Gungrave G.O.R.E is a third-person shooter that continues the story introduced in Gungrave (2002) and Gungrave: Overdose (2004), but players don’t need to be familiar with the previous games or the anime adaptation to immediately get a firm grasp on the story. The recently resurrected gunslinger Beyond the Grave (Grave for short) and his El-Al Canhel comrades are attempting to eradicate SEED, a mutagenic drug propagated by a group called the Raven Clan. When Mika, El-Al Canhel’s leader, becomes contaminated by a particularly potent SEED strain, El-Al Canhel’s objective shifts to include keeping Mika alive and searching for a cure.

For better or for worse, Gungrave G.O.R.E’s narrative doesn’t extend far beyond this exposition. On one hand, it’s disappointing that a 12- to 15-hour game has a storyline that amounts to little more than fighting an evil drug cartel, supplemented by a handful of expendable cutscenes (which are often awkwardly translated/voiced in the English audio version). On the other hand, very few players will add Gungrave G.O.R.E to their library expecting—or desiring—any degree of nuance or subtlety from its worldbuilding, so many may not think of it as any real loss. They’re here to complete a clear-cut mission, which is emblazoned across the screen at the start of each level: “Kick their ass.”

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Although the story may lack depth, combat in Gungrave G.O.R.E isn’t quite as simplistic as it may initially appear. Grave is armed with a pair of handguns (collectively called Cerberus) used for distance and midrange attacks, and the coffin he keeps strapped to his back (Death Hauler) functions as a melee weapon and a means of deflecting projectiles. While some levels can be brute forced with nothing more than straightforward shooting, the most gratifying aspect of Gungrave G.O.R.E is chaining together various abilities in quick succession to unleash a stylish storm of attacks.

By landing consecutive hits to drive up their “Beat Count” and performing special moves to increase their “Art Score,” players earn more of the in-game currency used to enhance Grave’s skills. The most exciting powers in Grave’s arsenal are “Demolition Shots,” which manifest as grandiose animations that can damage multiple enemies while simultaneously restoring Grave’s health. For players who enjoy Gungrave G.O.R.E’s gameplay and find themselves employing many of the special attacks at Grave’s disposal, attempting to conquer each stage with increased difficulty settings while aiming for the highest possible score is an entertaining challenge that boosts the game’s replay value.

However, it should be noted that most of the levels in Gungrave G.O.R.E are linear and rather repetitive—Grave moves through an area while taking down waves of enemies until he reaches a final checkpoint or encounters a boss battle. It feels more like an on-rail shooter than anything, as there are no items to collect or diverging paths to explore, just torrents of adversaries to brutalize in typical Gungrave fashion. All the while, a new character named Quartz acts as a guide of sorts, reciting annoying, wholly unnecessary lines like “Grave, the enemies are approaching!” or “Grave, watch out!” and unfortunately souring players' introduction to an otherwise promising addition to Grave’s group of companions.

Many of the character designs and redesigns are of a high caliber, though, for companions and enemies. Grave’s remodel is sure to please fans of the franchise; he’s the same instantly recognizable character he was in 2004 but has been gifted with textured clothing and a more expressive face. The Raven Clan members are another high point of its various designs, though sadly, the otherwise fabulous Big Wushen falls victim to cheap sexualization tactics when she transforms into her Superior form and suddenly finds half of her bodice missing.

The level design is quite pleasant, with a similar attention to detail as most of the character models—Gungrave G.O.R.E is slicker and more vibrant than its predecessors but still reminiscent of Yasuhiro Nightow’s other work. The game takes players on a journey through several Southeast Asian locations like Hong Kong, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore, with scenery ranging from neon lights to verdant jungles, all of which make a great backdrop for the copious amounts of carnage Grave leaves in his wake.

Boss battles in these locations offer some much-needed variety, often requiring players to take advantage of the dodge and jump abilities in Gungrave G.O.R.E that can be underutilized in regular stages. Overall, though, there isn’t enough diversity among terrain, enemy types, or objectives to justify Gungrave G.O.R.E’s 31-level spread. Many of the earlier stages in particular give the impression of “padding” meant to extend the game’s playtime, but on the positive side, they allow new players ample opportunity to master Grave’s moveset before proceeding to levels with tougher enemies.

To its credit, Gungrave G.O.R.E does attempt to break the monotony by incorporating some light platforming elements and making two additional characters (Bunji Kugashira and Quartz) playable in a limited capacity. Unfortunately, Grave is just not built for platforming—he’s slow and bulky with a tendency to bump into obstacles with his upper body even when his feet appear to have landed in the right place. The stages that require him to navigate the top of a train, jump across boxes suspended from the ceiling, or roll between laser beams feel like tedious, frustrating roadblocks instead of the novel challenges they’re meant to be.

Bunji is more nimble than Grave and quite fun to play as, but Quartz’s segment suffer from more poorly calibrated platforming, technical difficulties, and ill-placed checkpoints. The most significant issue involves Quartz occasionally getting stuck in the space between platforms if she doesn’t land dead center, and there was also one instance we encountered of an upper-level enemy remaining out of reach, causing the checkpoint to be unobtainable. While adding new elements to Gungrave G.O.R.E’s gameplay was undoubtedly an enticing prospect, a lot of these mechanics are missing the polish needed to take the game to the next level.

Despite its shortcomings, there’s something undeniably enjoyable and nostalgic about Gungrave G.O.R.E’s straightforward, no-nonsense approach to the action/shooter genre. The game’s promotional trailers repeatedly promised three things—bullets, beauty, and “a badass” anti-hero protagonist—and it delivers these attributes in spades.

Gungrave G.O.R.E is available now on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. Game Rant was provided a Steam code for the purposes of this review.

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