Vanquish

A fast paced, stylised arcade shooter made by its quick gunplay and cinematic fights but, sadly, crippled with repetitive missions and the most irritating protagonist in gaming history

90%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

stability, grinding

90% User Score Based on 4,060 reviews

Critic Score 83%Based on 6 reviews

Platforms

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About

In Vanquish, play as government operative Sam Gideon, suffering from a scarcity of information available. Equip the Augmented Reaction Suit, enabling superhuman abilities, firepower, and melee moves, to eradicate a myriad of intelligent robotic enemies and bosses across fast-paced, varied environments. Featuring an extensive weapons arsenal, unique offensive and defensive moves, and fluid combat mechanics, this sci-fi action shooter offers an exhilarating experience with unlocked framerate and HD resolutions on PC.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 4,060 reviews

story242 positive mentions

stability20 negative mentions

Fast-paced and engaging gameplay with unique mechanics like sliding and bullet time.
Visually impressive for its time, with well-designed environments and character models.
Fun and over-the-top story that embraces its campy nature, providing a lighthearted experience.

Short campaign length, typically around 5-6 hours, which may leave players wanting more.
Repetitive enemy types and level design that can become monotonous over time.
The weapon upgrade system is convoluted and can discourage experimentation with different weapons.

story
1,413 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
70%
13%
The story of *Vanquish* is widely regarded as weak and clichéd, often described as a generic military narrative featuring over-the-top characters and dialogue reminiscent of B-movie tropes. Many players feel that the plot serves primarily as a backdrop for the fast-paced action, with little emotional depth or character development, leading to a forgettable experience. While some appreciate the campy charm and humor, the consensus is that the gameplay far outweighs the story's shortcomings, making it a title best enjoyed for its mechanics rather than its narrative.
- “The story is your basic, Russia attacks America and you're the best hope for America kind of deal.”
- “The story is filled with plot twists, intricate cutscenes, and as much attention to detail as in its gameplay.”
- “The story is a parody without punchlines.”
- “The story is very generic military and war, like Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, except a lot of the ideas were given depth in the overall game design compared to Vanquish, where it just feels hollow and characters do things for the sake of twist and shock.”
- “The story is shallow and I wish they included a way to upgrade (or increase) the suit's cooldown bar, but Vanquish still has much more redeeming qualities and is worth it.”
- “The story is pretty random since it lacks lore, especially from your main and the rest of the characters; however, it is pretty decent from the present combat perspective.”
gameplay
1,335 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
56%
4%
The gameplay of "Vanquish" is widely praised for its fast-paced, fluid mechanics that blend cover-based shooting with unique movement options like sliding and bullet time, creating a dynamic and engaging experience. Players appreciate the depth and variety of combat strategies available, although some criticize the repetitive nature of encounters and the underwhelming story. Overall, the game is considered a standout in the third-person shooter genre, particularly for its innovative mechanics and satisfying action.
- “The gameplay is outstanding.”
- “The gameplay is fast-paced and intense, with a lot to master.”
- “The gameplay is where Vanquish truly shines.”
- “The gameplay feels like an attempt to make a chimera that has cover-based combat yet they put in a movement system that feels amazing, and I think the contrast of those two elements interfered with the gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is fast but that's all it has to offer; the story is very poor and the level design gets bland pretty fast.”
- “A downside of the gameplay is the lack of variety; most of it is basically killing enemies and moving forward, your mobility is mostly used for bosses and heavy units, and there's basically zero reason to use all the weapons the game has to offer.”
graphics
385 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
57%
5%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising its unique aesthetic and smooth performance, particularly in the context of its 2010 release. While some players appreciate the vibrant sci-fi visuals and detailed animations, others feel the graphics are dated and lack variety, often describing them as mediocre or reminiscent of older titles. Overall, the remastered version on PC enhances the visuals significantly, allowing for higher resolutions and frame rates, but opinions vary on whether the graphics truly stand out in today's gaming landscape.
- “The graphics and art style are great, and the gameplay is smooth and engaging.”
- “The game's visuals are stunning, with a futuristic aesthetic and slick animations that bring the action to life.”
- “The action is riveting and fast-paced, and the visuals are sharp and polished.”
- “This game has cool action cutscenes, but the graphics feel too outdated and mismatched throughout the game.”
- “The art style, like many games of that era, leaves a lot to be desired; the color palette is pretty much gray, which is boring to look at.”
- “The graphics definitely didn't get the treatment they deserved; the game hasn't aged well at all.”
music
147 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
58%
7%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its fitting electronic and techno style that complements the fast-paced gameplay. While some found the soundtrack enjoyable and nostalgic, reminiscent of late 90s shooters, others described it as forgettable or overshadowed by the chaotic action. Overall, the soundtrack is generally seen as solid but not particularly memorable, with a few standout tracks that enhance the gaming experience.
