Gungrave VR

Gungrave, like when it debuted over a decade ago, is an acquired taste. It's rigid and not particularly welcoming, two qualities that are exasperated in VR. Despite its problems, I'd welcome another go at Gungrave (or a revival of that Planet Gunsmoke Trigun game), and it looks like we're getting it. But you can skip this outing.

Gungrave VR has a poorly implemented control scheme, a lack of story content, it doesn't take advantage of the technology available in the PSVR headset, and ultimately lacks enjoyment in its core gameplay. Unfortunately, Gungrave VR has failed to raise the series from the grave and we'd advise everyone to let this one lay to rest.

Unfortunately, I don’t really recommend Gungrave VR. Perhaps if you happen to be a die-hard fan of the series, but even then I’d think carefully before spending $30 on a two hour game, with such low quality. This game really does not feel like it was designed for VR.

Gungrave VR is a game that not only tarnishes its own legacy but also leaves a bad impression of VR as a whole. The gameplay is shallow, as attacks feel slow and lack any sort of impact. The limited nature of the stages and the lack of any intelligent enemy combat makes the affair boring, but the clunky implementation of VR is what really drags down the game. The VR feels unnatural, and it doesn't safeguard one from getting nausea. There's still hope that the upcoming sequel will fare better, especially if it sticks with more traditional gameplay elements and presentation, but this VR take is one that players can easily skip.

I was excited for the return of Gungrave. Especially since PlayStation VR had been so impressive for me recently diving into the technology. Sadly this experience is just not worth dropping the cash for. There are a ton of better VR experiences for Sony’s headset.

Regardless of the format, Gungrave VR doesn’t really offer any major reason to try it. It just exists, although even that is up for debate considering how little content is actually available.

Gungrave VR is actually one of the rare virtual reality titles that fails to have anything minutely interesting to it. Like there was no reason for this to be a PSVR game other than to be a distraction on how bad the game is. The nonexistent story is one thing, but broken, uninspired, and basic gameplay is another. Don’t play this game. Even if you receive a virtual reality headset and this title for free.

GunGrave VR is tough to recommend to anyone outside of GunGrave purists, and even then there isn’t enough content here to justify its asking price, and what's there is largely a chore to play through.

Gungrave VR  comes across as a game where the devs were hyped for the possibility of VR but didn't know the best way to utilise it for an engaging experience. It's very short, there's no coherent story, the camera feels weird and not well implemented in the third person mode, and it all feels a bit bland. There are much better ways to spend your time and money unless you really have an hour to kill and Gungrave VR gets a very deep discount.

Gungrave VR is a generic shooter wrapped in the new-tech allure of VR. For fans of the 16-year-old PS2 series, this will no doubt bring up some nostalgic feelings. But the incredibly small amount of content on offer will turn off most gamers looking for a fuller experience. The launch price of $29.99 isn't doing the game any favors, either. This is an especially poor launch price when you consider that the last game launched at a $15 price point, and lasted at least five times longer. Only the most hardcore Gungrave fans may want to check out Gungrave VR at this time. Everyone else can afford to wait for a sale.