[Video Let's Play] Tenjou no Tempest - That action-game with Tenshi

[Gesh86]

Hello fellow Maidens! I've noticed that a good few Let's Plays are floating around on our forum, most in the Akyuu's Arcade section. While I have not published any of mine here before, I think my newest might appeal to you folks, given that it's about a 3rd party Touhou-fangame and our forum is mainly about Touhou.

Now before you watch, I want to prepare you in what awaits you style-wise: Let's Plays for me are not blind-playthroughs centered around reactions, which is a very dominant form nowadays, maybe the most dominant. What I do is post-commentary, more like a presentation, often informative, sometimes humourous. Really what a screenshot-LP would be, except converted into video-format. With that out of the way, here's...

The Tempest of Heaven and Earth - Suppression by Celestial, Lullaby for Gaia

Cover art of casing:



Example-screenshots:

   

Tenjou no Tempest is an impressive action-game by developer Lion Heart (known for other projects like Mystical Chain and Sanae (Fusion) Challenge), released for C84. It combines both melee-combat and strategic ranged-fighting. The gameplay is very rich with numerous moves and customization, which should give us a lot to talk about.

As for the story, Tenshi Hinanawi gets stuck on the surface of Gensokyo because of the works of Iku and Yukari. She takes it upon herself to investigate the recent series of earthquakes, with the hopes of getting back at those two and returning to Heaven where she belongs (although we know that she finds it exceptionally boring there).

Special thanks go out to the user Cogwheel! I can't read japanese, but he's given me very detailed information about the story and terminologies of the game that I'm going to weave into the commentary. I hope it'll make things more lively and relatable that way.

Additional information:

- I've deleted my playdata.sav for this LP, meaning every move has to be repurchased. That way, I can give strategy on which moves are worth getting early on or even at all.
- I'll explain the pause menu, shopping and skill customization at the start of the 2nd episode. From there, any customization will be done off-screen, I'll just tell you for each stage what I bought and equipped.
- Due to me not confining my Let's Plays to Touhou, commentary does not assume that viewers are very knowledgable about it. Still, I don't think any of you will be bothered by it. It's not like I'm reciting the complete history of the franchise. Just warning that there may be parts where I tell something very basic about a character.
- Alternative spellcards not included in the playthrough will be covered in a bonus episode (if possible! There's one that I've encountered exactly once so far and died on). That episode will also have anything miscellaneous in it that I think is worth showing.

Video list:

Playlist

Part 1 - She's your anti-hero
Part 2 - The War on Taoism
Part 3 - A forest by afternuen
Part 4 - Oh-ogres just wanna have fu-un
Part 5 - Native Face
Final Part - Those who live by the sword...
Bonus - Everything we missed and more in 3 steps

[Sahgren]

I'm happy to see this game getting more attention. I really appreciate that you're going over the story with this too.

[commandercool]

Never heard of this. Pretty neat. I'm watchin'.

[Chaore]

This game does look rad, and you do a decent job. Keep at it :v

[Gesh86]

No new episode just yet, but there's a few things I needed to append here. Having worked a bit on the upcoming part, I think it's going to be neccessary to use the thread for more than just "new episode out!" on my part. Not a bad thing at all, quite the contrary! First of all, here's an explanation for the level results, as far as I know them. I don't think I've ever left enough time at the end of an episode to really explain all of it, so I think this will be how we do it (Translation reference is what the picture on the right is for):

 

"Most often used art in percentage of all arts", has a higher bonus for a lower percentage. This might mean not overusig a certain move is rewarded, as in playing with much variety. Plausible enough to be possible. "Charged Styles", I get around to explaining in Stage 3. I'm very unsure what "Spirit seizing successful rate" could be. It might be accuracy, it might have to do with the collection of Scarlet Clouds or with your Spirit Orbs . Feel free to remark if you know anything for certain, it'll be appreciated.

