Overview – developed by Inti Creates and published by PQube Games, Gal*Gun 2 is the third entry in the action packed bishojo shooter series, combining on-rails action and dating sim mechanics. The angel Risu has recruited you to help fight demons, as she needs to meet her Demon Busting Quota as part of AR. Co. This title is available for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation and Steam with a link to each version of the game at the bottom of this review.
Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank PQube for providing the copy of Gal*Gun 2 that was used for this piece, via the Keymailer service. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained with are my own. Please Note: there is a special VR mode that can be accessed after purchasing DLC, I was unable to experience this content, so that will be omitted from this coverage.
Mature Content Warning: Gal*Gun 2 is intended for mature audiences, featuring sexual content, imagery and innuendo featured throughout the experience. If you are under the recommended age for this release, or find the content mentioned offensive, feel free to check out the other content on the site. Discretion is advised.
Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review, starting with the story. I have previously covered the Nintendo Switch version of the game, which you can find (HERE). With this revisiting of a previously covered game, I will be providing expanded coverage, adding significantly more details that were omitted from the previous review. I also have Coverage of Gal*Gun Returns (HERE) and Gal*Gun Double Peace (HERE).
Story – at the Sakurazaki Academy, a student is sitting at your desk, talking to their childhood friend when an unusual app is discovered on their phone. This is from a company called AR. Co. which causes a mysterious headset to appear on the desk after opening it. After putting the headset on, the angel Risu appears, informing them they have become the chosen hero, and they have 20 days to save the Academy from being taken over by demons.
Gameplay – Gal*Gun 2 is a rail shooting style action game, where the player must use the special Demon Sweeper and Pheromone Goggles to meet a Demon Busting Quota. This has to be completed in 20 days, or else the demons will succeed in taking over the school. To accomplish this feat, the player must complete missions, with the capability to clear two of them each day. The missions will take place across the campus grounds and areas surrounding it.
The missions are split into three set classifications, with Main, Side and Free designations for the challenge. The Main missions are the core story progression challenges, where players will work towards the completion of the main story. Then there are the Side and Free missions, where players take on bonus objectives, giving extra story details, items and rewards for completion. Many of the cleared missions can be replayed from the mission menu.
During the mission stages, the player will be able to use the Demon Sweeper, along with the Pheromone Goggles to battle the demonic presence at the school. However, the Goggles come with an unintended side effect, they make the player irresistible to almost every female at the school. This is due to an effect called Popul-Aura, which causes the player to be swarmed with admirers, trying to get a piece of this sudden heartthrob.
The action plays out like a relatively traditional Rail Shooter, where the player is stationary as they are swarmed by enemies. While the player is stuck in position, they can still look around with a full 360 degree camera control, while also adjusting the camera higher, lower and shifting left/right. As the player is attacked, they must use their Pheromone shot to subdue them, which can be achieved by rapid fire or a well time weak points shot.
As the player takes down their amorous pursuers, they will gain points for each successful take down. There is a special combo system with this title, known as Ecsasty Shot, which will count up a streak with each successful weak point hit. This will continue until the player is hit by an enemy, resetting the streak to zero. This makes it important to be quick when taking down enemies, as they can attack up close and at a distance.
Then there is the Lovestrike, which will clear away a bunch of enemies at once. This is achieved by zooming in to a girls eyes, filling up a heart shaped mark on screen, which will activate when full and take down multiple enemies. The different skills can be very useful, as enemies will can hit hard and fast, especially with the ranged attacks that need to be shot down. The player can also be knocked down, making them vulnerable to attack.
But be advised that not all enemies can be taken down with the Pheromone shot alone, as some will be possessed by demons, known as Mini Kurona. These demonic parasites will make the target more aggressive, making their attacks more powerful. To exorcise this presence the player must first shoot them off their host, then use the Demon Sweeper to suck them up. This will make the girl vulnerable to being pacified with regular attacks.
The demon sweeper has limited energy which will run down when using it, starting out at 100%. This can be replenished by taking down enemies, hitting Ecstasy Shots and there will be special angels that can be sucked up for a boost. When the Sweeper runs out of energy, it will recharge to 20% automatically. As the game progresses, the Sweeper can be upgraded, unlocking the special Hyper Sweeper skill for some scandalous results.
Within most stages, there will be transition points, where the player will be able to move between different points. These points will usually pop up when all of the enemies in the area are neutralised, letting the player push forward. In a stage, there will be a mix of single transitions alongside branching paths. The addition of multiple paths to take give stages a lot of replay value, making repeat runs of stages more enjoyable.
