Gal Gun: Double Peace

Lore & Background

The game is set at Sakurachi Academy in Japan. The story begins when cupid angel Ekoro, during her exam, accidentally increases the dose of a love arrow by thirty-two times, causing every girl at the school to become madly in love with protagonist Houdai Kudoki. A demon angel, Kurona, also targets Houdai and strikes girls with her staff, making them express love through aggressive "crush bullying." Houdai must find his "True Love" before sunset or face a life alone. Two sisters, Shinobu and Maya—childhood friends of Houdai and secret demon hunters—are unaffected by the curse and hunt Kurona while rekindling their bond with Houdai after three years of silence.

Gameplay involves fending off waves of female classmates using the pheromone shot, which subdues them by giving euphoria. Kurona's cursed girls require the player to first shoot a mini demon angel hovering around them. The player can zoom in for accuracy and see through invisible walls. The game features a shop run by Aoi, a musician unaffected by the curse, where items and upgrades can be purchased. Donations to Aoi unlock her secret ending. Branching paths and dialogue trees allow the player to choose stages and affect affection levels. Over seventy girls are present, each with specific endings. A "Mom’s Arrived Screen" changes the game's layout to resemble an RPG, available on PC and PlayStation 4 versions.

The game was released in Japan by Alchemist, with international publishing by PQube. The North American release was limited to online retailers: VGP.ca in Canada and Amazon.com in the United States. Rice Digital handled British sales, offering a standard and a collector's edition (the Mr Happiness edition) that included a wall scroll, artbook, soundtrack, bonus DLC, and a screen cleaner shaped like female undergarments. The Canadian launch edition from VGP included an artbook. The North American Vita version had a misprint on the box, incorrectly labeling the ESRB rating as 'E' for Everyone instead of 'M' for Mature, with the correct description of "sexual content." The game was not recalled due to its online-exclusive distribution.

Reader's Guide

Gal Gun: Double Peace received "mixed or average" reviews on Metacritic, though it fared better in Japan with a Famitsu score of 31/40. Critics noted the game's extensive replay value, branching paths, and large amount of content to unlock. GameRevolution gave it an 8/10, praising the depth added by the ability to see through objects and the variety of scenarios, while criticizing the faulty touch controls and sexualization of underage girls. Destructoid awarded both the PlayStation 4 and Vita versions a 7.5/10, highlighting the replay value from multiple endings, collectibles, and differing scenarios based on path selection. The game's significance lies in its uncensored international release—a rarity for its genre—and its niche appeal as a content-rich rail shooter with a distinctive, perverse premise. The delayed releases and limited North American distribution, along with the ESRB misprint on the Vita version, contributed to its notoriety. The later Nintendo Switch port, released in 2022, included DLC and a new opening cinematic, extending the game's lifespan into the next decade.

Did You Know?

• The game's North American Vita version was misprinted with an 'E' for Everyone rating instead of the correct 'M' for Mature.
• The collector's edition, called the Mr Happiness edition, included a screen cleaner shaped like female undergarments.
• The game was originally scheduled for release in Europe on July 15, 2016, but was delayed to July 22 due to manufacturing delays.