Soo.. uhh, "review" Touhou 13

[Krakozhia]

I think you're all getting a little off track here. 

When a game has multiple difficulties, you can't say that the easiest difficulty is too easy. I mean, if the easiest difficulty is too easy for you, you can simply play a harder one.  You can complain that the easiest difficulty is too hard (you can't beat it, regardless of how many attempts you make), or perhaps it is just right.

The same goes for the hardest difficulty.  It is absolutely impossible for the hardest difficulty of a game to be too hard (assuming that it is not straight-up impossible to beat).  After all, if it is too hard for you, you can simply play a lower difficulty, right?

Does the satisfaction come from clearing a difficulty named Lunatic or does the satisfaction come from clearing something that's actually difficult?

This seems pretty dead-on.

Allow me to make a comparison here:  Let's pretend for a moment that TD Lunatic is around the same difficulty as UFO Hard.  By rights, you should feel no more satisfied for 1ccing TD Lunatic than you would for 1ccing UFO Hard.  After all, it is not more difficult, you do not have to put more effort into it, and most importantly, you do not have to be better. Why, then, would you feel any better about it?

If all you want is for the game to tell you that you're good, play Earthworm Jim.

[Zengeku]

Lol, that ending was hilarious.

[Vibri]

I think the issue with TD isn't how it compares to the other games in the series, honestly. It can be summed up like this: if the hardest difficulty is still easy to a player, then that player has no reason to play the game. They're just not gonna get anything out of it. That's why people are put off by the game.

The issue is that 'too easy' is a completely subjective thing, so there's no way you can argue about it. That's not a big deal, though. I'd like to think that Zengeku or Erppo or whoever not liking the game isn't gonna make anyone else suddenly hate it.

[Azinth]

Technically, the only thing truly required of Lunatic is to be the hardest difficulty in the game.  Not 'equal to UFO' or 'equal to SA' (SA is considered as hard as UFO now?  whut).  Just the hardest in the game.  And TD Lunatic accomplishes that.  Difficulty is so subjective anyway, and this argument seems to be heading dangerously into the territory of '"This is bad because OPINION!""No, you are wrong because OPINION!"'

The one thing about this game's difficulty that really sucks is the scoring.  Scoring is usually how you balance an 'easy' game's difficulty.   IN and PCB had easy patterns, but the scoring forced you to play aggressively.  If you pushed the system hard enough, you could almost make those games just as hard as UFO.  This game doesn't have nearly enough of that potential.  I kinda wonder what Japanese fans' opinions are of the game so far.

Also,Any chance of some Strikers 1999 competition? I've developed a liking for Psikyo lately. BV

Ugh, maybe.  S1999 incites so much ragequit out of me, even though I like it. 

[GuyYouMetOnline]

thoughts on the game:


Pros:

Great music, as always.
New characters seem interesting.
Enjoyable boss fights (I don't know what you guys are complaining about, especially with Miko; personally, I love that fight, and I think she has some very enjoyably spellcards. Yes, including her last one).
Enjoyable stages.
Nue's back.
Good difficulty level (again, I don't really know what you're all complaining about).

Cons:

Less variable number of extra lives/bombs. Before SA, it was either score or point items that got you extra lives, which was fine. SA's system I didn't like, but UFO's I did, since it was in large part up to the player to decide which to go after. Yes, this time around you do have more control than in SA, thanks to Trance doubling the life/bomb spirit effect, but still, I prefer it to be more up to the player in whatever way.
Spirits stay where they appear, putting way too many of them near the top (they should come at least as far down as the UFOs in UFO do).
Trance mode can only be used fairly infrequently. I mainly don't like the fact that you can only activate it manually when it's at maximum; if you could activate it at any time (with a minimum, such as a single flame, being just fine by be), it'd be much better.


Thoughts on this topic:

Shut the hell up already, okay? Yes, some of you don't agree with things that others say, and that's fine. Stating why you don't agree is also fine. Insulting other people's opinions or saying that they're wrong, not so much. News flash: DIFFERENT PEOPLE ARE DIFFERENT. It's fine to disagree, but let's cut the 'you're wrong' and 'you're stupid' thing out, okay?

