Customer Reviews

Gun Valkyrie

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

GUNVALKYRIE, from Sega is a beautiful game, set in a fantastic electric-punk alternative 1800's world. The graphics are astonishingly beautiful, the action is fast and frenetic, and the missions are reasonably varied, and fun.

All this comes at a price, however.

In an effort to fully utilize the xbox's controller, Smilebit has come up with a control scheme that is as versatile as it is difficult to learn. While you'll be giggling with unabashed glee as you leap into the air, jump over an enemy, blast it to pieces, cartwheel to the side, turn to the left, and fill a handful of aliens full of lead (or whatever it is your gun shoots), all in the span of maybe half a second, and all in one fluid motion, it's not easy to get to the point where you're that familiar with the controls.

In essence, the left analog stick controls your body, and the right analog stick controls the direction your arms (and thus, gun) face. Left trigger jumps, right trigger shoots, face buttons switch weapons. But it's way more complex than that, because of the analog stick clicks, which add a whole new world of complexity to the controls. Click on the left stick and move, and you'll "boost dash", either forward, to the side, or backwards. Click on the left stick, and you'll change facing, in 90 degree increments, depending on which direction the stick's pointed in.

So, while you'll be able to execute that jump-dash forward-shoot-cartwheel-turn-shoot move, it'll require you to left trigger/left stick click forward/right trigger/left stick click right/right click stick left, all in sequence. Rewarding, but again, difficult.

Once you've invested the time, though, GV's an incredible experience. You'll start on the ground, running from the bugs, but by the end of the game, your feet won't even ever touch the ground.

A unique, fast-paced experience, full of interesting levels, and a really unique world. If you can deal with the difficult controls, you'll be well rewarded with an action game unlike anything ever made.

Many people seem to believe that *all* games should have simple, intuitive, pick-up-and-play control schemes... and that any game that does not is not worth playing. Period. While I agree that simple and familiar controls are obviously a plus, some games, such as GunValkyrie, involve innovative mechanics which necessitate controls that are complex and unprecedented and require some effort on the part of the player to learn how to use them properly. The impatient gamer will fumble around for a few minutes, stop playing out of frustration, and delcare that the game stinks. The more dedicated will take the time to familiarize themselves with the controls and the mechanics until they have a firm grasp on them.

A lot of people who dislike GunValkyrie bemoan the fact that the dual joysticks are used to the exclusion of the face buttons. They see this as a design flaw. On the contrary, rather than a flaw it's an utter necessity in order to facilitate the game play. In a way, GunValkyrie is like an updated version of Robotron 2084. It's all about moving in one direction while aiming and shooting in another. As Robotron proved 20 years ago, the best way to do this is by using dual joysticks. The game involves so much constant maneuvering and shooting, there's simply no feasible way to relegate any of the controls to the face buttons. Doing so would require you to remove your thumb from the right joystick, instantly severing your control of the character. You've got to keep both thumbs on the sticks. There's no other way to allow the player to launch into the air, jet horizontally over an enemy to get a clear shot at its weak point, and then aim down to fire at it. GunValkyries's controls are innovative and empowering to the point that they deserve an award.

All of that said, this game is indeed challenging. But the difficulty doesn't come from poor design or merely being "cheap". It's just an excellent update of the good old fashioned arcade style shooter that requires patience, practice and skill.

The beautiful graphics don't exactly hurt either.

First of all, I am not a typical gamer. I'm a 38 year old mother of two who hasn't really played video games since my Atari days back in my teens (which I was pretty good back then). So when we bought an Xbox last month I didn't think I'd get much use out of it. The first game I played was Buffy the Vampire Slayer and I absolutely loved it!! The second game is GunValkyrie! I think it's a blast! I haven't had any trouble at all with the controls and I don't get what all the complaining is about. I followed the instructions in the beginning (the first level, you get pop ups that tell you how to do things). When I knew I needed to learn how to fly, I read the instruction manual and just practiced it until I got it. There is a big pit in the second level where you need to fly and I practiced a lot in that area and had some fun zooming all over the place. I read that another reviewer also suggests this and I think it is a good time to hone your skills.

I think the graphics are very good in this game. The sky looks really cool and when you look up at the sun you get solar glare. I haven't really noticed the music that some people have complained about at all.