- “The soundtrack is also excellent, with a blend of electronic and orchestral music that complements the intense gameplay.”
- “The music is solid; however, Platinum has set a standard for themselves when it comes to music, e.g., Bayonetta, Nier: Automata. You have this unique game, but featured in such generic music.”
- “Best parts are the gameplay and the music; controls feel very tight and responsive, and the gameplay itself is a blast, all set to an intense sci-fi soundtrack.”
- “The music was fine, but not memorable.”
- “The soundtrack was ok, action-oriented, but nothing I will remember after a while.”
- “The music is also abnormally bland and nondescript for a platinum game, and while it occasionally gets infuriating during lengthy action sequences, it's mostly harmless and forgettable.”
replayability
101 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
61%
8%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while it is relatively short—around 5 to 8 hours—many players find it highly replayable due to its challenge modes, multiple difficulty settings, and scoring systems that encourage repeated playthroughs. However, some reviewers note that the lack of a New Game+ feature and a somewhat repetitive nature can limit its long-term appeal, making it more suited for those who enjoy perfecting their skills or hunting for achievements. Overall, it offers a fun, fast-paced experience with significant replay value for dedicated players.
- “The main campaign is on the short side but it makes up for its brevity with mechanical depth and replayability.”
- “Despite the downside of the game being short, it has amazing replay value.”
- “The game features an extremely replayable, albeit short campaign and additional score attack modes for the perfectionists out there.”
- “Although it is quite short and not that replayable unless you're looking to get every single achievement, Vanquish kickstarted Platinum Games as we know it today.”
- “The game's a great take on the third-person shooter genre given how fast and arcadey it is, but it's an incredibly short game where the story is only around five or so hours long, and I don't see much replayability in it outside of those that are maybe willing to dig deeper, especially with an unrewarding scoring system.”
- “Sadly, there is no replay value outside of getting the achievements.”
optimization
99 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
51%
10%
Overall, the game's optimization is generally praised, with many users reporting solid performance across a range of hardware, including lower-end PCs. While some players experienced minor stuttering during cutscenes or intense gameplay moments, the majority found the game to run smoothly at high settings, with impressive frame rates and minimal technical issues. Despite a few noted inconsistencies, the PC port is considered well-optimized, making it accessible and enjoyable for a wide audience.
- “The game is nicely optimized on PC and can be played on mid or low-end PCs as well.”
- “Incredibly well optimized, stunning visuals, and kick-ass gameplay.”
- “The port has been optimized very well, with my GTX 980 Ti being able to maintain a steady 60fps at 1440p with no problems at all.”
- “The only other negatives I have are performance drops in 4K with VSync on in cutscenes (but not gameplay, thankfully) and the 'overheat' system.”
- “It's not the most well-optimized game, especially considering it's originally from 2010, and you might experience some stuttering or frame dips during intense moments if running on a somewhat weaker CPU.”
- “I managed to maximize the graphical settings at 1080p, which did suffer from the stuttering and frame dips I mentioned earlier on my Intel Core i5-4460 / GTX 1050 machine until I lowered the game's resolution down to my monitor's native of 1360x768.”
humor
81 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The humor in the game is widely appreciated for its intentional absurdity and over-the-top dialogue, often eliciting genuine laughter from players. Many reviews highlight the campy characters and ridiculous scenarios, with some noting that the humor is reminiscent of classic B-movies and Platinum Games' signature style. While some found the humor to be unintentional or lacking depth, the overall consensus is that it adds a unique charm to the gameplay experience.
- “Vanquish is both a pretty unique cover shooter while also hilariously containing several tropes from the 7th console generation; it's fun, it's goofy, it fits quite well in the Platinum Games catalog.”
- “The dialogue and story were fun, and while the characters were more caricatures, I was smirking and chuckling through a lot of the silly verbal exchanges.”
- “It's 5 hours of nonstop cheesy action, with a stupid wisecracking protagonist and hilarious villains; it's Platinum Games at their best.”
stability
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
3%
65%
Overall, the game's stability is a mixed bag; while many players report smooth performance with minimal glitches and no significant crashes, others have encountered frustrating bugs, such as characters getting stuck and occasional crashes to desktop. Some users recommend playing on console to avoid these issues, while others appreciate the game's solid port and high frame rates. Despite the inconsistencies, many players find the game enjoyable and well-optimized for their systems.
- “The game has otherwise been bug free and has functioned well.”
- “No glitches, or significant framerate loss.”
- “Brilliant game runs great at 1440p and a high framerate for me.”
- “Frankly, I don't care what causes it; it's a pathetic issue to have with a 2017 release, and I'm not going to spend time troubleshooting it when the conclusion should be: play on console instead and don't support this release.”
- “Only gripes are that the game is somewhat buggy, characters would get stuck and bar progress, and I had one crash to desktop, and that the developers don't seem to understand that insta-kill attacks aren't fun to play against.”
- “A buggy mess since release.”
grinding
