Star Ocean EX, Shining Tears x Wind, Tales of Eternia, Xenosaga…the list goes on. Game-to-anime adaptations have a history of major suckage, which was why the anime version of Gungrave was a odd exception. Bateszi’s review reminded me how awesome that show was…[cries manly tears].
The original game’s storyline ends differently than the anime however, paving the way for a much improved sequel that is Overdose. This might be a draw for the anime fans who wanted more adventures of Beyond za Grave and Mika, though it lessens the impact of the anime ending.
It’s a stylish action shooter, 3rd person view, and makes excellent use of the rumble feedback for the gunshots. Every shot feels super powerful, and the melee coffin attacks have a lot of weight and impact. Add in lots of crazy shoot-dodging and over-the-top demolition shots, and you’ve got some sweaty hands action. The difficulty can be fairly high, which addresses complaints about first game being too easy. The environments are somewhat destructible, and any hit helps your combo meter, making those destruction-fest actually useful! There’s nothing quite like shooting up the meat section of the grocery shop to boost your meter 
The pseudo cel shaded anime look is nicely done as well, and compensates for the less-than-modern hardware. The graphics are pretty basic compared to next-gen games, but they get the job done. The soundtrack is minimal though, and the dubbed voice acting is horrible ( no JP option ). 
The best part about it is the price. The original retail price was only $15 when it came out many years ago, so you can probably find it in the bargain bin for $7 or so. Definitely a sleeper that skipped under the radar of most people. If you’re into PS2 action and like anime (and Gungrave in particular), give Overdose a try (if you can find it).
