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The Touhou series has been going strong since 1997 and consists of shoot ‘em up games known for having good soundtracks. Jun'ya "ZUN" Ōta, the main developer, has few restrictions on his content and welcomes fan created works. Touhou Danmaku Kagura Phantasia Lost is a Touhou Project Officially Approved title that was released on Steam in February of 2024 and is now available on the Nintendo Switch. The main game is $29.99 and there are four song packs for sale for $13.99 apiece.

Like many games prior, Touhou Danmaku Kagura Phantasia Lost is set in Gensokyo, a land sealed from the outside world and primarily inhabited by ephemerals (spirit beings), humans, and yōkai. The main character, Reimu Hakurei, who is a shrine maiden that wakes up in a desert without any memories. She doesn't know who she is or how she got there. A blue flaming orb named Mitama fills her in that she is the reason the world is a desolate and sandy place. Mitama will guide her on restoring her memories and Gensokyo by collecting Mitama cards performing Reigen Kaisei prayers for the thirteen regions.

Each region has a different issue that the residents are coping with. For example, some are living in fear while others are so focused on perfection that nothing ever gets finished. Reimu will usually solve these problems in a harsh, effective, and often comical way. Before she can perform her Reigen Kaisei prayer, she must complete several levels first. Not all of the levels have to be completed to progress the story, but several are needed. This is a good thing since many levels begin with the Hard difficulty being the easiest choice available! Most of the levels I completed are on the Easy or Normal difficulties. Lunatic is the most challenging difficulty option.

There are two level types. Some are strictly rhythm where you have to press the corresponding button when the falling note hits it mark on the bottom of the screen. On the easier difficulty you only have four buttons (left and right shoulder buttons, up arrow and the X button). On the hard and lunatic difficulties, you get more notes and you also have to use the ZL and ZR triggers. Alternatively, you can use the touch screen instead of buttons if desired.

The other level type is a combination of rhythm and shoot ‘em up. On the left and right hand side of the screen you’ll have to press the L and R should buttons (along with ZL and ZR triggers for harder levels) as well as dodge the bullet sprays from the boss and their minions in the center of the screen. Typically, you’ll have multiple lives (the boss does too!) but you’ll lose health (and lives!) for missing too many of the scrolling notes on the side.

Many levels have gimmicks like fog, poison fog, note timing changes, and note type changes. You can equip Mitama cards to counteract many of these gimmicks. There are three different types of MItama cards and they have a rock-paper-scissors type relationship. Emo/Red is strong against Roman/Yellow and weak against Cool/Blue. Yellow is strong against Blue and weak to Red. Lastly, Blue is strong against Red but weak to Yellow.

The Mitama cards determine the number of lives, bombs, and amount of energy your heroine begins a level with. As you play levels, your card will gain experience points and level up and make your character stronger. Alternatively, you can also spend dream drops as currency to level up cards.

Initially, you begin the game with Reimu as your heroine. You can unlock other characters and you play through the game. Each heroine has their own perk and attack pattern. A sub heroine is also available to use their skills as well.

After completing a level, you’ll earn one star. Other stars can be earned by completing optional mission objectives. Some mission objectives include ending a level with a minimum grade or number of lives left while others require you to have less than a certain number of misses or more than a specified number of perfect/brilliant notes. You can progress the story with one star, but completionists will always want them all.

The music is catchy and I was surprised to see a collaboration with Toby Fox. The popular meme song Bad Apple is available to play as well. Most of the songs are composed by Zun and I must say that I’m impressed. While there are sixty-eight songs built into the game, Steam sells a 9-track soundtrack for $3.99. As you play through the story, the songs will be added to the Free mode. If you can’t wait you can spend $2.99 to unlock all of the built-in tracks immediately. There are four song DLC packs with over twenty-five tracks each available for $13.99 apiece. You can hear samples of the songs in the Free mode but they are pay-walled.

Morally, Touhou Danmaku Kagura Phantasia Lost has some issues worth noting. There is some mild language (*ss, d*mn, sucks, hell) and the Lord’s name is used in vain. Most of the characters are female and some wear skimpier outfits than others. One of the Mitama cards show the characters in a bathtub revealing some skin and outlines of their breasts. One of the characters, Marisa, is constantly searching for Reimu and she stops at a hotel along the way. During her stay she is offered wine and gets drunk as a result. With Reimu being a shrine maiden and praying to restore the regions, this game has completely different beliefs than Christianity.

If you enjoy the Touhou series, shoot ‘em ups, or rhythm games, Touhou Danmaku Kagura Phantasia Lost is worth looking into. There’s a good amount of songs to play and lots more available via DLC purchases. I’m personally going to hold out for a sale before buying any. The soundtrack is tempting though.