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
5%
86%
Reviews indicate that while the game offers enjoyable action and unique mechanics, the grinding aspect can become tedious and repetitive, particularly in the later levels where enemies are often bullet sponges. Some players appreciate the integration of grinding into the campaign, but many find it detracts from the overall experience, leading to frustration and a sense of monotony. Overall, the balance between fun gameplay and tedious grinding remains a contentious point among players.
- “But it's not grindy and well integrated into the campaign.”
- “It's a great shoot 'em up game with fun boss fights, not tedious and boring.”
- “The game is generally fun; however, it fails to execute its idea properly, becoming somewhat repetitive and tedious at times, making me leave it halfway through.”
- “Sadly, it got very tedious very fast.”
- “The downside is that the last two acts were rather grindy, and the enemies were absolute bullet sponges.”
emotional
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
78%
22%
The emotional aspect of the game is largely criticized, with many reviewers noting a lack of attachment to characters and a generic, uninspiring story. While some moments provide a sense of excitement and style, the overall experience fails to evoke meaningful emotions, leaving players feeling disconnected from the narrative and its characters. Those seeking a deep emotional connection or well-crafted storytelling may find this game lacking.
- “There is just something emotionally stimulating about boosting onto the back of a 50-foot tall mech only to twirl my way through its chassis like a ballerina that I will never grow tired of doing!”
- “Full emotional range and the occasional joke thrown in for good measure.”
- “By the end of the game, the script pretends that the player has built some sort of relationship with all the other characters, but for their time spent together, there was no emotional payoff.”
- “A boring story and cringe-worthy characters do very little to smother Vanquish's effulgence.”
- “Boring characters, boring story, boring and janky gameplay.”
- “Generic boring story, terrible voice acting, decent gameplay...meh.”
character development
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
38%
44%
Character development in the game is widely criticized for being minimal and uninspired, with many reviewers noting a lack of significant growth or depth in the characters. While the character and enemy designs receive some praise for their aesthetic appeal, the overall narrative and character arcs are described as dull and lacking substance, often overshadowed by gameplay mechanics. Overall, the game's strengths lie more in its action and visual design rather than in its storytelling or character development.
- “While the game's story and character development pale in comparison to the action, Vanquish remains an underrated gem and anyone who is a fan of Platinum Games' previous action titles like Bayonetta should enjoy this as well.”
- “And the main character design, as well as the weapon design and huge bot designs, look very futuristic and are very well rendered with the many animations they implemented.”
- “Amazing scenery, level, and character design.”
- “There's not much character development and they try to redeem a character that literally chooses to slaughter his own troops for the sake of the mission.”
- “There is no character development or actual significant characters for that matter.”
- “There's virtually no character development, just being told to go here and do this.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
30%
30%
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for enhancing the gameplay experience, with many users noting its consistency with the intense action and engaging story. However, some critiques highlight a lack of visual detail, describing the environment as somewhat bland. Overall, the atmosphere is characterized as immersive and fun, contributing positively to the game's fast-paced nature.
- “Great atmosphere, excellent gameplay.”
- “The story is better than many Hollywood movies and the atmosphere of the world is pretty cool.”
- “Vanquish manages to come up with an acceptable story with a few twists and turns, and most importantly, creates an atmosphere totally consistent with the frantic and intense action of gameplay moments.”
- “The white greyish atmosphere of the game lacks any eye-catching details; it's the opposite of being intriguing.”
- “I don't know how to sum it up, all-in-all Vanquish is a no-brain arcade linear shooter that is less ambitious than it pretends, but still has qualities such as its simplicity and direct action-packed atmosphere.”
- “It may have an atmosphere vaguely similar to Gears, but it is not Gears, does not play like Gears, and playing like Gears should not be attempted.”
monetization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
13%
75%
The monetization aspect of the game is praised for its absence of microtransactions and downloadable content, offering a complete experience without additional costs. Reviewers express nostalgia for a time before live-service models, highlighting the game's value as a standalone title that was poorly marketed, which contributed to its low visibility and sales. Overall, the lack of in-game purchases is seen as a positive feature that enhances the gameplay experience.
- “Simply magnificent port to PC with great control for either your mouse or gaming pad (no in-game purchases and no DLC) just a great semi-short story that to this day keeps up graphically with most current-gen games.”
- “Those were the best days and years of gaming because it was an era before the whole live-service nonsense and microtransactions.”
- “The ads are awful, but standard mouse aim is fine. Forcing you to pre-aim before using right click to boost accuracy is counterproductive to the game's focus on mobility.”
- “Ultimately, the plot really doesn't matter as it's just an excuse for a variety of action set pieces, but at the time of the game's release, it was near universally panned because the advertisements focused on the story and everyone thought the game looked dumb.”