Vanquish (video game)

Vanquish
Developer(s)	Platinum Games
Publisher(s)	Sega
Director(s)	Shinji Mikami
Producer(s)	Atsushi Inaba
Writer(s)	Hiroki Kato Jean Pierre Kellams
Composer(s)	Erina Niwa Masafumi Takada Masakazu Sugimori
Platform(s)	PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Genre(s)	Third-person shooter
Mode(s)	Single-player

Template:Nihongo title is a third-person shooter video game developed by Platinum Games and published by Sega for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 video game consoles. The game was released in October 2010, after having been in development since 2007.

The game was created by the team previously responsible for Resident Evil 4 (2005), including lead director Shinji Mikami. Vanquish is notable for introducing several innovations to the 3D shooter genre, including a fast-paced style of gameplay reminiscent of 2D bullet hell shooters, and an influential sliding-boost mechanic.

Plot

Vanquish takes place in the near future where planet Earth's human population has grown so rapidly that nations of people around the globe are fighting for the scarce available resources. The United States of America has attempted to alleviate its own energy problems by launching an O'Neill Cylinder space station harboring a solar energy-driven generator to provide them with an alternative source of fuel from the sun. However, the government of the Russian Federation on Earth has been overthrown in a coup d'état by ultra-nationalist forces calling themselves the Order of the Russian Star.

Russian forces capture this space station and divert its harvested solar energy into a blast wave that devastates San Francisco, aiming to force the U.S. into a total and unconditional surrender. The main antagonist, known as Victor Zaitsev, demands that the American government surrender or he will choose New York City as his next target.

The President of the United States of America, Elizabeth Winters, refuses to back down in the face of such a threat. Instead, she takes Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Burns, a decorated war veteran, and puts him in charge of a newly-commissioned task force called Bravo Company. This team consists of several space-faring special forces, veteran Marines, and the remnants of the defending U.S. forces on board the space station. On top of that, she also gives them the game's protagonist and playable character, Sam Gideon (voiced by Gideon Emery in the English version.)

Sam is a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) researcher equipped with an Augmented Reaction Suit (ARS), a cutting-edge mechanical suit outfitted with a vast array of functions, including jet boosters attached to both arms and legs. He is armed with an experimental Battlefield Logic ADaptable Electronic Weapons System (BLADE), which is capable of scanning any existing weapon and then transforming into a perfect replica of that weapon. Its ability to store three scans at a time means that at any given time the BLADE can shapeshift between three completely different guns.

On the surface, this mission gives DARPA the perfect chance to test out the new ARS on the Russians. But both the President and the Secretary of Defense give Sam classified orders to rescue a scientist named Dr. Francois Candide, who was working on-site when the station was attacked. The Doctor has decided to take matters into his own hands and is trying to disable the array himself before it can be used to attack another city.

Gameplay

Players control Sam Gideon, a DARPA agent armed with the Augmented Reaction Suit. The suit has various abilities which enhance the gameplay experience. If the player takes too much damage, the suit will automatically enter Augmented Reality mode (AR Mode), which slows down time, helping the player to avoid being killed. The player can also manually enter AR Mode by holding down the target button whilst evading, allowing the player to target enemies easily. At any time, the player can use the boosters on the suit to quickly move across the area. If the player uses AR Mode or the boosters too much in a short time, the suit will overheat and will require a short period to cool down, during which Sam is less mobile. The suit will also overheat instantly if the player performs a melee attack, and certain areas, such as near the blast area of a ship, will also overheat the suit.

Sam's weaponry consists of the morphing BLADE weapons system and a choice of two types of grenade, hand grenades and EMP emitters, the latter of which stuns enemies for a short period of time. The BLADE system can store up to three weapons at a time (a total of eight weapon types available), with the player able to swap weapons if he encounters a new one. These weapons, as well as the grenades, can be upgraded by collecting upgrade boxes, or by collecting the same type of weapon whilst it has maximum ammunition. Upgrading these weapons improves their abilities, such as their maximum ammo storage, their accuracy and their blast radius. Players can aid injured allies on the field to earn weapons, or find them in crates or weapon lockers. In Normal difficulty or higher, weapons are downgraded if the player dies.

