Vanquish

[Dreddz]

Surprised to see no-one has made a topic on this yet. I think this could be the best 3rd person shooter ever made. At least on gameplay terms. Trust Shinji Mikami to get a game like this right. No dilly dallying, straight to the point!

It is also one of the most visually inspired games I have played in a long time. Never before has fiddling with the right analog stick been so satisfying.

[Flying Arrow]

I liked the demo on PSN, but I'm generally terrible at shooters of any kind. Loved Bayonetta, though, so I'm not surprised the guy's hit another home run. The problem is I heard the game is over in the blink of an eye with not much re-play value. Is this true?

[Roto13]

I liked the demo on PSN, but I'm generally terrible at shooters of any kind. Loved Bayonetta, though, so I'm not surprised the guy's hit another home run.

Why does everyone everywhere think Shinji Mikami and Hideki Kamiya are the same guy?

I haven't bought this yet because I'm poor, but I will, because I buy everything from Platinum.

[Bolivar]

No multiplayer!? Screw that!!!!

Just kidding, I just didn't really feel the demo :P

[Dreddz]

No multiplayer!? Screw that!!!!

Just kidding, I just didn't really feel the demo :P
Vanquish wouldnt translate well to multiplayer. I could imagine everyone abusing the jet boost which would be absolute chaos. Plus you wouldn't be able to slow down time. Vanquish actually benefits from being single player only.

Also don't understand how you could dismiss the game. This is one of those games where its so damn good that I simply cannot fathom how someone could dislike it.

Why does everyone everywhere think Shinji Mikami and Hideki Kamiya are the same guy?.
Probably because they are both refered to as the guy behind Resdent Evil and Devil May Cry. In actuality its Mikami behind Resident Evil and Kamiya behind Devil May Cry. It can be hard to distinguish the two as they both went to Clover Studios and then onto Plainum Games. I can understand the confusion.

[Bolivar]

[QUOTE=Bolivar;2932397]
Vanquish wouldnt translate well to multiplayer. I could imagine everyone abusing the jet boost which would be absolute chaos. Plus you wouldn't be able to slow down time. Vanquish actually benefits from being single player only.

Also don't understand how you could dismiss the game. This is one of those games where its so damn good that I simply cannot fathom how someone could dislike it.

No, I was just joking about the multiplayer thing. About the game, I don't know, it's just not my type of game, that really actioney, Japanese type gameplay where it's all about going back to perfect your technique. As far as shooters goes, it just seems like a lot of spamming. Music didn't really jump out at me.

Don't get me wrong, it's not bad, it just doesn't seem like my thing. When Sega makes a new Shinobi like the PS2 game I'll join in.[/contradiction]

[Madame Adequate]

Got very excited, played the demo, mediocre.

[Dreddz]

The demo is pretty tame compared to the rest of the game. Not that I'll change your mind. The only drawback is that the game is criminally short. Some people have labelled the game as the perfect rental and I'm inclined to agree.

I'm pretty sure I heard Jktrix saying he is enjoying the game. Maybe he can sort you lot out.

[JKTrix]

Games that allow me to do a wide variety of things in real-time really appeal to me. This isn't limited to traditional action games like this, Bayonetta, Ninja Gaiden, Infamous or Assassin's Creed, but also to 'extreme sports' games like the old Tony Hawk games or Skate. The kinds of games where I can say 'what if I did it like this', and I could actually do it like 'that'. Vanquish is more focused than the open-world, climb everywhere games like AC or Infamous, but it has a similar degree of freestyle action gameplay with the tools they give you.

It didn't really click with me until I played through the demo a few times. The first time through, I was pretty disappointed. Just did the basic run, cover, shoot/Gears of War thing. It was decent, but nothing that seemed like it should demand my attention. I tried it again a few days later, and after playing around with the boost and the slow-time mode and the variable melee attacks, I dug what I was getting out of it.

The one thing I would really love to have in the game is a replay mode where you can save and share replays through the system. Especially if it was as extensive as Halo's film system, but even just a basic 'gameplay POV' replay system would have been great.