[Zengeku]

Good difficulty level (again, I don't really know what you're all complaining about).

Because the game has nothing like this, this or this. It might not be a problem for most people but it is to people like myself, Naut and Jaimers who has higher levels of skills and wants challenges to match it.

It's fine to disagree, but let's cut the 'you're wrong' and 'you're stupid' thing out, okay?

Where do you see those? I don't see it.

[Tengukami]

Where do you see those? I don't see it.

I think the point he's making is that some of y'all have made your opinions very abundantly clear, and you don't need to keep coming back to hammer them down, over and over.

[Xyden]

Enjoyable boss fights (I don't know what you guys are complaining about, especially with Miko; personally, I love that fight, and I think she has some very enjoyably spellcards. Yes, including her last one).
Enjoyable stages.
Good difficulty level (again, I don't really know what you're all complaining about).

Now I don't mean to be rude I really don't see the huge deal about Miko. I really don't. She by far the most underwhelming Stage 6 boss in the entire series.Alot of her attacks are too simple and uncreative and all Zun did to make them look "pretty" was add some unnecessary bright color that fucking hurts my eyes. That whole fight just screams laziness to me.

The stages are too easy and drag on alot more than usually(Stage 3 is very guilty of this).

Also reason for bitching about the difficulty level is pretty reasonable considering its TOO easy and alienates players who want a legitimate challenge like with UFO and SA. For new players its fine but someone like me doesn't want a Lunatic that's easier than EoSD Hard(or Lunatic PCB for that matter). The game overall just feels dumbed down compared to UFO.

Again I'm not gonna criticize you for liking the game. I'm just expressing my opinion on the matter. You can love the game for all I care really.

[Zengeku]

I think the point he's making is that some of y'all have made your opinions very abundantly clear, and you don't need to keep coming back to hammer them down, over and over.

Apparently by claiming that people had been insulting each other. I don't think the best way to stop people from arguing is by posting things like 'I don't know what you guys are complaining about' which basically screams for further elaboration. I'm fine with stopping the argumenting about the game now, I was going to since last Tuesday in fact, but I don't want that guy to imply that I've been insulting people since I'm primarily the one who has been doing the bitching about the game.

[Miruruneko]

I rather like Touhou 13, actually. The music feels like he was experimenting with new things, and I liked them all, especially Rigid Paradise and True Administrator, as well as Seiga's theme! I think Youmu's an interesting character, and I'm not sure if it's just me, but I think his art style improved in this one. =x Or at least, I like the art style in this one more. Also, Yuyuko stage 1 boss= <3.

For the people complaining about difficulty, I can understand that, but he -did- say he was making it easier from the start, right? It still feels like as much of an accomplishment to 1cc this as it did with Perfect Cherry Blossom and the rest. Rather, not every game is going to tend to the people who are amazing, or "OMG I'M SO PRO". =\ Sometimes it's nice for the not-so-great players to get acknowledged, I think. =x

[GuyYouMetOnline]

Apparently by claiming that people had been insulting each other. I don't think the best way to stop people from arguing is by posting things like 'I don't know what you guys are complaining about' which basically screams for further elaboration. I'm fine with stopping the argumenting about the game now, I was going to since last Tuesday in fact, but I don't want that guy to imply that I've been insulting people since I'm primarily the one who has been doing the bitching about the game.

I'm not trying to get people to stop discussing the game. Yes, saying that I don't know what people are talking about invites elaboration, but that was kind of the intent. Discussion is fine.

They are developed for retards. Even at Lunatic difficulty there is nothing difficult about them.

That's what I mean by insulting statements.

Touhou's average has no relevance. I want my stuff to be as difficult as SA at least. If it isn't, then its boring. Period. MoF is excused because its scoring makes it awesome. Plus, it has Aya and VoWG.

Here's another one. You're dismissing another's opinion by saying the argument has no relevence, but comparing a game to the rest of its series is, um, quite relevant. That's not the point, though; the point is that not only are you basically saying 'what you said doesn't matter', but you're stating you opinion as though it were fact. And then to make things worse, you take an exception and basically say 'this one doesn't count because I like it'.

