The first time I fought the final boss in gunvolt 2 I was on the bus with my friends. I doubt ill ever be able to replicate the feeling of hype and embarrassment that came with humming Jpop as quietly as possible in public against the final boss.
I found that out like a week after uploading this video and my soul left my body and I was this close to deleting the video but the people telling me to kms are really funny so I'm keeping it
I feel like you're missing the point completely, they're trying to be score attack games. I don't think it was that good of an idea to try and focus the game design on replaying the levels for score, but its what they went for, so it feels unfair to ignore that angle.
I never did ignore that angle though? I mention it pretty often that I only turned the things on specifically for this playthrough in order to sumulate the firsy time play experience
Yeah this dude video completely miss the mark . And his footage show that he has absolutely no idea how to play the game , he keep getting hit . He dont even know how to use flash field effectively or other ability
Okay but I still like the games and am actively reccomending them though and I also didn't ignore the score attack stuff at all as I said in the last comment. I'm not trying to say they're bad games. Quite the opposite. They're great.
I don't think a game's flaws should be excused because it's a more score focused game. A fun game is fun regardless of whether you care about score or not.
@@thelegendaryjanitor2008 theres is absolutely no point to engage with the games system though, you are rewarded with sloppy brute force then to try to master the game in a speed running manner. Unlike good games with a scoring system like DMC where it properly well down from both a challenging game and a mechanical action chasing that people naturally want to do not out of obligation of score chasing.
there is so, *so* much wrong with this video, but a good tldw quote for everyone to see just how awful it is is at 16:18. "they're so easy i never actually bothered to keep my kudos up" the games were easy BECAUSE you never bothered to keep your kudos up. the entire franchise is based on an easy to learn, hard to master formula of replaying stages over and over until you can get the best rank. prevasion is a crutch meant to ease new players in and help them experience the story, it being on by default doesn't mean you're expected to keep it on forever. imagine playing an entire rpg without ever changing your weapons and armor. and for the record, the 1 dlc boss in iX is only $2. you had a lot of bad takes throughout the whole video but what you said there was just blatant misinformation lmao
Yeah no I just said again and the dlc costs 7 bucks over here. Might be a regonial thing. If you have genuine criticism though please let me know. Always looking to improve my work.
Yeah, I'm gonna have to second this, this video isn't the best. The ix dlc was free for a while, it definitely isn't worth the purchase and neither is the ix2 dlc unless the collabs are ones you like I suppose. $8 is a stupid price for a 2 minute price without a doubt. But the whole point on everything being easy because of prevasion and anthem is meant to ease players into the series, gv1 has Viper, the fire boss with a bullet hell like special move which I couldn't do for a really long time without prevasion. But the game rewards you with rankings, the songs at 1000 kudos (if you like them), and getting through stages as fast and easy as you can IS the reward. The story is okay and does actually do some pretty interesting things and some world building, ix 1 is an alternative universe to the bad ending of gv 1 which was a great curveball in my opinion, not only for exploring new things but also making a setting for Copen at the same time for him to shine with his own cast. And the drama CD's are so out of the way for non-Japanese speakers, they are only there if you do care about the story which you clearly don't, so there's little reason to shit on something outside of the games. (The OVA dub is bad though without a doubt.) Hard mode of ix 2 is hellishly difficult, but it pushes you to learn patterns and play how it was meant to be. No prevasion, no weaknesses that three shot a health bar, and for easier dodging does in a way incentives getting 1000 kudos for more bullit dashes. The last boss is brutal, took me 2 and a half hours of collective attempts to beat it but I managed to always get 1000 kudos first phase, in turn helped me dodge attacks in the second phase to see the ending I worked hard for. Speaking of which, if the story doesn't matter for you, hard mode shouldn't matter in its difficulty since the reward for you is meaningless. A gunvolt game without prevasion isn't that hard, difficult yes, but not impossible. I don't know man, it just seems like the game play is hit or miss for you most of the time while the story is something you don't care about. If you want criticism, here it is.
For the thing as to why I talked about the cd dramas: In these franchise retrospectives I like to go over every single substantial thing the franchise has to offer, including minor stuff. I like to be as comprehensive as possible so I always go as far out of my way as possible to get the fullest possible look at any given series. It's what I did for Phantasy Star and Sakura Wars as well even though only a fraction of the western fanbase will every care about those things. I guess I need to actually properly address that in future videos. Was kinda hoping it was self explanatory ngl. As for the hard mode, the thing is I wanted to play it because I wanted more from the game in a more challenging way and that was what I was hoping to get. Whether or not I get a story reward out of it doesn't matter to me in this scenario. Also I find it important to reiterate something I mentioned very early on in the video. Twice actually. I usually always play these games with prevasion and anthem turned completely off. The only reason I had them on for this video was in order to simulate the experience of playing them for the first time. I don't know if it just didn't seem that way or something but I really like these games and find them to be great fun and I'm sorry if it felt like all I was doing was talking out of my butt and complaining. All I hope is that in my other videos my points come across better.
That’s what I’ve learned recently because I’ve been replying Gunvolt 1 and I played like I did when I was younger It wasn’t until the Zonda stage where I started to really to work on keeping kudos up and I was just more engaged with the game trying to keep my score up and stuff it’s add a new whole dimension to playing the gam. That I didn’t even realize when I was younger
After watching your review, I feel a tad more confident in trying out Gunvolt 2, Gunvolt Burst and iX 1 on Switch. Perfect timing too as all of those games are on sale at the moment!
Ah! Gunvolt! I remember when the first game came out in 2015 and being so enamoured by the title character and the gameplay. Who was this Gunvolt guy? Who was this muse person? Moving forward to 2022 I now own all the main games on Switch waiting for Gunvolt 3 with excitement.
I always saw prevasion and anthem as practice mode options, to be used if you're having trouble. For scouting out a level or study a boss' patterns and stuff like that.
If that were the case they wouldn't be forced on to you. You have to actively buy upgrades to disable them in some games. That's hardly called an "option"
That'd be really stupid and considering how much LaiX 1 and 2 tone the two down to an insane and much preferable degree I highly doubt it. Either way I agree. The games are 20 times more fun without the two abilities. I think I mentioned it in the video but I don't remember
Ya know what's nuts about LAiX2's Hard Mode is that Inti Creates updated it on March 20th to have an "Assist Mode". It gives you 200 lives from the start & lets you have access to Healing again. I guess they wanted to make it easier for folks like me who sucked at Hard Mode & just wanted to see the story continue. 😅
I mean I get that but like I said on a different comment, they honestly went too hard into the other extreme, throwing the modes' balance entirely out of wack. Why even have a hard mode when you can just have a mode that essentially removes two of its most prominent difficulties?
@@TheKHC They deffinitely struggle to try to cater to both the hardcore challange fans and the casual fans. Their score system is the best middle ground they've done where you CAN play like a pro for a higher score and extra goodies. Or you can play like crap and still make it through ... for the most part. Really trying to appeal to both extremes seems like a bad idea but they are trying to play to both.
Ahahahahaha!!! Thanks for the franchise retrospective, and you’re so awesome for having the balls to sing that Japanese song on the 3DS mic! Hell, I don’t even think Japanese players have the gall to upload that part on RUclips as well, lmao! 🤣
yeah I have to agree, IX 2 is definitely the best game in the series so far. I loved it so much that I completed the hard mode! the final boss took me so many tries but damn was I happy when I did it. and omg you nailed it at the end, it's not an easy series to recommend, it has some weird shit going on, but the gameplay is so good!
@@zero123alpha6 They fixed Copen's move set and made it better. The 1 dash limit means level designers can do more interesting things and have the player interact with level mechanics, rather than the player literally avoiding everything and going above the entire stage. His 3 saber combo is a lot of fun to pull off, and the game features some of the best stages in the series. The hard mode is a lot of fun too, I've beaten final boss 3-4 times
I feel like the purpose of prevasion and anthem are simply there to give a casual experience, while being something to avoid using when you want to go for score attacks, which is exactly what the series is seemingly geared to. A lot of challenge comes from trying to get the highest rank you can get. After playing the entire series myself I realized that it's meant to be played to be improved in a way, you are meant to replay stages and get better at them with your own satisfaction at the end. This is pretty much why the prevasion and anthem comments don't make too much sense to me, since they're training wheels if you want to take it casually just for one playthrough.
