Gal*Gun 2 - Pole Position Pin-up

A chaotic, tongue-in-cheek rail shooter where charm, awkwardness, and pinup-style hijinks collide in the weirdest afterschool exorcism ever.

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Gal*Gun 2 – Pole Position Pin-up: Review of the Most Awkward Rail Shooter I’ve Ever Laughed Through
Let me say it up front: this one is weird. Like, really weird.
I went into GalGun 2 – Pole Position Pin-up* expecting something goofy and slightly chaotic, but it managed to blow even those expectations out of the water — and then blush while doing it.

If you’ve played a GalGun* game before, you know the formula: rail shooter meets anime meets high-speed awkward romance. This one adds an extra layer of absurdity, pinup-style character designs, and enough inner monologue to make you question your life choices (in a good way).

And somehow, despite everything, it was… fun? Let me try to explain.

What even is this game?
At its core, GalGun 2* is a first-person rail shooter where you’re armed with a special gun that shoots "pheromone energy." Yeah, you read that right. You use it to "exorcise" demon-possessed schoolgirls by… uh… charming them back to normal. It's all played for laughs, but the humor lands best if you're already a fan of absurd anime tropes.

The Pole Position Pin-up version adds new character outfits, side missions, and visual polish that leans into the whole “pinup” aesthetic — think retro poster style meets modern anime vibes.

It’s self-aware, exaggerated, and absolutely not meant to be taken seriously. If you try to approach it with the same mindset as, say, Resident Evil, you’ll probably just stare at your screen in confusion.

Gameplay: like House of the Dead… but with hearts and blushing
Most of the game takes place on rails. You’re guided through corridors, rooftops, and classrooms while waves of possessed classmates rush at you. Instead of gory enemies, you’re greeted with shy giggles, flustered dialogue, and very dramatic slow-motion moments.

Mechanically, it's about fast target acquisition, managing crowd control, and keeping combos alive. You “aim” using your camera and shoot with your pheromone blaster, charging shots for bigger emotional reactions.

There are also mini-objectives, like looking for hidden items or helping specific characters with requests. These are surprisingly varied — one moment you’re chasing a cat with a drone, the next you’re trying to snap a perfect photo without getting caught. It adds just enough variety to break up the repetition.

The “pinup” content: more funny than risqué
Let’s talk about the Pin-up in the title. It’s not what you might think.

Yes, the character designs lean heavily into the whole pinup vibe — stylized poses, themed outfits, exaggerated animations — but it feels more cheeky than exploitative. Like a cartoon winking at you rather than trying to be provocative. The devs clearly know they’re being ridiculous, and it works because they lean into it unapologetically.

You’ll unlock outfits (maid, gym class, sci-fi battle suit... you get the idea) and pose sets that play into this theme, mostly through side missions or good performance. I went into it side-eyeing the whole setup but ended up laughing more than anything else.

It’s like watching someone do karaoke in full costume — awkward, charming, and kind of endearing in how committed it is.

Characters: anime tropes turned up to 11
Every character is a walking trope — the clumsy girl, the overachiever, the tsundere, the childhood friend who "doesn’t feel that way about you (yet)". And yes, you’ll end up in situations straight out of an anime comedy episode, complete with ridiculous misunderstandings and overreactions.

There’s also your AI sidekick — a floating mascot character who comments on your “missions” with a mix of sarcasm and baffling advice. I kind of wish she had her own game.

Dialogue is voiced in Japanese with subtitles, which somehow makes everything more over-the-top in a good way. The writing never takes itself seriously, and I appreciated that. You’re not here for Shakespeare — you’re here for chaos and charm, and it delivers both.

Customization and replayability
There’s actually more content here than I expected. Between the main story missions, timed challenges, outfit unlocks, and side events, you can easily spend 10–15 hours in this bizarre universe.

And if you’re the type who wants to 100% everything, good luck — some side missions are oddly hard to trigger, and others require specific rankings or timing.

The “Doki-Doki” mode also returns, which is as absurd as ever. It’s part mini-game, part stat challenge, part comedy skit. The less said, the better. You’ll either roll your eyes or laugh your way through it.

Things that didn’t quite hit
Okay, not everything worked for me.

The controls on mouse/keyboard felt slightly off — definitely recommend a controller for this one. The camera occasionally spazzes out in tight areas, and some levels feel way too short. Also, the tutorial barely explains what half the icons mean.

There's also a weird pacing issue. Some parts of the game rush by, while others drag out longer than they should. A little trimming here and there would have made the whole thing smoother.

And yeah, if you’re not in the mood for constant anime-level ridiculousness, this game is going to wear thin quickly.

So why did I keep playing it?
Because it made me laugh.

Not in a “this is so bad it’s good” way — more like “this is so weird and honest about what it is, I respect it.”
There’s something refreshingly unfiltered about GalGun 2 – Pole Position Pin-up*. It’s messy, loud, occasionally uncomfortable, but always aware of how ridiculous it is.

And somehow, that makes it work.

Final thoughts (aka, should you try it?)
Look, this isn’t the kind of game I usually write about. It’s not chill or grounded or meaningful in the usual ways. But it is something unique — and that counts for a lot.

If you’re looking for a strange, self-aware, anime-soaked shooter with a generous side of pinup flair and absolutely zero chill, this might be worth your time.

Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.

— Max