Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 - Downtown S+ Rank Using Only GV's Gun
13No Flashfield, Bolts Only, Downtown.
As the title suggests, this is an S+ Rank run where Gunvolt sprints through Downtown using only his trusty gun, albeit with the shots juiced up by specific pieces of equipment. For this challenge, I have two Sweeper’s Lens+ equipped alongside the Lucifer Clip. Together, the lenses and the clip are ever so slightly more powerful than the Dullahan and Broken Necklace combo in GV1. However, because this damage increase comes courtesy of lenses and clips, this means that the buff is applied universally rather than being restricted to a dedicated power weapon like Dullahan. The ability to utilize the specific shot trajectories and other unique properties of Gunvolt’s various Bolts opens the door for some scrumptious trick shots and delightfully creative approaches to otherwise simple combos.
It’s a damn good thing that Gunvolt isn’t saddled with the standard horizontal shots and 3-bullet limit of Dullahan, as it’d be a major detriment to combo potential. The level design in GV2’s main stages is rather spacious compared to GV1’s, which generally has more cramped halls and tightly clustered enemy groups. In contrast, enemy placement in GV2 tends to be rather sparse, especially in open-air stages like Downtown. You’ll constantly find yourself shooting at enemies that are barely visible or out of camera view entirely. Differences in elevation between enemies can be troublesome too. Bolts like Technos and Orochi excel in solving the flummoxing puzzles that arise from such sporadic spacing.
Downtown, which is actually Copen’s intro stage, is perfect for highlighting just how engaging this type of challenge can be; it’s short but complex and nuanced. Furthermore, unlike the Seraph Interior, there’s no mandatory tagging and Flashfield usage. Even Gunvolt’s Skills can be left by the wayside, leading to a pure gun-only run.
The first 4-Strike really drives home how important it is to have the right tools for the job. Naga is used for its precision shooting, whittling down the pair of Grenade Launchers and Floaters, and then Technos comes in with its angled trajectory and ground-crawling capabilities to sweep up the quartet. Timing is still absolutely critical; moving too quickly will take enemies out of range and interrupt your combos. There’s also a caveat to switching Bolts: doing so removes any shots currently in flight, so it’s generally advisable to avoid switching weapons during a combo. Leveraging different Bolts during the setup process is fine, but sticking to a single type once you begin mowing enemies down prevents frustrating errors.
Orochi gets its first chance to shine at the Triple preceding the first checkpoint. Calculated usage of its satellite can simplify certain combos or pave the way to make particularly puzzling combos feasible at all. After sneaking Gunvolt past the first Grenade Launcher with a nail-biting jump, I weaken both it and the comically distant Floater with Naga. Then, I jump back into the pit between the Launchers and have Gunvolt stand slightly away from the block. From this position, shooting from the ground will make Orochi’s satellite fire one shot at the precise angle necessary to snipe the first Launcher. Once the satellite is deployed, I fire one shot at the apex of Gunvolt’s jump and a second while falling. The result of these fastidious movements is that the trio of foes go poof almost simultaneously.
The second Buzz-Saw Thrower serves as the only potential argument for using mobility-enhancing equipment or Skills. Either of those would allow you to leap over the towering metallic nuisance by spending EP or performing a Skill Jump. As is, I had no choice but to mash shots into both it and the Floater, settling for a Double instead of a potential Triple that includes the Grenade Launcher beyond. My thinking here was that the S+ score requirement was in reach without having to make any concessions to the “gun only” portion of the challenge, so it’d be inconsistent to make an exception for score purposes.
That aside, Naga’s charged shot makes one appearance to hasten a combo involving the sole Sonic Shooter present; cleanly vaulting over that thing’s bulky hitbox is the riskiest part of the deal. The two 4-Strikes succeeding that are iterations previous of previous combos using Technos and Orochi, featuring some serpentine movements to achieve the desired results.
The second half of the stage has only two combos. The first is fodder for our modern Search Snake, while the Double during the chase segment is a matter of placing your shots at the correct height. To bypass the missile barrage without the Flashfield, dash past the last striped green lights on the wall, then double back and count to about six; there should be an opening available.
I practiced fighting Fazent for a grand total of 5 minutes. Is it optimal? I don’t know. Do I care? No.
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