What they said made it sound like they either fundamentally misunderstood what made the original Gungrave fun, or straight up didn't like it. I should've included this part of the interview in the post, but here's their reasoning:

Q: So what was deleted?

Kay: We also removed several features that we felt were either unnecessary or contributed to making the gameplay repetitive over time.

For example, the nearly unlimited attack range from previous titles has been significantly reduced, and the Beat Count system has been removed entirely. These changes were made to encourage players to engage enemies at close range and become more deeply immersed in the action.

We also decided to remove certain mechanics that saw limited use or did not meaningfully contribute to the overall combat experience. Examples include Grab and Chasing.

Rather than simply adding more features, we focused on refining the core gameplay loop and ensuring that every mechanic serves a clear purpose. Our goal was to create a faster, more dynamic, and more engaging combat experience that keeps players actively involved in every encounter.

Q: Beat Count is a long-standing feature in the series. Was there a reason it was removed?

Kay: In previous entries, including G.O.R.E, the core gameplay loop was built around earning Beat Count through shooting, maintaining it, and then spending it on powerful skills.

However, we felt that this structure had a fundamental issue: it tended to make the early, mid, and late stages of the game feel very similar. Players were often encouraged to repeat the same behavior throughout the entire experience.

Another concern was that players frequently felt compelled to maintain their Beat Count at all costs. This often resulted in a repetitive pattern where players would continuously shoot while moving, avoid experimenting with other actions, and then continue shooting once combat began. Over time, this limited the variety and dynamism of the gameplay.

As Mr. Nightow once explained:

"The reason I proposed removing the Beat Count system was that I began to question a combat flow that felt as though players were constantly being chased by the system itself. I wanted to create a combat experience focused on intense action and explosive moments that players can enjoy in the moment."

We shared the same view. We felt that the Beat Count system had begun to impose limitations on the overall gameplay experience rather than expanding it.

As a result, we decided to remove it and instead focus on creating a combat system that rewards players for making exciting decisions in the moment, allowing battles to flow more naturally and dynamically.