Other gameplay mechanics include the use of explosives during certain areas, commandeering enemy vehicles or turrets, the ability to use cigarettes to distract enemies, and quick time events during certain battles against larger enemies. It has also significantly improved upon the cover system, which it has been credited for taking "to the next level." In contrast to previous cover-based shooters, Vanquish has bullets and missiles coming from all directions in a manner reminiscent of bullet hell shooters and the cover is easily destructible with often a single shot from a robotic enemy being enough to blast away the cover that the player was hiding behind, continuously forcing the player character to be on the move, while the game also penalizes the player on the scoreboard for the amount of time spent in cover. Its most important innovation, however, is the sliding-boost mechanic that allows the player to slide into and out of cover at high speeds (or in slow motion using bullet time), acting as both a defensive escape and an offensive setup, opening up new gameplay possibilities for cover-based shooters and increasing the pace significantly. The game also has a unique end credits, which is interactive and plays like a rail shooter, with the lead designer Shinji Mikami being the most difficult 'enemy' to take down.

Development

The game's director, Shinji Mikami, stated that Vanquish's graphics were partially inspired by Casshern, a 1970s anime television series by Tatsunoko Production. Mikami also stated that the game design itself was inspired by Casshern. Mikami originally wanted to create a game just like Casshern, but with the addition of guns, since Mikami had already previously created a brawler with God Hand. However, while making Vanquish a shooter, Mikami still wanted to maintain Casshern's "feeling of speed" which is the reason he introduced the sliding-boost mechanic. Vanquish also utilizes the Havok physics engine.

The game has been in development since 2007; in January 2010, a pre-rendered video trailer was released. Atsushi Inaba produced the game. Mikami has stated that the game is being developed with the PlayStation 3 as its lead platform, commenting that it was a "great success." It is Shinji Mikami's first game under the Platinum Games brand.

Reception

Vanquish

Aggregate score

Aggregator	Score
GameRankings	85.11%

Review scores

Publication	Score
1Up.com	B+
Edge	8 / 10
Eurogamer	9 / 10
Game Informer	7.75 / 10
GameRevolution	B+
GamesMaster	91%
GameSpot	9 / 10
GamesRadar+	9 / 10
GamesTM	9 / 10
GameTrailers	9 / 10
IGN	8.5 / 10
Official Xbox Magazine (US)	9 / 10
Play	93%
PSM3	90%
Thunderbolt	10 / 10

Awards

Publication	Award
Classic Game Room	Game of the Year
GameSpot	Best Original Game Mechanic (Rocket Sliding)
GameSpot	Best Game No One Played
GamesRadar	Most "Oh Shit" Moments Per Minute
IGN	Best Sci-Fi Game
X360	Best Shooter

The PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of Vanquish respectively debuted at number four (48,318 units) and number 14 (11,204 units) on Japanese sales charts during their release week. By the end of 2010, the game sold over 820,000 copies worldwide.

Vanquish was widely acclaimed by critics, with many reviewers praising the game's visuals, gameplay, innovation, fast pace, and over-the-top style, though some also criticized its short length, lack of multiplayer, mediocre plot, and corny dialogue. GameTrailers gave it a 9.0, noting that it is hard to imagine the slow-motion gameplay working in multiplayer. Game Informer stated "Don't be surprised if you finish your first playthrough in four hours or less." This view was challenged by Platinum Games writer Jean Pierre Kellams and Eurogamer.

The online show Classic Game Room named Vanquish as Game of the Year, IGN gave it the "Best Sci-Fi Game" award, X360 gave it the "Best Shooter" award, and GamesRadar gave it an award for Most "Oh Shit" Moments Per Minute. GameSpot gave the game two awards: "Best Game No One Played" and "Best Original Game Mechanic" for its rocket-sliding game mechanic, which acts as both a defensive escape and an offensive setup, opening up new gameplay possibilities for action games. The game has set a new trend, with its influence seen in recent shooter games that have incorporated similar sliding-boost mechanics, including first-person shooters such as Bulletstorm, Crysis 2, and Killzone 3.

Pre-order bonuses

If pre-ordered from GameStop in North America, Vanquish came with an exclusive tri-weapon download pack. Several European retailers offered free copies of Bayonetta with pre-orders of Vanquish.

External links

• Official website
• Official website Template:Ja icon