Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 - S+ Rank Run [Part 2]
14This is part 2 of my Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 S+ rank run. This time, Gunvolt and Copen continue on their respective routes by battling Teseo and Ghauri before clashing in the Frozen City. Here are my notes.
-Orochi’s prior ubiquity is usurped by both Naga and Technos, principally on account of the tag limits being dependent on clips, but also because enemy groups don’t encircle Gunvolt nearly as often as in GV1, so the satellite proves mostly forgettable this time around; it’s mostly relegated to highly specific situations. Also, Gunvolt’s tags are no longer reset when switching Bolts, I’ll be utilizing this at various points throughout the run.
-The Pac-Man gimmick permeating the Data Facility paves the way for some interesting navigation and combo opportunities. It’s a bit of a shame that Gunvolt’s Bolts don’t wrap around the screen as well, that would’ve elevated the level even further. For those wondering, no, I didn’t have the patience to stand in place for 20 seconds to get the secret Kudos; that’s a textbook example of pace-breaking that I simply couldn’t abide by.
-Teseo is randomness incarnate, at least when it comes to his summons. All of his attacks have several permutations, but the enemy summon is particularly egregious, especially in the later phases of the fight. There’s simply no way to know what arrangement of Wheel Drones, Bombs and Curse Scripts you’re going to be facing; pure reaction is necessary. Lumen copies can spawn during this as well, further complicating matters. I recommend standing on the middle platforms that generate so you can get the best picture of what resides above and below you, and then move accordingly.
-Copen's claustrophobic escapades continue in Prism Highway, whose challenge is entirely concentrated on threading the human pinball between a myriad of unforgivingly constricted spaces. The enemies and hazards themselves present little if any danger; dropping your combo is assuredly the cause of most resets. The Flying Orbs are a potential source of frustration as well; their tiny hitboxes and erratic movement can lead to Copen soaring past when attempting to tag them. It’s worth noting that you can create GCEX opportunities by waiting for the Missile Golems to attack but they’re by far the most annoying enemy to work with when seeking extra Kudos in this manner, so my bias in this stage ends up firmly toward speed.
-The opening sector of Gunvolt’s Frozen City is Vasuki's time to shine; this usually turbulent bolt finds ideal conditions to be put into service here. The enemy formations present in the first half are such that tagging them can be a time-consuming affair, Vasuki greatly speeds up the process. Strewn about are containers with anti-slip spray, I highly recommend using these for the majority of the level; perhaps the level designers themselves were getting flustered by the odd ice physics. There are key moments where you can leverage the momentum imparted by the ice to enable otherwise impossible combos, however, threading between enemies when flying at high velocities can be tricky, so I utilize a neat trick: activating Dragonsphere in the air cancels Gunvolt’s current momentum and returns him to normal jump speed, thereby substantially reducing the risk of any daredevil maneuvers.
-Because the majority of the Frozen City occurs outdoors, Copen is given free rein to jet about in whichever manner you please; the open air encourages speed to a degree simply unmatched when constrained indoors. Copen can rebound off walls without the need for anti-slip spray, so it’s never strictly necessary to apply it to him. An irritating aspect of Copen’s variant of this stage is that the little ice platforms still spawn; this is one of the few examples of level design that feels explicitly tailored to one character and incongruent with the other. In an S+ run, these platforms only serve as a hindrance by intercepting Copen at the worst of times and breaking your Aerial combo.
-Tenjian seeks to hone his impersonation skills by giving players his best rendition of Fenri. In plain terms, his most dangerous attack is jumping directly into you as opposed to any of his actual maneuvers. There is the troubling matter of lacking any manner of cue as to which attack he'll follow up with when he rockets off screen—which is a tad discourteous—but fortunately, waiting a second before dashing away from the side which he exited stifles any danger.
-I take an unconventional approach to the solo boss fights. Gunvolt dances with Ghauri and achieves victory sans Flashfield while Copen completely neutralizes Iron Maiden and Goomba stomps Gibril. Such shenanigans aren't conducive to high scores, but that's never stopped me before.
Timestamps:
00:00 - Data Facility | Teseo [GV]
06:16 - Prism Highway | Ghauri [C]
11:14 - Frozen City | Tenjian [GV]
16:52 - Frozen City | Tenjian [C]
21:59 - Highway | Ghauri [GV]
24:18 - The Sewers | Gibril [C]
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