Azure Striker Gunvolt is an action platforming game in the vein of Mega Man originally for the 3DS, but has now also been ported to PC and the Switch. For the purposes of this review, I'm playing the version found on Azure Striker Gunvolt: Striker Pack for the 3DS, which features both the game and its sequel on a single cartridge.
I'm all in for Mega Man. So when I found out that the team behind the Mega Man Zero games made their own similarly styled game with all original IP, I was all in. The comparisons between the games are more than skin deep. One series' plot features a moody hero with tremendous powers who must carve his way through hordes of enemies intent on enslaving himself and all of the other people like him. The other one is is Mega Man Zero. But in all seriousness, the two series are extremely similar in setting, plot, and presentation, save for some faux-edgy dialogue that invents fake swear words (holy jitt!) and some occasionally sexually suggestive stuff (pretty tame). You'll shoot, dash, and jump your way through several levels, needing to beat the elementally based boss at the end, and will be rewarded a score based on how quickly and cleanly you're able to finish.
There are a few new things here. Combat features a new mechanic called tagging, in which your base gun will build extra charges for each shot that hits an enemy. Any tagged enemy can be hit with your electrical powers for far more damage than your base gun can deal, but building those charges with your gun is really important to maximize the damage you do. The electrical powers, however, drain your power meter, so you'll need to plan out how it's used, and also realize that being hit by enemies will drop your power meter significantly. Once empty, you'll be unable to use those powers, along with other unlockable abilities like double jumping, until the bar is completely filled, which takes a crippling length of time, particularly in a boss battle. It feels a bit like Diablo III in that you'll spend a good bit of time using basic skills to build up your meter, and then blow it all quickly to do a ton of damage, and rinse and repeat.
You can also use your electrical abilities to manipulate metallic objects in certain stages, making for some interesting and new platforming mechanics. I wish they had played around with these ideas more, as these segments were some of the most interesting in the game. I really would have liked to see a boss battle in which using these skills was critical to victory, but was a bit disappointed that that wasn't the case.
You can level up in the game, something that's pretty foreign to the Mega Man series in general. These level ups aren't particularly noticeable in terms of power spikes, but do have a weird quirk in which a level up will completely heal Gunvolt, which feels kind of weird in a genre intent on avoiding damage and playing strategically. Gunvolt is already VERY tanky, and can take a ton of hits, and has a skill that can heal HP at will, so including another tool to stay healthy encouraged you to play more fast and loose than in other games in this vein. I didn't care for it.
Performing better on a level also allows you to have extra chances to get better loot after a level, and this loot can be used to craft newer and better gear for Gunvolt. This is an interesting idea, but I feel like the loot didn't really play around too much with the basic concept of the game. I would have loved it if they had made it so you could outfit him with different kits, like one that allows you to strike from a longer distance while being more safe, while another makes him tankier but also requires you to get up close and personal to finish off your opponents.
The music was really, really cool. The electronica-focused soundtrack had a relentless energy and frenetic pace, and it was great.
The difficulty on this game is simply too low. I almost never struggled with the game, and it also features unlimited continues with no time penalty for dying, meaning that its a pretty leisurely walk through the game.
My biggest complaint about the game is the visuals. They look super cool at first glance, but it can be really difficult to tell where you are, where enemy projectiles are, and watching your enemy to anticipate his moves while you are using your electrical powers. It makes the game extremely chaotic, and not as much fun as a Mega Man game, in which being more precise in avoiding your foes is paramount.
This is a slightly above average game, but it's also crammed into a genre busting at the seams of quality for your playing pleasure. I'd recommend the following over Azure Striker Gunvolt, with strong recommendations in bold:
Mega Man
Mega Man 2
Mega Man 3
Mega Man 4
Mega Man 5
Mega Man 6
Mega Man 7
Mega Man 8
Mega Man 9
Mega Man X
Mega Man X2
Mega Man Zero
Mega Man Zero 2
Mega Man Zero 3
Mega Man Zero 4
Mega Man and Bass
Vectorman
Gunstar Heroes
Any Metal Slug game
Several I'm assuredly forgetting
I think you get the point. It's even more convenient that many of these games/series are packaged neatly into some nice collections that will allow you to experience all of these gems in their entirety, for a very reasonable price. If you really like run 'n gun shooters, as I do, feel free to grab this one. If not, there are better options out there. I'll give it a 7.7/10.
I lost my 3DS charge cable like an idiot, so I still need to work on getting the best ending of this slightly above average game because I'm an idiot. While I search for the cable, or until I buy a replacement, I'll be running through something I said I wasn't going to be back to for a while, and I may have a little bit of the bug.
-TRO
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