In the end just playing through the games once and not WANTING to get higher scores and such is fine, but realizing these games were made to be replayed to refine your ranks and scores is important imo Hell in the first gunvolt game, with the true ending, you are required to equip an accessory that DISABLES prevasion entirely, but this wasn't brung up in the video because...? It just feels like there was very little depth looking into the games when the video was made, more just doing one run through of the games and taking them at face and saying "Yea this is all they have to offer" I realize not everyone wants to just keep grinding stages for scores, but omitting a core part of what the series is about because it's not something you looked for makes for a poor review, as rude as it may sound
It wasn't brought up? I'm sorry but that's just not true. I very explicitly stated that you can disable anthem and prevasion. Furthermore I mentioned that I do so on every playthrough and only didn't for this video. And lastly I explicitly said I recommend playing WITHOUT them
@@TheKHC I mean referring to the true ending boss as you mentioned not getting the true ending in gv1, though I could just be remembering wrong so sorry if I am, still a lot of what was said seems to revolve around prevasion rather than the replayability being based around completion
@@m1ssconductor686 i tried to review the games from a "one and done" angle. The score attack replay aspect of the series is one I am simply not equipped to mention
@@TheKHC I believe that's the issue with these types of games with that reviewing style though, as they are naturally pretty short, going one and done would lead to feeling like more of a dissapointed rather than if you went for score as intended by the devs, it's sort of a disconnect ykwim? Like as someone who's played the series and stuck with it since gv1, it seems like there's a particular way to play them, while not being equipped or interesting in optimizing runs and all that, it feels as though the retrospective misses what exact type of game they are
IMO, I think the mainline Gunvolt games (ESPESIALLY Gunvolt 1) NEEDS to be score attacked to get the best experience. Mastering a stage is satisfying as hell and is much more difficult. Gunvolt 2 also did this the best since while you do get additional story content for S Ranking all the main stages, it's not to get the true ending, it's simply to see a little extra postgame scene. People who don't S rank don't really miss out, and those who do get a nice bonus that keeps their head thinking. I also think that including dialogue in the middle of stages and espesially boss fights gives the bosses a massive amount of character. Every single boss, even in ones where characters are much less fleshed out like the iX Games, is believable in some way. Everyone has their own story and exists for a reason other than just being an obstacle for you to overcome. You aren't fighting genocidal robots who have a single quirky personality trait and the occasional pun. You're fighting a man who decided to work with the evil group because they were hated simply for the powers they had regardless of their character, you're fighting a patriot believing that this organization is the only way to truly protect his country even with the crimes it commits, you're fighting someone who was experimented just like you but came out mentally broken beyond repair, you're fighting a man who in another life would be just like you but has totally given up on a better solution than this one. Random bosses are given character and personality normally restricted to final bosses in these sorts of games.
@@thesmashor4396 I kinda wanted to play well even the first time. Like, what kind of game has you standing around, boss music beating, furiously hammering Dpad down just to read some world building?
I finally got Gunvolt Luminous Avenger iX. I love the game so much with everything it wants me to do expect for one thing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WHY DO I HAVE TO FIGHT ASIMOV?!
@@TheKHC his fight is just hell. I hate what he did in the story and I hate what he does to me on that fight. His fight is cool but I find it hell alot of difficult compare to the other bosses in that game.
@@TheKHC also, despite the game being actually easy, I still do find Gunvolt Luminous iX to be difficult and fun. Keeping the power you got from collecting kudos isnt an easy task if you want a maximum scoring. I kinda like it. Another thing why I chose iX over other Gunvolt is because Copen.
Huh. Didnt know about the side material stuff about GV stories, but it sucks that they dont add anything like the lore for MMZ. The games' plot as a whole is way too nonsensical and quite too much of a mess for me to take seriously. Glad you liked iX 2 though, as polarizing as it is.
@@TheKHC Yeah but "toning it down" shouldn't be having infinite healing mode, that's completely breaks the game and makes it so that you have no need to learn how to actually play the game.
Oh no I'm not talking about that. I thought that ability was total bullcrap. I meant something more along the lines of not being locked to level 1 where every boss kills you in 2 hits so you have to play pretty much perfectly. Like level 3 or 4 at least so that you can actually try to experiment around without being immediately punished for it, ya dig?
@@TheKHC Yeah, but giving you infinite healing mode is what they did is what they did in the new "hard mode with assist mode". Maybe letting you level up a bit would make things easier but it's not like it's impossible to do since I did it. But they really went all out with the new boss patterns, I had to search some of them on youtube to know how to avoid them
I mean I did it too. Also what's this assist mode thing? Is that like a new update or smth? I've not looked at the game ever since releasing this video since I got all achievements on it lol.
Good takes, same opinions I have except for story cause I actually liked the story it felt lacking but still had an attempt at world building so I really love the Gunvolt universe since the game's selling point isn't the story but it's replayability so it's fine. Game is really really fun. I agree that flashfield was such a bad mechanic. GV 2 is my most favorite of the series cause of how challenging Super Zonda and Super GV is on Score Attack. Didn't like Super Copen tho cause he felt lacking compared to fighting Super GV I like LAiX1 cause of the boss designs and fights since they actually designed the bosses specifically for Copen so that you'll be taking advantage bullit dashing more often and you'd be dashing more accurately especially if you're fighting their EX versions since alot of their attacks can actually take up almost the whole battlefield. I liked LAiX 2 cause of the OSTs especially Ypsilon and Last Boss Phase 1 and 2 fights. Not the overdrive Songs since I got sick of it already so I just turn it off on my LAiX2 runs. Gameplay is fine I'm having fun with it but the only gripe I had w/ LAiX 2 was how slow paced it is if I compared it w/ GV2 or LAiX 1 Copen gameplay or maybe it's just me.
Awesome video!!! I accidentally realized that I built a gunvolt collection without realizing cause I've grown to love the series. P.s. great singing on the mic.
One day you play a random game becasue it's on sale for 5 bucks the next you realize you just spent 30 bucks on an entire series. Just happens sometimes. As for the mic, I hope I didn't accidentally sell my soul with that.
I bought the dlc for less a dollar on iX1. Atleast it isnt iX which is 7.99$. Gonna replay iX1 without prevasion because I realized that my rhythm is already messed up whenever I get hit either with or without prevasion.
I 100% agree that prevasion and anthem makes these games unfun, but I feel like putting such an emphasis on it is unnecessary since it’s only an option, and every game in the series allows you to turn them off right away if you so choose (granted, none of them actually tell you this, but the player will discover it as soon as they engage with the gear system) overall though, great review. it’s clear that a lot of it boils down to personal preference and how you enjoy playing games. going for score is really what the series is geared towards but I personally have a lot more fun when the stages/bosses themselves are inherently the challenge, with whatever other optional challenges there may be, such as getting good scores, added on top. even without prevasion/anthem, I’m not a fan of how easy these games inherently are, but I can also understand that’s not entirely the point. I loved iX2’s hard mode for that reason. it’s actually challenging and extremely satisfying to have to know the bosses’ patterns and play really well to get by
I feel like I never really got this point across in the video and it's something I do regret, but my issue with anthem and prevasion isn't its existence alone, but specifically the fact that it is what the game starts you off with, implying that using it them is intended. I've grown to appreciate iX2's hardmode a lot more since the time I made this video but I do still think that Inti overcompensated by making you able to cheese it in its entirety after a certain update.
@@TheKHC that is a good point, I don’t like how the games start you off with it either. I do remember having that impression when I first began the series and basically kept it on the whole time during gv1 unless I had to for challenges/achievements. I even kept it on for some of gv2 before just getting sick of it and turning it off and never looking back. assist mode in ix2 is definitely an overcompensation, and kind of defeats the purpose of having a hard mode to begin with (although locking the true ending behind it is kind of dumb and I can understand it for people who just want to see it without having to actually go through hard mode properly)
I’m actually quite a fan of the Gunvolt series, but if there’s one thing I WISH they did, it’s GIVE THE GAMES ENGLISH DUBS! Seriously, I literally turned off all of the dialogue boxes because they were incredibly distracting and I couldn’t read any of it because I was busy fighting enemies. This was especially bad for boss battles because I’m trying to focus on fighting the boss but the characters keep talking making me lose focus and take hits. And it’s a shame because there’s allot of character and lore stuff I’m missing out on by doing this, but because I don’t speak Japanese, I can’t look down at the screen to read the text, and fight the boss at the same time. I don’t know if it was because of budget but I really wish they just dubbed the games into English, even if the voice acting would’ve been bad at least id be able to understand what the characters were saying.
This video is perfect for me. As a big fan of Mega Man Zero (2 and 3) I've always been curious if Gunvolt is any good. Sounds like it's not at the same level of quality, sadly.
I didn't get the game back then and again, I'm pretty sure regional pricing is a factor because it costs way more where I live and even then it doesn'r excuse the laix2 dlc lol
@@TheKHC I'm pretty sure the first Mighty Gunvolt was a purchase bonus originally for GV1 on 3ds? iirc it wasn't even pre-order or anything, they just gave it to you for a while. Was a cute marketing thing.
I finally tried Gunvolt 2 and while I enjoy it I felt like I should have chosen iX2. The loadout system on mainline GV are kinda bad. I dont like the lootbox system.
@@TheKHC I actually just like Copen. Ohh I just remember somrthing unrelated. Have you seen a trailer of Team Ladybug's new metroidvania called "Blade Chimera"? It looks neat.
Yeah, iX 2's hard mode is bs. If there wasn't a way to easily grind out lives, I wouldn't have gotten far with it. I think the main issue is randomly slapping a lives system into a game that didn't have it. Every other change in hard mode makes sense in the setting and story, so I'm personally fine with those. And yeah, the 3d model of Lola in those music videos kinda rough. I prefer the two music videos that show Mayu Mineda instead of just her voice. The character designs are pretty cute and cool for the most part imo. I guess the Gravekeepers in iX 2 are kinda bland, but there aren't any character designs in the series that I'd call "disgusting". Also, I think you can just tap the 3DS microphone for the GV fight against Zonda in 2 and do just fine.
@@TheKHC Yeah, you could argue that from the perspective of a 14yo Gunvolt and a player of a similar age (the target group of the first game, according to Inti) "cute" designs make some sense. However, iX has a 100yo cyborg Copen and Kohaku isn't even technically a love interest (thankfully), so who's that "fanservice" in plain sight for? On the other hand, GalGun...
That game's not out yet, how should I have covered it? I intend to do what I did with Blaster Master Zero 3 for it and will make a seperate video on it though
@@TheKHC Fair, but calling it a 'retrospective' over a review kinda makes it sound like like the series was over - - Given how a retrospect is basically a review of something that's happened, as opposed to something that's currently happening.
It is a retrospective of all entries of a series that have already been released. Idk I just think it sounds better so i've been naming this video series the "franchise retrospectives" in general
Ima be honest chief , I think your review is flawed in that you’re expecting to play megaman just because they made megaman before . Gunvolt isn’t megaman , gunvolt is gunvolt and you gotta play like him . Gunvolt’s gameplay style is about using the gun to set up the flash shield to do damage and get higher scores the more efficiently you kill enemies . I also personally liked the “ roadblocks “ in gunvolt 1 since it’s the first game and they want you to experiment with flash shield like temporarily lighting up dark areas at the cost of your main method of attack or deflecting projectiles . I’d say your argument on prevasion is a little flawed . yes it’s really really strong , if you’re playing like a toddler . The game really doesn’t want you to use the ability to begin with , it’s a score game . You’re meant to dodge and kill enemies really well to score more kudos and get the idol song to play and hype you up . If you get hit and activate prevasion or use a checkpoint all the kudos and the songs go away . I can see it in your gameplay , you just charge through everything instead of trying to be cool , you don’t even kill the enemy with the flash shield . You just get a couple gun shots and charge past without even trying to appreciate what the character has to offer . It’s like Kirby where the game is easy to play but a little harder to master . Sure you can play Kirby by infinitely flying over everything but that’s no fun . Prevasion and kudos work opposite to each other because one is aimed at casuals that aren’t very good at action platformers while the other encourages skilled play which I fucking love . I also think it wasn’t fair to not try to get the true ending of gunvolt 1 . All you have to do is get 7 jewels hidden through the levels and give them to joule . Who doesn’t like finding collectibles in videogames ? I don’t bash on megaman x for hiding away armor capsules . The ending locked behind the collectibles is also pretty sweet even if it’s a simple story . It even adds a little extra challenge if you try going for it since you have to wear the necklace of the jewels you give to the little girl to the boss fight , taking away prevasion . Instead of using equipment that would give tactical advantage you have to use a keepsake she made for gunvolt that has no effect , really showcasing how much those two care about each other . In fact I LOVE the little karaoke segment in gunvolt 2 . I get it , idol stuff isn’t for everyone and singing is akward , I’m sorta like that too . But for story purposes it’s gunvolt showing he doesn’t need joule and her power anymore . It’s the same song that plays when you get revived but you need to sing the lyrics to represent you and gunvolt coming into your own . I mean if it’s that big an issue you can just blow into the mic and have the same effect but it loses the emotional impact . But yeah I really recommend going back to these games with a more open mind . just because they made megaman zero doesn’t mean every game they make from now on has to be megaman zero , and this is coming from a big fan of those games too . Also a side note , yeah mighty gunvolt isn’t great but from what I hear it was just a bonus with the first gunvolt so I think its existence is tolerable
I think you're the one who didn't pay attention truth be told. I mention multiple times throughout the video that I love these games and replay them frequently and every time I do I always disable prevasion and Anthem. The reason the footage is so bad is because I frankly got lazy and recorded it all on the day I started editing and I really didn t feel like going for the best looking runs in the world for it. I also specifically said that for this and only this playthrough I didn't get the true ending because playing with prevasion bored the hell out of me. This video is meant to criticize the games in their rawest form of how a first time player would experience them, not how a longtime player would.
@@TheKHC yeah I saw some of your comments . I get you like the games but that doesn’t mean i can’t say a few of your points are flawed . From what I heard of your opinions on gunvolt’s gameplay you seem sort of dismissive without even trying to give it a chance only going off what you said . Combine it with the lackluster footage it’s really easy to think you just don’t understand gunvolt’s gameplay at all . Also by disregarding the true ending ( my main issue was more so you not liking the path getting there , not that you didn’t record footage ) you disregard the story which I’d say it’s pretty good for a 2d action platformer . Also I don’t see how the review being from the perspective of a first time player really effects my criticisms . Like I said , prevasion and kudos make a great balance for new and old players alike . New players don’t have to play perfectly and can use prevasion as a crutch to grind up to being able to hold kudos and get the songs . If anything I’d recommend gunvolt to people new to the genre especially since it follows the Kirby philosophy of easy to learn hard to master . Maybe actually read my comment before you think I’m mindlessly bashing your review ?
Again, I never said I think you're wrong. In fact you're right about most of your points. I was just trying to give more context on why I wrote/made the video the way I did is all.
@@TheKHC if that’s the case I’m left a little confused , because that doesn’t seem to match what’s said in the video unless you were also tired while writing the script ? I don’t want to sound like just a hater but I think maybe it’d be better to make these types of videos in a more refreshed state . The games we like should have a more honest take of it’s ups and downs because they’re important to us , a review can have controversial points but the worst thing a restrospective can be is misleading of your actual thoughts .
I guess so. In the end this was moreso a thing I just made for fun as opposed to some of my other videos which were genuine passion projects. I'll keep your advice in mind for future videos though. Thank you for the feedback.
It just kinda allows you to not get instakilled by the boss but according to some comments you can just blow into the mic instead or play music in the background and it'll have the same effect
it's a narrative thing, the one who gave you power with Anthem is gone but they said that their song is within GV so he is able to counter the final boss channeling the power of Anthem offensively by canceling it out with his own, personally I found it to be a bittersweet moment of the narrative in a good way but I guess not everyone enjoys stories to the point they don't mind that part
I don't mean to be rude but I'd like to ask for your more detailed opinion. I keep seeing this argument but it always leads to the explanation that it needs to be score attacked to be fun, and at that point, isn't that a bad thing? A well designed game should be fun regardless of how it is played as long as the level design is tight and the enemies are fun to fight. And if it's about "well you used anthem and prevasion" then frankly I don't know what to say as I explicitly mentioned that I usually don't do that and I highly recommend not doing that in the video
I fail to see how chasing a high score is a bad thing, especially when it's an intrinsic part of the game's design that you chose to ignore. The whole game is built around it. I mean, high scores are the main point of most arcade games; would you say that's a bad quality there, too? You might not have enjoyed the combat mechanics and level design, but I sure did, long before I figured out the game's system well enough to get ranks above B. Given the nature of high scores, selectable challenges, and the system by which you obtain materials for crafting gear, this game was transparently made with the intent of replaying levels to get a high score, complete challenges, and gain raw materials (and secret, true ending necklace gems). Maybe you're not the type who enjoys that sort of thing, but you're missing out on like, half of the game. Don't act like it's the game's fault for catering to players who like that stuff. Simply getting to the end of each stage is not the point of the game, but it does allow players to get through the story and see the ending. As for prevasion making things too easy, I never saw it that way, because if I fuck up, get hit, and thus lose all my kudos points, then I consider that run a failure and need to come back again to make it right, no matter what. The challenge isn't in staying alive to the end. Otherwise, your complaints about prevasion and the superpowered revival mechanic would totally hold true. It's all about the score; even the characters within the game say it enough times to make it clear that just beating the levels isn't the point. I think of the anthem feature in particular much like the invincible Tanuki suit from Super Mario 3D Land - a hand-holding feature to encourage newbie players to make it to the end and maybe come back to try again without that help. I know I got anthemed a whole lot in my first playthrough, before I knew what the hell I was doing. I just started a new playthrough and honestly completely forgot about that feature until I heard you mention it in this video, today.
See, I would agree, however there is no real incentive to go for high scores other than the player themselves feeling like it. There's no real tangible reward. Maybe if you needed a set amount of kudos per stage to unlock say a new mode or a true final boss then that would be a perfect, but you can get all the gems on your first run, so that's not the incentive. Half the items you can craft kinda suck too so that's not really worth it either. There's really nothing there telling you that it's worth pursuing higher scores other than bragging rights
I guess so, but most score-based games are like that. You don't unlock new game modes with S ranks in Streets of Rage 4, but dammit if the incentive to improve doesn't keep me coming back. It's the same with Gunvolt. Clearly, that style of gameplay doesn't interest you, and that's totally okay.
I don't think SOF4 is necessarily a good example as that game is really fun regardless of if you go for high scores or not. In any case I'm really not trying to dismiss people who like to go for high scores and think that that is the way to go. In fact I have nothing but respect for those people. I had really just made this video as a side project so I genuinely didn't expect it to get this much traction and it has given me to opportunity to see very different perspectives on this series, which is something I am grateful for
Nice video. But I can disagree with you about plot and designs (except kohaku type bullshit) . Plot is okay. I mean gunvolt 1 is typical megaman zero story: main not human hero with resistance stop evil government which lead by guy with messiah complex. Gunvolt 2 defeat evil terrorists who want to kill humans with mmz2 final boss. Liax same with gv1 but with Sigma style antagonist. Liax2 no story entirely. Funny thing I like gv1 and gv2 style dialogues it's gives more characterization . Liax2 characters is boring (megaman x and zero problem) P.s. actually gunvolt 2 pc port has more content : 6 missions with first game bosses and 2 missions with buffed zonda and rival boss.
Interesting. Never knew about the pc port exclusive content. Only ever played the 3ds and switch versions. As for the story, I mean does it really matter? No one exactly plays these games for the story and even at their best they never go beyond just okay.
@@TheKHC That "PC port exclusive content" is in the switch version. Its all locked behind the time attack mode though, so if you're sucky at the game (like me) playing them doesn't really get to happen.
LAiX2 has a story but its so bare bones it really sucks. I like what it was going for, I just wish it was fleshed out. Also apparently it is tied in with the Master Blaster Zero franchise as the DLC fight with Jason has dialogue mentioning the "Blaster Rifle" Copen found at the start of LAiX2. (And I didn't know any of that until yesterday!)
Playing as Gunvolt is still insultingly easy and boring even if you are trying to score attack the games, his main mechanic (flashfield) makes the game play itself .
I am very curious about this franchise being a fan of the megaman z series but the exaggerated anime style and idol thing are incredibly cringe to me. Would it be worth it to play the game even if it makes me cringe that much?
Honestly, no. I find them pretty cringe myself (especially the idol music) and the games just aren't good enough to make up for it, barring like maybe Luminous Avenger iX, but mileage may vary
For the 3ds version about the mic, I'm pretty sure all you have to do is blow on the mic. I don't think the 3ds is built on words recognition. Just saving you the cringe. Lolz
To be honest i think Laix2 is good whit the fast paced gameplay and the special weapon are the best in the series but it did too many thing wrong: -the cast was boring -the story sucks -the level design is flat -the alternative costume are useless piece of shit for hentai -the dlc that are a steal for beign just a boss fight -the interaction in the hall are bland -The weapon and heal can destroy all the challenges the game have ( especially time stop ) -the game in general its too easy or its too hard Then again, this are my opinion feel free to tell me your opinion
-other games' casts are just as bad -story was never good in these games -has about as many gimmicks as 2 and laix1 -actual truth -yeah. Genuine scam -agreed. Mentioned it in the video too -also agreed as mentioned in the video. 👍
This video has so many bad takes, it honestly hurt to watch. Excusing deliberately taking damage by saying it’s to simulate a first time play through is honestly a bit insulting. Regardless of how prevasion works, if you’ve played any sort of video game (unless the mechanics specify otherwise) common sense dictates you don’t deliberately run into enemies like that. Normally I don’t mind differing opinions, cause we’re all entitled to our own, but a lot of it felt like just intentional 💩ing over something you clearly don’t care about and just the whole condescending nature of the video is super offputting and feels more like a person trying to be edgy or controversial just for the sake of it.
I'll admit the gameplay is crap. I was really tired and even fell asleep whilst recording and I really wanted to meet my deadline so I just took what I had and rolled with it. Is it professional? No, not at all. But at the time I really couldn't have cared less. As for the rest, I really didn't mean to be condescending at all, this is just the way I usually talk. I also wasn't trying to be controversial, nor was I trying to crap on these games. I explicitly said that I love these games and replay them frequently. I guess I can see the edgy part due to my excessive swearing but again, I just kinda talk like that. I'm really sorry that the video gave you the impression that I was out to cause controversy or something along those lines and I'll try to adjust my manner of speech in future projects so it doesn't happen again.
The first time I fought the final boss in gunvolt 2 I was on the bus with my friends. I doubt ill ever be able to replicate the feeling of hype and embarrassment that came with humming Jpop as quietly as possible in public against the final boss.
My sincerest condolences
Lmfao
LoL! That's awesome!
it's even more cringe when you realise you can just blow in the mic (at least on the 3ds version)
I found that out like a week after uploading this video and my soul left my body and I was this close to deleting the video but the people telling me to kms are really funny so I'm keeping it
Ah yes, my favorite gunvolt game, Megaman Zero
By all technicality that's not even wrong
my favorite gunvoit games are also the zero and zx series
I feel like you're missing the point completely, they're trying to be score attack games.
I don't think it was that good of an idea to try and focus the game design on replaying the levels for score, but its what they went for, so it feels unfair to ignore that angle.
I never did ignore that angle though? I mention it pretty often that I only turned the things on specifically for this playthrough in order to sumulate the firsy time play experience
Yeah this dude video completely miss the mark . And his footage show that he has absolutely no idea how to play the game , he keep getting hit . He dont even know how to use flash field effectively or other ability
Okay but I still like the games and am actively reccomending them though and I also didn't ignore the score attack stuff at all as I said in the last comment. I'm not trying to say they're bad games. Quite the opposite. They're great.
I don't think a game's flaws should be excused because it's a more score focused game. A fun game is fun regardless of whether you care about score or not.
@@thelegendaryjanitor2008 theres is absolutely no point to engage with the games system though, you are rewarded with sloppy brute force then to try to master the game in a speed running manner. Unlike good games with a scoring system like DMC where it properly well down from both a challenging game and a mechanical action chasing that people naturally want to do not out of obligation of score chasing.
there is so, *so* much wrong with this video, but a good tldw quote for everyone to see just how awful it is is at 16:18.
"they're so easy i never actually bothered to keep my kudos up"
the games were easy BECAUSE you never bothered to keep your kudos up. the entire franchise is based on an easy to learn, hard to master formula of replaying stages over and over until you can get the best rank. prevasion is a crutch meant to ease new players in and help them experience the story, it being on by default doesn't mean you're expected to keep it on forever. imagine playing an entire rpg without ever changing your weapons and armor.
and for the record, the 1 dlc boss in iX is only $2. you had a lot of bad takes throughout the whole video but what you said there was just blatant misinformation lmao
Yeah no I just said again and the dlc costs 7 bucks over here. Might be a regonial thing. If you have genuine criticism though please let me know. Always looking to improve my work.
Yeah, I'm gonna have to second this, this video isn't the best. The ix dlc was free for a while, it definitely isn't worth the purchase and neither is the ix2 dlc unless the collabs are ones you like I suppose. $8 is a stupid price for a 2 minute price without a doubt.
But the whole point on everything being easy because of prevasion and anthem is meant to ease players into the series, gv1 has Viper, the fire boss with a bullet hell like special move which I couldn't do for a really long time without prevasion. But the game rewards you with rankings, the songs at 1000 kudos (if you like them), and getting through stages as fast and easy as you can IS the reward.
The story is okay and does actually do some pretty interesting things and some world building, ix 1 is an alternative universe to the bad ending of gv 1 which was a great curveball in my opinion, not only for exploring new things but also making a setting for Copen at the same time for him to shine with his own cast. And the drama CD's are so out of the way for non-Japanese speakers, they are only there if you do care about the story which you clearly don't, so there's little reason to shit on something outside of the games. (The OVA dub is bad though without a doubt.)
Hard mode of ix 2 is hellishly difficult, but it pushes you to learn patterns and play how it was meant to be. No prevasion, no weaknesses that three shot a health bar, and for easier dodging does in a way incentives getting 1000 kudos for more bullit dashes. The last boss is brutal, took me 2 and a half hours of collective attempts to beat it but I managed to always get 1000 kudos first phase, in turn helped me dodge attacks in the second phase to see the ending I worked hard for. Speaking of which, if the story doesn't matter for you, hard mode shouldn't matter in its difficulty since the reward for you is meaningless. A gunvolt game without prevasion isn't that hard, difficult yes, but not impossible.
I don't know man, it just seems like the game play is hit or miss for you most of the time while the story is something you don't care about. If you want criticism, here it is.
For the thing as to why I talked about the cd dramas:
In these franchise retrospectives I like to go over every single substantial thing the franchise has to offer, including minor stuff. I like to be as comprehensive as possible so I always go as far out of my way as possible to get the fullest possible look at any given series. It's what I did for Phantasy Star and Sakura Wars as well even though only a fraction of the western fanbase will every care about those things. I guess I need to actually properly address that in future videos. Was kinda hoping it was self explanatory ngl. As for the hard mode, the thing is I wanted to play it because I wanted more from the game in a more challenging way and that was what I was hoping to get. Whether or not I get a story reward out of it doesn't matter to me in this scenario. Also I find it important to reiterate something I mentioned very early on in the video. Twice actually. I usually always play these games with prevasion and anthem turned completely off. The only reason I had them on for this video was in order to simulate the experience of playing them for the first time. I don't know if it just didn't seem that way or something but I really like these games and find them to be great fun and I'm sorry if it felt like all I was doing was talking out of my butt and complaining. All I hope is that in my other videos my points come across better.
That’s what I’ve learned recently because I’ve been replying Gunvolt 1 and I played like I did when I was younger It wasn’t until the Zonda stage where I started to really to work on keeping kudos up and I was just more engaged with the game trying to keep my score up and stuff it’s add a new whole dimension to playing the gam. That I didn’t even realize when I was younger
Glad you said cause I would have if you didnt!
After watching your review, I feel a tad more confident in trying out Gunvolt 2, Gunvolt Burst and iX 1 on Switch.
Perfect timing too as all of those games are on sale at the moment!
Yeah 1 is definitely the most distinct game in the series, not counting iX2. Kinda funny when you consider it was the first one
Ah! Gunvolt! I remember when the first game came out in 2015 and being so enamoured by the title character and the gameplay. Who was this Gunvolt guy? Who was this muse person?
Moving forward to 2022 I now own all the main games on Switch waiting for Gunvolt 3 with excitement.
3 better be good I swear to god
I always saw prevasion and anthem as practice mode options, to be used if you're having trouble. For scouting out a level or study a boss' patterns and stuff like that.
If that were the case they wouldn't be forced on to you. You have to actively buy upgrades to disable them in some games. That's hardly called an "option"
@@TheKHC Yeah, true. Maybe their idea of "completing the tutorial" is finding and buying those things.
That'd be really stupid and considering how much LaiX 1 and 2 tone the two down to an insane and much preferable degree I highly doubt it. Either way I agree. The games are 20 times more fun without the two abilities. I think I mentioned it in the video but I don't remember
Ya know what's nuts about LAiX2's Hard Mode is that Inti Creates updated it on March 20th to have an "Assist Mode". It gives you 200 lives from the start & lets you have access to Healing again. I guess they wanted to make it easier for folks like me who sucked at Hard Mode & just wanted to see the story continue. 😅
I mean I get that but like I said on a different comment, they honestly went too hard into the other extreme, throwing the modes' balance entirely out of wack. Why even have a hard mode when you can just have a mode that essentially removes two of its most prominent difficulties?
@@TheKHC They deffinitely struggle to try to cater to both the hardcore challange fans and the casual fans.
Their score system is the best middle ground they've done where you CAN play like a pro for a higher score and extra goodies. Or you can play like crap and still make it through ... for the most part.
Really trying to appeal to both extremes seems like a bad idea but they are trying to play to both.
Ahahahahaha!!! Thanks for the franchise retrospective, and you’re so awesome for having the balls to sing that Japanese song on the 3DS mic! Hell, I don’t even think Japanese players have the gall to upload that part on RUclips as well, lmao! 🤣
If I'm gonna do something I'll do it right
yeah I have to agree, IX 2 is definitely the best game in the series so far. I loved it so much that I completed the hard mode! the final boss took me so many tries but damn was I happy when I did it.
and omg you nailed it at the end, it's not an easy series to recommend, it has some weird shit going on, but the gameplay is so good!
Yeah definitely. Here's to hoping they keep improving them.
huh, first person I've heard who liked iX2. I'm interested to hear why
I mean, I said so in the video, I think. I hope. Did I?
@@zero123alpha6 They fixed Copen's move set and made it better. The 1 dash limit means level designers can do more interesting things and have the player interact with level mechanics, rather than the player literally avoiding everything and going above the entire stage. His 3 saber combo is a lot of fun to pull off, and the game features some of the best stages in the series. The hard mode is a lot of fun too, I've beaten final boss 3-4 times
What Werti said
Remember to read Choujin locke tankoubons to know where your bootleg weaboo megaman went wrong
Anime and its comsequences have been a disaster for the entire human race
Despite being similar to Megaman
It's quite fun though
It is very fun
What the fuck, I was not ready for this
Be ready for deez
I feel like the purpose of prevasion and anthem are simply there to give a casual experience, while being something to avoid using when you want to go for score attacks, which is exactly what the series is seemingly geared to.
A lot of challenge comes from trying to get the highest rank you can get.
After playing the entire series myself I realized that it's meant to be played to be improved in a way, you are meant to replay stages and get better at them with your own satisfaction at the end.
This is pretty much why the prevasion and anthem comments don't make too much sense to me, since they're training wheels if you want to take it casually just for one playthrough.
In the end just playing through the games once and not WANTING to get higher scores and such is fine, but realizing these games were made to be replayed to refine your ranks and scores is important imo
Hell in the first gunvolt game, with the true ending, you are required to equip an accessory that DISABLES prevasion entirely, but this wasn't brung up in the video because...?
It just feels like there was very little depth looking into the games when the video was made, more just doing one run through of the games and taking them at face and saying "Yea this is all they have to offer"
I realize not everyone wants to just keep grinding stages for scores, but omitting a core part of what the series is about because it's not something you looked for makes for a poor review, as rude as it may sound
It wasn't brought up? I'm sorry but that's just not true. I very explicitly stated that you can disable anthem and prevasion. Furthermore I mentioned that I do so on every playthrough and only didn't for this video. And lastly I explicitly said I recommend playing WITHOUT them
@@TheKHC I mean referring to the true ending boss as you mentioned not getting the true ending in gv1, though I could just be remembering wrong so sorry if I am, still a lot of what was said seems to revolve around prevasion rather than the replayability being based around completion
@@m1ssconductor686 i tried to review the games from a "one and done" angle. The score attack replay aspect of the series is one I am simply not equipped to mention
@@TheKHC I believe that's the issue with these types of games with that reviewing style though, as they are naturally pretty short, going one and done would lead to feeling like more of a dissapointed rather than if you went for score as intended by the devs, it's sort of a disconnect ykwim?
Like as someone who's played the series and stuck with it since gv1, it seems like there's a particular way to play them, while not being equipped or interesting in optimizing runs and all that, it feels as though the retrospective misses what exact type of game they are
IMO, I think the mainline Gunvolt games (ESPESIALLY Gunvolt 1) NEEDS to be score attacked to get the best experience. Mastering a stage is satisfying as hell and is much more difficult. Gunvolt 2 also did this the best since while you do get additional story content for S Ranking all the main stages, it's not to get the true ending, it's simply to see a little extra postgame scene. People who don't S rank don't really miss out, and those who do get a nice bonus that keeps their head thinking.
I also think that including dialogue in the middle of stages and espesially boss fights gives the bosses a massive amount of character. Every single boss, even in ones where characters are much less fleshed out like the iX Games, is believable in some way. Everyone has their own story and exists for a reason other than just being an obstacle for you to overcome.
You aren't fighting genocidal robots who have a single quirky personality trait and the occasional pun. You're fighting a man who decided to work with the evil group because they were hated simply for the powers they had regardless of their character, you're fighting a patriot believing that this organization is the only way to truly protect his country even with the crimes it commits, you're fighting someone who was experimented just like you but came out mentally broken beyond repair, you're fighting a man who in another life would be just like you but has totally given up on a better solution than this one. Random bosses are given character and personality normally restricted to final bosses in these sorts of games.
However, reading dialogue DURING a main boss fight might be one of the worst ideas ever in an action platformer.
@@Alias_Anybody It gives the bosses way more character, and Prevasion gives you a lot more breathing room.
@@thesmashor4396
I kinda wanted to play well even the first time. Like, what kind of game has you standing around, boss music beating, furiously hammering Dpad down just to read some world building?
I remember hearing great things when the first game came out but got around playing it,great vid btw
I finally got Gunvolt Luminous Avenger iX. I love the game so much with everything it wants me to do expect for one thing.
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WHY DO I HAVE TO FIGHT ASIMOV?!
You had to do it in GV1 too idk what's so bad about that. F*ck him.
@@TheKHC his fight is just hell. I hate what he did in the story and I hate what he does to me on that fight. His fight is cool but I find it hell alot of difficult compare to the other bosses in that game.
@@soratheorangejuicemascot5809 it's pretty easy once you figure out the patterns tbf
@@TheKHC also, despite the game being actually easy, I still do find Gunvolt Luminous iX to be difficult and fun. Keeping the power you got from collecting kudos isnt an easy task if you want a maximum scoring. I kinda like it.
Another thing why I chose iX over other Gunvolt is because Copen.
@@TheKHC well after my S rank attempts at the bosses, I'll replay again from the start to see what I learned, hahaha.
Huh. Didnt know about the side material stuff about GV stories, but it sucks that they dont add anything like the lore for MMZ. The games' plot as a whole is way too nonsensical and quite too much of a mess for me to take seriously. Glad you liked iX 2 though, as polarizing as it is.
I don't know man, I really liked LAiX 2's hard mode. The satisfaction I had after beating the final boss after 5 days was enormous
It is very satisfying that's true but I do wish they'd toned it down a bit, which they apparently did in the last update
@@TheKHC Yeah but "toning it down" shouldn't be having infinite healing mode, that's completely breaks the game and makes it so that you have no need to learn how to actually play the game.
Oh no I'm not talking about that. I thought that ability was total bullcrap. I meant something more along the lines of not being locked to level 1 where every boss kills you in 2 hits so you have to play pretty much perfectly. Like level 3 or 4 at least so that you can actually try to experiment around without being immediately punished for it, ya dig?
@@TheKHC Yeah, but giving you infinite healing mode is what they did is what they did in the new "hard mode with assist mode". Maybe letting you level up a bit would make things easier but it's not like it's impossible to do since I did it. But they really went all out with the new boss patterns, I had to search some of them on youtube to know how to avoid them
I mean I did it too. Also what's this assist mode thing? Is that like a new update or smth? I've not looked at the game ever since releasing this video since I got all achievements on it lol.
Good takes, same opinions I have except for story cause I actually liked the story it felt lacking but still had an attempt at world building so I really love the Gunvolt universe since the game's selling point isn't the story but it's replayability so it's fine.
Game is really really fun. I agree that flashfield was such a bad mechanic.
GV 2 is my most favorite of the series cause of how challenging Super Zonda and Super GV is on Score Attack. Didn't like Super Copen tho cause he felt lacking compared to fighting Super GV
I like LAiX1 cause of the boss designs and fights since they actually designed the bosses specifically for Copen so that you'll be taking advantage bullit dashing more often and you'd be dashing more accurately especially if you're fighting their EX versions since alot of their attacks can actually take up almost the whole battlefield.
I liked LAiX 2 cause of the OSTs especially Ypsilon and Last Boss Phase 1 and 2 fights. Not the overdrive Songs since I got sick of it already so I just turn it off on my LAiX2 runs. Gameplay is fine I'm having fun with it but the only gripe I had w/ LAiX 2 was how slow paced it is if I compared it w/ GV2 or LAiX 1 Copen gameplay or maybe it's just me.
I personally really liked the slower pace of laix2 but yeah I agree as a copen game you'd seriously expect something faster
Nice vid dude
No it is cringe and unbased
Awesome video!!!
I accidentally realized that I built a gunvolt collection without realizing cause I've grown to love the series. P.s. great singing on the mic.
One day you play a random game becasue it's on sale for 5 bucks the next you realize you just spent 30 bucks on an entire series. Just happens sometimes. As for the mic, I hope I didn't accidentally sell my soul with that.
I think Gunvolt and Copen deserve a spot as a pair unit in Project X Zone 3.
I bought the dlc for less a dollar on iX1. Atleast it isnt iX which is 7.99$.
Gonna replay iX1 without prevasion because I realized that my rhythm is already messed up whenever I get hit either with or without prevasion.
Very awesome
@@TheKHC dlc went on sale for steam
That's good to know
I 100% agree that prevasion and anthem makes these games unfun, but I feel like putting such an emphasis on it is unnecessary since it’s only an option, and every game in the series allows you to turn them off right away if you so choose (granted, none of them actually tell you this, but the player will discover it as soon as they engage with the gear system)
overall though, great review. it’s clear that a lot of it boils down to personal preference and how you enjoy playing games. going for score is really what the series is geared towards but I personally have a lot more fun when the stages/bosses themselves are inherently the challenge, with whatever other optional challenges there may be, such as getting good scores, added on top. even without prevasion/anthem, I’m not a fan of how easy these games inherently are, but I can also understand that’s not entirely the point. I loved iX2’s hard mode for that reason. it’s actually challenging and extremely satisfying to have to know the bosses’ patterns and play really well to get by
I feel like I never really got this point across in the video and it's something I do regret, but my issue with anthem and prevasion isn't its existence alone, but specifically the fact that it is what the game starts you off with, implying that using it them is intended. I've grown to appreciate iX2's hardmode a lot more since the time I made this video but I do still think that Inti overcompensated by making you able to cheese it in its entirety after a certain update.
@@TheKHC that is a good point, I don’t like how the games start you off with it either. I do remember having that impression when I first began the series and basically kept it on the whole time during gv1 unless I had to for challenges/achievements. I even kept it on for some of gv2 before just getting sick of it and turning it off and never looking back.
assist mode in ix2 is definitely an overcompensation, and kind of defeats the purpose of having a hard mode to begin with (although locking the true ending behind it is kind of dumb and I can understand it for people who just want to see it without having to actually go through hard mode properly)
At that point why bother playing it at all. Judt watch it on youtube ot something
@@TheKHC yeahhh fair, guess there’s no point in playing through it if you’re not actually gonna engage with it
IntiCreates has kind of reached the point where I feel like they don't even know what they want their games to be anymore, which makes me really sad
also all you need to do is make sound into your mic, you don't necessarily have to sing
I feel like an idiot now. I coulda just played doin your mom and put my phone next to the mic and spared myself the humiliation
I liked iX 2’s hardmode I beat it though locking the true ending seems stupid.
It's fun in the boss fights but makes the stages a chore ngl
@@TheKHC I forgot to mention great video keep up the good work.
Thanks I appreciate it
So funny about gear synth. I was like you never get the shit you need to ever synth anything which you repeated right after i thought it. Lol
Terribly designed system lmao
I don't like how the entire video was a 21 minute long Manscaped commercial. Not cool dude! >:(
Shave yo balls already
Have really wanted to get into the series but only chance I may have is thru steam (no 3ds or switch only a pc)
All games are on steam so I don't see the issue
@@TheKHC pog
I’m actually quite a fan of the Gunvolt series, but if there’s one thing I WISH they did, it’s GIVE THE GAMES ENGLISH DUBS! Seriously, I literally turned off all of the dialogue boxes because they were incredibly distracting and I couldn’t read any of it because I was busy fighting enemies. This was especially bad for boss battles because I’m trying to focus on fighting the boss but the characters keep talking making me lose focus and take hits. And it’s a shame because there’s allot of character and lore stuff I’m missing out on by doing this, but because I don’t speak Japanese, I can’t look down at the screen to read the text, and fight the boss at the same time. I don’t know if it was because of budget but I really wish they just dubbed the games into English, even if the voice acting would’ve been bad at least id be able to understand what the characters were saying.
Well, striker pack had a dub for 1 and Luminous Avenger ix 2 has a dub and it seems like they'll continue giving the games dubs in the future
@@TheKHC oh thank the lord for that. I think IX2 might be my favorite game in the whole series for that alone
Guess we'll just have to wait and see of 3 but yeah the text boxes are a massive nuisance. The bloody things cover half the screen.
@@TheKHC well on the plus side at least you can turn them off
Thank god too. Speedruns would be unbearable otherwise
This video is perfect for me. As a big fan of Mega Man Zero (2 and 3) I've always been curious if Gunvolt is any good. Sounds like it's not at the same level of quality, sadly.
It's still definitely worth checking out
Although I hate it, iX2 is probably the only one you'll enjoy, mostly because its the least Gunvolt series-like
Fun fact, Gunvolt may or may not be a distant sequel to Gal*Gun...
I hope every gal gun fan steps on lava
my mom loves your videos
The azure gunvolt games aren't that bad their kinda fun actually
I never even said they're bad. In fact I said multiple times that I really like them and highly enjoy them.
Pretty sure the DLC boss fight for LAiX1 is only $2. It was free if you bought early.
I didn't get the game back then and again, I'm pretty sure regional pricing is a factor because it costs way more where I live and even then it doesn'r excuse the laix2 dlc lol
Instead of singing you can just use static noise to beat the final boss
Wish I'd known that at the time
don't get why you are so harsh to a free purchase bonus lmao
Because it originally wasn't and can still be purchased as a standalone game thus I should critique it as one
@@TheKHC I'm pretty sure the first Mighty Gunvolt was a purchase bonus originally for GV1 on 3ds? iirc it wasn't even pre-order or anything, they just gave it to you for a while. Was a cute marketing thing.
Yeah but as of right now it is not free. It is a standalone purchase
@@TheKHC Should have stayed free
True
It's sad that Gunvolt was overshadowed by Mighty no 9.
That's life. The bad things you make will always overshadow your accomplishments
I finally tried Gunvolt 2 and while I enjoy it I felt like I should have chosen iX2. The loadout system on mainline GV are kinda bad. I dont like the lootbox system.
I fully agree. I come back to this video every now and again and think to myself, "man, I guess I really don't like gunvolt, huh?"
@@TheKHC I actually just like Copen.
Ohh I just remember somrthing unrelated. Have you seen a trailer of Team Ladybug's new metroidvania called "Blade Chimera"? It looks neat.
@soratheorangejuicemascot5809 Yeah I'm really looking forward to it. I generally quite like their games
Yeah, iX 2's hard mode is bs. If there wasn't a way to easily grind out lives, I wouldn't have gotten far with it. I think the main issue is randomly slapping a lives system into a game that didn't have it. Every other change in hard mode makes sense in the setting and story, so I'm personally fine with those. And yeah, the 3d model of Lola in those music videos kinda rough. I prefer the two music videos that show Mayu Mineda instead of just her voice. The character designs are pretty cute and cool for the most part imo. I guess the Gravekeepers in iX 2 are kinda bland, but there aren't any character designs in the series that I'd call "disgusting".
Also, I think you can just tap the 3DS microphone for the GV fight against Zonda in 2 and do just fine.
Kohaku and Joule just really gross me out specifically, especially Kohaku. I just can't stand this child who dresses like a stripper.
@@TheKHC
Yeah, you could argue that from the perspective of a 14yo Gunvolt and a player of a similar age (the target group of the first game, according to Inti) "cute" designs make some sense. However, iX has a 100yo cyborg Copen and Kohaku isn't even technically a love interest (thankfully), so who's that "fanservice" in plain sight for? On the other hand, GalGun...
Which is the best one?
Either Luminous Avenger iX or iX 2
This is a good channel. Subscribed.
Retrospect . . .
But what about GV3?
That game's not out yet, how should I have covered it? I intend to do what I did with Blaster Master Zero 3 for it and will make a seperate video on it though
@@TheKHC Fair, but calling it a 'retrospective' over a review kinda makes it sound like like the series was over - -
Given how a retrospect is basically a review of something that's happened, as opposed to something that's currently happening.
It is a retrospective of all entries of a series that have already been released. Idk I just think it sounds better so i've been naming this video series the "franchise retrospectives" in general
That’s not “ironic” that is “coincidental”
Yeah. I'm in idiot. Sorry for messing up.
Ima be honest chief , I think your review is flawed in that you’re expecting to play megaman just because they made megaman before . Gunvolt isn’t megaman , gunvolt is gunvolt and you gotta play like him . Gunvolt’s gameplay style is about using the gun to set up the flash shield to do damage and get higher scores the more efficiently you kill enemies .
I also personally liked the “ roadblocks “ in gunvolt 1 since it’s the first game and they want you to experiment with flash shield like temporarily lighting up dark areas at the cost of your main method of attack or deflecting projectiles .
I’d say your argument on prevasion is a little flawed . yes it’s really really strong , if you’re playing like a toddler . The game really doesn’t want you to use the ability to begin with , it’s a score game . You’re meant to dodge and kill enemies really well to score more kudos and get the idol song to play and hype you up . If you get hit and activate prevasion or use a checkpoint all the kudos and the songs go away . I can see it in your gameplay , you just charge through everything instead of trying to be cool , you don’t even kill the enemy with the flash shield . You just get a couple gun shots and charge past without even trying to appreciate what the character has to offer . It’s like Kirby where the game is easy to play but a little harder to master . Sure you can play Kirby by infinitely flying over everything but that’s no fun . Prevasion and kudos work opposite to each other because one is aimed at casuals that aren’t very good at action platformers while the other encourages skilled play which I fucking love .
I also think it wasn’t fair to not try to get the true ending of gunvolt 1 . All you have to do is get 7 jewels hidden through the levels and give them to joule . Who doesn’t like finding collectibles in videogames ? I don’t bash on megaman x for hiding away armor capsules . The ending locked behind the collectibles is also pretty sweet even if it’s a simple story . It even adds a little extra challenge if you try going for it since you have to wear the necklace of the jewels you give to the little girl to the boss fight , taking away prevasion . Instead of using equipment that would give tactical advantage you have to use a keepsake she made for gunvolt that has no effect , really showcasing how much those two care about each other .
In fact I LOVE the little karaoke segment in gunvolt 2 . I get it , idol stuff isn’t for everyone and singing is akward , I’m sorta like that too . But for story purposes it’s gunvolt showing he doesn’t need joule and her power anymore . It’s the same song that plays when you get revived but you need to sing the lyrics to represent you and gunvolt coming into your own . I mean if it’s that big an issue you can just blow into the mic and have the same effect but it loses the emotional impact .
But yeah I really recommend going back to these games with a more open mind . just because they made megaman zero doesn’t mean every game they make from now on has to be megaman zero , and this is coming from a big fan of those games too .
Also a side note , yeah mighty gunvolt isn’t great but from what I hear it was just a bonus with the first gunvolt so I think its existence is tolerable
I think you're the one who didn't pay attention truth be told. I mention multiple times throughout the video that I love these games and replay them frequently and every time I do I always disable prevasion and Anthem. The reason the footage is so bad is because I frankly got lazy and recorded it all on the day I started editing and I really didn t feel like going for the best looking runs in the world for it. I also specifically said that for this and only this playthrough I didn't get the true ending because playing with prevasion bored the hell out of me. This video is meant to criticize the games in their rawest form of how a first time player would experience them, not how a longtime player would.
@@TheKHC yeah I saw some of your comments . I get you like the games but that doesn’t mean i can’t say a few of your points are flawed . From what I heard of your opinions on gunvolt’s gameplay you seem sort of dismissive without even trying to give it a chance only going off what you said . Combine it with the lackluster footage it’s really easy to think you just don’t understand gunvolt’s gameplay at all . Also by disregarding the true ending ( my main issue was more so you not liking the path getting there , not that you didn’t record footage ) you disregard the story which I’d say it’s pretty good for a 2d action platformer . Also I don’t see how the review being from the perspective of a first time player really effects my criticisms . Like I said , prevasion and kudos make a great balance for new and old players alike . New players don’t have to play perfectly and can use prevasion as a crutch to grind up to being able to hold kudos and get the songs . If anything I’d recommend gunvolt to people new to the genre especially since it follows the Kirby philosophy of easy to learn hard to master .
Maybe actually read my comment before you think I’m mindlessly bashing your review ?
Again, I never said I think you're wrong. In fact you're right about most of your points. I was just trying to give more context on why I wrote/made the video the way I did is all.
@@TheKHC if that’s the case I’m left a little confused , because that doesn’t seem to match what’s said in the video unless you were also tired while writing the script ? I don’t want to sound like just a hater but I think maybe it’d be better to make these types of videos in a more refreshed state . The games we like should have a more honest take of it’s ups and downs because they’re important to us , a review can have controversial points but the worst thing a restrospective can be is misleading of your actual thoughts .
I guess so. In the end this was moreso a thing I just made for fun as opposed to some of my other videos which were genuine passion projects. I'll keep your advice in mind for future videos though. Thank you for the feedback.
how you gonna say that gunvolt is too easy but ix2 is the best one when it literally has infinite healing lol
I never said that I approved of that
Im confused why do you have to sing to fight the boss?