Secondly, here's my style-setup for Stage 1. It's the one the game automatically sets on a fresh file:

     
Straight Shot (Normal 1) ---------------- Homing Shot (Homing 1) ----------------Scarlet Barrage (Wide 1) ----------------Non-Conceptual Arrow (Snipe 1)

Spell Cards (What I colloquially tend to call "Supers" in the videos), arranged so that they match to what's on top:

     
Earth Sign: Sword of the Unyielding Soil and Weather: Scarlet Weather Persuasion

Hadn't really talked about Scarlet Barrage, but I'm not a big fan of it. It throws out shots wildly in a big fan-shape. It's a move that I'd imagine would be really damaging against oversized targets, but Tenjou no Tempest rarely has any of those. I can think of maybe 2. Expect it to be replaced next episode.

[Gesh86]

The 2nd episode exists now: Right there It took a while, I know. 1-2 weeks is kind of my rythm for uploads of that length. Please believe me when I say I'm not lazy  .

Here's the sum-up of new purchases that can be witnessed near the start of the video:

Shots:
Gen-Fudou's Barrage (2nd from top; power: B; consumption: B; Amulet: 85%; costs 75.000)
Heavenly Bolt (5th from bottom; power: A; consumption: B; Amulet: 60%; costs 75.000)
Non-Conceptual Detonation (3rd from bottom; power: C (feels stronger though); consumption: B; Amulet: 90%; costs 50.000)

Skills:
Sin-Carving Sword (2nd from top; down + Sword in air; costs 110.000)
Scarlet Sword Dance (3rd from top; pressing Sword 3x; Sin-Carving Sword as prerequisite; costs 140.000)

Spell Cards:
Keystone: Kaname Funnel (4th from top; power: A; consumption: B; Amulet: 170% (misleading, as an intact Amulet "stops" the combo); costs 100.000)

Style configurations for Stage 2:

     
---Gen-Fudou's Barrage (Normal 2) ---------Heavenly Bolt (Snipe 2) ------------Non-Conc. Detonation (Spread 1) -------- Non-Conc. Arrow (Snipe 1)

     
Keystone: Kaname Funnel and Weather: Scarlet Weather Persuasion

I couldn't really squeeze in any info on Heavenly Bolt. It's alright. Decently powerful, pretty slow rate of fire. It automatically locks on to the nearest enemy, but when no one is close enough, it's possible to aim manually. With "possible" I mean it's oversensitive and jittery. So it's ok-ish, but not among my favourites. We're ditching it next episode.

[Sahgren]

Do you know what the letters and numbers on the upper right portion of the screen mean for the shot types and supers? The ones that are on the description page for each shot.

Also, are you planning on doing a sort of "What We Missed" for missed fault lines in each stage?

[commandercool]

This game looks fantastic. The lack of translation might be too much for me to handle though.

[Gesh86]

Do you know what the letters and numbers on the upper right portion of the screen mean for the shot types and supers? The ones that are on the description page for each shot.

Also, are you planning on doing a sort of "What We Missed" for missed fault lines in each stage?

The first letter is the damage-rank of the move, whereas the one below describes energy consumption for beams (a high rank, e.g. "A" means that it's more expensive) or energy units that supers use up. The percentage below those two is always the multiplier for amulet damage. Some moves are more or less useful against an intact amulet. Something that's probably the most important to know in that regard: Your melee-combos generally work better against amulets than the Sword of Hisou. I'll try to remark on that some more in the future and update the information in the thread  :3.

As for the "What We Missed" thingie, I really appreciate that you give that kind of input. The bonus-episode is the only part where the video-footage is not recorded so far, so I'm still thinking what exactly I'll include. Missing secrets have a good chance of making it. Depends on if I can even find them  . I don't think I've ever even gotten all in Stage 2 before. Probably have to hurl yourself down some completely inconspicuous pit.

[Gesh86]

Part 3 is out, complete with cringe-worthy title and the probably last remnants of any tutorialesque-ness.

Something that I couldn't address but seemed good to mention in hindsight: In case you can't make the jump at 4:37, going the low-route traps you in another enemy-encounter where the screen is fixed. That one is special in that the onslaught of enemies doesn't end until you destroy the rock on the right side to escape. Said rock was destroyed from the clear side for good measure at 5:07. That's where you'd come back out.

