15.5 is a laudable number for any developer to reach in a series, but for a one-man team, it’s downright impressive. Responsible for every aspect of the Japanese fandom-crazed shoot-em’-up game series since 1995, the Tohou series has stretched to different genres and even a manga. The creator, Jun’ya ‘ZUN’ Ota, works endlessly on main series and wisely passes the development of the fighting spin-offs to other companies and this one is its 6th fighting iteration – Touhou Hyouibana: Antinomy of Common Flowers.
A battle tag style 2-vs-2 fighter, Antinomy of Common Flowers has a 3-plane field which combatants fly between in an attempt to defeat their enemy. With a story and fighting system carried over from the previous 2 fighting games (Hopeless Masquerade and Urban Legend in Limbo) ACF introduces a phenomenon called Perfect Possessions which allows someone to take over another person’s body and then switch between the two. It’s an inventive mechanic that adds to a system of basic combos that allows for anyone to pick up the game and get to grips with it, with most moves just one direction and button. I, never the master of this genre, was quite appreciative of this, as it allows you to focus on the strategy and gimmicks at your disposal, rather than having to undertake your own research study to memorize combos.
Another element that eases the difficulty is the ability to both ‘jump’ and ‘drop’ to the above and below planes which makes evading and planning your attacks more varied. This, paired with each character’s ranged and arched projectile attacks, are different takes on the standard fare and while they take time to get used to, are nice inclusions, even if you are unsure how these characters are actually able to fly.
In addition, with each character given their own fighting styles and deep move-set, there is a freedom of creativity handed to you that gives many battles a life of their own. The well-animated characters range from Racoon chefs to pot-dwelling ‘inchlings’, and have special moves that can range from cutting the enemy in half to sending a train to hit them head-on. This all equates to a well-designed and unique package, but the biggest thing for me, the single biggest thing that separates it from other fighters is that this all-female cast has absolutely no fan service whatsoever, and for someone who reviews a lot of ‘anime-type’ games, it’s quite refreshing.
While the visual design impresses (apart from an offensively basic menu design), it’s unfortunately the game’s poor performance and audio presentation that brings this title down a notch.
Mind you, I am comparing ACL to greats of the genre such as Street Fighter and Marvel vs Capcom 2, but for me, these 2D titles need to be fast-moving and have as much of an impact in their audio as they do in their visuals, which is where ACL lacks. It should be said that the moves themselves are not exactly slow, but there is a noticeable delay between your input of said moves and the game’s reaction, making playthroughs feel slightly looser and inexact.
Also, apart from a decent soundtrack, voice-acting and impactful sound effects are glaring omissions that make the fights seem like ‘a silent movie with the radio on’ and drains the personality the visuals create. I like my characters making audible noises (no giggling please) with each strike and/or stating their intentions from the story or situation, but ACL does little appease these lofty personal requirements.
Despite splitting off from the original series, the shoot em’ up influence is also evident in some special attacks but they feel haphazardly implemented with bullets that visibly pass over characters without making contact. This also happens between characters and to me is a bit of a faux pas as it not only makes you uncertain of if the damage is being received but also it’s hard to see what’s actually happening.
The story and the Online play does nothing if not add replay value however, and held up well with no issues during my playthrough. Unfortunately, it’s pretty barebones though with a create or search for a room option only and nothing else. Leaderboards or even a page for personal stats would have been nice.
It’s quite hard to nail down ACL, as on one hand, for the 25th (despite its 15.5 name) title in the series one might have hoped for a more developed experience, with a fighting system and audio experience that lacks technical execution and basic audio sound effects. But, on the other, its concept and nice visuals represent a partly decent fighting game that could appeal to more than just the fandom that craves it.
