Azure Striker Gunvolt, also called Armed Blue: Gunvolt in Japan, is a 2D side-scrolling action-platform game created and published by Inti Creates. It was first released for Nintendo 3DS through the eShop in August 2014. Later versions of the game were released for Windows in 2015, Nintendo Switch in 2017, PlayStation 4 in 2020, and Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S in 2022. The game uses gameplay similar to Mega Man Zero but adds new features, such as Gunvolt’s ability to "tag" enemies and attack multiple targets at once, which increases the game’s difficulty.

The story takes place in a futuristic world where humans and beings called "adepts" live together. Gunvolt, a powerful adept, leaves his organization after discovering a failed assassination attempt. He becomes a freelance agent and uses his powers to stop the Sumeragi Group, a peacekeeping group secretly abusing many adepts.

Mighty Gunvolt, a crossover game with Mighty No. 9 and Gal Gun, was released on the same day as Azure Striker Gunvolt. A sequel, Mighty Gunvolt Burst, came out in 2017. A direct sequel to Azure Striker Gunvolt, called Azure Striker Gunvolt 2, was released in 2016. A spin-off focusing on character Copen, Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX, was released in 2019, followed by a sequel in 2022. The most recent game, Azure Striker Gunvolt 3, was released in 2022 for Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.

Gameplay

Azure Striker Gunvolt is a side-scrolling action platform game, similar to the Mega Man series, including the original series, Mega Man X, Mega Man Zero, and Mega Man ZX. The player controls Gunvolt, a character who can jump, dash, and use a gun that fires special bullets. These bullets "tag" enemies, which helps Gunvolt's electric fields target them more effectively. Hitting enemies with multiple tags increases the amount of electricity directed at them, causing more damage. The player's actions are limited by an energy bar that decreases when using electric fields, performing extra movements like double-jumping or air dashing, or being hit by enemies. When the energy bar is empty, Gunvolt enters an "Overheat" state and cannot use his special abilities or defend himself until the energy bar refills.

The game emphasizes the player's skill and technique in navigating levels. While completing levels is possible, the game includes a ranking system and optional challenges. A "chain" system increases the player's score as long as they avoid being hit by enemies. Extra points are earned by defeating enemies in the air or defeating multiple enemies at once. The game also features an item-forging and equipping system, which is essential for achieving the game's true ending.

Gunvolt can use powerful attacks or heal himself through special abilities called Offensive Skills. Each boss in the game has their own Offensive Skills, which activate when their health drops below a certain level or, in the case of Elise, when one of her halves is defeated before the other. Talking to Joule in Gunvolt's apartment between levels increases the chance of being revived by Lumen after dying in a stage. This revival gives Gunvolt unlimited Septimal energy but results in a higher stage ranking. Gunvolt can also level up by earning experience from defeating specific enemies.

Plot

Azure Striker Gunvolt takes place in an unspecified time in the near future. Some people, called "adepts," have special abilities called "septimal powers." These powers allow adepts to perform superhuman actions, such as flying, using powerful energy weapons, and controlling elements like fire, water, and electricity. The world is at peace because of a large corporation named the Sumeragi Group. However, the Sumeragi Group is secretly controlling and experimenting on adepts. Gunvolt, one of the most powerful adepts, can create electrical fields. He works for an organization called QUILL, which aims to expose and stop Sumeragi's hidden plans.

The game begins with Gunvolt being assigned a mission to kill an adept named Lumen. He is told that Lumen can control other adepts through her singing and is dangerous. However, Gunvolt learns that Lumen is the septimal projection of a young girl named Joule, who is being held captive by Sumeragi's scientists. Gunvolt cannot kill her and instead rescues her. This leads him to leave QUILL and become a freelance agent, though he sometimes takes jobs for QUILL.

Six months later, Gunvolt is offered a freelance mission by Moniqa, his former QUILL handler, to investigate and eliminate several Sumeragi agents. These agents are also adepts, but their powers are controlled by strange weapons called Glaives, which contain their septimal essences. Each agent represents one of the Seven Deadly Sins:

• Merak is lazy and unenthusiastic. He can bend space for attacks.
• Jota is prideful and can manipulate light.
• Viper is loud, brash, and violent. He controls fire and is jealous of Gunvolt for his relationship with Joule.
• Carerra uses magnetic fists and waves to pull enemies close before destroying them with a powerful pulse.
• Elise has two conflicting personalities: one meek and timid, and one brash and assertive. She can bring dead adepts back to life.
• Stratos is addicted to a drug that keeps his sanity. He controls swarms of insects.
• Zonda attacks Gunvolt's friend, Zeno, from QUILL. She is seemingly killed by a human warrior named Copen, who hates adepts and uses a gun that can suppress their powers. Copen warns Gunvolt they are not allies and then retreats.

