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[Bernbaum]

Jesus hooker-raping christ. There's every other action shooter game, then there's Vanquish.

Trust Platinum to transcend the genre whilst reinventing it.

 

[panda21]

Simply, when you pick up ammo, it doesn't just replenish you, it also adds EXP to that gun. I'm not sure if this is true, but I think you always level up if you're full and pick up more ammo for that weapon.

Upgrades are more like lucky drops that increase the level of that weapon faster than just ammo pick ups. If you see your level going down, it's possible that you've been dying between an upgrade and a checkpoint. Upgrades don't stay with you when you die, so you need to be careful when you get one.

Also, I think there's a set progression to how you upgrade. Some weapons are just bigger magazines, but others are larger splash damage radius, rate of fire, etc.

It's actually a lot deeper (but still very arcadey) than Jim Sterling suggested in his review.

so if you pick up the ammo while its full, you are effectively throwing it away?

the thing that really confused me is where you are actually supposed to get it, because i kept almost running out in the 1-3 part.. do the enemies drop ammo? i'm pretty sure i saw an enemy weapon but i couldnt pick it up and it just stayed there stuck on some scenery.. and then i found a heavy rifle pickup randomly lying around but i'm not sure why.

it seemed like it was far too easy to run out and then i had to go searching, and there only seemed to be a small number of pre-placed weapon pickups scattered around the room, that didnt re-generate. like if you were kind of bad at the game you could easily run out completely and i dont think you could melee that big boss thing to death.

 

[Empty]

this game, goddam. i keep sitting there grinning at how fucking awesome the game makes me feel as i glide towards cover, switch to the shotgun, go into slowmo as i slide past it, and turning around and send two guys flying with the force of the shot, before flicking out of slowmo and rolling into cover ready to stylishly dispatch the next group. it's just so damn cool in motion, and it's going to be difficult to play it for long periods as the pure adrenaline rush that it gives me can get kinda overwhelming.

i already knew about the great core mechanics, the great controls and the exhilarating combat flow from the demo, but i'm impressed by the level design so far. the spaces are so well crafted, with more variation than expected, giving you different challenges to think about with each encounter, as well as plenty of room to experiment and craft your own path through the foes. great stuff.

 

[badcrumble]

I don't know why I was kvetching about the lack of new game+. Sure it'd be neat, but the upgrade system in this game is PURE GENIUS. You don't have to think about it, you don't have to spend time in the menus - it's just wise to try to keep one or two weapons at full ammo if you're able to pull that off. And it scales perfectly with the game's difficulty.

Mixing upgrade elements with a pick-up-and-drop weapon system turned out to work really, really fucking well. God, what an intelligently designed game.

 

[Mr. Pointy]

I'm not feeling Vanquish. It's pretty and the guns feel good and the boosting is cool and the cutscenes are cheezy as fuck, but it's not clicking with me. I didn't really like Godhand either. Loved the fuck out of P.N.03 though.

 

[rvy]

Monday can't come soon enough, FFS.

 

[JustAnotherOtaku]

Just finished it. Some thoughts:

- Controls well. Doesn't just feel like another 3rd person shooter.
- Weapons are nice and varied, although I found myself using the default rifle most of the time.
- Boss fights are great, would have liked to have seen a few more.
- Non-stop action with very little down time.
- Acts 4 and 5 are amazing.
- Story and characters are cliched, but it's pulled off well.
- Ivanova is hot.
- The way it ends

Spoiler

leaves it really wide open for a sequel. Hopefully that happens.

- Another fantastic Platinum game after Madworld and Bayonetta. Confirms them as one of my favourite devs.

So yeah, short and sweet

 

[Suzzopher]

Picking this up after work tonight, should help me feel better after a week of working with the flu

 

[Dabanton]

Just picked this up.

Can't wait to start playing.

 

[Curufinwe]

It really is. It's sad to see it getting such mixed reviews.

The reviews aren't really that mixed. They're all between 70% and 93% apart from one outliar.

The Eurogamer face-off is up:

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-vanquish-face-off

 

[Vilix]

I don't know why I was kvetching about the lack of new game+. Sure it'd be neat, but the upgrade system in this game is PURE GENIUS. You don't have to think about it, you don't have to spend time in the menus - it's just wise to try to keep one or two weapons at full ammo if you're able to pull that off. And it scales perfectly with the game's difficulty.

Mixing upgrade elements with a pick-up-and-drop weapon system turned out to work really, really fucking well. God, what an intelligently designed game.

