Azure Striker Gunvolt 3

88%
Game Brain Score Based on 177 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • music
Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 Game Cover
Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.
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"Azure Striker Gunvolt 3" is a fast-paced action game where players control Gunvolt, a hero with electric powers, in his battle against a new threat. The game introduces a new playable character, Kirin, who utilizes a unique combination of gunplay and melee combat. With updates to the game's lightning-fast parkour and flashy combat, players can expect a thrilling and challenging experience.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

88%
Audience ScoreBased on 177 reviews
gameplay51 positive mentions
grinding5 negative mentions
  • The gameplay is incredibly fun and fast-paced, allowing for satisfying combos and movement mechanics that keep players engaged.
  • Kirin is a well-designed character with a unique playstyle that combines tagging enemies and teleporting, reminiscent of classic action platformers.
  • The game features a vibrant art style and an excellent soundtrack, enhancing the overall experience.
  • The story is disappointing and feels disconnected from the previous entries, with many plot threads left unresolved.
  • Gunvolt, the titular character, is sidelined in favor of Kirin, which may frustrate fans expecting a more central role for him.
  • The gacha system for unlocking skills can feel tedious and may detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
  • gameplay148 mentions

    The gameplay in "Azure Striker Gunvolt 3" is widely praised for its fast-paced action and innovative mechanics, particularly the new talisman system that allows players to teleport to tagged enemies for dynamic combat. While the game offers a satisfying experience with tight controls and enjoyable character abilities, some players express disappointment over the game's length and the shift away from traditional Gunvolt gameplay. Overall, the gameplay is considered a highlight of the title, showcasing a blend of creativity and challenge that appeals to fans of the genre.

    • “If there's anything I can give Inti Creates credit for, it's their ability to craft new and creative gameplay mechanics in each of their games.”
    • “The talisman mechanic is simply genius; you throw your talismans at the enemy and warp to them to deal damage with a sword strike. The more enemies you can annihilate at once, the higher your scores as long as you don't touch the ground.”
    • “The gameplay this time is that you tag enemies using talismans and you press a button to teleport to the enemies you tagged in sequential order, either killing or damaging them depending on enemy HP and number of tags placed per enemy, before ending up on either side of the final enemy you tagged.”
    • “I was disappointed; gameplay is a downgrade and everything else honestly.”
    • “The core gameplay is solid, but it has baffling mechanics: gacha system to unlock passive and active skills, Gunvolt is locked behind a time-limited system and he's overpowered for no reason, the kudos system seems to be the easiest and most non-challenging one yet, the dialogue during boss fights is incredibly distracting to the point of being unfun.”
    • “Gone is the compact moment-to-moment gameplay of GV1 and 2, or even IX1; we're in GV3's world now.”
  • story141 mentions

    The story of Gunvolt 3 has received mixed to negative reviews, with many players expressing disappointment over its disconnection from the narratives established in the previous games. Critics highlight character inconsistencies, a lack of compelling plot development, and a perceived disrespect for the legacy of earlier titles, leading to a narrative that feels disjointed and underwhelming. While some appreciate the character interactions and humor, the overall consensus is that the gameplay excels far beyond the story, which many consider the weakest aspect of the game.

    • “On the one hand, Gunvolt 2 is really well-paced: you have two very fun playable characters with separate, relatively short campaigns and a great story to go through.”
    • “The gameplay is really good, Kirin is maybe the best playable character we've ever had, the level design is excellent, the story (in a vacuum) is pretty good, all the characters are likable, and the optional content after the game's completion is extremely fun.”
    • “The story has its flaws, but it's still greatly enjoyable; don't be discouraged by the negative reviews.”
    • “God awful story, completely tramples on the previous games' narratives.”
    • “The story in Gunvolt games isn't usually that relevant, but this one is kind of a mess.”
    • “Story was hot trash, new characters are uninteresting nobodies and Gunvolt was shafted so hard.”
  • music32 mentions

    The music in the game has received high praise for its quality and catchiness, characteristic of Inti Creates' soundtracks, with standout tracks like "traces" and various J-pop influences. Players appreciate the integration of music with gameplay mechanics, such as the kudos system that activates songs during play, although some wish for more variety and spotlight on certain tracks. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the gaming experience, contributing to the fun and engaging atmosphere of the game.

    • “Can you expect anything less than greatness from an Inti Creates soundtrack?”
    • “The music was made by Inti Creates, so it’s going to be good like in all of their other games.”
    • “Gunvolt 3 is a stellar action platformer, visuals are outstanding, music is exquisite, and gameplay has been consistently good and improving since the first game, highly recommended for it alone as well as the rest of the series.”
    • “All of this stacked on top of the new kudos mechanics causing it to be incredibly difficult to actually lose your kudos makes the entire soundtrack effectively null and void, but rest assured, it's good.”
    • “Such a shame the OST or the Lumen album isn't on Spotify already.”
    • “"Traces" is an amazing song, but I wish "Memoria of He", "Ergo Sum", and returning songs like "Azure Door" and "Beyond the Blue", or even the level themes themselves got more spotlight without literally sacrificing damage output.”
  • emotional12 mentions

    Players find the emotional aspect of the game deeply satisfying, as it encourages a thrilling gameplay style centered around avoiding the ground. The mechanics promote a sense of achievement and mastery, rewarding players for chaining movements and maintaining combos, which enhances the overall enjoyment and engagement with the game. The challenge of navigating stages without touching the ground fosters a fun and exhilarating experience that resonates with players.

