The Most Beautiful Game You Should Play
Written: Aug 09 '02 (Updated Aug 09 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Phenomenal Graphics, immersive storyline, difficulty worth the price
Cons: Shoddy controls, Need patience
The Bottom Line: I recommend if you're a hardcore gamer or a fan of hard science fiction; others will be disappointed.
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| Gthomp1's Full Review: GunValkyrie for Xbox |
You will either like this game or hate it: there is no in between. In a continuing assault to develop for other systems, Sega is slowly proving itself as a multi-platform company with superb ideas and great ways to implement them. GunValkyrie is a nice foray into the Xbox for Sega and shows they really know how to use the Xbox graphics prowess.
A Story By Tolkien
Stay close and hold my hand as I attempt to relay the story to you. Halley’s Comet can be considered the main character in the story because as the comet passed over the Earth in 1835, some of it broke off into little chunks and fell to Earth. Years have passed and in the late 1800’s, certain people (called Halley’s Chosen) were able to come in contact with a Core (the chunk) without any adverse effects. The first person was Dr. Hebble Gate, who managed the Core and discovered that they manipulate DNA into strange strands in order to give the person in contact “superhuman” powers. He founded an organization called the GunValkyrie, who are composed of those few people who can handle the Core. Dr. Gate also developed GearSkin, which is a special suit that utilizes the Core that the GunValkyrie wear.
The year is 1906 A.D., and it has been 4 years since Dr. Hebble Gate has disappeared. The world is still in shock and still cannot explain his disappearance. Because of his technological advances with the Halley Core, he is still regarded with utmost respect and the British Empire continues to be solemn about the missing doctor. But now, on one of the British Empire’s colonized planets--Tir na Nog--(with me? It’s 1906 and we have space flight folks...all because of this Core!!), has been recently suspended. The Imperial Space Force reported that there were no colonists to be found. On the contrary, they have confirmed that there is an abnormal outbreak of huge insect-like life forms. Anybody remember Starship Troopers? Anyway, information in coming to light that the good Doctor Hebble Gate was interested in genetically modifying and strengthening the Tir na Nog colonists. Could this be a coincidence? Not the Great and Wonderful Dr. Hebble Gate! Teams of GunValkyrie members are dispatched to investigate the goings-on of Tir na Nog and resolve immediately.
What a story. I think I need a Prelude--like The Hobbit--just to get into the swing of the story. It does play an integral role in the game because first, you have to get past the fact that it’s 1906; and second, that you have space travel. If the story wasn’t there, then this game would be far-fetched. Of course, it isn’t far-fetched now, right?
What is Love? Baby, Don’t Hurt Me...
There are two playable characters, but really, in my mind, there’s only one to play. Yes it is a girl and no I’m not lonely. The first character is Kelly O’Lenmey. She is the quicker of the two and can fire quick rapidly and with multiple shots. Her main weapon is the Heat Blaster which has the ability to lock on to multiple enemies. She is bold (yeeesss!) and adventurous (yeeesss!) and came into contact with a Core at an early age. After declining to fight for the Irish Republic and their causes, she joined the GV. The second playable character is Saburouta Mishima. He has a more powerful main weapon (the Matchlock cannon) and can lock-on to an enemy. He is a samurai with a disagreeable past and now supports Kelly on the Dolphin Team.
Accentuate the Negative
I will start with my biggest issue with this game: The Control...with a capital T and a capital C. In the beginning, as I used the controls, I just thought it was an adjustment period and eventually I would adapt to the thumbstick movement and the button configurations, etc. But no, I am 8 hours into it and I still feel like I just popped this game into my Xbox. That ain’t right. I will describe the problem with each piece of unit the controller sports because there are issues with each button/trigger/stick.
The left thumbstick controls the movement. Run forward, back, turn left, and turn right. There is no strafing in this game, so I was a bit troubled. Basically, the movement is similar to Tomb Raider: while it’s smooth running, it is not smooth turn, especially around corners, or when you need to quickly turn around to ward off the enemy. Pushing down on the thumbstick gives you a boost. You will either shoot forward and backward until your boost meter runs out or you can dodge to the side. I liked the idea of the Boost Meter and it’s possibilities, but trying to control Kelly was my main focus throughout most of the game.
The right thumbstick let you aim your weapon. I used this stick only 10% of the time, mainly when I was floating down huge shafts and I needed to aim directly down. The use of this thumbstick is useless. If it would have assisted with strafing, I would have enjoyed that, but all it did was disorient me when I was running and trying to shoot buggies.
