For the longest time, I've defended the original version of Gungrave G.O.R.E for what it represented for the gaming market. A true risk in the sense that it was willing to call-back to what the public considers "outdated" game design for the sake of revitalizing a series and genre that hadn't seen a game like it in such a long time. It was a loving homage to fans of action games from the 6th console generation era, which prioritized challenge and satisfying replayability over story, presentation and accessibility. It wasn't a game for everyone, but it was definitely a fun game for those who know where to look.
As Gungrave G.O.R.E received more updates and as developers responded to fan feedback, I became more and more worried about the developers becoming ashamed of their own vision, making the game easier and lowering the skill ceiling so it could be more accessible to a wider market that wouldn't really care about the game in the first place. Gungrave G.O.R.E Ultimate Enhanced Edition (GGGUEE) on Switch is the culmination of those fears.
The Switch version of Gungrave G.O.R.E sands off a lot of the edges of the original. Grave now runs while shooting, he gains art score for even basic kills, the score amounts have been multiplied, and a system has been implemented that increases Grave's bullet speed the higher the beat count is. The pattern of these changes is clear: GGGUEE is ultimately trying to rectify the "wrongs" of the original by making it more palatable for the average gamer. And to a degree, it does accomplish that goal, but to what end?
I do find GGGUEE less challenging and easier to control than its original release, but at the same time I lose the interest and love I have of replaying the game because the core and satisfying gameplay loop that balanced Grave's weaknesses with his strengths is completely gone now that I can easily move everywhere and shoot everything. No longer do I have to carefully consider when to parry, dodge and use a meat shield. No longer do I have to think of the right moments to go on the offensive with a devastating demolition shot, with Storm Barrage or with Bullet Dance. In fact, my work is cut out for me. All I have to do is run around and Hold ZR. Eventually, I'll win by default. Of course, if I put the minimal amount of effort, I could also receive an S rank too.
While it may seem my argument is based on shaming people who had a hard time adapting to Gungrave G.O.R.E's difficulty, that is far from the case. The fact of the matter is that, at its core, for Gungrave G.O.R.E to be a good mindless action game, it needs a complete redesign from the ground up that isn't compatible with the hardcore design of the game's mechanics and levels. The "Over 100 improvements" claim is ultimately an exaggeration when so much of the core of this game is the same, but it is only the small changes which change it for the worse. GGGUEE has turned this from a game that a small subsect of people would enjoy and replay, to a game that, in all likelihood no one will ever play.
As harsh as that sounds, looking at the sheer lack of response to this port outside of a small handful, I ultimately have to believe it to be true. This is no due in part due to the rest of GGGUEE's downgrades, which range from a cut to 30fps in docked mode and inconsistently low framerate on handheld (compared to the smooth 60fps from the console version), downgraded visuals across the board, lack of anti-aliasing, and so on. To say that this is the ultimate and superior experience is not something I can agree with on any capacity.
To make the medicine go down, this new release includes multiple new characters that you can purchase as DLC. Unfortunately, these new characters don't quite add enough to the experience to justify any of the aforementioned changes. While they are fun to play, they're just too little to compensate the harsh qualities of this port. This is, of course, without mentioning that these characters are often more shallow to play as compared to Grave thanks to their limited moveset and that one of the DLC characters is a reskinned version of a character unlockable in the base game.
As harsh as I sound, I do still think the team had the best intentions in mind. Considering the poor sales of the original release and the financial struggle of losing the backing of their publisher, Prime Matter, it must've been really difficult to make so many of these compromises for the sake of breaking even. But that sympathy is hard earned when the team has otherwise made the situation worse with many of the decisions made with this release, such as locking many of the exclusive DLC characters behind DLC, their decision to not port any of the new content to the existing versions, their lack of marketing outside of limited social media posts, and of course, their misleading advertising that overinflates the amount of changes made to the experience and advertises characters without disclosing they're only available as DLC.