This. I love the New Game+ feature. But, with the natural progression of difficulty, there's no need for one in this game. The upgrade system works perfectly.

 

[Erebus]

The reviews aren't really that mixed. They're all between 70% and 93% apart from one outliar.

The Eurogamer face-off is up:

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-vanquish-face-off

So it seems that the PS3 version has a slight advantage due to the vsync.

 

[jonnybryce]

I'm not feeling Vanquish. It's pretty and the guns feel good and the boosting is cool and the cutscenes are cheezy as fuck, but it's not clicking with me. I didn't really like Godhand either. Loved the fuck out of P.N.03 though.

Yeah, I'm up to Act 4 and I'm giving in. You see all this game has to offer very early. Some nice boss battles,

Spoiler

Unknown

was pretty cool to face twice but there's really not much here. PN03 is far better imo.

I don't regret buying it, it was a unique and exciting shooter for a while, then it went downhill by plateauing so early.

 

[badcrumble]

This. I love the New Game+ feature. But, with the natural progression of difficulty, there's no need for one in this game. The upgrade system works perfectly.

I wouldn't say NO to a new game+ feature, mind you. The game just doesn't need it whatsoever.

 

[FlashbladeGAF]

Yeah, I'm up to Act 4 and I'm giving in. You see all this game has to offer very early. Some nice boss battles,

Spoiler

Unknown

was pretty cool to face twice but there's really not much here. PN03 is far better imo.

I don't regret buying it, it was a unique and exciting shooter for a while, then it went downhill by plateauing so early.

LOL you are so wrong its not even funny, but go ahead and be like everyone else who judges games way before they should.

The last 2 acts were the best in my opinion because they kicked things up to the limit and beyond

 

[Starbeh]

This game man... This game! I can not stop smiling.

 

[jonnybryce]

LOL you are so wrong its not even funny, but go ahead and be like everyone else who judges games way before they should.

The last 2 acts were the best in my opinion because they kicked things up to the limit and beyond

I'm up to Act 4. It's been the same thing for 4 acts. There are 5 acts.

I'm not saying it's a bad game by any means, but it's not for everyone. People seem to be really digging it here, on other forums I've seen more mixed opinions and that's where I fall.

 

[JonnyAvacado]

It really is disheartening that alot of people really will not experience this game. I agree with what a few have said about it not feeling completely like a 3rd person shooter. Once you simply master traversal (boost slide and evade), getting around the level is fun on its own. The core mechanics are so so sweet.

Love it, and can't wait for my second playthrough...

 

[hamchan]

Yeah the lack of hype on the internet is really worrying.

 

[robor]

Who ever designed the levels in this game is a genius. Everything is placed so meticulously that there's no space or area that doesn't serve a purpose. Amazing stuff.

 

[thetrin]

so if you pick up the ammo while its full, you are effectively throwing it away?

the thing that really confused me is where you are actually supposed to get it, because i kept almost running out in the 1-3 part.. do the enemies drop ammo? i'm pretty sure i saw an enemy weapon but i couldnt pick it up and it just stayed there stuck on some scenery.. and then i found a heavy rifle pickup randomly lying around but i'm not sure why.

it seemed like it was far too easy to run out and then i had to go searching, and there only seemed to be a small number of pre-placed weapon pickups scattered around the room, that didnt re-generate. like if you were kind of bad at the game you could easily run out completely and i dont think you could melee that big boss thing to death.

I really have no problem maintaining ammo, but yes, enemies will drop ammo. AR ammo is everywhere, and HMG ammo is pretty frequent as well. You'll probably change your third slot a lot, but I upgraded both the HMG and the AR, making fights quick and painless.

Just remember that you can only pick up weapons that are glowing their designated color (white for AR, red for HMG, purple for Sniper, etc). If you just see an enemy gun on the ground, it's just scenery.

 

[JonnyAvacado]

Yeah the lack of hype on the internet is really worrying.

Yes it seems like even some veteran players are torn about this game. Thankfully I am not torn. From the moment I saw gameplay videos, I was all in, and I knew it would be awesome. I think that maybe this might be one of those games that develops a very hardcore following for a small group of people. Unfortunate though that it will not get the widespread acclaim (and chance) that I think it deserves.

 

[thetrin]

I don't know why I was kvetching about the lack of new game+. Sure it'd be neat, but the upgrade system in this game is PURE GENIUS. You don't have to think about it, you don't have to spend time in the menus - it's just wise to try to keep one or two weapons at full ammo if you're able to pull that off. And it scales perfectly with the game's difficulty.

