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| Overlooked futuristic shooter. |
Vanquish, released back in 2010 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 systems, was developed by Platinum Games (Bayonetta, Metal Gear Rising) and directed by Resident Evil creator, Shinji Mikami. Vanquish, offered some neat gameplay ideas but was overlooked by many at the time. Now, having finished the game, it's definitely a title to look back and checkout.
STORY- You play as DARPA researcher, Sam Gideon, whose equipped with a neat battle suit as he takes part in a battle where nations are for resources. While it's not the most original plot out there, the story has it's great share of action-packed moments and some plot-twists. However, I really didn't feel that most characters, including Sam, got a lot of character development, including at the end. Fortunately, Vanquish's main attraction is the gameplay.
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| Cigarette-smoking protagonist, Sam. |
GAMEPLAY- While it may look like a typical futuristic third-person shooter, Vanquish has a lot to offer in terms of gameplay. What's neat about Sam's Augmented Reaction Suit (simply called ARS) is that it allows him to perform some really neat abilities. One ability, which is going bullet-time and shooting enemies precisely can be really satisfying once you get the hang of it. Also, the BLADE system allows you to easily switch between weapons and grenades is really helpful during intense battles.
The boost mechanic is strange at first, but I've found it to be the most important gameplay feature of the game. It really is helpful when facing boss battles and I've found myself being saved by many near-death situations thanks to boosting. It's also helpful if you're dodging enemy attacks or easily moving from on location to another.
It's extremely crucial that you master it before the end boss.
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| Boosting around the environment is awesome. |
That being said, the suit isn't entirely invincible. Melee attacks are one-hit kills and will entirely overheat the ARS suit, leaving you exposed to enemies. The suit will also overheat when you continually use the boosting system as well, so be careful. Also, the weapons you find in the battelfield can be upgraded using BLADE by either picking up the same weapon or continually using it.
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| Tight, responsive, and faced-paced... Vanquish is one of the best games I've played. |
PRESENTATION- Visually, Vanquish is a joy to look at and is one of Platinum's best looking games to date. The level design including the environments are detailed and fit the futuristic setting. Sam's moments are fluid and character models are great, with the most detail going to Sam's ARS suit. In terms of sound, Vanquish has some really great tracks accompanying it when playing. The voice work is good, but I would recommend choosing Japanese voice actors with English subtitles since I found it more fitting compared to it's English counterpart.
Presentation-wise, It's clear that the Platinum Games has achieved what they wanted in Vanquish, both visually and sound-wise.
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| High-octane Action. |
EXCELLENT
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