Gunvalkyrie brings a new approach to third person shooters, but its flaws really hinder the overall gameplay experience.
The unique gameplay element that Gunvalkyrie brings to the table is the boost. Each character is equipped with a jetpack which allows limited flight, and replenishes itself whenever you are on the ground. Many of the game levels require you to use your jetpack to in order to progress. In addition, executing 25 midair dashes in succession gets your character into Mobius state, in which your character enjoys invulnerability and increased weapon damage for a short time.
The idea of jetpacking around is neat, but the control scheme is horrible and undermines the fun you may have with this game. To dash, you need to click the left thumbstick, hold it, then press in the direction you wish to dash. This is fine for one dash, but becomes a nightmare when executing multiple dashes, which you'll need to do to get to the Mobius state. Because you'll be exerting quite a bit of pressure with your thumb when clicking, your thumbs will hurt when playing for an extended period of time. Oddly enough, the A button in the game serves no function in the game whatsoever, besides selecting menu choices. You can't help but think that the game designers could have easily used the A button to perform the boosts, saving your left thumb from lots of grief. Also worth note mentioning is that the controls can't be configured, and by default, the right thumbstick is set to invert, so anyone used to non inverted controls will have to adjust to that.
Gunvalkyrie isn't a long game, and consists of about twelve levels. One level, Nalgath's Pit, will take much trial and error, falling a lot, and getting back up, but once you figure out which platforms to take, you can complete the level in under ten minutes. The enemies aren't memorable, and consist of big bugs. The bosses are a bit more interesting, as they have different weaknesses and attack patterns that you'll pick up after playing them a few times. There is some sort of replay value, as you get a rank upon completion of each stage, and the game keeps track of your rank in the save/load screen. Also, each stage has a Halley core hidden, and collecting all of them allows you to obtain Kelly's best armor.
If there's one category that Gunvalkyrie excels at, it's the great music in between levels.
Gunvalkyrie tries to pull off something new. In some ways it succeeds, but the awkward control scheme destroys the gameplay experience. The constant clicking will kill your thumbs and make you hands numb, and the fact that you can't configure the controls doesn't help. However, if you can get past the horrible controls, it's possible to enjoy the game. Good idea, poorly executed.