Back when Mighty No. 9 was announced and kickstarted, a second Mega Man successor also came to be. Azure Striker Gunvolt from Inti Creates is a spiritual sequel to the Mega Man Zero and Mega Man ZX games that were made by the company, and was released on 3DS, before receiving a sequel. Now both games have come to the Nintendo Switch eShop as the Azure Striker Gunvolt: Striker Pack.
The first thing to note is that yes, the game does look better on Switch than on 3DS. That should go without saying of course, and there are far more substantial differences. First and foremost is the inclusion of HD rumble. Given Gunvolt’s abilities and fighting style, the inclusion of HD rumble really does help enhance the game. It brings you into the action and makes the fight more intense. Inti Creates has been excellent in their use of HD rumble so far, so this does not surprise me in any way.
But now let’s get to the gameplay. As I said, the games are a spiritual sequel to the Mega Man Zero and Mega Man ZX games, which were previously made by Inti Creates. Gunvolt can run, jump and shoot at his enemies, while also using a large variety of abilities. The action is fast paced and intense, and using Gunvolt’s abilities to their fullest is key to survival. Plus it is also incredibly satisfying once you learn how to use those abilities. Thus replaying levels is a needed to really get the full experience of the game. In terms of levels, you choose them in the traditional fashion, and can replay them whenever you want. What is a good addition to the games are the extra elements, such as interacting with other characters, selling off parts for cash to get other upgrades and selectin the best upgrades for your loadout. Learning to pick the best loadout you can, can take some time but is worth it immensely. The leveling up mechanics also provide a nice change of pace to most games of this genre, and the narrative of the game is well done. Some may not like the anime aesthetics, but its honestly fine.
Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 is even better than the original, with more refined gameplay, better narrative storytelling and just a bigger feel. Both games have received some minor upgrades for the Switch version, with minor refinements here and there, HD rumble and upgraded visuals as mentioned, and some control changes. There is only one screen here, so things are handled a bit differently, but it works out just fine. Everything you loved from the games is still here, including the amiibo support, and with the new additions, its just a better package.
I highly recommend this game, and if you want a return to the feel of the Mega Man series, this is a great place to look!
…………..
Disclaimer: A review key was provided by the publisher.