Mixing upgrade elements with a pick-up-and-drop weapon system turned out to work really, really fucking well. God, what an intelligently designed game.

I agree. For a game so bent on speed and constant action, you'd think an upgrade system would break the flow, but because it's all automatic, and built into the flow of leaning towards your favorite weapons, the game intelligently rewards you for playing a specific way consistently. It's fucking awesome.

I have a request. Could someone make me an avatar of Sam's mask transforming onto his face after he says "Let's hit hard and make 'em regret it!" in 1-3?

 

[dark10x]

The reviews aren't really that mixed. They're all between 70% and 93% apart from one outliar.

The Eurogamer face-off is up:

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-vanquish-face-off

The footage of the 360 version looked worse than the article would lead you to believe. There was a lot of tearing in the 360 version. It was pretty obvious in the demo as well.

Still, I'm glad both versions actually turned out well this time.

 

[practice02]

Yeah the lack of hype on the internet is really worrying.

its two down falls are:
1.it's price point vs gameplay value. While I understand it's meant to be played multiple times. I know a lot of people who play a game once and put it down. Sometimes I wish being sold as a 50 or forty dollar game on the PS360 consoles wasn't such a shameful thing it would have benefited a great number of decent games
2. Deadrising two kirbys epic yarn and fallout new vegas have split the demographic for this game.
This games sales make me feel the same sad i felt for No more heroes sales numbers and Okamis sales numbers. i rip on japanese games quite a bit but when the gems aren't allowed to shine it sucks

 

[FlashbladeGAF]

I'm up to Act 4. It's been the same thing for 4 acts. There are 5 acts.

I'm not saying it's a bad game by any means, but it's not for everyone. People seem to be really digging it here, on other forums I've seen more mixed opinions and that's where I fall.

I didnt say you said it was a bad game. I also know how long the game is. I've beaten it and I can tell you that there are things they've done in those acts that weren't done in the early stages. I'm just calling out your statement that the levels you didnt play are nothing new because you assume you've seen everything the game has to offer in the previous levels, which is false.

Granted it isnt THAT different... The same basic game style is the same, but there are things that you haven't seen in previous levels that do take it up a notch and make the action feel that much more thrilling. Its another reason why most people who have reached the end want more.

 

[∀ Narayan]

Yeah, you know a game is gonna sell really horribly when even the official thread on GAF is hardly getting any attention. I mean what the hell?

It was about the same case with Bayonetta, if I remember correctly, and that game sold quite modestly with 1.1 million copies. I don't expect Vanquish to sell the same numbers, but I do hope that more people become aware of its existence. If only someone could market it properly. (Or not release it when there are a good amount of games released close to it. Goddamnit, Sega, what's wrong with you?)

 

[Nemesis_]

I have ascended to the heavens. All I need is Sam Gideon and Bayonetta. <3

 

[∀ Narayan]

I have ascended to the heavens. All I need is Sam Gideon and Bayonetta. <3

For real. If PlatinumGames ever closes up shop and its key employees decide to stop making video games, I will give up video gaming for the rest of my life.

 

[thetrin]

I don't think Mikami or Kamiya will ever do that. They'll probably still be making awesome video games when they're old men. :lol

 

[Nemesis_]

For real. If PlatinumGames ever closes up shop and its key employees decide to stop making video games, I will give up video gaming for the rest of my life.

They have actually finished all their projects for now, haven't they? Are there any indications AT ALL of what they're working on?

 

[Scythesurge]

I don't think Mikami or Kamiya will ever do that. They'll probably still be making awesome video games when they're old men. :lol

I can only hope that this will be true! These guys have been making my favorite games for over a decade now, and their passion for making games seems as strong as its ever been.

 

[hamchan]

They have actually finished all their projects for now, haven't they? Are there any indications AT ALL of what they're working on?

Bayonetta 2


...I hope.

 

[robor]

They have actually finished all their projects for now, haven't they? Are there any indications AT ALL of what they're working on?

Dunno about Mikami but didn't Kamiya say he's already working on something else?

 

[∀ Narayan]

They have actually finished all their projects for now, haven't they? Are there any indications AT ALL of what they're working on?

Shinji Mikami is currently the Creative Producer for Grasshoper Manufacture's/EA's Shadows of the Damned. I'm sure he has another project with PlatinumGames lined up. It'll probably be another collaboration with Tango since he's still an external board member of PG. Hideki Kamiya... no idea, but he did hint that PG has a multiplayer game in development.

