Iggymob’s less-than-stellar revival of the Gungrave franchise, Gungrave VR, heads to PC VR in March.
The game will launch on the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive on March 6th. It was previously only available on Sony’s PSVR. The base game will cost $24.99 with the add-on episode, Gungrave VR U.N. coming in at $9.99. A package containing both of them costs $29.74.
In Gungrave VR you control a gun-slinging steampunk cowboy named Grave. Through a mix of third and first-person shooting, you take down scores of enemies that pour in from all sides.
Both games are now listed on Steam. As with the PSVR version, they can only be played using a standard gamepad as a seated experience.
We frankly thought Gungrave VR was one of the worst VR releases of 2018. Not only did the core gameplay not make much sense inside a headset but there was barely any content and the presentation was hugely inconsistent. It played like an outdated shooter that was struggling to find a reason to exist. Somewhat impressively, Gungrave U.N. was even worse, adding in pointless 2D side-scrolling sections.
“Gungrave VR is probably the worst game I’ve played in VR this year,” we said in our review. “It’s a stripped back PS2-era shooter that can be beaten in less than an hour and has absolutely no reason to be in VR. It’s entirely incoherent, utterly devoid of intrigue and, despite releasing in Japan last year, plays like it’s half-finished.”
We obviously wouldn’t advise picking this one up, then.
Last December XSEED Games published IGGYMOB’s frantic shooter Gungrave VR exclusively for PlayStation VR, as well as the additional Gungrave VR U.N episode. Today, the publisher has announced that both titles will be coming to Steam in March, supporting both HTC Vive and Oculus Rift headsets.
Both Gungrave VR and Gungrave VR U.N on PC will be almost exactly the same as the PlayStation VR version, the only difference comes from additional expanded graphical options and settings to give players more control over their individual experience.
Featuring both Japanese and English voice options and designs from original character designer Yasuhiro Nightow, Gungrave VR and Gungrave VR U.N put you in control of undead assassin Beyond the Grave with his iconic pair of massive handguns, Cerberus. With levels containing a mixture of free-roaming third-person gameplay and first-person fixed or on-rails sections, Gungrave VR is all about mixing up the different gameplay options for maximum effect. Players will find Grave has an array of shooting attacks, close-range strikes using Grave’s Death Coffin, slow-motion Reaper time, and more.
Gungrave VR will feature six levels of intense action while Gungrave VR U.N introduces three new levels, new side-scrolling and sliding gameplay, and opening and ending animated movies.
The story synopsis for Gungrave VR explains: “Many years have passed since the war against the nefarious drug, SEED. Mika Asagi lived a quiet life watching over the undead soldier Beyond the Grave (Grave, for short), who returned to his slumber. Those halcyon days ended suddenly, as South City turned into a war zone torn apart by Orgmen, humans infected with SEED.”
Gungrave VRand Gungrave VR U.Nwill be available through Steam from 6th March 2019. Gungrave VR will retail for $24.99 USD, €24.99 EUR, and £19.99 GBP, while Gungrave VR U.N is available separately for $9.99, €9.99, and £7.99. Or you can buy the ‘Loaded Coffin Edition’ which includes both titles for $29.74, €29.74, and £23.79. And for the launch week, all versions will come with a 15 percent discount.
VRFocus will continue its coverage of Gungrave VR, reporting back with any further updates or announcements.
I’m not sure exactly who was campaigning for a Gungrave resurrection, let alone one in VR but, judging by just how ludicrously detailed the game’s Wikipedia entry is, they’re out there. If you are one of the few waving that flag then best strap yourself in; this is not going to be pretty.
Gungrave VR is probably the worst game I’ve played in VR this year. It’s a stripped back PS2-era shooter that can be beaten in less than an hour and has absolutely no reason to be in VR. It’s entirely incoherent, utterly devoid of intrigue and, despite releasing in Japan last year, plays like it’s half-finished.
This isn’t a port of the original game, though it may as well have been. In the 14 year gap between releases developer Iggymob hasn’t made a single change to the way you control protagonist Grave, who uses all of the same animations from the 2002 original let alone the 2004 sequel. For the most part, you run around in third person, dodge incoming bullets and then return fire by holding R2. The only difference between playing in VR and the old games is that you now aim with your head.
But what was an already-dated design is made worse here. At least the original Gungrave had a simple linear level structure and some impressive destruction, for the time. Gungrave VR’s three on-foot missions consist of, at most, three tiny areas in which you’ll just need to shoot enemies that pour in to set points until you’re allowed to move on. The destruction is completely gone and, aside from text-based mission briefings that you’ll miss if you don’t return to the main menu between levels, there isn’t any explanation for the different scenarios you’ll suddenly find yourself in.
