Gungrave G.O.R.E Is Now Available; Studio IGGYMOB Interview From Launch Day

Gungrave, a third-person action game for the PlayStation 2, was released twenty years ago. After Gungrave: Overdose in 2004, the gun-toting anti-hero Beyond the Grave is back in the series’ first conventional sequel, Gungrave G.O.R.E. This time, it is being led by Studio IGGYMOB, a South Korean developer whose 2017 release of Gungrave VR for virtual reality headsets marked their entry into the genre.

According to Studio IGGYMOB chief operating officer Kay Kim, “When looking into it, as a studio, we liked that both the gameplay and the characters gave us this nostalgic feeling.” “With the original, people fell in love with the game’s distinct look and design in this over-the-top world. That distinctive gameplay and charm of the character played an important role in our decision to revive the Gungrave intellectual property. As fans of the series, it was a new and exciting challenge.”

RED Entertainment, which still has the rights to intellectual property, created the original Gungrave. Although reviews of its gameplay were divided at the time, Yasuhiro Nightow’s character designs gained widespread praise. Even though RED Entertainment isn’t a direct participant in Gungrave G.O.R.E., Nightow is still very much on board.

Kim stated that Nightow “took an active and significant role as image director for the Gungrave G.O.R.E.” He added, “In particular we worked with Nightow on character’s design, posing, and more. Later on, Nightow also helped us with coming up with names and designs for the skills, broadening his role to even more as an image director.”

But there has been a long wait for a new Gungrave. As Studio IGGYMOB struggled to locate an investor, Gungrave G.O.R.E, which had been announced back in December 2017 and had a defined delivery window of winter 2019, experienced numerous delays.

The major market for video games at the time in Korea was mobile, so getting funding for a console game was challenging, according to Kim. The game’s release was postponed as a result of a confluence of financial issues and altered game plans. We originally intended for the game to be partially open-world, but we quickly recognised that this didn’t mesh with the style of the Gungrave series. Even though it seems absurd looking back, we were dead serious when we considered making the game partially open-world.

Gungrave G.O.R.E has both brand-new features and series staples

Although the concept of an open world was rejected, Gungrave G.O.R.E does have both brand-new features and series staples.

First of all, Kim says, “We thought it was crucial to include iconic characteristics of the brand, especially unlimited ammunition is staying in the game. Additionally, the high-speed shooting and demolitions images have been upgraded with a fashionable new design. The gameplay has been updated and made more thrilling, which has strengthened the game’s atmosphere. To make the gameplay cooler and more fun, we have included a number of systems.

“‘The Storm Barrage,’ which allows players to shoot like a storm, is our favourite new feature. Additionally, there are games like “R.I.P,” which lets you kill stunned adversaries with a single strike, and “Chase,” which lets players swarm the enemy line. Last but not least, the amusing game “Grab” lets you drag opponents in front of other players during fight. We can’t wait for players to get in and start enjoying the fun and powerful melee attack systems that have been added to the game.

To that aim, in addition to his signature Cerberus and Death Hauler, Grave is now carrying a few new weapons. And those, too, have been improved.

The “Death Hauler” and “Cerberus” are still present, but they now have more abilities, and we have given the Cerberus new features. In earlier incarnations, there was little room for improvement, but in Gungrave G.O.R.E., the player can develop and upgrade his skills and powers. This will play a significant role in immersion and several playthroughs.

Following the events of Gungrave, Gungave G.O.R.E takes place on the fictitious island of “Scumland” in Southeast Asia: Overdose, although Kim clarified that prior experience with the series’ games is not necessary to understand the plot.

“The history portion of the main menu will inform all players about the earlier games’ plots and settings. As a result, it will be simple for gamers to start playing even if they have never played a Gungrave game before. Even those who are familiar with the Gungrave franchise’s earlier editions can refresh their memories of the plot with the history section.

With Gungrave G.O.R.E now available in stores and online, Studio IGGYMOB is optimistic about the franchise’s future.

Kim remarked, “We’ve made sure that this new iteration upholds the Gungrave franchise’s authenticity while also elevating it. “In particular, with elements like the growth system, but also extra prizes for playing numerous rounds at various levels of difficulty. Brandon Heat is the first character you can play as if you beat the game’s hardest difficulty setting. As a fan, I believe it has debatable worth. It will be entertaining to compete among players for the most kills.

“We have a few ideas for [downloadable content], but nothing to discuss at the moment… The next sequel is currently being planned. We have a better possibility of creating a sequel if Gungrave G.O.R.E is a hit. All we can do is wait and see.

Currently, Gungrave G.O.R.E is accessible via Xbox Game Pass, Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

Gungrave G.O.R.E is now available; studio IGGYMOB interview from launch day

Gungrave G.O.R.E has both brand-new features and series staples