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awsome..........

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 13
Date: January 28, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This Game is awsome. Its an action game.Graphis are stunning and detailed.i would givee it a 10 of 10

SEGA! SEGA! SEGA!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 19
Date: February 04, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This game has got to have the coolest cover graphics yet for the X-BOX. It looks awesome, and so far all the screen shots look hot.
I can't wait.

this rocks

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 16
Date: March 03, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This is so cool I think this is as good
as HALO and that is very good GUN VALKYREY
ROCKS

THE HEAT IS ON!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 4
Date: March 15, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Sega and Smilebit have done it again, and do so with style!!! Last month came Jet Set Radio Future, and this month it's Gunvalkyrie.

Gunvalkyrie is definitely a must-have game for Xbox owners. It has a great gameplay, great graphics, and good sound effects (only good because the sound seems like an afterthought compared to the gameplay and graphics quality). I have played the game (not the demo version) and it's awesome!!! The control scheme felt like it needed more work, nevertheless it did not ruin the experience for me. It was still a blast -- literally!!!

If you haven't gotten a copy of Gunvalkyrie, reserve yours now either at your local electronic store or here at Amazon.com. Rest assured, you'll enjoy the game!!!

Beautiful looking action game made less fun due to unforgiving control scheme

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: March 15, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Gun Valkyrie for the Xbox system was one of the games touted to show the processing power of Microsoft's very first video game console. Game developer Smilebit (also developed another Xbox game, Jet Set Radio Future) and publisher Sega succeeded in creating a beautiful game. Gun Valkyrie fully harnesses the Xbox's ability to create great graphics, especially smoke and particle effects. What bring's this action game down was the inclusion of one of the most unforgiving control schemes of any video game I've ever tried.

The game is set in an alternate timeline, early 1900's where humanity has found a way to harness the power from the passing Halley's Comet and thus discovering brand-new scientific applications for this new technology. Gun Valkyrie uses the steampunk theme of the sci-fi genre and does it well. The art design of the game mixes beautifully Victorian-era architecture with futuristic weaponry and gear. Planets are soon colonized and it's in the space colonies that the story takes place. Gun Valkyrie is pretty much an action shooter where the player gets a chance to choose between a female or male fighter and shoot down an inordinate amount of aliens which have a passing resemblance to the arachnids in the film Starship Troopers. Again the design of the alien planet and its inhabitants are well rendered and makes this a great looking game, but its the control scheme which for some reason makes uncomfortable use of the two analog sticks for movement by way of clicking them.

Gun Valkyrie would've been one of the great games. Not just in terms of look and design. It definitely wins high marks for graphics and production design. But its the unforgiving controls which turns a difficult game into one that's beyond frustrating that it cancels out any fun the game may provide a player.

Fantastically complex control scheme may turn some away.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 15 / 15
Date: March 20, 2002
Author: Amazon User

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.

Fun, but test it first

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: March 20, 2002
Author: Amazon User

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.

A Five Star game BUT...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 6
Date: March 22, 2002
Author: Amazon User

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.

Gun Valkyrie is ok, but it is nothing compared to Halo

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: March 22, 2002
Author: Amazon User

I was a little put out on this game. I gave it a good hour, and I tried to get into it, but I could'nt. The fine people at Sega, I would say, missed a really good chance to make a really good game. Its basically a point and shoot game, but it does alot of the pointing for you. The controls are frustrating and the whole concept seems un-original. Like I said, its ok. But not a great game.

Smilebit is on a ROLL!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: March 24, 2002
Author: Amazon User

With Jet Set Radio Future and Gunvalkyrie out and on the XBOX, Smilebit shows their keen ability to create fun, original and stylish games, easily putting them up as one of SEGA's best game designers. Graphically, this game is what owning an XBOX is all about; amazing, fantastic and packed with detailed levels. Two characters to choose from, upgradeable weapons and insane enemies this game is a sci-fi riot. People have been complaining about the control, complex as it maybe and will take a little bit of time to master but does not distract from the gameplay one bit. Gunvalkyrie shines and is an impressive addition to anyone's library.

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