On with the new purchases:

Shots:
Dense Diamond Blaster (3rd from top; power: A; consumption: A; Amulet: 80%; costs 120.000)
Imperial Lance (5th from top; power: A; consumption: A; Amulet: 90%; costs 75.000)
Firework of the Shining Heavens (2nd from bottom; power: S; consumption A; Amulet: 50%; costs 75.000)

Dense Diamond Blaster as the ultimate "Normal" has excellent strength and reach, but is very nasty on your energy. It's great for some extra damage while closing in and we'll be keeping it for the rest of the playthrough. Imperial Lance though, we only got for "building a bridge" to the 3rd level Homing. It's awful in my opinion, as it's a homing attack with a range comparable to your melee attacks. I don't see why one would ever need that...Firework of the Shining Heavens is very situational. It sets up a mine that explodes after a short while. Note that it's a timed mine, not a proximity mine, which makes it somewhat impractical in a lot of situations. We won't be using it in this playthrough, but I still think it can be useful. It's worth trying out to see if it fits into your playstyle.

Skills:
Keystone Offensive (6th one from top; combination: Melee, Melee, holding down Melee; costs 90.000)

Spell Cards:
Earth Sign: Sword of the Sky-shaking Will (5th from top; power: B; consumption: 4 units; Amulet: 50%; costs 100.000)
Peerless Blade (3rd from bottom; power: A; consumption: 5 units; Amulet: 40%; costs: 180.000, should unlock if you have 2 of the 100k supers)

Style configuration for Stage 3:

     
--Gen-Fudou's Barrage (Normal 2) --Dense Diamond Blaster (Normal 3) ---Non-Conc. Detonation (Spread 1) -----Non-Conc. Arrow (Snipe 1)

     
Peerless Blade and Earth Sign: Sword of the Sky-shaking Will

[Mew seeker]

I would like to add a bit about the untranslated part of the ranking system.
I have translated a bit and while it's not perfect, I am posting some info in case it might help.

天人評価 Celestial person evaluation
技術点 (Skill points) (the left part of the screen, refer to how well you played)
芸術点 (Arts points) (the right part of the screen, refer to the moves you used I think)

使用した技数 (Number of arts used) (not sure to what exactly art/技 here refer to but one of the shop section seems to sell 技 so it could refer to those)
技のバランス性 (Art balance nature?) (I have trouble to translate 性 but the main things that come up in the yahoo dictionnary is gender and nature of something.  I suppose it means you must use different types of moves (技).)

気質掌握成功率 (Spirit seizing successful rate) (maybe it's the collection of those red things? Does 気質 show up somewhere in the characters in-game dialogue?)

梅  lowest (of a three-tier ranking system)
竹 middle (of a three-tier ranking system)
松 highest (of a three-tier ranking system)
天 Sky/Heaven. Basically the S Rank : P Also show up in Okami

Spoiler:

at the very end of the game just before the very definitively final battle, the one with super awesome music!

Also, in your second video, when you mention the stuff that can be bought, the ones that you refer to as "Super" are called in-game in Katakana as "Spell Cards".

[Gesh86]

I would like to add a bit about the untranslated part of the ranking system.
I have translated a bit and while it's not perfect, I am posting some info in case it might help.

天人評価 Celestial person evaluation
技術点 (Skill points) (the left part of the screen, refer to how well you played)
芸術点 (Arts points) (the right part of the screen, refer to the moves you used I think)

使用した技数 (Number of arts used) (not sure to what exactly art/技 here refer to but one of the shop section seems to sell 技 so it could refer to those)
技のバランス性 (Art balance nature?) (I have trouble to translate 性 but the main things that come up in the yahoo dictionnary is gender and nature of something.  I suppose it means you must use different types of moves (技).)

気質掌握成功率 (Spirit seizing successful rate) (maybe it's the collection of those red things? Does 気質 show up somewhere in the characters in-game dialogue?)

梅  lowest (of a three-tier ranking system)
竹 middle (of a three-tier ranking system)
松 highest (of a three-tier ranking system)
天 Sky/Heaven. Basically the S Rank : P Also show up in Okami

Spoiler:

at the very end of the game just before the very definitively final battle, the one with super awesome music!

