Vanquish (With Bonus Lenticular Sleeve)

If Gears of War type games are you bag then you MUST get this - it's got THE best graphics I've seen on ANY game. The bosses are huge (and you can fight more than one at the same time too!) And it just goes on and on - you beat a massive boss and you think "that MUST have been the end of game boss because it was amazing" but no - the game just goes on and on, getting more and more amazing. You look up and see massive spaceships crashing into the scenery around you, huge mechs stomping around - it's just jaw-dropping (with NO framerate loss either) I really can't recommend this game highly enough - buy it now and be amazed.

Vanquish was a title that seemed to slip under the radar with all the big name releases, but you will not be dissapointed. Initially I bought this because it came with bayonetta, a game I'd heard a lot about and wanted to try...but after playing vanquish...well..bayonetta is still in its plastic wrapping.
The controls handle well, with the very very occasional snafu regarding rocket sledding into a corner, but aside from that they are easy to learn and master. Dodging in and out of cover and battling hoards of enemies has never been so satisfying.
The story mode progressed naturally, increasing the challenge and variety of enemies in a format that allowed familiarity without learning all of their tricks too early on. What struck me most about this game is that I kept wanting to play the story mode even when i finished it. Irrespective of the fact there was no achievement for defeating it on "God-Hard" mode (which at some point it honestly felt like I was going to have to pray to get through it) I felt compelled to play, just to prove I could do it.
The real test in Vanquish are the challenges you unlock during play. These pit you against enemies you have faced in the campaign in waves of increasing difficulty - with a limited supply of ammo. The challenges force you to start with non-upgraded weapons, thereby testing your skills without your superior firepower. I have yet to overcome the final challenge, but I can safely say that no game in recent memory has challenged me to this extent. Many people will complain about the lack of a multiplayer element, but I feel that it stands well by itself. Now if you'll excuse me...that final challenge awaits.

need something to get over the disapointment of black ops, then this is it! amazing Graphics, superb Ai and the control of your character is the smoothest i have ever come across on the Xbox and then there is the amount of Weaponry at your disposal. this is a must have purchase!

There doesn't seem to be much I can add but this games so good I felt like I had to say something. This is simply one of the best games I have ever played I'd even go as far as saying it's the best third person shooter I have ever played (Gears of War included). Vanquish has such fast paced and just hugely enjoyable combat no-one could not love it. I think this is a game that will influence countless more in the future. It's a little short but the challenges aswell as some good achievements more than make up for it, especially for the great price (the only good thing about this game not selling very well). To sum it up, everyone who has any interest in shooters should buy this game.

The fourth title from the talented Platinum Games, creators of the excellent Bayonetta, Vanquish is a fast paced sci-fi shooter/action title that sees Sam Gideon tasked with reclaiming an orbital space station from Russian terrorists.

The stereotypical sci-fi plot is actually the games weakest element and is easily ignored for the most part in favour of the games fantastic action and unique twist on third-person shooting. Throughout the game Sam will find a number of weapons ranging from the standard machine guns and shotguns to more unusual weapons such as a lock-on laser. Although only three weapons can be carried at once the frequently found weapon crates allow the player to change their set often in order to adapt their tactics depending on the situation. A responsive cover system is also present and its use is vital to survival because Vanquish is a difficult game right from the outset. I died 49 times on my first play through despite the fact that Sam's AR suit slows down time when the player is close to death in order to give them a chance to find shelter. One frustrating element to the combat is the one hit kill mechanic employed by some of the bosses. A visual and audio warning is usually given before they unleash these attacks but it is still irritating to get close to beating a difficult enemy only to make one mistake and be killed.

What really helps to differentiate however is the boosting mechanic. Sam's suit is equipped with a set of boosters that allow him to slide around the battlefield and incredible speed. Boosting allows the player to keep themselves out of harms way but must be used sparingly as it quickly causes the suit to overheat.

A number of set pieces help to break up the combat and the player will find themselves battling on high speed trains or trying to escape a collapsing freeway during the games thirty or so missions.

Vanquish may not be a particularly long game, seven or eight hours is a standard sort of time, but thanks to its stat tracking and extra challenge modes there is plenty of replayablity making Vanquish a truly underrated action title that deserves a bigger audience that it has thus far received.