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Say goodbye to your controller

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 2 / 6
Date: February 08, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I cannot recommend this game to anybody (unless I want to see that person throw a fit). The only thing this game has going for it is its visuals. That's why I gave it a 2 instead of 1. The music is lousy and was so repetitive I had to turn the music volume way down just to keep from getting a headache. The story is as wierd as any other Japaneese anime of late. This game had the worst controls I have ever come across for the XBOX and that includes "Grabbed by the Ghoules". Even if only properly used the controllers took a lot of physical abuse in this game. This is because an often used move (thrust) essential to the game's play has been assigned to the left stick depression with no possibility of remapping. The problem with the thrust being were it is is that it HAS to be combined with a directional move to even work. Directions are also controlled with the left stick. So for example a basic move would be; push left stick in, hold it down, and move forward. That would give a forward thrust (rather than just a forward walk). Sounds simple enough on paper, but when you are forced to moved about the game like this for hours on end (thrusting quickly takes over walking) it gets to your thumbs as well as your controller I am sure. I would fail a thrust move often just becasuse it is physically awkward to perform (not just because I run out of thrust fuel). During those times I would fail to push in the stick hard enough to initiate that thrust. To add insult to injury this game doesn't end with just basic thrusts. To invoke more powerful moves from your character series of thrust moves have to be performed one after another without any break in combinations. One mistake and you start all over. To achive a "heightened" state from within your character 25 uninterrupted thrust moves have to be performed. Uninterrupted means that you cannot get hit by enemy shots or touch the ground. This is really hard to do in game considering the small amount of thrust fuel at your disposal. Throw in the aformentioned controls and it borders on impossible.

'one of the better action games I've played.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 10 / 10
Date: July 20, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I had never heard of GUNVALKYRIE (which I'll refer to as GV) before seeing it as a reccomendation here on Amazon when I got my Xbox. I read all the reviews, most of which complained like sissies over how the controls were confusing, or how the game got harder in the later parts. Well, don't listen to them. There's nothing hard or frustrating about GV, it's just a different game, and definately not for everyone. If the left trigger acting as 'jump' bugs you, then tough luck. I guess I can see how they annoy people since there isn't any other game that controls like GV, but it didn't bother me.

The plot doesn't really matter- most of your missions consist of clearing out all the enemies in a given area, or reaching an item at the end of the stage. But what's going on is a comet has passed the atmosphere, and causing havock. 'not that original, but this is an action game, so story isn't a priority. If you've seen Starship Troopers, or played Jet Force Gemini on the Nintendo 64, that's what GV is kind of like. But I use that comparison loosely. It's up to you to go through wave after wave of bugs. While shooting up your enemies, you'll be flying through the air doing flips and rolls to raise technique points which boost your score at the end. It's not necessary, but it adds to replay in getting an 'S' rank in every level.

You can also pick between two characters: Kelly and Saburouta. Kelly of course, is the faster of the two and more agile. She can fire her gun faster, but it's not as powerful as Sab's. Not at first anyway. She has access to more upgrades, and is the one that most first time players are going to use going through the game. Sab is the working horse, carrying a missile launcher which disposes of enemies with just one shot most of the time. Though it says that he's a "steel-nerved samurai" on the back of the box, he doesn't use his sword except during the animation of his special attack. If he did use his sword though, that would make for a cool challenge since he'd have to engage in very close combat. The game says he's better for experts, but that's not really true. He's just more clunky to use. Pick whoever you want though, since you can pick either one in just about every mission unless noted otherwise.

GV has a strange little customization deal going on. At the end of each level, you'll get a given number of points to buy upgrades for you weapons, armor, special attack gague, etc. But the thing is, they don't really matter. You can go through the game easily without upgrading once. One upgrade is to lock-on to more enemies, yet a lot of people who've played the game still don't get how to lock-on. You're better off spending your points on reserve energy, so if your health gets depleted, it'll refill completely so you can get back to capping everything.

The graphics are pretty sweet. The colors and textures are beautiful, and sometimes you'll stop just to see how well designed the levels are. Even simple things like small rooms in a shaft are full of detail. Leave it to Smilebit to put so much work into the graphics. I'm not disappointed one bit here. And loading times can't be more than 2 seconds. You go from the menu to game type select, to the mission, to your character, to the mission outline and *poof* there you are.

The music and sound effects are equally as great as the graphics. I got the soundtrack because the music was that good. Some levels have techno tracks, one has an ambient-jazz track, others have rock, and the final fight has one of the best last boss tracks I've ever heard. It was worth getting the soundtrack for that alone. The voice acting, for what little bits there were, was average. Not good, not bad. It's not laughable like the first Resident Evil on PSone, but sometimes lines are delivered blandly. But that doesn't matter, you only hear them in the beginning cutscene and the end for the most part.

There isn't a whole lot of replay value. You can easily go through the game in one sitting if you don't look for all the Halley Cores in the levels. But getting all the Halley Cores is fun, and unlocks Kelly's third costume. Hoo boy is that third costume something. It pretty much renders Saburouta useless. She can practically fly, lock on to tons of enemies, gets a stronger gun, and more. Plus the costume's kinda cool looking too. After beating the game once, a challenge mode is unlocked. This is where most of the replay is- you can go through any level with Sab or any form of Kelly. So the bosses that you had to use Kelly during the story mode can now be taken out with Sab. It's kinda sick how fast he can take some of them out with just a few lock-on missiles.

