Gungrave

Gungrave was created in collaboration with Yasuhiro Nightow, creator of the manga and anime series Trigun, bringing his distinctive visual style into a third-person action shooter about a dead gangster named Beyond the Grave, who returns from the grave as a silent hitman settling scores with his former underworld allies, the ones who once betrayed him and left him for dead. The gameplay was built on a simple but effective principle — massive firefights against waves of enemies, combining two pistols and a giant coffin that serves both as a melee weapon and as the source of devastating special attacks.

The game leaned on style and pure action fun rather than complex mechanics: the levels were linear, clearly laid out, and full of flashy animations and explosions, which made Gungrave feel like an interactive anime action film set in factories, docks, and skyscrapers of the criminal underworld, where the main hero gradually fights his way up to the very top of the organization that once betrayed him. The striking character designs, atmospheric electronic and rock music, and a charismatic protagonist who barely speaks a single line of dialogue all created an unmistakable atmosphere that set the game apart from other action titles of its generation.

Although the game's length and system depth were fairly limited and it could be finished quite quickly, Gungrave built up a cult status thanks to its stylish presentation and was successful enough to get a sequel as well as its own anime series. Today it's seen as an example of collaboration between the video game and manga industries, and as one of the titles that proved even a simple action loop can work thanks to a strong visual identity. For fans of stylized action games, Gungrave remains a pleasant nostalgic treat that can easily be finished in a single afternoon, yet still leaves behind an unforgettable visual impression.

Why play it: For a stylish action ride, easily finished in one afternoon, with an unforgettable visual identity that earned the title cult status and its own anime series despite its simplicity.