To reiterate my thoughts from another thread (where someone was deciding what game to buy):

Get Vanquish if you like somewhat open-ended score-attack type arcade games. The controls are pretty perfect and allow for a vast approach to blowing crap up, and it looks stylish while you do it. If that kind of gameplay doesn't interest you--the desire to do things faster, more efficiently, more stylishly than you (or someone else) did it before--then don't bother trying to justify the full price of it. Maybe rent it.

It's a similar kind of argument for shooting games like Deathsmiles and Gradius and the like--it's all about doing better than you did before. Some people can't justify spending a lot of money on things like that. But then there are some people who absolutely love those kinds of games.

[Flying Arrow]

Probably because they are both refered to as the guy behind Resdent Evil and Devil May Cry. In actuality its Mikami behind Resident Evil and Kamiya behind Devil May Cry. It can be hard to distinguish the two as they both went to Clover Studios and then onto Plainum Games. I can understand the confusion.

Er, yeah. This. I meant 'studio'.

Actually, I don't really know about Platinum or any of the designers. My limited knowledge basically led me to Bayonetta = Vanquish. Roto has successfully called me out.

Back on topic, I saw it at a Gamestop yesterday. Still $60, which I am barely willing to pay for a game I've been waiting for. When it hits 19.99 or less, I'll be all over it. Though maybe I'll just even rent it because I'm not very good at shooters anyhow.

[Dreddz]

Just finished the campaign. Great game. Other than the story I enjoyed just about everything. I doubt we'll see such a finely tuned TPS till the next Vanquish to be honest (which is almost definitely going to happen after watching the ending). My playthrough was just over 5 hours. Didn't have much trouble playing on normal till the last act which gets really intense. Will probably give the game another go on hard and play some of the challenges.

This is probably my second favourite game this year, just behind Bayonetta. Platinum Games have done well to put out two games of this calibur in one year. Look forward to whatever they put out next.

[JKTrix]

Did the game tell you that you played for 5 hours? Because it could be lying.

Also, Shinji Mikami works for Zenimax now, the parent company of Bethesda (Elder Scrolls etc.). So might want to keep a look out in that direction too.

[Roto13]

Did the game tell you that you played for 5 hours? Because it could be lying.

Also, Shinji Mikami works for Zenimax now, the parent company of Bethesda (Elder Scrolls etc.). So might want to keep a look out in that direction too.

Isn't his plan to make one last big AAA game and then retire or something? Seems I read something along those lines. I'm probably completely wrong, though.

[Dreddz]

Did the game tell you that you played for 5 hours? Because it could be lying.
Yep. Why and how would it lie exactly?

Also, Shinji Mikami works for Zenimax now, the parent company of Bethesda (Elder Scrolls etc.). So might want to keep a look out in that direction too.
Yeah, I heard about that. I have faith in Platinum Games to be able to continue the series with Mikami. I will also follow Mikami wherever he goes, cause I'm just that obsessed with the guy.

Looking back on Vanquish there are a few other things that stick out to me. For one its one of the few action games that hasn't been diluted with puzzles and side-plots. It is strictly focused on the action all the time. They didn't spread themselves too thin and just made sure that the core gameplay was solid. Its this type of direction that generally gets looked down upon by reviewers as every game has to have variety. Its nice that Platinum Games didn't give into this pressure (except for one moment where your silently taking down search lights, which by the way was easily the weakest part of the entire game) and simply got to make the game that they wanted to make. Theres also an upgrade system but its so streamlined that you never have to go into a menu once. Nice.

Also want to show some love for Sam Gideon who is one of the best protagonists I've played in an action game. They don't try too hard to turn him into a badass (Macus Fenix) or a smart ass (Nathan Drake). He has values but doesn't come across as preachy as Solid Snake. He was a nice mixture of character traits and never once annoyed me.

[JKTrix]

The guy who played Sam Gideon's voice is named Gideon Emery, who some might know as the voice of Balthier from FFXII. He just has awesome in his blood, it seems.

About the 'lying time' thing, the game doesn't record your time if you restart a level. So if you restarted at all, any time you spent playing in the level up until that point ceases to exist. It also doesn't count your 'death' if you restart. I think if you choose 'continue', it does record your time and your death, and just lets you start from the checkpoint.