Inti Creates has developed a lot of fast-paced action platformers such as Mega Man Zero/ZX series and Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon.
But they are renowned for their Azure Striker Gunvolt series which is finally getting its third entry after a six-year wait.
Originally released on the Nintendo 3DS in 2014, Azure Striker Gunvolt felt like a spiritual successor to Mega Man Zero due to its fast pace platforming that came with a high skill ceiling.
Inti Creates' first independently published game proved a success, being praised for its art and gameplay.
This massive achievement led to Inti Creates expanding the Azure Striker Gunvolt series with a sequel and numerous spin-off titles.
Now after multiple ports and years after the last entry in the series, Gunvolt, The Azure Striker returns for his most thrilling battle yet in Azure Striker Gunvolt 3.
Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 is set decades after the events of the second entry in the series which saw Gunvolt and Copen defeat the devious Zonda.
After countless more battles with the Sumeragi Group, while trying to protect his fellow Adepts from experimentation, Gunvolt awakens a new power that’s above the Septimas power that started this battle.
His newfound power transforms him into a Primal Dragon, but he is unable to control this new form and surrenders himself to the Sumeragi Group.
The Sumeragi Group seals Gunvolt behind the 1000 Sacred Blades, but all is not right and after decades of being hidden away, a new organisation called Shadow Yakumo looks to uncover the truth.
They send an Adept called Kirin, who finds the trapped Gunvolt in his Primal Dragon form and frees him.
After waking up she explains to Gunvolt how his power has been used to create other Primal Dragons.
Finding this out really upsets Gunvolt and forces him to work with Kirin to seal away the remaining Primal Dragons.
Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 is basically a pixel anime, featuring a colourful cast of characters.
Each level feels like a different story arc in which Kirin and Gunvolt grow after every battle learning more about each other and themselves.
Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 is a joyous ride from start to finish with the game also having a fine balance between action and mature themes throughout.
Azure Striker Gunvolt 3’s visual style follows suit with its predecessors, utilising a stylish anime aesthetic.
The pixel character models look fantastic in action while being very emotive at the same time.
The game does really shine in how each of the characters has been created with their fun colourful and brazen designs.
This has also been extended to the bosses who look stylish but menacing. However, I have to say there is a lack of variation within the general enemy character design which becomes very repetitive very quickly.
The same can be said for the levels which are all pretty similar in design, lacking unique features, even though they are set in different locations.
But Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 overall is a pixel work of art with Inti Creates presenting some of the coolest character designs to date.
Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 is filled with retro-inspired tunes that invoke all kinds of nostalgia.
They are a pleasant accomplice to the action, especially the different themes from Lumen and during boss battles.
For the first time, the series has dual voice-overs with English finally being included. I’m still a massive fan of the Japanese audio as nothing beats hearing characters shout out their attacks in the original dub.
However, the new English dub is a great alternative option with the actors giving stellar performances.
Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 is an action platformer that will see players fight their way through hordes of foes to reach the final boss.
Each stage is very linear in design with a few secrets hidden here and there. It would have been great if the game featured many more alternative pathways, secret bosses and extras to discover.
But Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 makes up for this with its combat system that has been heavily enhanced from the last game.
Firstly players will now be able to control two characters simultaneously rather than playing through two separate stories.
The main protagonist is Kirin but players will be able to swap to Gunvolt on the fly. This ability is great as both characters have such diverse skill sets that allow them to defeat enemies in different ways or reach areas the others can’t.
Kirin comes equipped with a katana and magical talismans that can weaken enemies. These talismans play a major role in her arsenal as they not only weaken enemies but allow her to target multiple villains at a single time.
This in turn enables Kirin to perform her powerful Arc Chain ability which is very destructive, destroying many enemies at once.
She also has special ultimate moves that come with a cutscene once activated.
Playing as Kirin really reminds me of Zero from the Mega Man series, as she is very quick and executes a plethora of skills in quick succession. Her close combat style is really gritty and a massive change from Gunvolt or Copen.
When Gunvolt isn’t in active play he will take the form of a miniature Primal dragon running around with you during the mission, he doesn't really do much though.
But due to Kirin’s Radiant Fetters ability she can swap with Gunvolt once the Fetters gauge is full.
Gunvolt plays very similarly to past games by using his darts to target enemies and then unleashing his Flashfield.
Gunvolt also has extra abilities that can make him a much more desirable choice than the Kirin as his Flashfield allows him to block certain attacks and even float, reaching new areas.
Gunvolt is really powerful, so it only makes sense that the game allows players to be able to use him at certain times, as it could make the experience far too easy.
They are a great pair of characters who each bring very unique styles of play keeping the game exciting.
One of the new features added to combat is the Image Pulse system which allows players to summon different Adepts to aid them in battle.
There are different types and loads to discover throughout the game with many past characters making an appearance.
Lumen is probably the most useful as she comes with so many extra abilities like enabling Gunvolt's Berserk mode.
Combat has been really well worked in this game with multiple elements such as the Kudos system, preavsion or even the Arc Chain Flurry system.
The game offers so many choices in how players can defeat their foes and have the ability to enhance these skills throughout the game.
One of the highlights of Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 is the boss battles which are simply majestic.
Each boss presents a ferocious attack pattern that requires a good understanding of the game's mechanics to defeat them.
There’s not much to do outside of the main mission other than chatting with other characters which will deepen bonds.
The game should have really included some unlockables, whether that be in the form of music from other games or even some of the cool artwork, there just really isn’t much outside the main campaign.
Verdict 4/5
Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 is another fantastic entry into this wonderful series, with Inti Creates just upping the ante with every instalment.
The new direction of gameplay that allows two characters to be used simultaneously is refreshing and keeps this series from becoming really redundant.
There just needs to be more extra incentives in the form of collectables or even side missions to increase the game's longevity.
Azure Striker Gunvolt 3 is out on 28 July for Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X and Series S
