| Hopeless Masquerade | |
| Developer: | Twilight Frontier Team Shanghai Alice |
| Publisher: | Twilight Frontier |
| Series: | Touhou Project |
| Released: | 26 May 2013 (Reitaisai 10) |
| Genre: | Fighting |
| Platforms: | Microsoft Windows |
is a versus fighting game in the Touhou Project game series, announced on 5 October 2012. The game, by Twilight Frontier and Team Shanghai Alice, is labelled as the 13.5th Touhou game.[1] [2] The final version of the game was released on 26 May 2013 at Reitaisai 10.
Like its predecessor, Touhou Hisōtensoku, Hopeless Masquerade is a two-dimensional versus fighting game, where two characters fight each other with various moves. This game features a completely different style of 2D sprites compared to the earlier fighter games.[3] Match timers have been introduced, something not present in previous Touhou fighter games. It is also the first official game to have a native resolution of 1280×720.
Various new systems have been made specifically for this game, most notably a completely aerial-based combat system, special moves performed in a key combo system, and an Instant Guard system, which allows the player to parry attacks by blocking right before the attack hits to prevent spirit loss.
A gloomy atmosphere fills the human village after a series of recurring disasters and catastrophes, as the villagers become uncaring and fall into disorder. Those of religion believe that they should seize control over those falling into disorder, as an opportunity to gather faith and restore order. A battle between three individuals competing over popularity and appeal becomes underway in Gensōkyō, namely the Buddhist priest, the Taoist, and the shrine maiden.[1]
Hopeless Masquerade features 10 playable characters: