History YMMV / AzureStrikerGunvolt

* PolishedPort: The UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch port of ''Azure Striker Gunvolt'' (and its sequel) included in its version of the ''Striker Pack'' is the definitive version of the game, as it backports several gameplay improvements from its sequel back into the first game, as well as all bundling the extras the Steam version has, including support for Christmas Mode. It also offers a full HD 60 FPS experience compared to their previous releases with high-resolution cutscenes, dialogue portraits, and special attack cut-ins. It was later ported the UsefulNotes/{{PlayStation 4}} (with an extra song for Lumen) and later the UsefulNotes/XboxOne with similar enhancements from the Switch version.

* ComplacentGamingSyndrome: Let's face it; out of the numerous weapons you collect throughout the game, you'll only ever use Cerebus, Naga, and Vasuki. Cerebus is both your starting weapon and has very fast autofire, Naga can tag five enemies and has piercing properties, and Vasuki auto-tags up to four targets onscreen. Everything else has an extremely narrow niche to the point where their use is highly limited to all but a handful of sections in the game. The Mizuchi in particular is effectively useless except for revealing {{Easter Egg}}s!

* PortingDisaster: Despite the Steam version being updated to be somewhat comparable to the Switch's and [=PlayStation=] 4's ''Striker Pack'' versions, a major problem that has yet to be addressed is the game's poorly implemented Steam DRM, which prevents the game from being playable without a constant internet connection even when using Steam's Offline Mode. The September 17, 2020 patch also manages to render the game's Speedrun Mode unplayable due to a "Memory Shortage" error. Other issues include the game still using the Nintendo-like menu configuration despite being on PC and not having the option to properly reverse the Confirm and Cancel buttons like in some of their other PC ports, the game still uses the very low resolution art assets from the [=3DS=] version rather than the HD ones from the Switch/[=PlayStation=] 4 versions, keyboard users cannot rebind certain buttons such as the Skill Activation buttons which have been pre-defined to use the F1-F4 keys, and most other languages still outside of English (Japanese Voice mode), Japanese, Korean, and Traditional Chinese uses the mediocre localization by 8-4 with the missing voice-overs rather than Inti Create's own in-house localization with the fully-voiced dialogue intact.

* PolishedPort: The Striker Pack for the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch and UsefulNotes/{{PlayStation 4}} are the definitive version of ''both'' games, as it backports several improvements from the sequel to the first game, as well as all the extras the Steam version has, including support for Christmas Mode, and bundles all of the sequel's [=DLCs=]. It also offers a full HD 60 FPS experience across both games compared to their previous releases with high-resolution cutscenes, dialogue portraits, and special attack cut-ins.

* FandomRivalry: After ''VideoGame/MightyNo9''[='=]s perceived failure by many of its backers, critics, and ''Mega Man'' fans, most ''Gunvolt'' fans have been acting very condescending towards ''Mighty No. 9'' (and Keiji Inafune) for not living up to expectations it was met with, suddenly pulling a 180 from this series SoOkayItsAverage reception to claiming its a "true" successor to ''Mega Man'', ignoring that Inti Creates were involved in the development[[note]]Granted, they were technically only ''co''-developers with Comcept[[/note]] of it as well. The release of ''Azure Striker Gunvolt 2'' (being considered a much-improved sequel to its predecessor) only months a few later from ''Mighty No. 9'' and then followed up by ''Mighty Gunvolt Burst'' in 2017 (which was developed entirely by Inti Creates outside of Inafune's approval to use the ''Mighty No. 9'' characters) are not helping ''Mighty No. 9''[='=]s case save for the very few can appreciate both series.

* VindicatedByHistory: When the first game was released, it had a SoOkayItsAverage reception. However, after the disastrous and luckluster reception of ''VideoGame/MightyNo9'', and the second game being a SurprisinglyImprovedSequel coming a few months later, many are clamoring to this game as one of the true {{Spiritual Successor}}s to ''Franchise/MegaMan'' alongside other more faithful similar games such as ''VideoGame/{{Rosenkreuzstilette}}''.

** Whatever Merak said (at least in the first dub) gets memetic easily due to his snarky and apathetic attitude.

** [[spoiler:[[AffablyEvil Asimov]] is the second Azure Striker and the leader of the SHEEPS team. Acting as a kindly, charismatic and somewhat quirky mentor and father figure to GV, having taught him how to use his Septima in the past, Asimov assists GV in his missions as he takes down Sumeragi's Swordsmen one by one. Once their leader, Nova, is defeated, [[EvilAllAlong Asimov reveals that he was manipulating GV all along]], and that he really wishes to take over Sumeragi, kill off humanity, and create a world for Adepts, as one who has suffered greatly under the horrors of Project Gunvolt. He wishes for GV and Joule to rule as the king and queen of his Adept world, but defeated Copen and took [[PowerNullifier his gun]] in preparation for GV opposing him. Almost killing him with ease when he does, Asimov is stopped by a revived and empowered GV, but not without giving his surrogate son the fight of his life. As he dies, Asimov genuinely commends GV's strength, before warning him that Adepts and humans will continue to fight, and he will be caught in the crossfire, [[VideoGame/AzureStrikerGunvolt2 a prediction that would soon come to pass]]]].

* AuthorsSavingThrow:
** The dialogue cut from the original release of the first game was added back to the game in the Version 1.03 update, the Steam release, and the Striker Pack CompilationRerelease. The catch being that the Version 1.03 update only exists in America as of late; PAL region players are losing patience over the delay on the update in their region.
** The newest update for the PC version of Gunvolt released on May 2018 which made it more akin to the Nintendo Switch version's ''Striker Pack'' by adding some of its features, as well as bumping the frame-rate from 30 to 60 and getting rid of the second screen.

** The Stratacombs Stage; it starts out tame (it takes place outside the warehouse guarded by a turret, a single mook, and two shutters) but the atmosphere goes to a dark turn once you go inside. It's a [[BlackOutBasement pitch black underground facility]], and there's not a single soul in sight except for the [[MechaMooks mechs stationed there]], and your only source of light is a Flashfield or a [[HelpfulMook drone that provides light if zapped]]. But once you open the emergency lights, you'll immediately be greeted by a zombie who proceeds to jump on you.[[note]]If you use your Flashfield beforehand, you'll notice that they are lying down, lifeless.[[/note]] The kicker? These are scientists and guards who were killed by Elise in their attempts to control her, and contrary to Gunvolt's claims, they are not bred in a lab.
*** Also compared to the Screamers fought in the [[VideoGame/AzureStrikerGunvolt2 sequel]], the Zombies in this game have a genuinely intimidating and scary design with glowing red eyes and lines (implied to be their blood), and very sharp fangs. There are also dangling variants where if you shoot down the strings they're attached to, they will be torn apart by its impact and [[InterfaceScrew splatter a goo like substance that obscure the screen]].

** Viper's attacks in general are hard to avoid, but his Volcanic Axe and Refulgence deserve special mention. The former can home in on you no matter where you run and the latter is basically a mini BulletHell that requires skill to leave unscathed. Taken UpToEleven in [[NintendoHard Hard Mode]], where every attack deals over half your health in damage; Refulgence ''will'' kill you in a heartbeat if you haven't learned how to dodge every bullet down to the last note.

** [[spoiler:[[AffablyEvil Asimov]] is the second Azure Striker and the leader of the SHEEPS team. Acting as a kindly, charismatic and somewhat quirky mentor and father figure to GV, having taught him how to use his Septima in the past, Asimov assists GV in his missions as he takes down Sumeragi's Swordsmen one by one. Once their leader, Nova, is defeated, [[EvilAllAlong Asimov reveals that he was manipulating GV all along]], and that he really wishes to take over Sumeragi, kill off humanity, and create a world for Adepts, as one who has suffered greatly under the horrors of Project Gunvolt. He wishes for GV and Joule to rule as the king and queen of his Adept world, but defeated Copen and took [[PowerNullifier his gun]] in preparation for GV opposing him. Almost killing him with ease when he does, Asimov is stopped by a revived and empowered GV, but not without giving his surrogate son the fight of his life. As he dies, Asimov genuinely commends GV's strength, before warning him that Adepts and humans will continue to fight, and he will be caught in the crossfire, [[VideoGame/AzureStrikerGunvolt2 a prediction that would soon come to pass]].]]

This the YMMV is for the first mainline game.

** While the [[VideoGame/LuminousAvengerIX what-if spinoff]] makes no ambiguity that [[spoiler:Asimov's plans will result in disastrous consequences if he manages to enact it, how was he at the get-go?]] He's portrayed as [[spoiler:a BigGood for Gunvolt and seems like a WellIntentionedExtremist when his true color shows, but it's because we're playing as ''Gunvolt'' who viewed him as a paragon (well, until TheReveal).]] Was he a [[spoiler:[[EvilAllAlong power-hungry tyrant from the beginning]] who merely used everyone to satiate his own ego? Did he genuinely wanted to stop the Adept persecutions but JumpedOffTheSlipperySlope big time? Did he just had Gunvolt fight Sumeragi for the sake of revenge against what they did to him? And did he genuinely care for Gunvolt and his other comrades until he went off the deep end, or he merely treated them as pawns to further his own goals?]]

** At the beginning of the first stage, Asimov--the BigGood--guides Gunvolt on how to use his lightning septima, despite not having the powers himself. [[spoiler: This is {{foreshadowing}} that he ''does'' have lightning septima, and is in fact an EvilCounterpart of [[TheHero Gunvolt]]]]. A very similar plot point would later be done throughout the first season of ''Series/TheFlash2014'', in particular the climax of the episode [[Recap/TheFlash2014S1E17Tricksters Tricksters]], where the supposed non-powered BigGood remotely guides [[TheHero Barry]] on how to use his powers despite the team leader supposedly not having any themselves, in effect revealing they're secretly an EvilCounterpart.