This game is really challenging and you do get frustrated when you have to start a level all over again because you died but it is also fun trying to figure out how to get through each level. Yes, at times I'm ready to throw my control at the TV but I'd be bored stiff if the game was too easy. Just today I had a timed level where you are assigned to kill a specific species and I had 30 minutes to do it in and I had done this level a whole bunch of times and have gotten better each time but this last time I ran out of time a few seconds away from victory!! Not looking forward to doing it again but when I complete it I'll be thrilled!!

I suggest though because others have said that the controls are hard to figure out to rent the game first and give it a try.

It can be honestly said that GunValkyrie is visually stunning. It's anime style graphics will please all. It is definately an XBOX only game (too graphically intense for PS2 and the controls were obviously designed with the XBOX controller in mind only).

The game centers around an alternate reality, where the British Empire controls much of Earth, thanks to a British scientist discovering how to harness the energy residue from Haley's Comet in the 1900s. After the scientist (his name escapes me at the moment) and the inhabitants of a colonized planet disappear, two GunValkyrie are sent to investigate.

The game itself plays out like Halo meets Starship Troopers, where you battle it out with a variety of giant insect swarms in 20 or so missions.

And now for the "BUT"

This game is NOT for everyone. It has a very high learning curve in respect to player movement - and I mean a HIGH LEARNING CURVE. All 6 buttons, both thumb sticks, and both triggers are used heavily. Once you get the hang of it, a lot of the game will remind you of classic NES games, where you have to make a long series of timed jumps (actually, they're jet-pack boosts). This wouldn't be so bad, if you did not have to start the mission over again - from the beginning - if you die (try jumping from small platform to small platform in a 3D environment while giant mosquitos are dropping bombs on you in one life!). Another way it will remind you of old NES games is that after every mission, you can "buy" power-ups.

Another intersting aspect of the game is how unforgiving it is if you don't walk, fly, and fight in the manner the game expects you to do. You will find yourself boosting all over the place to avoid swarms of giant insects to survive - mess up, and it's back to the beginning.

As I stated, this game is not for everyone. If you thought moving your character in other games was finicky, you ain't seen nothin' yet. Once you learn how to navigate, the game is incredibly fun and fluid. I think it is one of the best games ever made, but there will be a lot of people who will disagree because of the difficulty in learning how to play.

Originally slated by Sega for release on the Dreamcast (and to have used a controller in conjunction with a light gun!), GunValkyrie is the type of game that is becoming rare these days: a skill-based, challenging, unique experience. But it adds superb graphics and sound, and some of the best videogame art found in the current generation.

It wasn't Halo that sold me on the Xbox (although it's a fantastic game in its own right), but Sega's steampunk bug-shooter with the bizarre and perfect control setup.

It's intentionally ironic, I think, that the "A" button - often the primary button for most games - has no game-based function in GunValkyrie. Smilebit (the Sega team that developed GV) has introduced an ingenious control scheme that's one of the best things to happen in the 128-bit era. Simple, yet demanding, especially when combined with the devious level designs of the planet Tir na Nog. Contrary to what others may say, GV's controls are NOT terrible. They do exactly what they're supposed to do, with no lag between input and execution. What the doomsayers mean is that the controls are UNFAMILIAR. Smilebit throws you into the middle of hordes of enemies, with tiny platforms to navigate, daring you to complete the obstacles. Much like MDK2, GV starts tough and quickly gets tougher, but in doing so, it causes you to adapt and grow, to the point where you are regularly maxing the boost combo meter without even thinking about it, rarely touching the ground. That is the sign of inspired game design. With dedication and patience, anyone can learn the controls, and the payoff is an "in-the-zone" feeling, along with a dazzling midair ballet as you deal matchlock cannon and drive-gun death to the insectoid minions.

And what visuals there are. The animation for all characters is astounding, and the boss creatures are awe-inspiring, horrific, and memorable. Small details, like how your character absorbs the recoil of gunfire, are everywhere. The best part of the graphics, however, are the levels themselves. The Valley levels teem with organic, pulsating life, uplifting air currents, and remarkable skylines. The Civilian Base halls sport alien, yet familiar architecture, with huge gears and semi-transparent doors. The real winner is Naglfar's Pit, a mile-high acid-filled gorge with drifting lights, multiple platforms, and an odd, almost underwater ripple effect to everything, along with a haunting music-box soundtrack and insane ramblings from...well, I'll leave that to you to discover.

