Touhou Chireiden ~ Subterranean Animism

What it is

Touhou Chireiden ~ Subterranean Animism is a Windows shoot ’em up from Team Shanghai Alice. Players control a human character, firing shots at enemies while avoiding enemies, bullets and lasers; a hit costs a life, and losing a life with none remaining ends the run. Move to the top of the screen to collect all items on screen, or use slow movement to draw nearby items toward the character. Keyboard controls cover movement, shots, spell use, slow movement, pausing, skipping messages and speeding through replays. A configurable gamepad can handle the same core actions. Its story begins when a geyser appears near the Hakurei Shrine in winter, bringing underground spirits to the surface. Reimu and Marisa initially see the hot spring as an opportunity, while others fear the risks of the underground world and its hidden forces. The Steam listing includes single-player, Steam Cloud and Family Sharing. The Steam release date is June 5, 2020; the game was originally released in 2008.

What players like, and what they don't

Who it suits

It suits players looking for a single-player bullet-dodging shooter with keyboard or configurable gamepad controls. Its underground-spirit story may also appeal to players who enjoy fantasy settings.

Subterranean Animism pairs precise movement and item collection with a story about a geyser opening a path from the underground.