The right trigger shoots, and really that was fine since I was use to that on Halo and Agent Under Fire. The left trigger was the boost jump. Press it once to jump and hold it down again to activate the boosters. For a limited time, you could “float/hover” in the air. This button confused me because depending on the weapon you had, you didn’t need to hold it down to hover down. If you had the Drive gun drawn and you jumped and started to hover, the moment you started firing your Drive gun, you would basically float there until you stopped firing or pressed the boost jump again, thereby free-falling. No doubt that this is vital to your missions, but there was not trade-off: like slower firing, or less shields.
While I really didn’t have a problem with the buttons, which allowed you to switch weapons on the fly and call up the map of current area, I just wish they were configurable. Nothing about the controls is configurable. You are stuck with whatever the programmers put in. So here I am with gaudy controls and no way to fix them to my liking and movement like Tomb Raider. I know what your asking: “So then, why is this game good?”
Number The First of Massive Goodness
This game is beautiful. Like a woman you’d stop dead in your tracks to glance at. Like an orange sunset with purple clouds that lasts forever. Every level sports bright colors that blend well with each other. If you didn’t know this was a morose feeling game, you wouldn’t know if from the colors. Each type of level has it’s own color scheme it seemed: The Valley has luscious pinks and yellows and beiges; the Civilian bases had darker greens, but spectacular lighting; and the Pit also had some awesome pink hues, but also light blue gases and phenomenal water effects. They don’t retract from the gameplay and I think that’s important. Nothing about the graphics distracts you from your goals and mission and I think that’s just as important. Well, at least the first few times you play it you will be in awe. I wanted to just walk around taking in the sights, but some bugs had something else to say about that.
There are levels that range from three different areas: Civilian Base (indoors), Valley (outdoors), and Naglfar’s Pit (a medium-sized Arena type structure). There are also spaces where you meet the bosses, but these are usually enclosed. There is a great feeling of space and distance and width and height where ever the mission takes you. From the huge areas and plant-life in the Valley (not the California Valley), to the claustrophobic hallways of the Civilian Bases, you will notice distance and you may even grow tired in reality as you watch your character run from place to place.
This game has some of the classiest graphics that a video game has seen in a long time. Simply put, this game is gorgeous like Nicole Kidman.
Sci-Fi, Asimov Style or Number the Second of Goodness
With the investigation, you must infiltrate the Valley, the Bases and the Pit in order to figure out what exactly happened to Dr. Hebble Gate. Nothing is known, so anything would be helpful. Start with the first level, clear it, and move on. You will have your main goal, which could range from defeat all the enemies to obtaining something, and sometimes a time limit. One thing I really liked was that isn’t wasn’t too linear. As some points you had your choice of starting 2 or 3 different levels. Completing them in any order opened up more stages which allowed you to finish in no particular order. This allowed you go back to a harder level after gaining some confidence in an easy level. Something I had to do often because of those darn controls!
After clearing a stage, you are graded and given points. You are graded on clear time, enemies defeated, boost technique (number of successive boost maneuvers--combos--you perform), and if you found the Extra Halley Core. Grades start at S (superior) and go from A to D...same as a school scale with D meaning Needs Improvement. Then you are given some points and this is calculated into GVPoints which you can use to purchase upgrades.
Upgrades and items that can be used once is a good focus in the game because you will meet harder enemies and bosses. You can purchase a few gun upgrades (lock-ons and basic power), a few gearskin upgrades (more shield ability, fuel cell ability), and items you can carry with you, but only use once (Reserve shield and fuel cell). This made the game a bit more strategic because you want it all, but either have to make do or save your GVP.
Don’t Try To Think
As I said before, you will either like or hate. You will love it or leave it. I recommend like and loving if you're a hardcore gamer or a fan of hard science fiction. Don’t even think of trying to find an opinion in between because you will drive yourself mad. If it weren’t for the controls, this would have been a perfect game to add to your gaming collection or Sega collection, but I figure Sega spent too much time on graphics and not enough time realizing that “Hey, these controls are worse than Tomb Raider!” Once you get into the game you will find yourself immersed into the story and almost forgetting about the shoddy controls. Notice I just said almost.
Gorgeous like Nicole Kidman. Sorry, had to say it again.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Gthomp1
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Member: Greg Thompson
Location: Kankakee, IL
Reviews written: 81
Trusted by: 54 members
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