PlayStation 2

Gungrave: Overdose

Not a bad game here in Gungrave Overdose. If you like fast and furious shooters that are based on cool Anime flicks then this game should be just right up your alley. The fact that this game is only about $15 brand new is also very attractive to the buyer. You will actually be getting a pretty fun game. And I can honestly say that if you buy this game you will get your moneys worth. This game is not for kids though, that’s why it has an M rating for Mature 17+. The game has blood and violence as well as a bit of cursing. But hell, it is still a pretty damn cool game for us adults! And the FMV is just beautiful! Check out Gungrave Overdose. As I said earlier the game is packed with over 50+ minutes of this great FMV.

The difficulty level ramps up decently, unlike the first game’s rather uneven (partially to the point of near impossible) setting. There are difficulty settings – three at the onset of the game – that should help players ease into the world of ass kicking undead. With such a low price and more cool than you could ever possibly hope to handle, there really isn’t much reason not to pick up Gungrave: Overdose.

The audio is pretty good as well. Though there’s like a half-dozen voice actors for dozens of characters, they all perform pretty well and provide decent dubs for the anime, even if you can tell who’s doing the same voices (it’s amusing to hear a discussion between two characters voiced by the same person). There’s supposedly music that plays during the stages, but I’ll have to take the word of RED and Mastiff, considering how friggin’ loud the action gets. Seriously, other than the sound of guns and other weapons, everything is completely drowned out aside from the occasional moments where nothing’s going on and you can hear the typically Japanese soundtrack.

GunGrave: Overdose is probably not for everyone, but if you like games that let you blow the heck out of things and tell you to “Kick Their @$$” at the beginning of every level then it should do the trick. Also, GunGrave Overdose is probably the closest you will get to feeling like you are playing an anime action movie. The production quality of the cut scenes, music, and voice acting is top notch and puts some other higher priced games to shame. Did I mention the price? GunGrave: Overdose retails for $14.99. Yes, that is correct, for the price of an anime on DVD you get to play one. How can you beat that? You can’t, so go buy it or at least rent this game today!

In the end, whether or not you should give Gungrave: OD a try is a simple decision. If you like shooting things, but don't want to get arrested for it, this game should definitely be in your collection.

When Gungrave is at its best, it's an extremely entertaining action game with a satisfying storyline. At its worse, it's still pretty repetitive and about as deep as a wading pool. Overdose doesn't break any new ground, but still manages to be a great waste of time. Some might call it a guilty pleasure, but I see no difference in playing this than watching any one of the violent movies this was inspired by. I can think of worse things you could spend your $15 on.

It's not often that a game of this stature can hold one's interest. Or more importantly, my interest (I am the reviewer, after all). The fun story, the characters' style, and the frequently changing environments keep Gungrave: Overdose from sinking. The super-low price ($14.99) adds to the game's appeal. You can't recommend a crappy game that sells for a low price, but how could anyone not be interested in a good game that sells for a little more than two game rentals?

If you're craving some seriously intense shooting action, the best bet is to look beyond these shores and take a peek over at Japan. There is some maniacal stuff going on over there, but to save you those import fees, Mastiff has localized one of the most intense4 games of them all, Gungrave Overdose It's a full-fledged sequel from the original Gungrave and manages to up the ante in every direction possible. Want a game that rewards thousands of bullets being shot and incredibly wanton destruction? This is the one for you.

The original Gungrave was a mediocre game that was pretty slick but just didn't set its sights very high. Overdose is much, much better overall, and it provides an entertainingly over-the-top shooting experience that's well worth the unusually low asking price. Yet possibly the best thing that can be said about Gungrave: Overdose is that, regardless of the differences between it and its predecessor, and regardless of its tempting price point, it is a simple, fun, and worthwhile shooter strictly on its own merits.

Overall the game is very enjoyable and easy to pick up and play. With a story that's interesting and game play that is simple but fun, you'll get hooked pretty quickly. There are some issues and flaws which could have been easily avoided, and whilst the game sometimes lacks substance, it makes up for it with other fun aspects. The game itself isn't really that long, and all though there are three different characters to play as, you may find yourself only playing through once with your favorite character of the three. Therefore the game is probably best to be rented, but with a low price tag, it might be worth picking up.

Let us forget being historical about the previous games in the Gungrave franchise and talk straight about this, the newest addtion: Gungrave Overdose for PlayStation 2. What we have with GunGrave: Overdose is twitch-gaming gone to the extreme, and frankly, it isn't as bad as it sounds, especially considering the $15 suggested US retail price.

Overdose has a lot of good things going for it, but it’s still getting tripped up. But at fifteen dollars, there’s really no reason not to purchase this game even with its current problems. It could have been so much more, but even still it remains better than a lot of games that come out and cost more. I just hope that they can generate enough of a profit with this one to come out with a third GunGrave game. I think with one more chance, they’ll point the series into the direction it can (and should) most certainly go.

Fifteen. That's what this game has going for it. It's by all accounts an average game. Comparing it with other games I've played recently, I'd say I probably enjoyed playing this as much as I enjoyed playing Gradius V. Only Gradius V costs twice as much. From the stanpoint of the value oriented gamer, that's a very, very good thing. More people producing substandard games should probably take notice from Mastiff before we stop paying attention to their games anymore.

Schlichte, aber schick inszenierte Anime-Dauerballerei.

Overdose supprime quelques défauts du premier épisode tout en conservant le même cheminement. Il est tout de même dommage qu'on soit encore face à de gros problèmes de caméra qui ne viennent pas arranger les affaires du système de lock très moyen. En outre, si la durée de vie s'avère meilleure, le tout sonne un peu comme une longévité mal fagotée synonyme de modes bonus peu intéressants et de deux personnages supplémentaires. Pourtant, on ne voit pas le temps passer en y jouant une première fois et bien qu'on puisse trouver le tout redondant, l'achat du titre peut s'avérer intéressant en soi pour les fans de la série d'autant que le prix de vente n'est que de 20 euros.

Give its $15 price point, Overdose is really more of a pricey gag gift than a cheap video game.

Rocket Billy is a kick, though (instead of Max Payne ducks and dives, he moves like David Lee Roth channeling Chuck Berry), and there's fun to be had wrecking some of the more carefully-designed stages. For 15 dollars, and probably less once this game spends a little while on the market, why not? Perhaps it might provide Sega with the resources to try a little harder with a third Gungrave.

While it manages to offer up a fairly constant flow of action, I still felt myself yawning after every three or four men I slaughtered. Some reasonably decent anime cutscenes and voicework are marred by an abysmal script and hackneyed story. There's little to be enjoyed here. Like its silently morbid hero, the new Gungrave shows up dead on arrival.