Closing Comments I have a deep appreciation for GUNVALKYRIE in the same way that a boxer respects an opponent that he just KO'd in the 12th round. It's about respect. It's a game that will test your skill as a gamer because it's so unforgiving and requires you to learn its deep and sophisticated philosophies. If you come into GV thinking you know how to handle it, you'll spend a lot of time spinning your wheels playing the same levels over and over again. I like how GUNVALKYRIE smacks you down time and time again if you don't learn the proper techniques that it's trying to teach you and then perfect them. That's immersion in a game at it's finest. Also, I don't know what Metroid Prime on GameCube is going to be when all is said and done, but GUNVALKYRIE brings an awful lot of what made the old NES and SNES Metroid games fun into this 21st century Xbox adventure. I don't want to be overly critical of GUNVALKYRIE's steep learning curve because all of the answers are right there in front of you, somewhere, while you're playing and it all makes sense once you get the hang of it. But, in fact, that is the game's one shortcoming: just an overall feeling of making things difficult for you. Even though it's done on purpose and with good reason, I can easily see how this can turn off many gamers these days. With so many easy choices out there and so many instant gratification games on all systems, gamers have no reason to bang their heads against this Xbox game. But, kiddies, I say think about how Super Mario Bros, with its truly sketchy control on the NES and the tons of hidden stuff not even hinted at in the manual kept us in front of the TV for hours on end, determined to finish "just this next part." GUNVALKYRIE doesn't compare to SMB in anyway, except they both present the same kind of challenge to our competitive natures. You're going to keep playing because you know Smilebit put the work into this game to make it challenging and you'll be damned if you're going to let them get the best of you. Give it a rent please and see if you're up to the challenge. For the rest of you out there, go pick up this outstanding Xbox game. -- Aaron Boulding Presentation It's in 1906 and there are colonists and giant bugs on other planets! Great backstory and awesome immersion in a parallel universe. 9.0 Graphics Extremely polished textures and superb animations make this game look and move like nothing else. The style is consistent throughout. Not a hiccup in the framerate. 10.0 Sound Effective use of directional sound but the sound effects themselves aren't as horrifying as we would've liked. 8.0 Gameplay Re-invents the premise of blasting aliens/bugs with outstanding innovation. The steep learning curve doesn't take away from pure fun once you get the hang of it. 9.0 Lasting Appeal As deep and engaging as a single player game can be. Any game that measures how many times you've cleared it has strong replay value. 8.0 OVERALL SCORE (not an average) 9.0