    • “You can die 20 times in every level and still beat the game and have a great time doing it, or you can finish every level playing only as the dog and never touching the ground, and if you can manage to pull it off, the game rewards you for it.”
    • “Mastering the stages and mechanics of the game is really fun; it feels satisfying to go to the next area without touching the ground if possible.”
    • “This pushes you to play the game in the most fun way - flying through stages without touching the ground.”
  • graphics9 mentions

    The graphics in the game are generally praised for their solid quality and beautiful 2D pixel art, contributing to an enjoyable visual experience. However, some users report performance issues, particularly on older devices, leading to lag during intense segments, especially in boss fights. Overall, while the visuals are commendable, the lack of adjustable graphic settings could hinder performance for some players.

    • “The gameplay on the other hand, oh boy... if you love fast-paced action games with beautiful 2D pixel graphics, then there's no better choice than this.”
    • “It's not all negative - the visuals are solid, the PC performance is good, voice acting is decent, music is great, and it's nice to be playing a Gunvolt game again.”
    • “Gunvolt 3 is a stellar action platformer, visuals are outstanding, music is exquisite, and gameplay has been consistently good and improving since the first game, highly recommended for it alone as well as the rest of the series.”
    • “For some reason, this relatively graphically tame game lags on my device quite a bit in certain segments, especially when hooked up with Discord.”
    • “The only issue I had was a small graphical glitch during the introduction of the last boss.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    Overall, the game offers strong replayability through various modes, difficulty levels, and character customization options that encourage different playstyles. While some players noted that the story could be improved, the ability to replay with new approaches and features keeps the experience engaging. However, there is limited incentive to start a fresh save, as the same-file replayability is more emphasized.

    • “I won't go deeper into it, just be aware that the game allows for a lot of skill expression and replay value as this is the first Gunvolt game that allows you to change your character to the degree of allowing various approaches to playstyle.”
    • “Top marks overall for having a good amount of replayable modes and features from harder difficulties, to an alternative Kirin playstyle and dedicated Gunvolt mode after beating the game, also on top of equipment or 'image pulses' in this game allowing you to be creative in terms of how you play.”
    • “Very fun, very replayable; story complaints really aren't that bad.”
    • “I guess overall the game is replayable, but the story could be better. I hope they introduce a new muse or develop Lumen some more in the next game whenever it drops.”
    • “The game allows for a lot of skill expression and replay value, as this is the first Gunvolt game that allows you to change your character to the degree of allowing various approaches to playstyle.”
  • grinding5 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and less rewarding compared to previous installments, with a simplified gacha system replacing the more engaging farming mechanics. The difficulty spikes during boss battles, where visual clutter makes it hard to anticipate attacks, leading to frustrating experiences. Additionally, changes to the kudos system create a reliance on grinding points to regain lost progress, further contributing to the overall sense of monotony.

  • optimization4 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is considered somewhat lacking, particularly for cross-platform play, but it performs well on the Steam Deck, offering a smooth experience with good battery life. While there are issues, the visuals, PC performance, and audio elements are positively noted.

    • “As an added bonus to this review, I played a majority of this game on a Steam Deck and can say it is a great way to play the game with zero issues and good battery life performance; somewhere around 4 hours on a full charge.”
    • “It's not all negative - the visuals are solid, the PC performance is good, voice acting is decent, music is great, and it's nice to be playing a Gunvolt game again.”
    • “Not docking points for it, but optimization for cross-platform games tends to be a bit sloppy nowadays.”
    • “Bad optimization.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization model is straightforward, with no microtransactions involved; players can retry stages for a chance to obtain desired rewards without any additional costs.

    • “There are no microtransactions associated with this system; you simply get another attempt at the end of each stage for a chance at what you want.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development in the game is criticized for being weak, as players struggle to remember the names or designs of characters outside the main protagonists, Kirin and Gunvolt. This suggests a lack of depth and engagement with the supporting cast.

    • “Outside of the main characters, Kirin and Gunvolt (more on that later), I don't even remember any of their names or character designs.”
    • “The supporting characters feel completely forgettable, lacking any depth or unique traits.”
    • “Character arcs are poorly developed, making it hard to connect with anyone beyond the main storyline.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The game features a cast of fun characters and delivers unexpected moments of humor, contributing to an overall enjoyable experience.

    • “The story features a lot of fun characters and is surprisingly funny at times; it's a great game overall.”
    • “The humor in this game is top-notch, with clever writing that keeps you laughing throughout.”
    • “I love how the game balances humor with serious moments, making the experience both entertaining and engaging.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

79% average critic score

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Play time

7hMedian play time
7hAverage play time
5-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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