Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 70 Critics What's this?

User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 126 Ratings

  • Summary: Directed by Shinji Mikami, VANQUISH is a sci-fi shooter of epic proportions with a fast, fluid and frenetic combat system, and an engaging and immersive storyline. Players take the role of Sam, a government agent kitted out with a futuristic battle suit, in a near future world where nations war over the planet's remaining energy resources. A versatile fighter with a huge arsenal of weaponry at his disposal, Sam also has an array of martial arts skills that he can use to take down his robot enemies. Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 62 out of 70
  2. Negative: 0 out of 70
  1. Dec 19, 2010
    100
    The game that stands is an absolute thrill-ride, brimming with verve and excitement.
  2. Jan 11, 2011
    85
    A great action game that doesn't invent anything new but pushes the gas on speed, adrenaline and spectacularity without a single pace or quality drop. Everything is graced by a very good technical side, with astounding bos battles and a rock-solid frame-rate. Its only drawback is its short and trivial story.
  3. Jan 16, 2011
    85
    As soon as you get behind the tricky controls, the killing of the robot-armies is fun. Sadly, the campaign of the action-blockbuster is very short.
  4. Dec 19, 2010
    70
    Since there is no multiplayer, and much of what Vanquish does has been done before, I was a bit disappointed.

See all 70 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 33 out of 37
  2. Negative: 2 out of 37
  1. 10
    This is a review of a half complete Vanquish. The graphics, controls, combat cover system and level design is all top notch nothing more needs to be said, just buy the game and see for your self. There are several brilliant set pieces that are amazing and kind of similar to those in Enslaved: Odyssey to the West and Bayonetta. This may not be the best game this year (Red Dead Redemption, Enslaved, Mass Effect 2) but it is unique and more entertaining than playing Gears of War because the unrelenting action never lets up. I see this as a good thing though I'm sure some of you don't. Expand
  2. well concieved, nice graphics (no framerate or tearing for that matter) and excellent gameplay and animation. Its a pity that the game ended so quickly without any multiplayer or co-op added. If it did I would've rated the game a perfect 10 out of 10 and recommend it too everyone one. But overall this game is the best Japanese shooter out there. Expand
  3. Vanquish is a Japanese game. Naturally, it is high in adrenaline and wants to fire as many missiles at you at the same time as possible.
    Also,
    as with many Japanese games, it is very silly (insert rocket boots joke here). Good dude bad dude storyline, mixed up with a twist which is more of a slow turn at the end.
    The basic premise is that a Russian bad guy (who seems to like the colours black and red a lot) decides to fire a microwave at San Francisco. Then you end up on a space ship with robots surrounding you trying to rip your face off. Did I miss something?

    The robots are great enemies, popping heads off is still somehow satisfying after just about every game with robots allows you to pop their heads off and there is some variation with walkers seen in Star Wars Battlefront 2, the silver surfer and Megatron from classic Transformers all taking part. Despite this, I feel as if they underplayed the variation, from the first mission I thought I'd face off hordes of unique robots, but I ended up with an occasional megatron and 95% of the enemies being the same standard model which got very boring fighting 3/4 of the way in.

    The game is excessively short, being at best 5 hours of campaign (an additional three thousand hours for cut-scenes) with no additional game modes - not even multiplayer. Its not even as if the campaign is highly replayable - it really isn't which surprised me.

    Vanquish is not a bad game, it has lots going right for it, but the short campaign and monotony really don't do much good for the 50 dollar price tag it had on release. Despite these shortcomings, I'm awaiting a Vanquish 2, where hopefully there will be some variation to break up the combat, a longer, less cinematic based campaign and hopefully a few new features such as maybe a hoard one to go up against the game's major competitor, the ever present and huge 'Gears of War' franchise.
    Expand
  4. no replay value for this game,beat the solo mode in 4 hours, you buy it for just 4 hours of gameplay??.... nice!!

    no multiplayer mode make th
    is a big fail! Expand

See all 37 User Reviews