What Mushihimesama is
Mushihimesama is a vertical shooting game set in a fantasy forest. You play as Reco, a young princess who leaves her village after a mysterious sickness strikes her people. Riding her Golden Beetle friend Kiniro, she heads into the Shinju Forest to meet the God of the Koju and ask for a cure. Along the way she fights giant insect-like creatures called Koju across 5 stages, including a desert, forests, and a cave. The game is drawn in HD sprite graphics and built around dense bullet patterns, with a small player hitbox so you can thread through shots that would otherwise fill the screen.
Playing it with your group
Local co-op is supported, so you can share the screen and take on the stages together. Remote Play Together is also listed as a Steam feature, which lets friends join in over a connection. The game has online global leaderboards with replay sharing, so you can compare runs and watch how others handled a stage. Steam achievements are included as well.
Modes and difficulty
There are several modes to pick from. Arcade mode aims to stay close to the original arcade game. Novice mode is similar to Arcade but balanced for new players. Arrange mode starts you at maximum firepower and defends you automatically. Beyond that, there is an "Ultra" mode known for being extremely hard. You can also pick from 3 weapon types and 2 option types to shape how you play. Mushihimesama V1.5 "Matsuri" Mode is separate optional DLC: a remixed mode with alternate music and mechanics, where firing close to enemies raises your multiplier but also speeds up bullets.
Before you start
A training mode lets you practice individual stages on their own. There are options for viewing windows, screen size and position, and screen orientation, including a vertical "tate" mode for an arcade-style picture. Background images are available as an option. Keyboard customization and multiple controllers are supported. Two soundtracks are included, three with V1.5, and you can choose which track plays for each stage and area. The music comes from composers Manabu Namiki and Masaharu Iwata.