Azure Striker Gunvolt Trilogy Enhanced
Azure Striker Gunvolt Trilogy Enhanced Review
Azure Striker Gunvolt Trilogy Enhanced is a collection of the first three games in the Gunvolt series, rebuilt on Inti Creates' newer engine, aiming to offer definitive versions with added polish and features. Players appreciate the quality-of-life improvements such as skippable loading screens, enhanced graphics and audio assets in the first two games, new skills, and inclusion of previously Japan-exclusive audio dramas. The trilogy is praised for its tight, challenging gameplay reminiscent of Mega Man Zero, with a strong scoring system and vibrant design.
However, the launch was marred by significant technical issues, notably a critical save bug in Gunvolt 1 causing crashes, lack of cloud saves initially, and performance problems especially in Gunvolt 3 on certain hardware. Many reviews highlight the rushed feel of the port, minimal visual upgrades in menus, and inconsistent feature parity across the trilogy. Despite these setbacks, patches have addressed major bugs and added cloud saves, improving the overall experience. For newcomers, this is the best way to play the series, while existing owners might consider waiting for further polish.
Highlights
Players praise the smooth, fast-paced gameplay that blends challenging yet fair mechanics, with controls feeling refined compared to earlier Mega Man titles.
The enhanced graphics, particularly higher-resolution portraits and cutscene art in Gunvolt 1 and 2, and the improved audio including new voice acting and music quality, receive positive mentions.
Quality-of-life improvements such as skipping loading screens, inclusion of DLC skills, and the addition of a Library mode with translated audio dramas enrich the overall package and deepen the storyline experience.
Criticisms
The initial release suffered from a game-breaking save bug in Gunvolt 1 that crashed the game after saving, causing frustration among players.
Performance issues, especially slowdowns and stuttering in Gunvolt 3 on modern hardware, have been reported and detract from the experience.
Cloud saves were missing at launch, limiting cross-platform convenience, though later patched in.
Menus and UI assets remain largely unchanged and sometimes low-quality, with minimal visual upgrades.
The trilogy lacks feature parity, with some quality-of-life features absent in the first two games compared to the third, and options menus are limited.
Some players find the port feels rushed, with little effort to modernize or polish beyond basic fixes.
Pros
- • Gameplay is challenging, fast-paced, and feels like a worthy successor to Mega Man Zero.
- • Skippable loading screens significantly improve replayability and speedrunning.
- • Higher resolution portraits and cutscene art in Gunvolt 1 and 2 enhance visual appeal.
- • Inclusion of previously Japan-exclusive audio dramas adds depth to the story.
- • New skills and DLC content included for free enrich gameplay variety.
- • Quality-of-life improvements like skipping bosses reviving in Gunvolt 3 aid speedruns.
- • Library mode allows players to revisit story conversations conveniently.
Cons
- • Critical save bug in Gunvolt 1 caused crashes after saving at launch.
- • Performance issues and slowdowns reported, especially in Gunvolt 3 on some hardware.
- • Initial lack of cloud saves hindered convenience and cross-platform play.
- • Menus and UI assets remain low resolution and feel outdated.
- • Feature parity across the trilogy is inconsistent, with missing options in early games.
- • The port feels rushed with minimal visual or functional upgrades beyond fixes.
- • Separate executables for each game cause clunky launching experience.
Rating Criteria
The Azure Striker Gunvolt Trilogy Enhanced is a collection of three traditional 2D action platformers, “Azure Striker Gunvolt” (2014), “Azure Striker Gunvolt 2” (2016), and “Azure Striker Gunvolt 3” (2022) together in one release, complete with all DLC.