a really bad example of a monk if she craves it.

[Clarste]

That doesn't sound like she is bragging, but simply saying she got her powers from them.

Being a monk means to be humble and to detach yourself from desires such as power.  She would be a really bad example of a monk if she craves it.

You're completely ignoring the entirety of Byakuren's characterization if you think she's just "a good example of a monk". However, my point here is mostly that in context, what she said makes no sense at all. Why the heck would Miko care where she got her power? Frankly it sounds like she's trying to say youkai aren't evil because they give her power. IE: their moral value is related to them giving her power (specifically the power to be like a god or Buddha). So it can only make sense to say what she said if she's bragging. Not specifically about herself, although also that, but generally about the power of being a youkai.

Here's the quote I'[m talking about:

I heard it was not just any temple, but a youkai temple full of youkai monks. A temple filled with such detestable, evil power...

How rude. While it may be filled with youkai, those youkai are more sincere than humans. Just as humans can become hermits and celestials, youkai can become gods and Buddhas. My own power is also as vast as it is thanks to youkai.

You'll note that this does not address Miko's concern in any way, and in fact Miko's next line is:

So you're a monk possessed by evil then.

So Byakuren associates power with virtue, but Miko doesn't. Ironic, isn't it? This was just supposed to be an off-hand joking comment, but my point is that Byakuren isn't entirely uninterested in these matters.

[monhan]

That "私の力も妖怪による処が大きいです。" part, actually sounds more like, "Most of my power are those of the Youkai".
So yeah, like game2011 said, she doesn't sound so much as bragging, but simply saying that's the source of some of her powers. A bit different, but still matters.
How you take it is up to you though. You may also see it as her just being honest.

As for the next line, yes, Miko is right. She was tempted by evil power. (By the way, that "possessed" is kinda wrong too, "tempted" is more like it. "邪に魅入られた僧侶")
No need to question that further.

Regarding motivation though, I'm not really sure where it was said that this incident attracts those who wants power, maybe somewhere in the prologue?
Nevertheless, Byakuren can join in simply to calm down and solve the incident, like she did in HM. This is also true for some other characters.

Though I'd love to see a playable Shou, Nue, Murasa, Kogasa, Seiga&Yoshika combi, etc; I guess it's better to have the casts of MoF and prior titles, to join with the casts of HM. Therefore we'll get a sizable roster, but still well balanced. Though I want 1 more from SA and anyone from the fighters is fine too. 
And another thing that also interests me, is character items.
That gap on the screenshot might be a Yukari item for all we know. It'd be interesting if we at least got more items to represent some of the characters that may not be included in the game. Though it'll be restricted only to some characters' due to the nature of their abilities.

Though one thing I kinda wish they add someday, is character support system or even straight out co-op. They've proven in HM that multiple characters on screen is possible after all. Just giving out ideas.

[Clarste]

At a random guess, I would say that maybe Sanae, Sakuya and Youmu will come back. Or not, but they're somewhat "main character-ish" so it's appropriate for them to show up anywhere. Youmu and Sakuya were also in shooting games somewhat recently. Other than that though, I wouldn't expect any of the important older characters like Remilia or Yukari. Like cuc said, this game feels more low-key than HM, so having the big players come out of the woodwork just seems totally inappropriate. For the same reason, I wouldn't expect anyone else from the Buddhist or Taoist factions. I would be very surprised if no one from DDC showed up.

[cuc]

In today's end-of-year party stream, ZUN and Uni Akiyama said ULiL feels like an upgrade of HM. The controls have been tweaked to be less cumbersome. ZUN: "You can play it even if you never touched Shinkizakura" (his running joke about a typo of Touhou 13.5's name). So that's that.

[cuc]

Re: roster change, a topic from a few pages ago.

I got this from a Tasofro document that I promise you is not something I made up, even if I can't find the source now.

The thing about Meiling in IaMP is she was a special case, from a time when the Touhou canon was still being established. She was not planned for by ZUN;  Tasofro built her out of their own motivation, with little oversight by ZUN. Tasofro said you should treat her (inclusion and game design) in the game as basically non-canon; I think all ZUN did was writing her dialogue and skill names.

This would explain why her Soku version is the most ovettly different from IaMP of all characters. The Soku version would reflect ZUN's vision of the character.

[Gpop]

Meiling was added due to her winning a Saimoe tournament iirc.

[LunaWillow]

I'm one of the very few people that actually liked HM, so ULiL makes me happy too.  I hope that whole HM cast will made it (well, maybe without Nitori. I'll die if I'll need to beat her story mode again). Especially Kokoro and Futo. I also want Sekibanki and Keine to appear. And please, not Nue... I feel like she shoudn't be in this game. Kogasa too.

[Leon゠Helsing]

Personally, if there's anyone I want to see from DDC it'd be Kagerou, even if I can't really think of anything that could tie her into the plot. And if she has even a single reference to KoF13 Iori I'd main the shit outta her.