Japanese publisher Marvelous has confirmed the worldwide release of Touhou Shinsekai: Longing For An Alternative World for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC. No release date has been set as yet, but Marvelous has stated the game will be published in North America by XSEED Games and in PAL regions by Marvelous Europe.
Based on the long-running Touhou Project bullet hell series by Team Shanghai Alice, Touhou Shinsekai: Longing For An Alternative World is set to be an action RPG starring iconic characters from the series in an all-new story. The game is being developed by Ankake Spa, who previously worked on Touhou: Scarlet Curiosity, another Touhou spin-off.
Touhou Shinsekai: Longing For An Alternative World begins in the traditional Touhou setting of Gensokyo, a land of yokai and demons which is guarded at the border by Reimu Hakurei of the Hakurei shrine. Here, Reimu lives peacefully alongside her companion Marisa - until one day some inexplicable force takes the two, throws them far away from the Gensokyo border, and lands them in a strange city they've never seen before.
From what has been shown in the teaser trailer, it seems Touhou Shinsekai will feature gameplay typical to that of the action RPG genre, such as character leveling, skill trees, and visible encounters. Additionally, the official website (translated by Gematsu) states that the game will also include equipment degradation and a repair system, where all items damaged over time can be mended at Kogasa Tatara's blacksmith to randomized results. Characters, on the other hand, can be strengthened by a visit to Nitori Kawashiro's capsule, which is powered by stones that the player will collect across the course of the game.
Touhou Shinsekai: Longing For An Alternative World is one of numerous Touhou spin-off games set to arrive on consoles and PC in the near future. In September of last year, developer Frontier Aja announced Koumajou Remilia II: Stranger's Requiem for Nintendo Switch and PC (also with no release date as yet), and in November, it was revealed that the spin-off rhythm PC game Touhou Danmaku Kagura Phantasia Lost developed by Unknown X will be arriving on Nintendo Switch at some point this year.
Guinness World Records has acknowledged Touhou Project as the most prolific fan-made shooter series ever created, with dozens of spin-offs having been released by indie and fan studios alike in the years since the original release of Touhou: Highly Responsive To Prayers in 1996. The 18.5th and most recent mainline entry in the Touhou series - titled 100th Black Market - was released at Comiket 100 in August last year.