 

[Nemesis_]

Dunno about Mikami but didn't Kamiya say he's already working on something else?

I'm assuming Mikami is working on Damned with EA.

Does Mikami technically work for Platinum or is he a bit of a freelancer? =/

 

[Empty]

I think the game, like Mirror's Edge a few years back, will get quite a lot of traction when it drops in price, escaping the crowded release schedule and allowing people to ignore their worries about the reported length. Shame that'll be too late for the sales to mean much to Plat and Sega.

 

[george_us]

What hurts the game is that, unless you're a person who loves beating their high score, there's really no incentive to play this again. There aren't any suit upgrades and weapon upgrades don't even carry over. P.N.03 is literally a 3 hour game but I put at least 30 hours trying to get all of the moves and unlock all of the suits. Then I put another 10 hours trying to beat Hard Mode with the Papillon.:lol Yes I sucked, sue me.

 

[∀ Narayan]

I'm assuming Mikami is working on Damned with EA.

Does Mikami technically work for Platinum or is he a bit of a freelancer? =/

He has his own studio: Tango. He's an external board member of PG. So... yes to both, I guess?

 

[badcrumble]

What hurts the game is that, unless you're a person who loves beating their high score, there's really no incentive to play this again. There aren't any suit upgrades and weapon upgrades don't even carry over. P.N.03 is literally a 3 hour game but I put at least 30 hours trying to get all of the moves and unlock all of the suits. Then I put another 10 hours trying to beat Hard Mode with the Papillon.:lol Yes I sucked, sue me.

here's an incentive:

it's fun

 

[Semblance]

I feel like an idiot, I barely touched the disk cutter weapon as I didn't get the point. Just wasn't doing much damage. I got to the scene in Act III with the medium sized mechs (I don't know their exact name) with drills and let it tried it again - awesome! Chops off its arms and legs and watch it hop toward you, worthless to do anything else. Or saw off its head and let it stumble around, attacking in random directions.

I love this game.

I have ascended to the heavens. All I need is Sam Gideon and Bayonetta. <3

Basically.

 

[so1337]

Am I a bad person if I'm not buying this today?

Just bought SMB the day before yesterday, haven't finished Reach yet. Urgh...

 

[thetrin]

I'm actually sticking to just a few weapons on my first run, so I can see myself trying to play the game with a slightly different load out for subsequent playthroughs.

I feel like an idiot, I barely touched the disk cutter weapon as I didn't get the point. Just wasn't doing much damage. I got to the scene in Act III with the medium sized mechs (I don't know their exact name) with drills and let it tried it again - awesome! Chops off its arms and legs and watch it hop toward you, worthless to do anything else. Or saw off its head and let it stumble around, attacking in random directions.

I love this game.

Interesting, my third slot is almost always the sniper or the lock on laser, so I'll have to give the disk launcher a try.

 

[∀ Narayan]

http://mikami-project.com/harakiri/

:lol :lol :lol :lol

 

[thetrin]

http://mikami-project.com/harakiri/

:lol :lol :lol :lol

Suda shouting "Hana yori Tango!" Jesus Christ :lol

 

[Scythesurge]

http://mikami-project.com/harakiri/

:lol :lol :lol :lol

:lol Mikami has great humor.

 

[jetsetfluken]

Yeah.....that 3D cover was a nice surprise. Now go and enjoy the best shooter since RE4!

You guys are talking about the EU version right? My NA version doesn't have a slip-cover...

Can't wait for my UK Limited Edition to arrive though.

 

[thetrin]

You guys are talking about the EU version right? My NA version doesn't have a slip-cover...

Can't wait for my UK Limited Edition to arrive though.

Yeah, I think only the EU version has the 3D sleeve.

 

[Shadow780]

This game....soooo goooood.

 

[george_us]

here's an incentive:

it's fun

So is Halo: Reach. So is Dead Rising 2. So is Bayonetta. So is Fallout: New Vegas. So is Red Dead: Redemption. So is Mass Effect 2.

All of those games offer a shit load of replay value and many of them offer significantly longer campaigns. I personally don't give a shit whether a short game offers little replay value as I'm the type of person who replays campaigns over and over again, even on the same difficulty setting. I'm in the vast, vast minority however. Many gamers simply can't overlook this though and will most likely choose something else or wait until the game drops in price.