My opinion:  This game is ass and the only thing redeeming it is the music.Oh wait.  :|

This is a statement that does nothing but insult the game. It's pointless and unnecessary, and should not have been made. Explaining why one doesn't like the game is fine, but don't just insult it and leave.

Now I don't mean to be rude I really don't see the huge deal about Miko. I really don't. She by far the most underwhelming Stage 6 boss in the entire series.Alot of her attacks are too simple and uncreative and all Zun did to make them look "pretty" was add some unnecessary bright color that fucking hurts my eyes. That whole fight just screams laziness to me.

The stages are too easy and drag on alot more than usually(Stage 3 is very guilty of this).

Also reason for bitching about the difficulty level is pretty reasonable considering its TOO easy and alienates players who want a legitimate challenge like with UFO and SA. For new players its fine but someone like me doesn't want a Lunatic that's easier than EoSD Hard(or Lunatic PCB for that matter). The game overall just feels dumbed down compared to UFO.

Again I'm not gonna criticize you for liking the game. I'm just expressing my opinion on the matter. You can love the game for all I care really.

This is okay, so let me address it's points: First, my pick for worst final boss of the series would be Remilia. She's the really bland one in my opinion, and if you ask me, she's the one with the really lazy-seeming patterns. I don't think Miko's too bland. And as for difficulty, well, I feel like it does provide a legitimate challenge.

[Zengeku]

That's what I mean by insulting statements.

As I did earlier state, it was poor wording and not meant as an actual offence. Rather, it feels like ZUN doesn't take the player seriously by offering stages that can almost everytime be done by following mechanical and not very complex routes as well as leaving you plenty of time to finish off all the enemies before more arrives.

Here's another one. You're dismissing another's opinion by saying the argument has no relevence, but comparing a game to the rest of its series is, um, quite relevant. That's not the point, though; the point is that not only are you basically saying 'what you said doesn't matter', but you're stating you opinion as though it were fact. And then to make things worse, you take an exception and basically say 'this one doesn't count because I like it'.

Okay. You are right on that one. I was wrong about being so dismissive. However, I do think its more appropriate to look at the recent games though rather than something that's seven years old. The reason I didn't exclude MoF from the comparisons is not only that its more recent than IN and PCB, it also has tougher danmaku and a more punishing score system which justifies using it with SA and UFO as an argument.

I dismissed comparisons to the other games because I think they too suffer from the issues. Imo, you can't just excuse a game's problems by pointing out that other games share the same flaws. However, with all that said, I don't have some sort of idea that my opinion is universal facts. Other people's opinions are valid too of course.

This is okay, so let me address it's points: First, my pick for worst final boss of the series would be Remilia. She's the really bland one in my opinion, and if you ask me, she's the one with the really lazy-seeming patterns. I don't think Miko's too bland. And as for difficulty, well, I feel like it does provide a legitimate challenge.

Remilia would probably be my favorite final boss if she was in any other game than EoSD. The hitboxes she uses in that fight are bad. As in, inconsistent with the rest of the series. Which really is a shame because her battle is otherwise awesome. When it comes to making bullet hell shmups, you need challenging patterns. Not colourful patterns. If you think Miko is an interesting boss then that's fair enough.

Btw. The worst final boss for me is by far Yuyuko.

[GuyYouMetOnline]

Okay. You are right on that one. I was wrong about being so dismissive. However, I do think its more appropriate to look at the recent games though rather than something that's seven years old. The reason I didn't exclude MoF from the comparisons is not only that its more recent than IN and PCB, it also has tougher danmaku and a more punishing score system which justifies using it with SA and UFO as an argument.

I see. Well, I have to disagree on the older games being less relevant than the newer ones (note: I'm only including the Windows games in this, mainly because I haven't played any before EoSD, so I can't really say much about the older ones), but if that's your viewpoint, it's fine. I'd say you just worded it poorly, then; this was a much better way of putting it.

Remilia would probably be my favorite final boss if she was in any other game than EoSD. The hitboxes she uses in that fight are bad. As in, inconsistent with the rest of the series. Which really is a shame because her battle is otherwise awesome. When it comes to making bullet hell shmups, you need challenging patterns. Not colourful patterns. If you think Miko is an interesting boss then that's fair enough.