It was a random, lifeless hour I spent inside VR.
There are missions that implement on-rails first-person shooting but they’re entirely unremarkable, lacking any sort of punch to its presentation and relying on the same basic set of enemies from start to finish. Perhaps the one level with some semblance of justification for being in VR is a mission on an air bike in which you face off against a massive blimp. But the game switches between fighting the blimp and fighting regular enemies at random. The blimp just suddenly disappears and then there are new enemies in front of you. It’s dizzying and disjointed nearly to the point of being unplayable.
All of this might be forgivable if the core ‘gun-fu’ aspect of the game was at least fun to play. In reality, Gungrave VR is one of those ugly reminders that some games don’t play as well as you remember them. The controls are stiff and animations have to be seen through before you can attack enemies as they arrive. Though the entire campaign is quite easy on Normal difficulty, there are some boss fights that will lock you into cheap attacks that push you over, repeating them until you die (at which point you need to start the level over). The most surreal thing about Gungrave VR is to be reminded how bad early 00’s game design could be inside VR. You could chase for high scores, of course, but the game simply doesn’t have the design complexity and agile control scheme that would convince you to do so.
Final Score: 3/10 – Bad
Gungrave was a poorly received shooter in 2002. 16 years on, Gungrave VR copies and pastes its mechanics, tacks on pointless VR support and builds about 50 minutes worth of new content into the game. That’s not exactly a recipe for a runaway hit, is it?
Gungrave VR is available today on PSVR for $39.99. Read our Game Review Guidelines for more information on how we arrived at this score.
Last week VRFocusreported on Gungrave VRfinally getting a launch date on PlayStation VR. That was for the North American version with no mention about whether others territories would be included. Today, that’s now changed, with VRFocus able to report that both Europe and Australia will be getting Gungrave VR on the same day, several days earlier than the US.
While Gungrave VR and Gungrave VR U.N will be launching in North America on 11th December, Europe and Australia will get the videogames on 7th December instead, confirms publisher Marvelous Europe.
The standard Gungrave VR version will be available digitally via PlayStation Store, while Gungrave VR: Loaded Coffin Edition – which includes Gungrave VR and Gungrave VR U.N – will be available the same day in digital and physical form just in Europe.
In Gungrave VR, players take control of undead assassin Beyond the Grave with his iconic pair of massive handguns, Cerberus. With levels containing a mixture of free-roaming third-person gameplay and first-person fixed or on-rails sections, Gungrave VR is all about mixing up the different gameplay options for maximum effect. Players will find Grave has an array of shooting attacks, close-range strikes using Grave’s coffin, Bullet Time, and more.
Gungrave VR will feature six levels of intense action while Gungrave VR U.N introduces three new levels, new side-scrolling and sliding gameplay, and opening and ending animated movies. The videogame is launching with Japanese and English voice options and features designs from original character designer Yasuhiro Nightow.
VRFocus got hands-on with Gungrave VR at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) finding that while certain sections worked ok, the implementation of VR as a whole wasn’t as good as hoped. With the title nearing release, VRFocus will wait and see what the final version is like and give you a verdict.
Beat Saber may be out, but there are at least two more PSVR release to keep an eye on this year. One is Borderlands 2 VR, the other is something a little different.
Iggymob’s Gungrave VR, a PSVR-exclusive port of a cult classic shooter, will be hitting the platform on December 11th 2018, which is just a few days ahead of Borderlands. The game will arrive with two editions: a standard version costs $29.99 but the deluxe ‘Loaded Coffin’ edition also includes a second standalone game, Gungrave U.N., for $39.99. Also playable in VR, Gungrave U.N. expands on the story of the original game with three new levels.
In the standard game, you control a stylish assassin named Beyond The Grabe (really) that blasts his way through levels. Gameplay is comprised both of the free-moving third-person sequences seen in the original game and new first-person sequences in which you’ll either be moving on-rails or standing still and fending off hordes of enemies. Gungrave U.N. will also introduce new side-scrolling missions. You’ll be able to pick it up separately for $14.99.
Gungrave VR came out in Japan late last year though we’re still not exactly sure how the game’s going to turn out. There isn’t much left on the PSVR front for the year, though, so it may be worth keeping an eye on this.
