Azure Striker Gunvolt

Azure Striker Gunvolt, known as Armed Blue: Gunvolt in Japan, is a 2D side-scrolling action-platform game developed and published by Inti Creates. It was first released for Nintendo 3DS via eShop in August 2014. Ports of the game were released for Windows in 2015, for Nintendo Switch in 2017, for PlayStation 4 in 2020, and for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S in 2022. In addition to utilizing gameplay similar to Mega Man Zero, Azure Striker Gunvolt also introduced new gameplay elements such as Gunvolt’s ability to “tag” enemies and target many at once, adding an additional layer of complexity to the genre.

Azure Striker Gunvolt is set during an unspecified date in the near future, in which several people called “adepts” have developed “septimal powers”. These powers enable superhuman feats including flight, the use of powerful energy weapons, and manipulation of the elements like fire, water, and electricity. The world is at peace thanks to the efforts of a world-spanning corporation known as the Sumeragi Group. However, the Sumeragi Group is, in reality, controlling and experimenting on adepts.

Gunvolt, one of the most powerful adepts, has the ability to create electrical fields and works for an organization known as QUILL, which is seeking to reveal and put a stop to Sumeragi’s ulterior motives. Like the Mega Man series, namely the original series, Mega Man X, Mega Man Zero and Mega Man ZX, Azure Striker Gunvolt is a side-scrolling action platform game. The player controls the eponymous Gunvolt, who is able to jump, dash, and utilize a gun with special bullets that “tag” their targets, which grants a homing effect to Gunvolt’s electric fields.

Hitting an enemy with multiple tags will guide more of Gunvolt’s electricity towards that enemy, increasing damage. The player’s actions are limited by an energy bar, which depletes when using the electrical field, using additional movement abilities such as double-jumping or air dashing, or being hit by enemies. Whenever the energy bar is depleted, Gunvolt will enter an “Overheat” state and will be unable to use his septimal powers or defend himself until it refills.