I don't find Remilia's patterns to be all that challenging. Plus, they all feel pretty much the same to me. Miko's, on the other hand, I do find to be fairly interesting.

[Zengeku]

I don't find Remilia's patterns to be all that challenging. Plus, they all feel pretty much the same to me. Miko's, on the other hand, I do find to be fairly interesting.

That is of course a matter of perspective. Personally I find Scarlet Meister and Scarlet Gensokyo to be much harder than anything Miko has. Her battle is pretty monotonously coloured though. Its basically all red. But I guess that fits. Besides, the colors of the bullets doesn't mean much for the gameplay. EspGaluda is all blue (or red) but I still find it an awesome game. What a shmup need is not pretty patterns. It needs challenging patterns. If they can be pretty at the same time, all the better.

But I'm not trying to convince you or anything, since I probably can't. Different people has different tastes.

[Drake]

The major flaw in this whole discussion seems to be perspective. People who play on the lower difficulties are feeling like the Lunatic players are insulting them by saying the game is too easy, when they probably are struggling to clear easier modes like Normal, or even if they're content with the difficulty. But the players who haven't cleared higher than Normal don't have the perspective of the players who play on higher difficulties, while the higher-up players have at some point been in the same situation as the less experienced players. The only thing the less experienced player sees is "higher difficulties are difficult", and you can't really grasp the situation of the more experience players simply because the difference in opinion is molded by just that: experience.

Yes, ZUN has said before the game came out that the difficulty was toned down to cater to a wider audience. But the fact that he said it is pretty much irrelevant. To cater to that wider and less experienced audience, he instead toned down the difficulty of every mode (in relation to UFO, was likely the intent), as opposed to just making Normal (and Easy) more accessible, keeping Lunatic as difficult for the players who play it already, and leaving Hard mode as an in-between: that's what makes sense in my eyes. As Zengeku said, the sense of accomplishment should be derived from clearing something honestly difficult, not because you cleared something with the label Lunatic on it and it happens to be harder than all the other difficulties. The "standard" of difficulty is tough to explain and define, since there are many different viewpoints as to what constitutes difficulty. For a person who plays Normal, it is difficult to truly define a standard of what "Normal" difficulty is, because they are still in the situation where they are trying to clear all of them. The inability to clear the game clouds your vision and forms biases. A Normal player can't really define the Hard or Lunatic difficulty, either. But looking backwards, a Normal player should be able to come up with an abstract of what constitutes the Easy difficulty, because it's something they can appropriately analyze without much trouble. If you're still having trouble with both SA Normal and UFO Normal, you can't really confirm that UFO Normal is more difficult than SA, even if you get the gist that UFO is harder than SA. It's like you have hard evidence, but not enough to put the guy in prison.

A new player will start the series with the view that all of the games began to "exist" at the same time. It appeared as an already-developed series, so the difficulty of the games can naturally follow a random progression without feeling awkward. But for a person who's been following the series for a while, there should be a sense of progression with new games, a difficulty to look forward to that gives you that extra challenge. Making the highest difficulty easier than before ruins that sort of progression, because there is now no higher challenge to meet. As said above, Normal mode players can't experience that feeling, and looking through their own eyes it just seems as if the Lunatic players want to gloat that they're better; that they're saying "we want the games to accommodate us, not you". This is not the case, and it's difficult to get the message across because of the different points of view.

A large portion of this demographic are new players, and so to them the previous games pretty much all "existed" around the same time, so it feels like they've worked so long at the Normal modes of other games, yet can't clear 10D at the moment. The sense of not being able to clear the game, is misattributed to the game being hard. As a player who hasn't progressed throughout various difficulties yet, this is a very easy mistake to make. It's the exact same thing that happened when SA and UFO came out (ignoring that UFO is honestly difficult); people couldn't clear the game immediately and everyone misattributed the inability to clear as the game being ridiculous or too difficult. There are various reasons for not being able to clear and a large portion of it is learning the game. 10D has been out for half a month. I really believe that the words of people who've cleared a given difficulty matter more than those of people who haven't yet cleared, simply because there's a certain knowledge obtained with clearing. The people who have cleared, at some point probably have not cleared, and that is the key difference.