I have no idea. It's just a thing they added. It's very weird
@@TheKHC Does singing power you up or something? Idk haven't played the game. Thats why I watched this video thought gunvolt looked interesting
It just kinda allows you to not get instakilled by the boss but according to some comments you can just blow into the mic instead or play music in the background and it'll have the same effect
it's a narrative thing, the one who gave you power with Anthem is gone but they said that their song is within GV so he is able to counter the final boss channeling the power of Anthem offensively by canceling it out with his own, personally I found it to be a bittersweet moment of the narrative in a good way but I guess not everyone enjoys stories to the point they don't mind that part
Far be it for me to tell someone else how to play a game... but you were definitely going about Gunvolt 1 all wrong.
I don't mean to be rude but I'd like to ask for your more detailed opinion. I keep seeing this argument but it always leads to the explanation that it needs to be score attacked to be fun, and at that point, isn't that a bad thing? A well designed game should be fun regardless of how it is played as long as the level design is tight and the enemies are fun to fight. And if it's about "well you used anthem and prevasion" then frankly I don't know what to say as I explicitly mentioned that I usually don't do that and I highly recommend not doing that in the video
I fail to see how chasing a high score is a bad thing, especially when it's an intrinsic part of the game's design that you chose to ignore. The whole game is built around it. I mean, high scores are the main point of most arcade games; would you say that's a bad quality there, too? You might not have enjoyed the combat mechanics and level design, but I sure did, long before I figured out the game's system well enough to get ranks above B.
Given the nature of high scores, selectable challenges, and the system by which you obtain materials for crafting gear, this game was transparently made with the intent of replaying levels to get a high score, complete challenges, and gain raw materials (and secret, true ending necklace gems). Maybe you're not the type who enjoys that sort of thing, but you're missing out on like, half of the game. Don't act like it's the game's fault for catering to players who like that stuff. Simply getting to the end of each stage is not the point of the game, but it does allow players to get through the story and see the ending.
As for prevasion making things too easy, I never saw it that way, because if I fuck up, get hit, and thus lose all my kudos points, then I consider that run a failure and need to come back again to make it right, no matter what. The challenge isn't in staying alive to the end. Otherwise, your complaints about prevasion and the superpowered revival mechanic would totally hold true. It's all about the score; even the characters within the game say it enough times to make it clear that just beating the levels isn't the point. I think of the anthem feature in particular much like the invincible Tanuki suit from Super Mario 3D Land - a hand-holding feature to encourage newbie players to make it to the end and maybe come back to try again without that help.
I know I got anthemed a whole lot in my first playthrough, before I knew what the hell I was doing. I just started a new playthrough and honestly completely forgot about that feature until I heard you mention it in this video, today.
See, I would agree, however there is no real incentive to go for high scores other than the player themselves feeling like it. There's no real tangible reward. Maybe if you needed a set amount of kudos per stage to unlock say a new mode or a true final boss then that would be a perfect, but you can get all the gems on your first run, so that's not the incentive. Half the items you can craft kinda suck too so that's not really worth it either. There's really nothing there telling you that it's worth pursuing higher scores other than bragging rights
I guess so, but most score-based games are like that. You don't unlock new game modes with S ranks in Streets of Rage 4, but dammit if the incentive to improve doesn't keep me coming back. It's the same with Gunvolt. Clearly, that style of gameplay doesn't interest you, and that's totally okay.
I don't think SOF4 is necessarily a good example as that game is really fun regardless of if you go for high scores or not. In any case I'm really not trying to dismiss people who like to go for high scores and think that that is the way to go. In fact I have nothing but respect for those people. I had really just made this video as a side project so I genuinely didn't expect it to get this much traction and it has given me to opportunity to see very different perspectives on this series, which is something I am grateful for
Hard mode in LAIX 2 was so bad inti creates added an assist mode in the hard mode and that’s the most funniest shit ever
It's so stupid. They went from one extreme to the other. What's the point of even having a hard mode to begin with if you're gonna do this to it.
@@TheKHC it is so bad that I don’t bother the dlc at. No stages and ex weapons? Fuck that
Yeah it's mega cringe
I feel like removing lives was the simplest fix, as all they add to the game is a grind for getting a bunch more.
@@bestaround3323 that too but then assist mode was added so I never gotten a chance to do it
Nice video. But I can disagree with you about plot and designs (except kohaku type bullshit) . Plot is okay. I mean gunvolt 1 is typical megaman zero story: main not human hero with resistance stop evil government which lead by guy with messiah complex. Gunvolt 2 defeat evil terrorists who want to kill humans with mmz2 final boss. Liax same with gv1 but with Sigma style antagonist. Liax2 no story entirely.
Funny thing I like gv1 and gv2 style dialogues it's gives more characterization . Liax2 characters is boring (megaman x and zero problem)
P.s. actually gunvolt 2 pc port has more content : 6 missions with first game bosses and 2 missions with buffed zonda and rival boss.
Interesting. Never knew about the pc port exclusive content. Only ever played the 3ds and switch versions. As for the story, I mean does it really matter? No one exactly plays these games for the story and even at their best they never go beyond just okay.
@@TheKHC I more talk about the story isn't a downside of the series. But my major downside is the lack of hab location.
@@TheKHC That "PC port exclusive content" is in the switch version. Its all locked behind the time attack mode though, so if you're sucky at the game (like me) playing them doesn't really get to happen.
LAiX2 has a story but its so bare bones it really sucks. I like what it was going for, I just wish it was fleshed out. Also apparently it is tied in with the Master Blaster Zero franchise as the DLC fight with Jason has dialogue mentioning the "Blaster Rifle" Copen found at the start of LAiX2. (And I didn't know any of that until yesterday!)
Playing as Gunvolt is still insultingly easy and boring even if you are trying to score attack the games, his main mechanic (flashfield) makes the game play itself .
Finally someone who agrees with me that Flash Field is fuckin' boring
I am very curious about this franchise being a fan of the megaman z series but the exaggerated anime style and idol thing are incredibly cringe to me.
Would it be worth it to play the game even if it makes me cringe that much?
Honestly, no. I find them pretty cringe myself (especially the idol music) and the games just aren't good enough to make up for it, barring like maybe Luminous Avenger iX, but mileage may vary
For the 3ds version about the mic, I'm pretty sure all you have to do is blow on the mic. I don't think the 3ds is built on words recognition. Just saving you the cringe. Lolz
Would've been nice to know beforehand just saying
Which of the games requires the mic?
Only 3ds.Gunvolt 2. The PC versiin gives you alternatives
Thanks and what is your opinion of which game is better, Azure Gunvolt 1 or 2?
I mean, I said it in the video but 2 is waaay better than 1. No contest
14:55 mega man zero 5 sign me up
Yeaaaah babyy
To be honest i think Laix2 is good whit the fast paced gameplay and the special weapon are the best in the series but it did too many thing wrong:
-the cast was boring
-the story sucks
-the level design is flat
-the alternative costume are useless piece of shit for hentai
-the dlc that are a steal for beign just a boss fight
-the interaction in the hall are bland
-The weapon and heal can destroy all the challenges the game have ( especially time stop )
-the game in general its too easy or its too hard
Then again, this are my opinion feel free to tell me your opinion
-other games' casts are just as bad
-story was never good in these games
-has about as many gimmicks as 2 and laix1
-actual truth
-yeah. Genuine scam
-agreed. Mentioned it in the video too
-also agreed as mentioned in the video.
👍
gunvolt
but it's copen who got best mechanics
unfair
Copen fans when they see the Seethen fans enter the room
The khc
This video has so many bad takes, it honestly hurt to watch. Excusing deliberately taking damage by saying it’s to simulate a first time play through is honestly a bit insulting. Regardless of how prevasion works, if you’ve played any sort of video game (unless the mechanics specify otherwise) common sense dictates you don’t deliberately run into enemies like that.
Normally I don’t mind differing opinions, cause we’re all entitled to our own, but a lot of it felt like just intentional 💩ing over something you clearly don’t care about and just the whole condescending nature of the video is super offputting and feels more like a person trying to be edgy or controversial just for the sake of it.
I'll admit the gameplay is crap. I was really tired and even fell asleep whilst recording and I really wanted to meet my deadline so I just took what I had and rolled with it. Is it professional? No, not at all. But at the time I really couldn't have cared less. As for the rest, I really didn't mean to be condescending at all, this is just the way I usually talk. I also wasn't trying to be controversial, nor was I trying to crap on these games. I explicitly said that I love these games and replay them frequently. I guess I can see the edgy part due to my excessive swearing but again, I just kinda talk like that. I'm really sorry that the video gave you the impression that I was out to cause controversy or something along those lines and I'll try to adjust my manner of speech in future projects so it doesn't happen again.
Dislike
Oh heavens no, how will I ever recover from this.