Introduction
Halfway through GunValkyrie, the fast-paced shooter for the Xbox, one begins to realize that this is no ordinary game. Reminiscent of such classic shooters as Striker and even Galaga, GV manages to be a strange mix of difficult twitch gaming and 3rd-Person exploration. Much like Contra: Shattered Soldier, this is one of those games that tests your patience and dedication to the adventure.

Gameplay
Sound is something of a mixture between "pretty good" and "very bad." While the music itself is fun and interesting (though not really appropriate to the mood of the game), the sound effects are a waste. The guns each character use sound like thousands of other weapons in thousands of other games. Enemies make strange noises that don't fit at all, thus making them somewhat less intimidating.

Fun
But the main problem many people will have with GunValkyrie is the control scheme. Brutally unforgiving, this will be the deciding factor between those who love the game or hate it. The learning curve is huge and the one tutorial level at the beginning only helps so much. This will be a major turnoff for lots of gamers. If you didn't like the controls in Resident Evil, you won't like them in GunValkyrie. Finally, there isn't a wide variety of weapons. In fact, there's pretty much no variety at all. Kelly has two weapons (one of which is useless) and Saburouta has one.

Story
Released almost one year ago exactly, GunValkyrie still manages to impress with breathtaking graphics and style. The game takes place on the Colony Planet, Tir Na Nog (yeah, yeah. Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog and all that.), where the colonists have suddenly mutated into flesh-eating bugs. Though many of the levels are just canyons and wastelands that look like a few of the sets from Starship Troopers, the visuals still manage to be fun. Whether it be a huge waterfall and lagoon or the shimmery metallic surfaces of one of the Civilian Bases, each area is anything bug ugly. Players are given the choice between playing as Kelly O'Lemney or Saburouta Mishima, both members of a special squad sent in to investigate the mutations. As is to be expected, Kelly is fast but weak and Saburouta is slow but ultra-powerful, and can't participate in boss fights. Both characters move in a fairly realistic manner, as do the insects and arachnids they are sent in to destroy. The only real problem with character models is that there just aren't that many. Not counting bosses, you'll have probably seen every enemy GunValkyrie has to offer by the time you complete the second level.

Graphics
To progress in GunValkyrie, players must learn how to properly utilize the jetpack-like contraptions attached to each character. In much the same way as the Tribes series,
Kelly and Saburouta can boost up in the air as long as they have fuel, which refills automatically when they touch the ground. In addition to this boost, each character can also perform sidesteps using the jetpack to boost them side to side or even forwards and backwards, depending on the situation.


Sound
As interesting as the presentation for this game is, there are more than a few flaws to be found. For one thing, the storyline is based on modern anime (so it claims). And, as you mightexpect, this means that the plot is pretty confusing and more or less leaves the gamer hanging at the end. This is sure to be a turnoff for some people. Another "problem," along those same lines, is that GV has its own strange style. With odd music and a very strange theme, it all depends on the player's preferences as to whether or not they'll go for this sort of thing. The length of the game isn't so good, either. While extremely difficult, there aren't that many levels in GunValkyrie. And, sadly, once you finish the game, aside from a few extras, there's just no reason to play again.

Conclusion
Despite its many shortcomings, GunValkyrie is an original game with an interesting feel to it that no other game can touch. Though difficult, the sense of accomplishment gained by completing the Story mode is immense. In a lot of ways, this game is like a homage to those white-knuckle games that used to be found in arcades everywhere. In the end, whether or not you like GunValkyrie will be determined by each gamer’s preference and nothing more. If you're thinking about buying this game, rent it first to make sure it's what you're looking for.