Genre: Action

Platform: PlayStation 3

Publisher: SEGA

Classification: 15 (BBFC)

Imagine a Gears of War game with the speed ramped up and any feeling of clunky, unresponsive control systems diminished. Now imagine that in a futuristic environment, full of mech including performance enhancing suits, advanced weaponry, huge turrets and some gnarly modes of transport.

You’ve just imagined Vanquish.

Bullets constantly crack through the air, ricocheting from nearby cover and even from your suit. It’s an unavoidable thunderstorm and torrential downpour of artillery fire on this danger filled and futuristic battlefield.

Cover and shoot is a major part of gameplay, with huge firefights taking place between two warring factions. The need for cover is always great, you won’t survive without it.

There’s Max Payne style bullet time that provides the perfect opportunity to quickly and easily dispatch enemies whilst the time is slowed down. This ability can either be triggered manually or kicks in as main character Sam Gideon is brought close to death.

The enemies strewn throughout the many levels are hugely robotic – many of them just huge in general. In a time in which bigger video game bosses are better, Vanquish delivers.

All weapons become available early on which seems a little unconventional at first but is in fact a clever move from SEGA. It’s not just about gaining ownership of the gun, but about the fact that you can upgrade it. So even though you’re given the choice from early on, you realistically want to stick with the same three guns so that you can focus your upgrades on those specifically.

The soundtrack is a fast and frantic one, one that suits the pace of the game perfectly and creates a dramatic buzz with its electronic audible tones. It’s not what many people would want to listen to on their iPod granted, but it’s perfect for the game itself.

My only beef with Vanquish is with the fact that it’s often too action filled, with the characters moving from one epic battle to the next with barely any interval but a short cutscene. That said, the sheer beauty and applaudable nailing of mechanics from developers PlatinumGames Inc means that third-person shooters don’t get much better than Vanquish.

SCORE: 9 / 10