Thanks for the input! By time, I'll edit some of that into the screenshot above. If that is acurate, it seems the game is putting more emphasis on (active) skill usage, as that's what 技 seems to be. I tended to pay little attention to those except for a select few.

Edit: Done. Filled up a lot more in that picture with the help you gave. Of course not everything is certain because it was still hard to interpret, but it's getting better.

Also, in your second video, when you mention the stuff that can be bought, the ones that you refer to as "Super" are called in-game in Katakana as "Spell Cards".

You're of course right. Conforming with the lore, those have to be Spell Cards. "Supers" is kind of a personal touch of mine, kind of like LPers who say "One-mans" or "Free-mans" to an extra life, even though I doubt any game manual would call them that. I've made a habit of that phrase, Supers, since my Grief Syndrome Let's Play and I use it for pretty much the heaviest type of move in a game, describing a desperation technique or just one that is especially harsh on player's resources.
You know, I think I'll quickly edit that as well in my posts, keeping things a little more neutral.

[Gesh86]

Episodes are getting longer, so it took me a while to create part 4. We're in for the portion of the game that if I'm not completely missing something, is the least relevant story-wise. If Tenjou no Tempest was an anime, it would be the kind of filler-episode that would be made because the mangaka was slower in writing the source than the production-company was in making the show.

What we purchased this time:

Shots:
Celestial Light (10th from top; power: C; consumption: B; Amulet: 80%; costs 75.000)
Bhava-Agra Ballista (4th from bottom; power: S; consumption: A; Amulet: 70%; costs 120.000)
Bonten Grenade (very bottom; power: A; consumption: A; Amulet: 100%; costs 120.000)

Celestial Light is another move that I think can be very helpful, but didn't quite make it into the LP. It sends out small, weak bullets in all directions that don't travel too far. Its best use is most likely a defensive one, for when you're surrounded by a lot of weak enemies, it can get you out of a jam. Do play around with it and see if it does well for you. As for the other two moves, enough on them has been said in the video.

Skills:
Heaven and Earth Press: Earth (7th one from top; combination: Melee, Melee, Melee, holding down Melee; costs: 100.000)

Spell Cards:
Temperament: State of Enlightenment (Power: -; consumption: 5 units; Amulet: -; costs 180.000)

One thing about that spell/super that I couldn't mention: It lasts 25 seconds. Good duration. Good enough to make it worth it.

Style configuration for Stage 4:

     
--Gen-Fudou's Barrage (Normal 2) --Dense Diamond Blaster (Normal 3) ------Bonten Grenade (Spread 3) --------Bhava-Agra Ballista (Snipe 3)------

     
Peerless Blade and Temperament: State of Enlightenment

[Gesh86]

Silly automated message  . Starting a new topic because there hasn't been a post for 2 weeks would be the dumbest thing ever in this case.

We are once again going at it with part 5. Unlike last time, a few mysteries will actually get revealed. Not too many, but it's a start.

Shots:
Kompira's Missile (6th from top; power: A; consumption: S; Amulet: 40%; costs 120.000)
Durga Crash (7th from bottom; power: A; consumption: A; Amulet: 90%; costs 120.000)

Couldn't get to say a thing about Durga Crash. It is the closest thing this game has to a "Shotgun". It's the good kind of shotgun, the very satisfying "Doom"-kind. Obviously, it's got no long range but the spread makes it easy to hit something. It's pretty sweet and makes getting Celestial Light for bridging worth it even if you don't use that one.

Skills:
Heaven and Earth Press: Heaven (3rd from bottom; combination: Melee, Melee, holding down Melee, all of this while in the air; costs 110.000)

Spell Cards:
Scarlet Weather Rhapsody of All Humankind (very bottom; Power: S; consumption: 6 units; Amulet: 20%; costs 220.000)

Style configuration for Stage 5:

     
--Dense Diamond Blaster (Normal 3) ----Kompira's Missile (Homing 3) ---------Bonten Grenade (Spread 3) -------------Durga Crash (Wide 3) -----------

     
Peerless Blade and Scarlet Weather Rhapsody of All Humankind

I have to add something to what I could only briefly touch upon: This whole setup, including the shots, is crazy-wasteful in terms of energy. It's very hard to acquire a decent number of units this way. Nowadays, a good while after this episode was recorded, I really wouldn't pick it again. Maybe put 1 or 2 simpler things in there, like Non-Conceptual Arrow. You don't always have to crack a nut with a sledgehammer.

