Gungrave G.O.R.E Review (PS5)

good
key review info
  • Game: Gungrave G.O.R.E
  • Platform: Playstation 5
  • Show system requirements
  • Gamepad support: Yes  
  • Reviewed on:
Gungrave G.O.R.E screenshot

2022 certainly brought lots of great games, but for fans of the Gungrave series, the debut of G.O.R.E has clearly been one of the most anticipated debuts of the year.

If you’ve never heard of Gungrave, you need to go back to the early 2000s when the very first iteration of the game was launched. And if going back to old-school titles is not your own cup of tea, that’s perfectly fine, because G.O.R.E has everything you’ll need to get up-to-date with what the series is all about.

While critics somehow consider this new release some sort of DLC for Overdose, this is not the case. The new Gungrave game comes with fresh gameplay, substantially improved graphics, and a combat system that has apparently been received with mixed feelings by players out there.

Let’s start with what you’ll figure out as you complete more missions. The action mainly takes place in Asia in locations like Singapore, Vietnam, and Hong Kong, and this is a great way to figure out just how awesome the graphics really are.

The attention to detail can be easily noticed on a PlayStation 5, and while I’m not necessarily a big fan of dark environments, everything looks fantastic this time.

Gungrave G.O.R.E screenshot
Gungrave G.O.R.E screenshot
Gungrave G.O.R.E screenshot
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However, while the graphics are clearly a big selling point of G.O.R.E., you won’t be having too much time to admire them. The fast-paced combat system continues to be one of the main highlights of Gungrave. But this is where the community seems to have different opinions.

I’m seeing quite a lot of people complaining that Grave sometimes feels slow, making it harder (if not impossible) to evade a close battle. In other words, you’re taking damage at a time when you should easily avoid it, and without a doubt, this can’t be a good thing.

However, at some level, I believe that this sometimes slower pace during combats sometimes makes sense. The enemies typically come in packs, giving you a bit of time to recover and recharge the shield between waves. Grave does know how to dive and jump, and while I do agree that these moves aren’t always the most effective, the whole idea during combat is to unleash the chaos on the screen.

And without a doubt, this is precisely what’s happening. Shooting enemies and killing them in every possible way is extremely rewarding, especially when everybody keeps shooting at you. Indeed, there’s no planning involved, and killing enemies is mostly just a matter of pressing the right buttons. But the better you master the different combos, including the Demolition Shots, the easier it gets to manage this chaos.

Gungrave G.O.R.E screenshot
Gungrave G.O.R.E screenshot
Gungrave G.O.R.E screenshot
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What I do want to see improved is the way you aim at your enemies. With a DualSense controller, the whole thing is sometimes rather confusing, especially during intense battles where hordes of enemies keep coming after you. But again, I do believe that the action-packed fights are part of the fun, and the overall slow pace that Grave sometimes shows isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

The cutscenes are cool though not necessarily something to praise, so it’s pretty clear that all the fun in Gungrave comes down to the battlefield.

In many ways, there’s a learning curve involved, and the more you progress, the more it’s easier for Grave to do more with the available weapons. But at the same time, enemies are also getting smarter, gaining new abilities, such as shooting at you with more powerful rockets.

The story itself is divided into multiple levels, and defeating the big boss at the end is the ultimate challenge that you must complete. Needless to say, doing this is also getting more difficult as you progress through levels, and don’t be too surprised if you spend quite a lot of time figuring out what you need to do to kill a boss.


The Good

  • Great graphics
  • Fast-paced combat system
  • Good DualSense feedback

The Bad

  • Grave sometimes feels slow
  • Dealing with packs of enemies feels repetitive

CONCLUSION

While I do understand why so many people criticize Gungrave, the game needs more time to convince even fanboys that it’s worth the time you spend playing it. The mix of stunning graphics – from the glowing elements to the super-detailed forests and streets – and fast-paced fights is what defines the new title, as everything else becomes just a second-class citizen of this new release.

At some level, I think Gungrave shows its full potential when the player discovers all the special skills that Grave can actually master. Demolition Shots can help in so many ways, not only during normal battles with hordes of enemies but also during fights, so Gungrave isn’t the kind of game where you just spam the same button hoping to kill everybody.

So at the end of the day, maybe Gungrave isn’t necessarily the best game of the year, but on the other hand, it’s not the worst either. Playing it is fun, and for fans of the series, it’s a great way to get a taste of what the original iteration of the series was all about.

A review code was provided by the publisher.

story 7
gameplay 8
concept 7
graphics 9
audio 7
multiplayer 0
final rating 7
Editor's review
good
 

Photo Gallery (41 Images)

Gungrave G.O.R.E screenshot
Gungrave G.O.R.E screenshotGungrave G.O.R.E screenshotGungrave G.O.R.E screenshotGungrave G.O.R.E screenshot
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