GunValkyrie combines the best aspects of the shooting, platforming, and adventure genres into one incredible experience, adds a heavy dose of much-needed innovation, and tops it off with a perfectly realized, surreal atmosphere, polishing everything to a hypnotic shine. Some may argue that once you learn the controls, the game becomes simple, and while that's true in part, the joy is in the journey, not necessarily the destination. Getting "S" rankings on all missions will take some time as well! Sega is one of the gaming industry's last real pioneers, and it's good to know that they're still around. Microsoft also gets a nod for taking a chance on this kind of title on a relatively new console.

Anyone looking for something a little different, or a serious challenge, owes it to themselves to try GunValkyrie. Gems like this are becoming precious few.

I'll cut right to the chase: GV is an incredible game. Yes, it features a bizarre control scheme that seems to be asking you to "wax on / wax off" an awful lot at first but it all makes sense later. You have to divorce yourself from the idea that you're playing a standard, run around and shoot things game. Instead, you're playing a fly around and shoot things game. Learning to fly is quite difficult, but once you get there it provides for an incredibly unique, truly three dimensional gaming experience. Playing GV is like performing a martial art: you will be weak at first but as you go along you will slowly morph into a master and literally float like like a butterfly and sting like a main battle tank.

Some words of warning though: GV is difficult...OK, really difficult...OK, incredibly, insanely hard. It is a throwback to the days of video games that don't hold your hand. If you aren't the patient sort or if you just enjoy rolling over the opposition like a juggernaut, GV may not be for you. Also, it is lacking some features that should be standard these days. Halo has shown us the way and GV really begs for a split screen cooperative mode and a deathmatch mode (GV deathmatches would be just awesome). You also cannot go back and replay levels you've already beaten just for the heck of it, there are no controller configuration options, and there is only one difficulty setting. It is these ommissions which keep the game from recieving the five stars it really should have. Hopefully they fix all this in the sequel. (Smilebit: there will be a sequel, right? Please!)

When I picked up this game, I was looking for a challenge, and I sure got one! This game is quite challenging, and will give you many hours of fun play.

This game is an anime lovers dream. It captures the frenzied action of a Japanese anime mech battles. Your character is equipped with rocket powered battle armor. The control scheme allows for twitch action in mid air combat versus an army of mutant bugs and killer drones!

Nothing matches the action of tumbling and twirling in the air like a humming bird while boost dashing and performing aerial ballet and insane mid air combos.

This game puts you in frenzied action worthy of a hardcore Gundam battle in zero gravity.

I love this game. The graphics and tight and the action is insane!

Gun Valkyrie is a very fun "blast'em" style game. The graphics are very good, frame-rate is very good, the story is a little weak, but that's not the object of the game anyway.

The controls take some getting used to. If you like traditional third person controls, and refuse to accept anything else, this game is not for you. Getting used to the new scheme does take some time, but works well once you get the hang of it, literally. The boosts and the jumps are very awkward at first, but are logical if you don't approach it with a pre-set notion of how controls normally work. As with all video games, I strongly urge consumers to test the game first, either on the in-store demo, or as a rental before buying. I really enjoy playing this game.

AFTER I STARTED PLAYING THIS GAME I THOUGHT ABOUT METROID AND SAMUS. THE PLAY CONTROL MAY NEED A LITTLE WORK BUT I CONSIDER THIS A TEST RUN FOR SEGA AND SMILBIT. IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL TEST WITH A FEW FLAWS BUT OVERALL I'D SAY NINTENDO HAS SERIOUS COMPETITOR GUN VALKYRIE AGAINST METROID AND THE SEQUEL WILL MOST LIKELY BLOW THE DOORS OFF MTROID AND SAMUS ARAN (WELL, THAT'S MY OPINION I'M GOING TO STAND BEHIND 100%.). BETWEEN SAMUS ARAN AND KELLY OF GUN VALKYRIE, I'M 100% FOR KELLY BECAUSE OF THAT AWESOME GV SUIT. WITH THE GV SUIT (ESPECIALLY KELLY'S EVOLUTON 3 GV SUIT) THERE IS ALMOST NO LIMIT TO WHAT YOU CAN DO. I HOPE GUN VALKYRIE 2 TAKES FULL ADVANTAGE OF EVERY THING THE XBOX HAS TO OFFER.