SegaShiro: Pure SEGA HARDCORE!

The VANQUISH Demo landed on XBOX 360 today clocking at 467.29 MB and features a full set of options, a training mode, and a boss fight.  I’ve been incredibly hyped up for this balls-to-the-wall style shooter. But does it disappoint?

Hell NO! This demo was like having caffeine injected through my eyeballs. The style of the game seems to be a cross between Metal Gear Solid and Halo suit. However, neither of these comparisons quite hit the mark. The main character talks with a smokers growl and there are liberal amounts of blue and codec-like moments in the early moments of the tutorial. Watching Sam smoke in the middle of a hectic battle is a nice touch.

The powered up suit adds and recharging power bar adds the Halo-esque dimension but gameplay is entirely third-person. The cover system is similar to Gears of War but the speed of the title takes it to a new place in terms of gameplay.

While Gears of War is about holding firm and killing off waves…Vanquish is about getting into and out safe spots and taking any chance you get to attack. The boosting was incredibly intuitive.

Loved:

• Looking at the screens it was often hard to tell what is going on but in full HD and moving the game is something to behold
• The aiming system and boosting system is very natural. It was easy to snap into and out cover when the situation required. The Xbox 360 pad handled it all very well. It felt rather intuitive.
• The speed, oh god, the speed. Perhaps due to all my gaming – I’ve come to have a shorter attention span than most but the speed at which this games handles the battles is exactly what the genre and I needed.
• The bullet time feature is well balanced and not a hokey exploit. It felt like you had to choose when to implement it properly.
• A SD Mode for gamers who don’t have an HDTV! Nice touch. Inclusive!
• The loading screens have character bios on them…I didn’t really notice the loading times to be honest – it was more like a breather.
• Saving comrades nets you weapons! Sweet.
• There was a neat scoring system implemented as well.

Meh:

• It took me a moment to accept the “anime” style…not really a problem but I’m so used to having shooters take themselves too seriously.
• The teammates seemed prone to getting in my way…not sure if I was rushing but the voice sample of “Get Out of My Way” played a few times
• The enemies so far are robots…not a bad thing but no real  villain was showcased yet.
• Grenade toss felt a little strange – probably will require a bit of learning to use effectively

Hated:

• Nothing really other than I will have the terrible choice between getting the game for trophies or achievements.

Overall:

It is a fantastic demo. It gives the speed and pace of the title. I’ll being playing it up until launch. If you like shooters and can handle the pace – this is a game well worth downloading.

Related Posts:

1. Vanquish Demo Coming September 2nd! [Updated]
2. Vanquish Getting Paid and Pre-Order DLC Weapons in Japan
3. Vanquish Arrives to Japanese Retailers on October 21
4. Fresh Vanquish Screens Exude Epic
5. Vanquish is 80% Complete, Confirmed for PS3 and Xbox 360

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