If not apparent by now, I shall continue to play the original release of Gungrave G.O.R.E as much as I can. I can only hope that, for survival and next, Iggymob learns the story of Icarus: "Don't fly too close to the sun, or else you'll get burnt".
As Gungrave G.O.R.E received more updates and as developers responded to fan feedback, I became more and more worried about the developers becoming ashamed of their own vision, making the game easier and lowering the skill ceiling so it could be more accessible to a wider market that wouldn't really care about the game in the first place. Gungrave G.O.R.E Ultimate Enhanced Edition (GGGUEE) on Switch is the culmination of those fears.
The Switch version of Gungrave G.O.R.E sands off a lot of the edges of the original. Grave now runs while shooting, he gains art score for even basic kills, the score amounts have been multiplied, and a system has been implemented that increases Grave's bullet speed the higher the beat count is. The pattern of these changes is clear: GGGUEE is ultimately trying to rectify the "wrongs" of the original by making it more palatable for the average gamer. And to a degree, it does accomplish that goal, but to what end?
I do find GGGUEE less challenging and easier to control than its original release, but at the same time I lose the interest and love I have of replaying the game because the core and satisfying gameplay loop that balanced Grave's weaknesses with his strengths is completely gone now that I can easily move everywhere and shoot everything. No longer do I have to carefully consider when to parry, dodge and use a meat shield. No longer do I have to think of the right moments to go on the offensive with a devastating demolition shot, with Storm Barrage or with Bullet Dance. In fact, my work is cut out for me. All I have to do is run around and Hold ZR. Eventually, I'll win by default. Of course, if I put the minimal amount of effort, I could also receive an S rank too.
While it may seem my argument is based on shaming people who had a hard time adapting to Gungrave G.O.R.E's difficulty, that is far from the case. The fact of the matter is that, at its core, for Gungrave G.O.R.E to be a good mindless action game, it needs a complete redesign from the ground up that isn't compatible with the hardcore design of the game's mechanics and levels. The "Over 100 improvements" claim is ultimately an exaggeration when so much of the core of this game is the same, but it is only the small changes which change it for the worse. GGGUEE has turned this from a game that a small subsect of people would enjoy and replay, to a game that, in all likelihood no one will ever play.
As harsh as that sounds, looking at the sheer lack of response to this port outside of a small handful, I ultimately have to believe it to be true. This is no due in part due to the rest of GGGUEE's downgrades, which range from a cut to 30fps in docked mode and inconsistently low framerate on handheld (compared to the smooth 60fps from the console version), downgraded visuals across the board, lack of anti-aliasing, and so on. To say that this is the ultimate and superior experience is not something I can agree with on any capacity.
To make the medicine go down, this new release includes multiple new characters that you can purchase as DLC. Unfortunately, these new characters don't quite add enough to the experience to justify any of the aforementioned changes. While they are fun to play, they're just too little to compensate the harsh qualities of this port. This is, of course, without mentioning that these characters are often more shallow to play as compared to Grave thanks to their limited moveset and that one of the DLC characters is a reskinned version of a character unlockable in the base game.
As harsh as I sound, I do still think the team had the best intentions in mind. Considering the poor sales of the original release and the financial struggle of losing the backing of their publisher, Prime Matter, it must've been really difficult to make so many of these compromises for the sake of breaking even. But that sympathy is hard earned when the team has otherwise made the situation worse with many of the decisions made with this release, such as locking many of the exclusive DLC characters behind DLC, their decision to not port any of the new content to the existing versions, their lack of marketing outside of limited social media posts, and of course, their misleading advertising that overinflates the amount of changes made to the experience and advertises characters without disclosing they're only available as DLC.
If not apparent by now, I shall continue to play the original release of Gungrave G.O.R.E as much as I can. I can only hope that, for survival and next, Iggymob learns the story of Icarus: "Don't fly too close to the sun, or else you'll get burnt".