Gal*Gun originally released on the Xbox 360 in Japan back in 2011. A PS3 version was eventually made, but both versions never got an English localization. Fortunately for the game’s sequel, Gal*Gun: Double Peace, interest in the title was high enough that the game would see an international release. Much like the original, Double Peace carries on the on-rail shooter gameplay. For this particular game though, you’re not shooting bad guys or zombies, but high school girls and teachers who are very affectionate toward you. Needless to say, the premise of the Gal*Gun series is unique and certainly not for everyone, but for those who can enjoy Double Peace for what it is, there is actually an enjoyable gameplay experience to be had.
Story of Gal*Gun: Double Peace revolves around the main character, Houdai, an ordinary high-school student. Through a series of mishaps, he is shot with a charged up Cupid’s Arrow of sorts and finds himself being chased down by all the girls at his school. Aside from his childhood friends, who happen to be demon hunters. The angel that shot Houdai explains to him that due to the charged shot, he has 24 hours to find his true love or everyone in the world will no longer be able to develop feelings for him, and he’ll spend the rest of his life alone.
Obviously, finding your true love is hard to accomplish when you’re constantly being chased down by love-crazed girls. This is where the shooting aspect of the game comes into play. By utilizing the “pheromone shot” you’ll be able to calm down the urges of the girls you encounter.
On-rail shooter is a simple concept in general, so it’s quite easy to pick up and play Double Peace. Aim your cursor on your target and press a button to shoot. There is some depth involved, as the girls you’re shooting have weak points that you’ll need to hover your cursor over in order to expose and also a charged shot to make use of. There’s also an in-game shop that you can can make use of to make your shots stronger or to help you take less damage. So some strategy and quick reflexes are needed in order to really be a master at the game.
Also at your disposal is Doki Doki Mode, which uses up a meter that can fill up to three levels as you’re playing. Based on how many levels your meter is at, determines how many girls you can take into Doki Doki Mode. In this mode, you need to aim at a girl’s weak point in order to build up thier gauge. Once all of the girls’ meters are filled or if time runs out, you’ll end Doki Doki Mode. This will then trigger an explosion that will instatly take out any other girls in the area. So a nice safety net to depend on if you find yourself in need of it.
The Good: You’re not just shooting girls either. Each level in the game has a set of quests tied to them, and you’ll need to be on the lookout for specific objects or students in order to complete them. These quests are presented as a conversation so they’re not too straightforward, but do give subtle hints on what to aim for. It’s another layer of depth that I was surprised to find with this particular gameplay style.
Another mechanic I was surprsied to find and enjoyed is that there are multiple paths you can take in the story, particularly based around which female character you are after. So there’s actually a bit of dating sim elements in the game. I think that mechanic really matches up nicely with the replayability nature of these on-rails shooters. And given that a complete playthough of the story only takes a few hours, having multiple endings and plot lines offer good motivations to replay the game. It’s still a bit repetitive since many of the game’s stages don’t change in each route, but you’d be surprised at how different these routes can be.
The Bad: I’ll say this first of all, I don’t mind the sexual natures of the game. It is what it is, and I knew what the game was going in. So this particular complaint isn’t about what’s being presented. It’s mainly the gameplay aspect of it all. So with that said, this is probably my only real main complaint with the game.
There are particular events in the game that are presented as mini-games. Pretty much a way to put the main female characters into some lewd positions or unfortunate yet convenient mishaps for our hero. These mini-games are a mix of shooting and also a rubbing mechanic. My main complaint with the events are with the rubbing mechanics. It can feel a bit inaccurate at times. For exmaple, during these mini-games you’ll be asked to rub upward on the PS4 touch pad or in a circular motion, in order to build up a meter. I often found myself struggling during these portions cause it felt inconsistent, and was hard to know if it was the controller or my rubbing. It’s just more of a nitpick than anything. Would’ve preferred that stuff being mapped elsewhere, but after many playthroughs of those mini-games, I’ve gotten much better at it.
Also, there’s no PS Move support for the game on PS4. The original game on PS3 did have it, so it’s a little unfortunate that they didn’t keep that feature around for the sequel. Would’ve actually liked to try the game out with a PS Move.
Overall Thoughts: Gal*Gun: Double Peace is a “unique” experience. An experience that many will, unfortunately, feel turned off by. For those who aren’t too bothered by what’s presented, they will actually find a very enjoyable on-rail shooter for the console and handheld. Compared to on-rail shooter games I’ve played in the past, Gal*Gun: Double Peace is probably one of my favorites. The dating sim elements and side quests make the replayability of the game feel less of a chore and more of something you actually want to do. Mainly cause you don’t actually see everything in one playthrough, like most usual on-rail games. Due to that, Double Peace is a very content heavy shooter that I highly recommend to those who are interested in the title. I was certainly surprised by how much to the game there is and it’s probably one of my favorites this year so far.