GV's faults? Looking around with the right thumbstick is sort of pointless because of how sensitive it is. You're better off just turning around completely most of the time. And like I already said, the game can be completed in one sitting. But the biggest thing is that if you're a casual gamer, you're more than likely going to hate GV. I'm not trying to sound biased toward the company, but this is probably best played by Sega fans, who know the company and what they've done in the past. That shouldn't stop you though, it'd be good to try a game as creative as this. Plus you just have to hear some of the music. I can't stress it enough.

You're better off getting GV elsewhere. I haven't seen it for more than $20 at any game store, and the Used & New prices here are pretty fair. Don't get this for your son or daughter if they're 14 or younger. They're likely to throw a fit over the controls not being familiar. Is GV for the "hardcore" gamer? Not really. It's just not for the casual gamer that spends most of their gaming time with Grand Theft Autos or Final Fantasy games. It's an action/shooter, plain and simple.

Porcupines and Butterflies

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 7
Date: March 19, 2003
Author: Amazon User

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.

Very challenging and a lot of fun!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 8
Date: March 14, 2003
Author: Amazon User

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.

Does anyone get this game?

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 1 / 4
Date: December 11, 2002
Author: Amazon User

The game play is difficult, and tedious. I had no desire to blast my way through a nearly infinite supply of monsters. The timed missions are the worst. There are only two characters, and the upgrades for them are limited. The best thing I can say about the game is that the graphics are amazing.

Unjustly maligned controls

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 7
Date: October 09, 2002
Author: Amazon User

There are people who claim that all games should have simple, intuitive, pick-up-and-play control schemes. While I agree that simple and familiar controls are obviously a plus, some games, such as GunValkyrie, involve innovative mechanics which neccessitate 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 GV 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 manuvering and shooting, there's just no feasible way to relegate any of the controls to the face buttons. If they did, you'd have to remove your thumb from the right joystick, and that would immediately sever your control of the character. There's just 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. GV'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.

Beautiful graphics, by the way!

Prepare to have hand cramps from mashing buttons!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: September 30, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This game looked intriguing to me. It had that sci-fi, mutant bug everywhere, everything is trying to kill you, you are a one man/woman army who must save the world feel that I oh so crave. The visuals are nice(so purty) but I've come to expect nothing but the best from my beloved X-box. This game pits you against millions and millions of bugs and you have nothing but your insane dash/jump abilities and some very sci-fi-esc weapons to defeat them. This was one of the first games I played after I got my X-box hooked up, and I must say that this game got me very familiar with the X-box's controller layout(which by the way some think is insanely huge but I think is very comfortable). The levels are a bit confusing, but just keep in mind that everything must die(use the map). I spent over an hour trying to figure out how to get to a door. The most exciting part of this game(i.e. what makes it so unique) is it's button mashing control system which has you press the jump button, then the analog stick in while pushing forward, then backward, then to the side, then to the other side, and then to the front again. Congratulations, you now know how to play the game. During the first or second mission(i don't remember) there is this huge hole in the ground with some flying bug creatures. Once you take care of them, go play with the jump/dash over the cratered area, but stay above the jets of air that will shoot you up in the air if you screw up. I did this for an hour and I think I am a pro at the game now. This game is extremely frustrating when you press a button wrong and quit jumping around in the air and fall into a big mass of bugs(and oh will they kill you fast!). I would not suggest this game for children, anyone who doesn't have patience, anyone who frustrates easily, or anyone who likes a game that you can easily pray a spray(i.e. just shoot your weapon in random directions hoping that you will hit something)and defeat the competition. There is a steep(we're talking mount Everest) learning curve that makes this games player's limited. To recap, buy if you are a sci-fi fan, a big one, and don't if your not. It is as simple as that.

Best gameplay in a while

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: August 30, 2002
Author: Amazon User

FAST and INTENSE gameplay. The mechanics of the gameplay are the best in any game I have EVER played (even better than NES' Ninja Gaiden series). It cannot get much better than this.

The story should be a little more complete, and it should be a little longer. Maybe 24 levels instead.Plus I turned off the music because it was a little annoying.
If anyone needs a good fix before the new Ninja Gaiden comes out I HIGHLY recommend GV it is SOO worth the price.
~swank

ok game

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 0 / 4
Date: August 23, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This is an Ok game. It would have been a little better if it WAS'NT SO FRICKIN HARD!!!!!!!!!!!
It gets boring after the third level that is merely impossible.
This game is a renter. DO NOT BUY IT.

classic sega (but do you konw what that means?)

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: August 19, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Ok first things first, no this game is not easy, yes this game has a long learning curve, and no this is not a game for the casual gamer. however if you are familar with sega at all you will konw that it prefers to make their games for the hardcore gamer. also sega likes to make each board test a differnt skill, which will be necessary in beating the boss characters. This game has a completely origional button layout, and has absoutely no similarities to any other game. For some reason sega is being attacked for trying something new. I konw what your thinking, New isnt alwayse better, right? Right! .. but in this case this happens to be a very fast exciting and absoutely fun game to play, if (and only if) your willing to put some effort into this sucker. NO its not Metorid, NO its not Halo, and dont get mad at it when its not. Anyskills you have from any other game will not help you here. i promise you will curse the controlls at first, but by the last character(if you get that far) you will be greatful that they didnt let you learn how to play this game the wrong way because it would be impossible at times. Try it, give it a good hour before you decide weather or not you like it, and my personal advice, watch the game demo to see exactly how this game is ment to be played, THEN see what you can do. ...

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