[Sky_Paladin]

I'm really enjoying this Let's Play.  The constant commentary really melts away any boredom I usually experience watching somebody else having fun  

[Gesh86]

Time for the finale! It's a short game all in all, but I never felt that it was too short. Not for its genre, and not if you take the 10-25 or so deaths you'll have the first time you go through it into account.

Shots:
Everything we didn't have before!

We never did invest in any shots of the laser-family. I'm not too keen on them, they're basically the most straightforward, do-a-lot-of-damage-type beams, but they're rarely practical. One of them freezes you in place while you use it, another can't be used in mid-air...and all of them are expensive.

Skills:
Everything we didn't have before!!!

Just for good measure, we got everything that was missing here as well. That said, I still don't use too many of the active skills   :blush:. If it proves anything, it's that getting enough points to plunder all the shops is perfectly possible in a single playthrough.

Spell Cards:
Everything we didn't have before!!!!!

Very few supers are outright bad in my opinion. Play around with them even if I didn't show them off. One bit of trivia: Scarlet Weather Rhapsody of All Humankind may be the one that feels like the "ultimate", but it isn't the most damaging, the one above it is, Creation of Heaven and Earth Press. Same cost for it, it's a move that must be used in close range. With close range, I mean you must be in hugging range of your target. If it connects, Tenshi smashes bad guy with ginormous keystone. If not, she just looks confused, having wasted all of those units. Not a risk I'm willing to take, sadly.

Style configuration for Stage 6:
Exactly the same as it was for Stage 5!
This time, the set-up is more appropriate for what we're up against, though.

Edit: It'll likely be until early April until I can get the bonus episode done, as there's a few things that need my attention in the next weeks. Just saying so no one thinks this would be dead or I forgot  .
Also, I've got to say that I was extremely positively surprised how interested you folks were in this LP.  Apart from the comments in the thread saying just that, average runtimes of views were exceptionally high (Yes, I'm a creepy stalker-dude who looks up in YT-analytics who watches my stuff and how long  :3). You could say "duh, MotK's a Touhou-forum", but you can never know for sure how something appeals. I tend to have no unreasonably high expectations whenever I post my work on a forum for the first time. So here's a big, big thank you! When I do another Touhou-themed LP in the future, whenever it may be, I'll be sure to bring it here again.

[commandercool]

So here's a big, big thank you! When I do another Touhou-themed LP in the future, whenever it may be, I'll be sure to bring it here again.

Thank you for posting it. It was a lot of fun to watch. I'll definitely take a look at the next one whatever that is.

[Sahgren]

Thanks for the Let's Play, Gesh86. It was nice finally getting to know the details of the story.

Spell Cards:
Everything we didn't have before!!!!!
One bit of trivia: Scarlet Weather Rhapsody of All Humankind may be the one that feels like the "ultimate", but it isn't the most damaging, the one above it is, Creation of Heaven and Earth Press. Same cost for it, it's a move that must be used in close range. With close range, I mean you must be in hugging range of your target. If it connects, Tenshi smashes bad guy with ginormous keystone. If not, she just looks confused, having wasted all of those units. Not a risk I'm willing to take, sadly.

It's probably also worth noting that Creation of Heaven and Earth Press will only go into the second attack against bosses if they're amulet broken after it connects. That said, it packs a whopping 500% amulet damage modifier, enough to instantly break any non-last spell patterns from the stages 1-3 bosses and deal 50-75% total amulet damage to the stages 4-6 bosses, and instantly ends the pattern if it fully connects.

[Gesh86]

Sorry for leaving this hanging for so long. Among other things, I had to devote time to my April Fools special first. Needless to say, it had to be done for a certain day  .
The bonus episode is finally available, ending the LP with more spellcards, stabbings of fault lines and a brief look into the game's early development.