Gal*Gun: Double Peace is a fast paced, amusing rail shooter which encourages the stereotypical bishōjo genre of it’s similar titles. Appealing to what can only be described as a ‘niche’ audience, this title hosts a mashup of mechanics. It’s a shooting gallery, visual novel and dating sim all wrapped up in a stampede of anime school goers.
Proclaimed as the number one ecchi shooter, Gal*Gun:Double Peace is not for the faint-hearted (and definitely intended for a mature audience.)
Gal*Gun Double Peace is availible for purchase on Nintendo Switch, Playstation and Steam.
A hands-on experience
As the title begins, we are introduced to our protagonist and swiftly asked to decide what personality they have. A handful of options are present upon first play, but several remain locked due to incompletion of specific storylines. As a perfectionist, having several personalities to unlock which may shift the gameplay in certain ways is one of the most engaging elements in a title like this. It’s a continuous drive to replay stories time and time again, even if one scene may be slightly different. Each personality type also comes with several ranked characteristics, such as athleticism and *ahem* lewdness. These characteristics will increase/decrease during gameplay depending on how well you act during a stage, but they are never really explained in detail.
The same goes for tutorials prior to new levels. Whilst they explain briefly what you need to do, the only real learning comes from completing tasks. Which occasionally can be detrimental to your relationship with certain characters. Gal*Gun is a very hands-on experience (literally) in terms of gameplay . Which is quite ironic as it feels a bit like you’re learning alongside the protagonist. Boss battles come in several forms, from a simple pattern with analogue sticks to strategically using your weapon during a fight to save your lover. They’re not repetitive in visual aspects, which I went into this game thinking would be the case, but in terms of mechanics once you’ve done one you’ll understand how to do the rest.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
Visually, Gal*Gun Double Peace is a nice looking title. It’s got the bright colours that you’d expect from something so fast paced and anime inspired. It runs smoothly for the majority, and it’s very user friendly. Everything is accessible and understandable when you need it. Menus are easy to navigate, as are several elements of DLC which are interpreted into the base game. All in all, it definitely looks the part. The only issue is some of the movements whilst you are going around the map from the perspective of the protagonist feel a bit rigid. They move almost robotically, so the game strays from being a first person shooter like a Call of Duty game.
More than meets the eye
It’s also full of unlockable content, which is great should you want to play it several times over. More often than not you’ll spot something to collect and move too quickly before you can actually gather it. You also don’t learn where some collectables are hiding until halfway through the title where you accidentally find sandwiches smuggled under someone’s uniform. It’s a very comical approach to unlockable content and it feeds into the humorous atmosphere of the game. There’s also a scrapbook of sorts which contains all the information you could possibly want to know about each student. So, once again, you’ll need to keep cycling through levels should you want to complete this.
In terms of repetition, this title can seem a little so if you’re playing with difficulty set to beginner. You’ll find the gameplay to seem a bit linear and the soundtrack will no doubt get on your nerves. Not to mention the consistently repeated voice lines of NPC’s in every single new area you enter. If you’re searching for a faster experience, then try your hand at expert mode. Sure your health bar is far more likely to deplete under the boot of the least expected, but it’s got a little more fun behind it. The three hour runtime of this title is something you’ll probably want to keep putting down to come back to after a while.
Final thoughts
As a whole, Gal*Gun Double Peace is certainly fun. It is easy to pick up and definitely engaging in terms of gameplay. Even the simple story and sour outcomes will leave you wanting to try again. Be prepared to feel a little frustrated from time to time though, because the repetitive nature of this title will be the thing stopping you from a handful of attempts in one sitting. But if you’re searching for something fun and lighthearted and you’re a fan of the bishōjo genre or already existing Gal*Gun titles, then this is definitely for you.
