Story (9): Surprisingly, the adaptation from video game to anime series is seamless, with the series giving much needed context to the game. The main duo's brotherhood, their rise to power and the tragic love story of Maria and Brandon, provides good drama. The fact that we are able to see Grave's path from episode 2-26, gives the viewer detailed answers with the obscure themes both the game and episode 1 presented to us. Turning a soulless revenge plot to a complex crime drama.
Art (9): The Trigun inspired designs are certainly toned done in the show compared to the game. However, the direction and speed of the animation in fights and even the dramatic moments of the elevator scene or the ending scene in episode 8 perfectly sets the tone for the show. Yes it's badass, but there's substance to it.
Sound (7): Never have gunshots and explosions sounded so satisfyng. The godfather inspired soundtrack help cement the show's grounded feel up until the ending montage. Sadly, the OP is very underwhelming.
Character (10): Brandon Heat is a silent character done spectacularly well, the expressions on his face, relationship to his best friend and loyalty to his boss perfectly exemplify what he's thinking and makes his transition to silent corpse believable and in character. Harry McDowell serves as a very scummy but relatable antagonist, helping to pinpoint the soul of the story, two friends trying to become something special in a vastly cruel world.
Enjoyment (10): Who knew a standard shooter game, could be turned into a series worthy of comparison to the Sopranos or the Mafia game trilogy? The tragic downfall of two best friends make for an engaging anime with incredible action and emotional moments. With the hope of redemption seeming far way, but not completely impossible.
Overall: 10/10. Outshines the original game in every category! Incredibly underated.
