The bomb is dropped!
Playism has announced the Japanese download release of Touhou 14, starting from August 13, and priced at JPY 1512 (tax included). Their Japanese site allows three payment methods: PayPal, BitCash and WebMoney.
(The English version of Playism only allows PayPal, but their games may also be released on Steam, Humble Store and GOG.COM. But this is not that announcement. Yet.)
The site (being hammered right now, you probably can't open it):
http://www.playism.jp/games/th14/Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxeUQuCNxnIZUN: As you can see, I've kept up with the times, and prepared for the release of a download version. Even if it's a small thing, if it can help promote games by small-scale developers, it'll make the future more fun.
ZUN: (?-`).。oO(My power enough to crash websites, did I just activated it again?
ZUN: Well, it's a game from a series full of bias and deception. If you haven't played it before, please definitely use this opportunity to give it a try.
(Yeah, I'm translating that "power to the extend of" thing as "power enough to".)
Amateurish and hurried translation:
Touhou Kishijou ~ Double Dealing Character.
* To be released on August 13, 2014.
* This game does not have a Mac version. We beg your forgiveness.
OS: Windows Vista/7/8
DirectX: DirectX Runtime (June 2010) or later required
CPU: A fast enough CPU
Video Card: DirectGraphic compatible high speed video card (VRAM above 256M recommended)
Sound Card: DirectSound compatible sound card
Misc.: Game controller; a certain degree of danmaku immunity; an arrogant heart (recommended)
Game Summary
Gensokyo, an unreal world separated from the real world. A place where forgotten things, things that have lost their meanings drift to. At this place, the youkai and a few humans have created a paradise.
The youkai extermination expert Hakurei Reimu is always busy going around as the protector of Gensokyo. However, her youkai extermination is just a pose.
This is the 14th game in the "Touhou Project" group of games by Team Shanghai Alice, "Touhou Kishijou ~ Double Dealing Character."
The game genre is what you'd call "danmaku shooting". In this genre, you are attacked by a huge barrage of bullets everywhere you can see, but dodging them all is still possible.
The rule is simple. If your character got hit by the opponent's bullet or laser, or something that looks like it'll hurt, you have missed. You clear the stage by beating the opponent before using up your stock of lives. Whether you can clear a stage depends on your ability and patience.
The special feature of this game, rare among shooting games, is the narrative meanings contained within the danmaku of the opponents. They make the characters more charismatic, which may also help you beat the game.
May the danmaku that makes you nervous just by looking at it, and the equally intense music, awaken your memory of the primeval pleasure!
Creator's Voice
This is the first downloadable game by Team Shanghai Alice.
The story of the game can stand by itself, so you don't have to play the previous games.
I made the game with the intention to make players feel the joy of improving themselves at games. The difficulty is a bit high, but that is in service of this purpose. Please definitely try challenging it. While you are still young and have good reflexes.
Team Shanghai Alice
Team Shanghai Alice is a personal circle that develops doujin games, formed by the developer ZUN. The programming, graphics, scenario and sound are all done by one person. Its representative work, "Touhou Project", is a strangely long-lived game series that keep being made since 1995. It's about time to consider retiring.
Untranslated introduction:
東方輝針城 ~ Double Dealing Character.
※2014年8月13日リリースとなります。
※本作にMAC版はございません。悪しからずご了承ください。
OS: Windows VISTA/7/8
DirectX: DirectX ランタイム (June 2010) 以降の最新版がインストールされていること
CPU: 十分な速度を持ったCPU
ビデオカード: Direct Graphic 対応の高速なビデオカード(推奨 VRAM 256M以上)
サウンドカード: Direct Sound 対応のサウンドカード
その他: パッドコントローラ・ある程度の弾幕免疫・傲慢な心(推奨)
作品紹介
幻想郷と呼ばれる、現実世界から隔離された非現実の世界。ここには忘れ去られ、意味を失った物が流れ着く。そこでは妖怪と少数の人間達で楽園を作っていた。
妖怪退治の専門家「博麗霊夢」が、幻想郷を守るためにあちこちへと奔走する。しかしそれは、ポーズとしての妖怪退治であった。
本作は、上海アリス幻樂団の「東方Project」と呼ばれるゲーム群の第14弾『東方輝針城 ~ Double Dealing Character.』です。
いわゆる弾幕シューティングと呼ばれるジャンルのゲームです。目を覆いたくなるような大量の弾幕が襲いかかりますが、すべて避けられるようになっています。
ルールはいたってシンプルです。自キャラが敵弾とかレーザーとか当たると痛そうなものに当たるとミスになります。残機がなくなる前に敵を倒せばクリアとなります。クリアできるかは貴方の腕と根気次第です。
このゲームの特徴は、シューティングには珍しく、敵の弾幕にストーリー的な意味が含まれている事です。それはキャラクターの魅力を深め、攻略の手助けとなるでしょう。
見ているだけでも神経を逆撫でする強烈な弾幕と音楽に、原始の快感を思い出せ!
クリエイターズボイス
上海アリス幻樂団、ダウンロード販売第1弾はこの作品です。
ゲームのストーリーは独立してますので、前作以前を遊ぶ必要はありません。
ゲームが上達するという楽しみを味わえるようなゲームにしたくて作りました。難易度は高めですがそれもその目的の為です。是非挑戦してみて下さい。反応の良い若いうちに。
上海アリス幻樂団
上海アリス幻樂団は開発者ZUNによる、同人ゲーム制作をする個人サークルです。プログラム、グラフィック、シナリオ、サウンドの全てを一人で行っています。代表作「東方Project」は1995年より続く、異様に息の長いゲームです。そろそろ引退したいものです。
URL:
http://www16.big.or.jp/~zun/