To put that into perspective, I didn't play the 10 demo much. I don't think I 1cc'd the Lunatic demo. Upon playing the game, it took about three tries for me to clear Normal, and I'm a Lunatic player. Others have cleared it first shot, but whatever. The ascent to Hard mode? Cleared in one shot. It was too simple; it was essentially the exact same as clearing Normal. Even for a Lunatic player, that sort of stretch is very uncomfortable. Even though my dodging skill is above a Hard mode player's, it shouldn't feel as if I was just replaying Normal. Wouldn't it feel weird if clearing a Normal mode felt the same as clearing an Easy mode just prior, even if you were a Normal mode player?

It still feels like as much of an accomplishment to 1cc this as it did with Perfect Cherry Blossom and the rest. Rather, not every game is going to tend to the people who are amazing, or "OMG I'M SO PRO". =\ Sometimes it's nice for the not-so-great players to get acknowledged, I think. =x

This is the perfect example. Saying it's just as much of an accomplishment to 1cc 10D as every other game, hints towards there being a lack of understanding difficulty. It's all the same because it's all labeled the same, not because they're all actually the same difficulty. Having a new game not tend to a degree of players who actually understand the difficulty is why it's upsetting; there's no offense meant but you simply can't understand it because you don't understand the difficulty. Mocking more experienced players by going "OMG I'M SO PRO" is also a gross misaccusation, it hints that you feel that the accomplishments of experienced players belittle your own, and that you feel experienced players are saying that "they know best" for the purpose of belittling you. It's also a misunderstanding that the Lunatic players are complaining about the lesser players being the focus of attention (instead of themselves); these things are definitely not the actual situation.

[Zengeku]

Very well formulated Drake. I back your post up 100%.

[Miruruneko]

I guess I was a bit selfish to think about it like that, I apologize.
It feels easier than Perfect Cherry Blossom and more or less any other game, but I guess that's because I was only doing the Normal mode, which is the standard for me. I should've been thinking about the "big picture", or rather, both sides of it.

Though it's not so much that I'm mad or jealous at what I'll call the "high-tier" players who play on Hard/Lunatic.
I think what gets me just a bit annoyed is when they actively brag about it to the lower-tier players and like, rub it in their faces that they're better, like a super-post-it note.

Anyway, I guess I can see how it's easier as a whole when it's explained clearly. =x

Sorry if I came off as aggressive, I didn't mean to ^^;

[Drake]

It's fine, since your post was such a wonderful example.

[GuyYouMetOnline]

:wikipedia:

Yeah, what you said. I was going to bring up the issue of perspective myself, but, well, yeah, you put it better than I ever could have.

[Garlyle]

Disclaimer for the following contents: Ten Desires crashes my game when leaving Spirit World.  Therefore, I've had to play with Cheat Engine and setting my spirit gauge to a permanent 0.  My experience is notably different as a result since it completely leaves out the trance mechanic.


On difficulty: Honestly, yeah, I can kind of feel it.  When, on my first Normal attempt, I defeated Futo on a sightread without ever dying (I had to bomb once or twice)... well, I kind of "what the hell, game"'d.  I still can't do that for some other Stage 5 Normal bosses, and here I was doing it on a sightread.  But, in a way, I still found it decently challenging.  With less resources, it felt more like I had to play aiming towards 'perfection' - considering I'm usually a pretty reckless player this was an interesting changeup.  ...Still, though, even if I'm not a constant Lunatic player (Just someone who screws around on it casually) I think I can understand it; but honestly Lunatic is about as challenging in this game as it is in most others (If not moreso) still, so I'm not quite sure I'm feeling the same way about it - but this might be because I can't take advantage of every advantage the game gives me.
Oh, and Extra Stage has weird difficulty.  The stage is probably the easiest of Extra Stages, but the actual fight with Mamizou is me throwing things.  I still have more trouble with Koishi, but her, Mami, and Marisa seem to be the Extra bosses I just cannot beat when I've managed to clear the others (sometimes on a first attempt).

