The Gungrave G.O.R.E Review: A PS2 Throwback

(CTN News) – Gungrave G.O.R.E was supposed to be my brief escape from the current gaming landscape. It took me away from those gigantic open-worlds that are so trendy right now that we’re even seeing them in the Sonic series.

My first impression of the character action game was that I would be far removed from AAA trends. It took me back to the age of Blockbuster rentals and finding a random PlayStation 2 game to take home and beat over a weekend — an authentic love letter to a simpler time in gaming.

When you open a time capsule, however, you sometimes realize how much bad was mixed in with the good.

As a PlayStation 2 cult classic, Gungrave G.O.R.E is a true throwback rather than a modern game with a nostalgic twist.

This stylish action game has some bold brilliance, but it also has plenty of archaic design choices that are typical of retro games. Like a title from the early 2000s, it’s tailor-made for a specific audience and almost no one else. It’s the right direction for a reboot.

The return of Gungrave

A new entry in the long-dormant Gungrave series, which appeared on PS2 in the early 2000s, Gungrave G.O.R.E. not only returns the series to its roots, but does so in every possible way.

Run-and-gun action, massive explosions, ugly enemy animations, the edge factor – all of it created an over-the-top experience that brought me back to PS2-era games like Shadow the Hedgehog (maybe it’s the red-and-black color scheme).

As a whole, Gungrave is similar to classic action series such as Devil May Cry, God Of War, and God of Hand. In terms of style, the original entries stood out from a flood of hack-and-slash titles on the PS2, but they weren’t your typical action titles.

A bit of modern shine is mixed into the latest installment as well. The Gungrave G.O.R.E series is similar to Platinum Games’ Vanquish or even the Doom series combined with an old arcade shooter like Time Crisis.

You control Grave, a silent protagonist who shoots through endless hallways and rooms filled with monsters and mobs. Though it’s not an easy game, it does leave room for players to put their own stamp on it.

In response to so many failures, I decided to return to the stage, plan my routes better, and prepare my defenses more carefully.

It’s an enjoyable challenge if you’re up for it, but I wish I had come to it more organically. A limited camera and few movement options force players to react to everything the game throws at them.

Getting back to the basics

Let’s face it: Few players truly pay attention to the storyline when playing action games like Gungrave. Don’t expect Devil May Cry 5’s emotional weight or Bayonetta 3’s multiverse-level shenanigans in this one. In keeping with the PS2 philosophy, Gungrave G.O.R.E’s narrative is simple and sweet.

Game director Kay Kim described Gungrave G.O.R.E as a “fun game,” and that’s reflected in the story. In Seed, Grave and friends learn that the evil clan behind its distribution has a history with Grave, a drug that destroys people’s souls. Bullets and explosions are used to stop them.

Yes, it’s not rocket science. The backdrop is just a fun backdrop for all the cool action, just like in the old era of games it harkens back to.

In terms of narrative, Gungrave G.O.R.E won’t be winning any awards, but that’s not its goal. This one is as it appears. You will either love or hate the simplicity of the popcorn movie.

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