Before I begin the detailed review, I did 1CC every route at default settings across all difficulties, yes, even Absurdly Extra, and it was a blast.
I love bullet hell games, and really difficult skill based, even if somewhat unfair, easy-game-control games overall where even with presented with what can look near impossible and maybe even somewhat unfair, to somehow still get on top, because mastery is possible and showing to yourself that you can actually beat what may have looked impossible at first or looks impossible to most feels SO satisfying.
I've played quite a few Touhou games, but they are 14.99 USD each, 6 and 7 are not even on Steam, and to download from an external source, it can feel risky. On top of that, the PC-98 Touhou games, 2 to 5 to be exact, usually must be emulated unless you want to blow a lot of money and go on a scavenger hunt adventure.
TIME FOR THE ACTUAL REVIEW.
連縁无現里 ~ Misremembered Memories, this is a bullet hell game that shocked me in a few good ways.
1. Touhou PC-98 graphics feel very good and special. It is a part of what makes the Touhou PC-98 games so memorable. This should be done more often.
2. You get dropped straight into the Extra boss. That sounds like less content? No, that means that rather than having to route a whole at least 5 minutes route before the actual boss and have to PLAY THROUGH IT EACH TIME TO GET TO THE ACTUAL BOSS, you go fight the boss themselves! No cutscene, no stagnation! You go straight into the meat (maybe not if you are not carnivorous lol) and potatoes of action in bullet hell, fighting the boss themselves!
3. There is no Power! You can get hit by an attack, and still maintain the max power, because it is only that one power! Normally when getting hit and losing a life, you are put at a severe disadvantage because now you cannot deal damage to progress through the boss. One less headache!
4. The deathbombing is lenient in this game, so you can actually play more offensively without nearly as much fear!
5. There is so much variety in the spell cards and attack patterns that the fight does not get stale. There is at least one you'll find very difficult, but it makes it all the better to find a way through the challenge!
6. There are 3 difficulties, each with 2 routes, each route being a different character, a homing-like type like Reimu, and a shoot-forward type like Marisa, and on top of that, both routes have different attack patterns with different music! The diff spikes up too after that first route when you go that second route! You can even edit the amount of starting lives. You can even practice each unique attack individually once encountered at least once! You can save and play replays. You can compare the scores. When playing the replays, it even shows the inputs, but beware that the play cannot have used any continues. No matter your skill level, you can find a thrill in playing this game, practicing whichever specific parts as needed, and showing off what the heck you just did so long as no continues were used. I even like the touch that the hardest difficulty, Absurdly Extra, has different spell card names to emphasize the extra level you are going.
Be mindful that lots of this game involves spell card mastery to get the spell card bonuses to get more lives which each come with 3 bombs to get through the tougher sections. Some spell cards are worth much more than others, so, strategize, but remember, you can play for YOUR purpose. You can be a madman that has never gone into much bullet hell, and try to 1CC the Absurdly Extra routes with 7 initial lives for all I care. You do you. Have fun. ;)