** The newest update for the PC version of Gunvolt released on May 2018 which made it more akin to the Nintendo Switch version's ''Striker Pack'' by adding some of its feature, as well as bumping the frame-rate from 30 to 60 and getting rid of the second screen.

** What if the Sumeragi group is actually a [[spoiler:NecessarilyEvil, but [[LaResistance QUILL]] were EvilAllAlong?]] We are seeing things through QUILL's view after all, [[spoiler:and [[YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters they would obviously paint themselves on a good light]].]] The worst things we see from Sumeragi are its numerous shady experiments on Adepts, but they generally aren't full-blown hostile to them and even allow them to integrate into society as long as they don't pose a threat and on the condition that they are to accept Glaives that suppress their Septima. On the other hand, Gunvolt taking down all of their strongest fighters [[spoiler:quickly becomes an invitation to disaster]]. It really only proves that [[spoiler:[[VillainHasAPoint Nova was right multiple times across]], and that the Adepts WILL go out of control if something doesn't exist to restrain them.]]

** What if the Sumeragi group is actually a [[spoiler:NecessarilyEvil, but [[LaResistance QUILL]] were EvilAllAlong?]] We are seeing things through QUILL's view after all, [[spoiler:and [[YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters they would obviously paint themselves on a good light]].]] The worst things we see from Sumeragi are its numerous shady experiments on Adepts, but they generally aren't full-blown hostile to them and allows them to integrate into society as long as they don't pose a threat, and on the condition they accept Glaives that suppress their Septima. On the other hand, Gunvolt taking down all of their strongest fighters [[spoiler:quickly becomes an invitation to disaster]]. It really only proves that [[spoiler:[[VillainHasAPoint Nova was right multiple times across]], and that the Adepts WILL go out of control if something doesn't exist to restrain them.]]

** What if the Sumeragi group is actually a [[spoiler:NecessarilyEvil, but [[LaResistance QUILL]] were EvilAllAlong?]] We are seeing things through QUILL's view after all, [[spoiler:and [[YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters they would obviously paint themselves on a good light]].]] The worst things we see from Sumeragi are its numerous shady experiments on Adepts, but they generally aren't full-blown hostile to them and allows them to integrate into society as long as they don't pose a threat, and on the condition to accept Glaives that suppress their Septima. On the other hand, Gunvolt taking down all of their strongest fighters [[spoiler:quickly becomes an invitation to disaster]]. It really only proves that [[spoiler:[[VillainHasAPoint Nova was right multiple times across]], and that the Adepts WILL go out of control if something doesn't exist to restrain them.]]

** What if the Sumeragi group is actually a [[spoiler:NecessarilyEvil, but [[LaResistance QUILL]] were EvilAllAlong?]] We are seeing things through QUILL's view after all, [[spoiler:and [[YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters they would obviously paint themselves on a good light]].]] The worst things we see from Sumeragi are its numerous shady experiments on Adepts, but they generally aren't full-blown hostile to them and allows them to integrate into society as long as they don't pose a threat. On the other hand, Gunvolt taking down all of their strongest fighters [[spoiler:quickly becomes an invitation to disaster]]. It really only proves that [[spoiler:[[VillainHasAPoint Nova was right multiple times across]], and that the Adepts WILL go out of control if something doesn't exist to restrain them.]]

** What if the Sumeragi group is actually a [[spoiler:NecessarilyEvil, but [[LaResistance QUILL]] were EvilAllAlong?]] We are seeing things through QUILL's view after all, [[spoiler:and [[YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters they would obviously paint themselves on a good light]].]] The worst things we see from Sumeragi are its numerous shady experiments on Adepts, but they generally aren't full-blown hostile to them. They are [[spoiler:also the only thing (bar post-QUILL Gunvolt) preventing something even worse from happening, which can arrange from a full-scale invasion/genocide attempt from Eden to a full-blown BadFuture where Asimov not only exterminates humans, but traps Adepts in a dystopia where he rules over them with an iron fist.]] It really only proves that [[spoiler:[[VillainHasAPoint Nova was right multiple times across]], and that the Adepts WILL go out of control if something doesn't exist to restrain them.]]
** While the [[VideoGame/LuminousAvengerIX what-if spinoff]] makes no ambiguity that [[spoiler:Asimov's plans will result in disastrous consequences if he manages to enact it, how was he at the get-go?]] Was he a [[spoiler:[[EvilAllAlong power-hungry tyrant from the beginning]] who merely used everyone to satiate his own ego? Did he genuinely wanted to stop the Adept persecutions but JumpedOffTheSlipperySlope big time? Did he just had Gunvolt fight Sumeragi for the sake of revenge against what they did to him? And did he genuinely care for Gunvolt and his other comrades until he went off the deep end, or he merely treated them as pawns to further his own goals?]]