There are a few different action types for the stages, with the main one being the elimination stages, where the player needs to reach the goal. Then there are defence missions, where targets must be protected from Mini Kurona demons. The most unique objective is the search, where a set number of items must be located in an area, all while fighting off demons and admirers. These different challenges keep the experience from getting stale.
At set points during the main story and even during the side story events, the player will be pulled into a boss battle. These encounters can be pretty challenging, with the player needing to repeatedly hit the enemy, avoid attacks and clear away items with the Sweeper. The main bosses occur through general play, whereas the side story battles will occur when conditions are met. This makes them optional and can be missed.
When any stage is cleared, the player will get a final score with bonuses provided based on performance. These bonuses are based on the number of Mini Kurona that have been either defeated or captured. When a day ends, the player will return to their room, where they can get additional rewards based on their accumulated Demon Busting score. The higher the total score, the better the rewards that are earned during play.
Returning from the other games in the series is Doki Doki mode, where the player needs to purify a specific character from Demonic possession. These involve targeting set points of the target girl, where they will be shot at until the demons are expelled. As the player removes the evil influence, they will get closer to the target, deepening their bond. If the player is successful with Doki Doki, they will be see the target in their most vulnerable state.
The final element of the gameplay to discuss is the progression system and endings for the game. Unlike the other games, there are no preset character routes, with a general good and bad ending. However, if the player is able to fulfil a set of conditions, they will be able to get one of six special endings. To achieve these special endings, the player may need to build affection, clear missions and complete special events for the love interests.
When an ending has been achieved, the option for new game plus will be included. This feature allows the player to start a fresh game, maintaining their upgrades, items and other unlocks that have been obtained. This allows for players to go for all endings and rewards, making it easier to get 100% completion of the game. Multiple clears of the game will also make all stages available for the bonus Score Attack mode.
Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to discuss the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.
Controls – there is a pretty easy to use control system for this release, offering players the option for either controller or Mouse and Keyboard. I personally preferred to use the PC style inputs, as they allowed for faster aim, better precision for long shots and generally smoother gameplay. But the controller input worked very well, giving a comfortable and playable experience. All of the inputs can be freely mapped, allowing players to tailor it to their personal tastes.
Difficulty – there is a rather balanced difficulty curve to this release, offering a challenge that will slowly build over time. This allows for players to take it easy, get used to the mechanics and improve their skills during the experience. If the player fails at a stage, they will be able to easily restart the stage. This isn’t an issue, as the player will be able to quickly jump back into the action. The only big challenge, may be trying to achieve all the special endings.
Presentation – from a visual standpoint Gal*Gun 2 is a real pleasure to look at, with an excellent use of color and anime style characters that are highly expressive. The overall quality of the visual experience is good, with no issues when playing the game in terms of lag or stutter. The interaction scenes, special events and risqué artwork are very high quality, improving the fanservice on offer. This was a very smooth experience.
The sound matches the high quality of the visuals, providing a soundtrack and music that enhances the overall atmosphere present. The opening theme and title music are my favorites, as the opening is an energetic J-pop style anthem, which is further complimented by the happy bouncy title music. The rest of the music is just as good, fitting all of the events and scenes. There is full Japanese VO for this game, which ties the whole game together.
Final Thoughts – I enjoyed this game on the Nintendo Switch, so it is easy to say I enjoyed this version of Gal*Gun 2 just as much, if not more. There is a lot of fun on offer in this release, with plenty of action to enjoy and a heck of a lot of fanservice. While the other entries in the Gal*Gun series are more traditional rail shooters, this takes the formula and expands it further. It is a little frantic at times, but the story scenes break it up nicely.
There is very little to complain about with this release, the gameplay may become repetitive to some and the fanservice tasteless. The overall package is so much fun to play, with a pretty solid narrative experience that has plenty of depth. There is an unusual bug that causes hiccups, but can be easily fixed by playing in offline mode (it is unknown why it happens). But, I can happily recommend this game to fans of shooters, dating sims and fanservice in general.
In the end, I give Gal*Gun 2 a final score of 4.75/5. This is an over the top shooter filled with some chaotic action, over the top fanservice, comedy and lots of girls to shoot. For what seems like a surface level shooter, there is a lot of depth and enjoyment to be found. There is also a ton of extra DLC content for players on offer. If you want to check this title out for yourself, a link to each version of the game is below.
Link to Steam version (HERE)
Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)
Link to PlayStation version (HERE)
W.Kohaku Media 