If asked to guess which PS2 games will get sequels in 2022, it’s unlikely we would have answered GungraveThe original was released in 2002 and was the brainchild of manga artist Yasuhiro Naito, best known for writing critically acclaimed novels. TrigunThe original Gungrave was a very basic but stylish third-person shooter featuring a guy named Grave. Armed with two pistols, unlimited ammo, and a giant coffin, he confronts the drug syndicate and his four bosses who run it.
Twenty years later, there’s a sequel, an animated series, and two VR titles. In a stylish and incredibly basic third-person shooter, Grave battles a drug syndicate and his four bosses who run it. Yes, this is Gungrave, for better or worse.
The main gameplay loop is walking down a hallway and shooting everything in sight with your twin pistols. Use weird super moves, grabs, or basic melee combos to make your way through hordes of enemies while constantly shooting. The pistol is not automatic, so it doesn’t shoot either. Expect him to mash the R2 button like he’s 15, the sweatiest in the CoD lobby. If it doesn’t permanently damage the hand, it will definitely damage the trigger. This is especially annoying since the original game had a long-press toggle.
When the game takes a break from the corridors, it offers a level design that looks like a train level early on, which is frankly awful. This is bad enough during normal missions, but falling off the side of a small platform is quickly game over Worse if possible. The game repeats this trick over and over.
If you’re excited to hear “New Gungrave,” this is the game for you. Well worth it, but it’s nailed down. It really feels like a lost PS2 game and it’s something we love. However, it had the advantage that the original game was about 2 hours long, whereas GORE took about 12 hours . series.
