On September 9, Touhou Koumakyou ~ New Canon officially launched on Steam, roughly 24 years after the release of the original Japanese version. In just a few days since its launch, the game has accumulated 2,958 user reviews with a 98% positive rating, placing it among the highest-rated titles on Steam for the year. The game is also available on PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Switch 2.
The original Embodiment of Scarlet Devil was the sixth installment in the Touhou Project series, developed by creator ZUN. Prior to this, all series entries were exclusive to the PC-98 platform; this title marked the series' debut on Windows. This work propelled the Touhou series to become a benchmark for Japanese underground doujin games, quickly becoming the best-selling entry in the series and cementing its legendary status in the realm of Japanese bullet hell shooters.
As the name suggests, "New Canon" is an optimized remake of the original game. Developer Alliance Arts has preserved the original content and experience as completely as possible—which is precisely why this version is sold exclusively as a bundle on Steam.
The studio stated: "The bundle is priced the same as purchasing the game individually and includes the original version." The original version on Steam does not support English, but it remains a fun and smooth nostalgic journey. The base bundle, priced at $17.99, includes both games; the premium bundle, priced at $24.63, additionally includes the New Canon original soundtrack.
The Steam store page description reads: "Dodge bullets, defeat enemies, and confront the Scarlet Mist Incident. Embodiment of Scarlet Devil returns with new music and visuals. Control the shrine maiden Reimu Hakurei and the magician Marisa Kirisame as they weave through screens filled with bullets. The original soundtrack has been fully remastered by ZUN."
The overall setting of the Touhou series is difficult to summarize in a few words. However, the general public's understanding is fairly accurate: a group of magical girls, or anime-style girls who resemble them, resolve various supernatural incidents in Gensokyo, which can be described as a fantastical mirror image of the real world.
For us, the key point is that the Touhou IP has spawned numerous high-quality works, many of which are also available on Steam. I highly recommend Touhou Luna Nights, a 2D bullet-hell Metroidvania developed by Team Ladybug, which boasts outstanding quality and gameplay reminiscent of Must Die! Rabbit. Another title I haven't explored much is Touhou Mystia's Izakaya, a charming restaurant simulation game that is likely the highest-rated Touhou derivative on modern platforms, with a base price of just $6 on Steam.
Data from review aggregation sites like Steam250 shows that New Canon ranked among the top seven most positively reviewed games on Steam in the past month, and has also entered the top 50 for 2026, with its ranking continuing to climb rapidly. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with titles like Valheim (a high-quality Viking survival game that recently launched its 1.0 version) and Fishing Way (an unexpectedly popular fishing game with a modest theme) clearly demonstrates the game's impressive performance.