Touhou: Scarlet Curiosity

Scarlet Curiosity is nearly a hidden gem, although there are some perplexingly dumb decisions and a lack of real challenge that keep it from being one of the best in the genre. I have no comprehension of the Touhou game series, and my research online just leaves me more confused. As far as I can tell, it's a bunch of games with some bullet hell elements and entirely female anime casts of characters. Beyond that, these games can be and are anything. This one feels like one of the 3D Castlevania games on the PS2, albeit with more crisp graphics and great sound design.

You move around the map, killing enemies to level up and collecting money and items to equip. Eventually you reach a boss room and this is really the only challenging thing about the game. You have two different chracters to select from and they both play very differently. Remy is a vampire and she's a bit more fun to play as because you can spam a dive attack to speed all over the level. She doesn't deal the damage of Sakuya, but she's more well rounded as a character. Sakuya is a maid who specializes in knife attacks. can exploit critical hits and she gets a game breaking ability late in the game that lets you interrupt boss attacks and basically obliterate them.

The characters mostly have melee attacks, but they do get some projectile attacks and can select from a few special "screen clearing attacks." A few of the bosses are pretty difficult if you don't know what to do, but for the most part this game has no real challenge. You can activate "bullet hell" mode from the menu, but since there are exploits to pulverize all of the bosses once you know the pattern it doesn't make much of a difference. Dying outside of the boss room just takes gold away, and you don't even really need the gold for anything since all the weapons you need are dropped by enemies and in chests.

This game is super linear, but there's a lot of variety in the map designs. I particularly like a platforming section that has you climbing a waterfall, and the inside of a "kettle" that is a ruined castle for no apparent reason. The story is incomprehensible gibberish and the game just expects you to already know who these characters are. The combat is fun since you are still getting new abilities even around level 70. To get the "true ending" you have to go through a 20-floor labyrinth and beat two difficult bosses, and this is really the only thing about the game that feels remotely challenging.

The only real issue with the game is the fact that you will face the same enemies over and over again. From my understanding, Touhou games are supposed to feature Yokai demons, but you mostly fight centipedes, bats and little doll-looking creatures. It's not that the enemies aren't fun to fight, it's just that you will find yourself fighting, say, a mushroom inside an underwater research lab because the game doesn't have enough enemy types to have them all fit the environments. The bosses in this game are inspired and some of the patterns are really fun to figure out. I particularly like one near the end where the character attacks with earth, wind, fire and water with a different special attack assigned to each. As you get near the end of each boss fight their attacks get faster and they start introducing new attacks, so expect to replay a few of them until you get the pattern down.

~ Playing as Sakuya makes me happy.
~ Level progression is average.
~ The soundtracks are awesome (I'm bias).

~ Kinda wish more characters are added.
~ Recommended when the game is on sale.

Played it and completed all of the achievements in this game, overall satisfied for this game so I can add my completionist arc for the Touhou games that I purchased on Steam.
For me, it just a really simple hack and slash RPG game:
(+) No hard puzzles, just a peak hack and slash (grinding) game till you reach Level 99.
(+) Artstyles are great
(+) Soundtracks are straight up banger (Thank you Hachimitsu-Lemon)
(+) The grapich and visual just makes me chill, kinda remind me of something nostalgic...
(-) It confuses me where to go sometimes, a LITERAL MAZE! But, it's not that problematic. (they should add in-game map for each level)
(?) I have a mixed opinion about the simplicity of the game, especially about the combat mechanic. (Hit 3x > Skill 1 > hit 3x > skill 1 > hit 3x > skill 2 > Skill 3 > Repeat!)

That's all, the conclusion is I obviously like this game, but the gameplay is too simple. (good for chilling tho) 8.7/10

Good enough for one play-through but story is somewhat lacking. The game is also short so I would get it when it's on sale. I also suggest doing the true ending if you really want a challenge. Overall, it's just OK.

honestly luv how they blended in bullet hell elements with rpg, just the right amount of both. it also requires a bit of experience in bullet hell, but otherwise amazing game and def worth my money :D

i really liked this game, even though it was a 3d game it still had that bullet hell feel to it which i though was cool, I really enjoyed the characters and the story as well not a bad game quick and fun

honestly, probably my favorite 3d beat em up. Happy to own this after not being able to play it after it getting removed from ps+. oh and btw, pay attention to the options window before the game starts, youre gonna need it.