New Review Posted: Gungrave: Overdose

[Daniel Weissenberger]

Mike Bracken finishes off our all-sequel week with his review of Gungrave: Overdose, and says:

"Normally, the reviews here at GameCritics.com start with what I like to call a preamble—Chi and Dale like it when we find a theme or an idea that resonates outside of the gaming industry and tie it into the game review itself. However, sometimes one must just cut to the chase, and the chase here is that Gungrave: Overdose is a bad game. Oh, it's technically proficient—it won't crash or lock up a PlayStation 2—but it's so bland and uninspired that one has to wonder how it ever got released. At its worst, it's a vampire in CD form, sucking all the joy out of any gamer unfortunate enough to put it in their PS2. At best, it's a thinly veiled "commercial" for the anime series that spawned in the wake of the first title. What it is not, however, is fun."

You can read the rest of the review here: http://www.gamecritics.com/review/gungraveod/main.php

[Doug Troy]

I respectfully disagree with about all of that review. My counter: Rocketbilly Redcadalliac.

I win.

[legendarypegasu]

Gungrave OD is repetituous, the controls are only okay, and the two additional characters don't really add to the game; but I loved it.

Even though I disagree with you, great review Mike. The game has some serious flaws, but for some reason I was able to overlook them and enjoy the game.

[Mike Bracken]

Originally Posted by Doug Troy

I respectfully disagree with about all of that review. My counter: Rocketbilly Redcadalliac.

I win.

Hehe, I keep seeing all these people saying they liked the character, but I can't figure out why.

Mike B.

[Mike Bracken]

Originally Posted by legendarypegasu

Even though I disagree with you, great review Mike. The game has some serious flaws, but for some reason I was able to overlook them and enjoy the game.

Thanks.

Honestly, I think I felt that same way about the first game, and then getting this one which did like nothing new, I just couldn't get into it.

I think I was extra cranky the week I played the game too.

Mike B.

[Boy]

Yeah, I'm gonna say I loved it as well. Though it's not exactly difficult to see why people could be easily repelled by it.

And since you mention the anime, I have to say it sucks pretty bad. They like took everything cool out of the story. Yes, I know there wasn't much in the first place, but it did have some nice touches. Brandon (Grave pre-death)is now an angsty longhaired teen instead of a professional, clean cut looking hitman. He's in love with the Boss's daughter instead of his wife, which basically lets the anime team skip dealing with any issue more complex than "OMG my crush is dating my best friend WTF?!"

[Brad Gallaway]

i'm going to have to side with Mike B on this one... i really thought the first Gungrave was pretty OK for what it was, but Mike's review nails my feelings on #2. it just doesn't look as good, it doesn't feel as good, it's too long, and it lacks the "wow, this isn't too bad" feeling that #1 had by being out of left field. i put it on my shelf without even bothering to finish it, and that's pretty darn rare for me.

[legendarypegasu]

Originally Posted by Mike_Bracken

Thanks.

Honestly, I think I felt that same way about the first game, and then getting this one which did like nothing new, I just couldn't get into it.

I think I was extra cranky the week I played the game too.

Mike B.

I can see why you gave the game a 3.0. It is around the score I would have given for the first game. I still don't think Gungrave OD is anything special. I think the reason why I enjoyed it is that I played it in very shorts segments. I was playing Star Ocean 3 at the same time and I popped in Gungrave OD whenever I got bored or frustrated with SO 3. So it took me a little over 2 weeks to beat the game. So the repetition and other such flaws didn't have as great effect on me as they did in the first game.

I also can say for sure that the $15 price tag did give me a more favorable perception of the game