After defeating the Sumeragi agents, Gunvolt's apartment is invaded, and Joule is kidnapped by a resurrected Merak. Gunvolt pursues Merak, defeats him, and travels to a Sumeragi space platform via a space elevator. Along the way, he fights the resurrected Stratos, Jota, and Viper. He later discovers that Elise's third, hidden personality is responsible for the agents' resurrection. This personality is killed by Copen, and Gunvolt subdues Copen. Gunvolt then confronts Sumeragi's leader, a young psychic adept named Nova. Nova uses Lumen in battle and merges her with Joule and three Glaives to transform into a monstrous creature. Gunvolt defeats Nova and escapes with Joule.

In the initial ending, Gunvolt meets Asimov, his father figure and QUILL's leader, who offers him and Joule new roles in QUILL. Asimov reveals a hidden plan: he intends to use Lumen and a Sumeragi satellite to destroy humanity as revenge for suppressing adepts. Gunvolt refuses, and Asimov shoots him with Copen's gun before turning it on Joule, leaving both of them for dead.

However, if Gunvolt is wearing a special pendant made by Joule, which contains jewels collected during the game, this ending is revealed as a dream. In the true ending, Gunvolt is near death but is saved by Lumen. He finds Joule's lifeless body and is heartbroken. He eventually realizes that Joule, in an act of love, fused her mind with Lumen and then with Gunvolt's septimal energy to save his life and stay with him. Gunvolt later confronts and defeats Asimov, who shares the same electrical powers as Gunvolt. After Asimov's death, Gunvolt is left alone with Joule, wandering away into the morning light.

Development

Azure Striker Gunvolt was created by Inti Creates, a Japanese company that also made the Mega Man Zero series, Mega Man ZX, and the games Mega Man 9 and Mega Man 10. Players who bought the game when it first came out received a free download of the spin-off game, Mighty Gunvolt.

In March 2015, Inti Creates released an update for the game on the Nintendo eShop. The update fixed typos in the game's dialogue, fixed glitches, allowed players to transfer save data from the demo version to the purchased version, added new features for the New Nintendo 3DS, and included other updates.

A version of the game for Windows was released in August 2015. A physical version called Azure Striker Gunvolt: Striker Pack, which includes the game and its sequel, Azure Striker Gunvolt 2, was released in Japan on September 30, 2016. Yacht Club Games released it in North America on October 4, 2016. The Striker Pack was later released for Nintendo Switch in August 2017 and for PlayStation 4 on April 23, 2020.

An update for the eShop version of the first game added the voiceovers from the Striker Pack and used the newer translation from the Steam version. However, these changes have not been added to other versions, and Inti Creates has not commented on this issue. A standalone version for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S was released on June 29, 2022.

Reception

Azure Striker Gunvolt received "generally favorable" reviews and sold more than 90,000 copies six months after its release. Players praised the game's art and gameplay, though some critics noted similarities in its story to the Mega Man series. In March 2015, Inti Creates reported that the game had sold 100,000 units. By March 2016, sales had reached over 150,000 units worldwide, and the company shared information about a sequel on April 26, 2016. In May 2016, Inti Creates announced that sales had reached 160,000 units globally. By May 1, 2017, the game had sold more than 180,000 downloads. On September 7, 2017, Inti Creates confirmed that sales of the 3DS version had surpassed 250,000 downloads.

Legacy

On February 27, 2015, Inti Creates announced that a sequel was already being made. Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 was released digitally for Nintendo eShop in Japan in August 2016 and in North America in September 2016. It was later ported to multiple platforms. The third main game, Azure Striker Gunvolt 3, was announced in 2020 and released for Nintendo Switch on July 28, 2022, for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on August 2, 2022, for Windows on October 13, 2022, and for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on December 15, 2022. A spin-off game focused on the character Copen, Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX, was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Windows on September 26, 2019. It was delayed for Xbox One until December 19, 2019. Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX 2 was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows on January 27, 2022. Copen also appeared as a playable DLC character in the game COGEN: Sword of Rewind by developer Gemdrops, which was released on the same date as Luminous Avenger iX 2.

Mighty Gunvolt, a retro-style shooter featuring characters from Gunvolt and Mighty No. 9, was released in 2014. A sequel, Mighty Gunvolt Burst, was released in 2017. Gunvolt also appears as a playable guest character in several games, including Runbow, Blaster Master Zero, Indie Pogo, and Blade Strangers.

Anime adaptation

An original anime video adaptation was announced by Inti Creates during the Anime Expo 2016 convention in Los Angeles, California on July 3, 2016. Yoshinori Odaka directed and produced the series, while LandQ Studios handled the animation. Shigeru Murakoshi wrote the scripts, and Masakazu Sunagawa designed the characters. The series was planned for a 2016 release but was delayed until 2017. It was finally released worldwide on the Nintendo eShop on February 9, 2017, along with an English dubbed version. Peter von Gomm provided the English voice for the character Copen.