On fun:  Despite what I've said above, I don't think lower difficulty is necessarily a bad thing.  Namely, Ten Desires seems to be a lot easier to play by sightread.  I don't generally play Touhou games over and over in short periods of time or even all that consistently anymore; so being able to pick up TD and play it 'off the cuff' is really nice sometimes, and hopefully it retains that.
I also have to admit; even if the patterns aren't necessarily that fun or creative, I still have a lot of fun with them.

On music: I'm so mixed.  I find that I really enjoy the music in-game; but most of it I'm less inclined to listen to out-of-game.  I'm an absolute sucker for variable music though (And wish I could take advantage of it in-game).  Either way, I still am a fan of some of the tracks - although I'm not much of a fan of the first three stages, I really get into the grove from the stage 4 boss onwards, including extra stage.  Starry Sky of Small Desires gets me in the same way that Fires of Hokkai does, almost; but I'm really sort of 'eh' about True Administrator - although I don't actually hate it I can't say I actively enjoy it that much?  It still fits really nicely in-game though, like I said initially.

On characters: .....Y'know, I don't really like 'em.  I like the idea of the characters and their backstory and the kind of crazy bitchery they're involved in, but I can't say I've really come to care about anyone.  Kyouko's kind of fun and Mami is just sosilly that it's hard not to like her for me; but I really don't care too much about the others.  Aside from Miko and Yoshika I still don't even remember any of the other's names, so...

[Shin Rokuren]

I won't comment on the difficulty.

Pros:
-4 Playable Characters.
-Bombs are easier to get.
-Kogasa!
-my personal fave: Dagger-type danmaku have their hitbox reduced, imo. I HATE(!) it when my hitbox comes into contact with the older Dagger-type's "aura" and registers a hit. =/

Cons:
-Extra lives are harder to get.
-Miko, as a character, doesn't stand out much as a Final Boss. She simply lacks the feel/impact.

Undecided:
-Music isn't that bad but not great either.
-While ZUN's artwork has improved, I have mixed feelings bout the designs on this one.

That's all.

[Critz]

As much as I can't understand how Touhou Lunatic could be easy with my current skill yet and why ZUN would reduce the difficulty of the mode that's supposed to be insane (though some players from polish community reported to me that TD Lunatic is "about SA Lunatic level, maybe harder sometimes"), if you feel bored by the game, there are always score runs, perfect runs, challenge runs (like pacifist), overdrives and timeouts of these and lastly Ultra Mode hack.

[Zengeku]

if you feel bored by the game, there are always score runs, perfect runs, challenge runs (like pacifist), overdrives and timeouts of these

Been there. Done that. What now?

Well, except the score part but that's boring too.  :V

[Tengukami]

I guess I was a bit selfish to think about it like that, I apologize.

What the hell are you apologizing for? For having an opinion? Don't. You're entitled to it.

Been there. Done that. What now?

Well, except the score part but that's boring too.  :V

OH MY GOD WE GET IT ALREADY JESUS

[Zengeku]

OH MY GOD WE GET IT ALREADY JESUS

It was my impression that Critz didn't get it though. My impression is that he thought we were all speaking about the game's difficulty in terms of 1cc'ing. I wanted to point out that this isn't the case.

[Tengukami]

It was my impression that Critz didn't get it though. My impression is that he thought we were all speaking about the game's difficulty in terms of 1cc'ing. I wanted to point out that this isn't the case.

I think you've pointed out where you're coming from and how you feel plenty of times already, is what I'm saying. Again.

[I have no name]

Overall, Ten Desires is a good Touhou game.  Not my favorite, but definitely not my least favorite.  I feel that the difficulty is less than SA and UFO, I find it somewhere around just below IN when it comes to normal mode.  I got a normal 1cc on my first try, and I didn't even run around bosses to get spirits until Stage 6.  Hard mode took me about as many tries as SA hard did, which was around 5.  I tried this game on lunatic solely for unlocking spells in spell practice and I failed horribly.   I've 1cced PCB and IN lunatic, and got to lunatic Remilia once, so I'm by no means bad at Touhou, just nowhere near the best.