Ever since VRFocus heard about IGGYMOB bringing famous action series Gungrave VR headsets we’ve been keenly intrigued by the prospect. Originally, the title was due for launch in 2017 for PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive. While the latter two seen to be in limbo, PlayStation VR fans will be pleased to know that Gungrave VR will be arriving next month.
Featuring third- and first-person gameplay modes, Gungrave VR will be launching in North America digitally and at retail on 11th December, 2018. That date will actually be a double whammy of content for gamers with Gungrave VRU.N, the standalone second episode which greatly expands on the story and gameplay of Gungrave VR will also launch on the same day.
A bundle called the “Loaded Coffin Edition,” which includes both videogames at a discounted price can be pre-ordered now on the PlayStation Store at $39.99 USD, or at retail stores for the same price for the physical version. Or should you wish to buy Gungrave VR just by itself then it’ll be available on the PlayStation Store for $29.99.
Gungrave VRU.N, which does not require the core title to play, will be available separately for $14.99. As a bonus, all pre-orders at the PlayStation Store will come with an exclusive “Loaded Coffin Edition” theme.
The Gungrave VR “Loaded Coffin Edition” includes:
Two PlayStation®VR for PlayStation 4 system games: Gungrave VR and Gungrave VRU.N
Gungrave VRU.N standalone game features
3 New Levels
Challenging new side-scrolling and sliding gameplay
3D sound system
New Opening and Ending animated movies
In Gungrave VR, players take control of undead assassin Beyond the Grave with his iconic pair of massive handguns, Cerberus. With levels containing a mixture of free-roaming third-person gameplay and first-person fixed or on-rails sections, Gungrave VR is all about mixing up the different gameplay options for maximum effect.
Last year, it was announced by IGGYMOB, Marvelous entertainment and XSEED Games that the PlayStation 2 shooter Gungrave would be returning in virtual reality (VR) format. Marvelous Europe have now released more details on what fans can expect from the physical release of the title.
It has already been confirmed that Gungrave VR will continue the story established in the 2004 sequel Gungrave: Overdose. The physical release of Gungrave VR has been titled as Gungrave VR: Loaded Coffin Edition.
It has now been announced that the physical release will include a game disk for both Episode 1 and the stand-alone Episode 2 DLC Gungrave VR U.N., which will include three new levels and some new gameplay elements, such as side-scrolling and sliding. A 3D sound system and some new opening and ending animated movies will also be included.
As with the previous Gungrave titles, Gungrave VR puts players in the role of Grave, wielding his dual pistols he refers to as Cerberus along with a mental coffin which can be used for melee attacks, and a special power called ‘Reaper Time’ which gives Grave the bullet time-esque ability to slow down time.
Players will have the challenge of mastering different play styles, as levels can either be free-moving, third-person style, or in first-person action which includes both stationary and mobile gameplay.
A range of enemies will stand in Grave’s way, all of whom will need to be taken down by mastering the use of Grave’s various shooting attacks and short-range melee strikes.
Gungrave VR: Loaded Coffin Edition will be available in Autumn of 2018 at selected retails, priced at $39.99 (USD). A precise release date is yet to be confirmed. A digital version will also be available from the PlayStation Store, with episode 2 available as DLC, which will be playable on its own without needing to buy the base game.
For further coverage of Gungrave VR and other upcoming VR titles, keep checking back with VRFocus.
Ever since its announcement back in April last year, we at VRFocus have been particularly interested in any news that might concern Gungrave VR. Finally confirmed to be coming West back in May, the fast-paced virtual reality (VR) shooter by IGGYMOB, Marvelous Entertainment and their “independent-minded” publishing team XSEED Games, Gungrave VR sees a return to a universe that videogame fans first got to visit back on the PlayStation 2 in 2002. It’s no spin-off either, as the title’sstoryline will continue that established in the original Gungrave’s 2004 sequel Gungrave: Overdose.
After a recent increase in appearances (including E3 and Anime Expo) and promotional media, XSEED today have revealed details as to the physical release of the title and what fans can expect in the way of DLC when it releases in Fall 2018.
Gungrave VR sees players take on the mantle of signature character Grave once again, as he takes up Cerberus, his set of dual guns and gets ready dispense his own brand of justice on anybody foolish enough to get in his way, in a mix of third and first person gameplay. That which VRFocus tried at this year’s E3 proved something of a mixed bag. But as Peter Graham mentions in his preview, the bullet hell title isn’t short of “bold flashy visuals”.
