This is Souten and co.'s most recent STG after Avant-Garde Discerning Paralleler. I really liked AGDP!! So I'm excited. Like AGDP, the game mechanics are heavily focused on chain-based scoring while still being accessible to casual players. The dev team is aiming for a demo release around November 2016 and a (free?!) full release around June 2017. Since this is Souten's first time working with DirectX 11, they also plan to put out a 1-stage test build in hopes of collecting bug reports.
The story is that tons of stones in Gensokyo are being mysteriously converted to rainstones (probably inspired by the weather stones in WaHH 17). Since rainstones assist in praying for rain, there's been a nonstop downpour for several days now. Reimu's purification rod and Marisa's Mini-Hakkero are soaked through, so they're using somewhat different shot types than usual.
Reimu Hakurei - In addition to her usual hitbox and speed, defeating enemies will extend the Rainfall Field timer by twice as much.
- Shot: "Persuasion Needle" / "Red-White Luminous Flux" - Your basic forward laser type, usually seen from Marisa.
- Bomb: Spirit Sign "Curse-Killing Food Offerings" - Full-screen amulet attack. / Divine Enclosure "Iron Protective Charm" - Circular barrier that can withstand several hits.
Marisa Kirisame - In addition to her usual speed and ease of item collection, she has a wider Rainfall Field than the other characters.
- Shot: "Magic Homing Missile" / "Orreries Bit" - Locks on to enemies similarly to DDC Reimu-A?
- Bomb: Close Sign "Orreries Big Crunch" - Full-screen attack. / Magic Tool "Magic Extractor" - Turns bullets into rainstone items.
Shinmyoumaru Sukuna - Can graze more easily and increase point item value more than the other characters. Hitbox becomes smaller when low on lives and bombs.
- Shot: "Shining Needle Sword" / "Oni-Killing, Eye-Stabbing Needles" - Homing needles and forward focus needles. Like Reimu's usual from TD onward?
- Bomb: Mallet "Giant Promotion Boulder" - BIG ROCK SMASH / Wise Song "Little Melody" - Shrinks all on-screen bullets. You get three uses out of a single bomb.
Collecting rainstone items will fill the gauge on the left-hand side of the screen. Pressing C with the gauge at least 1/3 full will expend 1/3 of the gauge to create a vertical Rainfall Field centered on the player. Any items that appear within this field will be duplicated, including life and bomb fragments, and graze will be doubled (quadrupled for Shinmyoumaru). The field has an initial timer of 5 seconds, which is extended by 0.25 seconds (0.5 for Reimu) for each enemy you defeat while it's active.
Point item value is represented by the water tank on the right-hand side of the screen. It starts off at 10,000ml and gradually drains (to 0, if you're not careful!). Collecting rainstone items with a full rain gauge, or an active Rainfall Field, will fill the tank. Bullet-clear items, graze, and Spell Card bonuses are all connected to the point value tank as well. Also, point items will turn yellow to indicate when they're at max value.
edit: souten, not aoten!! im dumb!!!!