The stages are kind of boring, the music is kind of meh (extra stage has the best over music of all of them, Futatsuiwa from Sado is my second favorite extra boss theme), characters seem interesting from the dialogue I read online, Youmu's back and also rather OP if you can time the slashes and move unfocused well, Trance can be used but not really abused if you're playing for survival, the extra stage is one of the more brutal (beaten only by GFW's I think), the boss fights are fun though, if not easy.

The stage 1 midboss...easy, obviously.  It should be, but farming spirits on it can have a wisp spawn on top of you.  Yuyuko has 3 or 4 spells, more than any other Stage 1 boss, and only the last one has any chance of killing me if I'm not paying attention.  Kyouko has cool patterns, not hard to avoid, but still cool and I like the bouncing bullets gimmick.  Kogasa's attacks are basically the same, and not that hard (except her spell on lunatic), and Yoshika's healing is cool but annoying.  also CURVY LASERS, part 2, act 1 on her last spell on hard/lunatic.  Said spell took me 65 or so tries to capture.  Seiga's midboss encounter, if you trance the fairies before her the nonspell is skipped, her spell is really fun and seems like timing it out would get hectic.  Seiga as a boss, I like the gimmick of Yoshika coming back, but CURVY LASERS, part 2, act 2 is kind of annoying.  The Stage 5 midboss who's name I forget, the spell is confusing at first but once you get it, it's an easy capture on all difficulties.  Even Overdrive.  Futo has a boat.  Not as nice as Komachi's, but still a nice boat as it makes her a bigger target on 2 spells.  Overall a fun fight.  The stage portion of Stage 6 gets a special mention here for being the most fun stage portion of a Stage 6 in Touhou, despite having lasers.  Miko...her nonspells are honestly harder than her spells.  However, some of her spells (namely the 2nd and 5th) look visually stunning, and the music that goes along with the fight is awesome.

The spells as a whole are very easy, almost all of them took < 25 tries to capture, while Imperishable Night had easily 50 spells with 50+ attempt counts.  Seiga's overdrive, also known as CURVY LASERS part 2, act 3, revenge of the curvy lasers, took 321 tries to capture.  The most for any IN spell was 281 for Fantasy Heaven.  The overdrives were fun, aside from Seiga's, and all aside from Mamizou's and Seisa's took < 10 tries.  The last spell in the game is underwhelmingly easy, taking 5/3/3 tries to capture on normal/hard/lunatic.

The extra stage, the stage has the most rigid path of all of them, aside from maybe UFO, Nue is one of the easier extra stage midbosses (her last spell is so fun though), despite her first one being unpredictable.  Mamizou's animal danmaku gave me a "what is this I don't even" at first, and her spell are some of the more fun/easily trivializable.  Her nonspells are my favorite of any extra stage boss.  Her survival card is the most annoying of the other extra boss survival cards.

Challenge runs on the main game are either very annoying or impossible; no focus being the lone exception.  When I did that I found it far too easy, having 5 lives (out of 6) going into the final stage.  No vertical is impossible, or very close to it, due to Futo's final card and Miko's final card.  No bombs is very unforgiving, and no deaths is always annoying.

Compared to every other game I've played, this is one of the better ones.  Compared to other Touhou games, it isn't.  However, I still enjoy playing it.

Also, YAY, YOUMU'S BACK!

tl;dr, I like Ten Desires, and it gets a 7.5/10.

[TheMasterSpark]

Despite being a step down from the latest two full installments, TD's difficulty happens to suit my needs just right -- performing a no-death, no-bomb run of the Lunatic Stage 6 is actually a reasonable goal this time around, even with my final year of school in progress. And True Administrator is a great song, much darker than earlier final boss themes. Together with Infinite Nightmare from 12.3 (that's the correct decimal, right?  :3) it really shows that ZUN can pull off moody tunes as well as uppity ones.

True Administrator alone earns TD my thumbs up, although I am easy to please if you strike the right chords for me.  :3

Edit: Also, every game should have Spell Practice. It's better that way.

[Zengeku]

(that's the correct decimal, right?  :3)

No. 12.3 is the most recent fighting game. 12.5 is the number you are looking for.

[TheMasterSpark]

No. 12.3 is the most recent fighting game. 12.5 is the number you are looking for.

Oh right, and 12.8 is The Great Fairy Wars, eh?

Thanks.