XSEED have confirmed that Episode 1 of Gungrave VR will be available to purchase digitally for $29.99 (USD) via the PlayStation Store, with the standalone episode 2 DLC Gungrave VR U.N. available as a separate digital purchase for $14.99 – and doesn’t actually require purchase of episode 1 to play. Those who are keen on getting themselves a physical copy however will be able to get what XSEED are calling the Loaded Coffin Edition. Which will feature both the base game and the DLC, which comprises three additional levels. It will be available at “select retailers” and will cost $39.99 (MSRP). This will provide “the complete Gungrave experience” according to the publisher.
An exact release date has still to be revealed, and VRFocus will bring you news of this as well as any confirmation given on retail partners for the title as soon as we hear anything.
While standard videogame ideas do work in the virtual reality (VR) realm, most developers and players realise that a title made specifically for VR utilises the techs unique features. Titles like Rez Infinite for example work just as well – if not better – in VR than on a standard flat screen, while others like upcoming experience Gungrave VR offer little in the way of uniqueness or novel VR implementation.
Gungrave VR saw its first western showcase earlier this month on the XSEED Games stand during the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2018. Developer IGGYMOB announced the title last year, reviving the franchise by continuing the storyline from the 2004 sequel Gungrave: Overdose whilst optimizing the VR version from the original 2002 title.
If you’ve not heard of Gungrave before the videogames are very much in the on-rails, bullet hell style of gameplay where players have to destroy waves of deadly enemies with a few boss fights thrown in for good measure. For the E3 demo there were two sections on offer, one showcasing a first-person section while the other was in third-person.
Diving straight into the FPS portion of Gungrave VR there were no major surprises instore. With bold flashy visuals that popped up with score combos and words like ‘Great’ it’s all about killing all the enemies as quickly as possible using a pair of dual wield pistols that don’t require ammo, they just overheat so they needed venting every so often.
Like many of these titles success is a mixture of being reasonably fast but more importantly learning each opponents’ pattern, with some flying around at distance while others dive straight at you. While a reasonably entertaining blast this first-person section doesn’t exceptionally shine as a good use of VR as most of the time is spent looking at one small area where most of the enemies spawn from.
The first-person section may have been underwhelming but the next area helped to improve the overall experience with far more dynamic gameplay. Now able to see the character Gungrave VR adds a camera control option giving greater dexterity over where you can look – useful when playing on PlayStation VR. Obviously gameplay stayed the same with waves of enemies to blast through using those powerful guns, or when charged a devastating superweapon best saved for the boss.
Each section has been design to be short and intense, roughly taking around 10 minutes each. With that in mind Gungrave VR will likely feature plenty of set piece action, here’s hoping that IGGYMOB will venture more towards the third-person levels than first-person.
The latter does tend to be seen as the easier fit for VR, putting players inside the character for a more immersive experience. As videogames like Moss highlight, that’s not always the case with Gungrave VR’s third-person action much more enjoyable – if a little less frantic – than its counterpart, which feels like a downgraded Robo Recall. There will always be a market for this kind of gun filled action, whether VR enthusiasts have already had enough of wave-based shooters is another issue entirely.
Fans of PlayStation 2 shooter Gungrave were delighted to learn that the series would be making a return in virtual reality (VR) form. Gungrave VR promises the same action-packed experience as its predecessor, along with some new twists to match the PlayStation VR platform.
The developers and publishers behind the project, including XSEED and Marvelous Entertainment recently showcased Gungrave VR at E3, and are now giving fans a closer look at what they can expect with the release of some new screenshots.
Gungrave VR stars Grave, a man raised from the dead to fight criminal organisations who make and peddle a dangerous drug called SEED, whose effects can transform users into hideous monsters. Players team up with a character who fans might be familiar with, Mika Asagi, to eliminate the last of the drug from the city and take down the criminals who create and distribute it.
Players can expect free-moving third-person sections which will be familiar to those who played the previous Gungrave titles. Players will have numerous weapons to try out, including Grave’s trusty pair of pistols and a giant coffin to use as a melee weapon.
There will also be stationary first-person sections which will utilise the PlayStation VR to let players feel they are participating in a classic arcade shooter, only with the added impact of VR. Players will need to take every last advantage to defeat monsters and criminals, including the time-bending effects of Bullet Time.
Jason Hayato Higa, Localisation Lead at XSEED has said that the team considered Gungrave VR to essentially be Gungrave 2.5 in terms of where it fits in with the wider series, so fans can expect the title to remain faithful to what has gone before.
Gungrave VR is expected to be exclusive to the PlayStation VR, though a release date for the title is yet to be confirmed. The new screenshots are available to view below, and VRFocuswill be sure to bring you any updates on Gungrave VR and any other upcoming VR projects.
