Azure Striker Gunvolt Review

Azure Striker Gunvolt is an action platformer that owes more than a little to the classic MegaMan franchise on NES and SNES.


Published: September 16, 2014 9:00 AM /

Reviewed By:


Azure Striker Gunvolt Key Art

Azure Striker Gunvolt is the epitome of fun, in my books. This is definitely a must for any Mega Man fan, as it combines a lot of the core features of the Mega Man franchise while also bringing its own twist to the table.

Azure Striker Gunvolt - Gameplay

Azure Striker Gunvolt is a side view, platformer RPG which involves the main character in a blue outfit able to shoot a gun. Despite this, the game in and of itself does feel like its own game. Shooting an enemy cause you to target them, allowing you to zap them and kill them more easily with your electric force field. The force field has a limit to its use, as it overheats, but recharge happens pretty quickly, and if it is not fast enough, pressing down on your DS twice will fully charge your character.

After every level, you get a certain number of items by chance, the more medals you pick up in each level allows you have the chance for more items. These items can either be sold for VIG or the game's currency, or they can be combined at the shop (using some VIG) to make different armor and accessories. But in terms of weapons, nothing seems better for gameplay than the good old-fashioned shooter. My personal favorite is the Naga, a gun that allows up to 5 different targets.

Azure Striker Gunvolt - Abilities 

Also, in every level destroying enemies awards your points. If you get to a checkpoint without getting hit, your total combo will award you a large sum of points. At the end of the level, your points are tallied up and depending on how good you did you get a ranked score, which helps later on when you are able to complete challenges. Challenges are a way to test your skills, determining whether or not you can make it through a certain level in a specific time, or whether you can complete the level with a certain ranking.

Your character is pretty powerful in the game as-is, but if you want to annihilate all approaching bosses, you can also attach skill sets, allowing you to use a certain number of SP per level (you get 3 usually) which can be activated to deliver a devastating blow to a boss, or to heal your own character, depending on the skillset you use.

Defeating a certain number of enemies also allows you the ability to level up, each level-up only awards you a small boost of Max HP. Since you are able to complete a level numerous times, with the ability to level up in even the beginning levels at least once, even when you are a high enough level, like 30, a few simple hours of grinding can put you at a real advantage. Made easier with the aforementioned challenges.

Azure Striker Gunvolt - Story

You play as a guy mainly known as Gunvolt. At the same time, infiltrating a train to exterminate a threat called The Muse. She can discover the whereabouts of people with special powers known as Adepts, and being one of them, has to put a stop to her. You later find out she is just a girl and refuse to kill her, thus quitting your job at QUILL (a place designed to protect Adepts) and freelancing to make the rent on your house while allowing the girl refuge in your home.

The beginning leads to you having to defeat 8 different adepts in any order you want... just like in Megaman. The storyline is pretty good, in my opinion, and although it can seem a bit mundane or cliché at times, it is definitely interesting enough to keep any fan of platformers grasping for more.

Azure Striker Gunvolt - Graphics and Audio

The graphics are very similar to the Mega Man franchise, giving you control over a small sprite in a side-scrolling level design. The graphics are really nice and crisp and play well into the advanced technological future aspect of the game.

The music in this game is simply awesome. Fast-paced and action-packed to help set the tone of battling throughout the game. Each level has its own unique tune. Everything from the music to the sound effects are pretty good.

The Verdict

Azure Striker Gunvolt is basically a remake of the Megaman franchise, but it does it justice. This game is definitely a must for anyone who enjoys platformers and is definitely worth the 15 dollars you would give for it from the Nintendo e-shop.


TechRaptor reviewed Azure Striker Gunvolt on PC via Steam with a code provided by the developer . It is also available on Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Xbox Series S|X. This review was originally published on 09-16-2014. While care has been taken to update the piece to reflect our modern style guidelines, some of the information may be out of date. We've left pieces like this as they were to reflect the original authors' opinions, and for historical context.

Review Summary

9.0
If you like Megaman, you will definitely love this game. (Review Policy)

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Lucy
| Former Staff Writer

Lucy Walcott is a former TechRaptor writer who loves to talk about gaming. She has been an avid gamer since she was little, focusing almost exclusively on… More about Lucy