I knew I was going to like it, but good gravy davey... It's one of my favorite games of the last decade. Sort of surprised me how much I love it, especially considering it has a handful of nagging issues. But hot damn. It's the only game this year I literally could not put down.

Really? Damn. Not that there's anything wrong with it, I just didn't think people loved it.
 
From the bit I played, I thought it was a pretty fun shooter with some unique elements, but I just stopped playing it because, after a while, I got that "yup, I know what I'm doing here; you want to ask me to do something else yet" feeling from the game.

I beat most of the first act and loved it, but i haven't had time to really sit down this week for a good session.
 
i don't know if it'll be game of the year, but it looks like it'll be one of my favorites from a pure gameplay standpoint (like Red Faction: Guerilla last year, and Bayonetta this year).

Yeah, I don't think many people are seriously going to consider it, and less are going to actually choose it, though it's fucking awesome. It wins on a 'wow-ee!' factor rather than a 'does it push games'

" Consider? Yes. Awesome, awesome game. But GOTY for me was locked up one week into the year--Bayonetta. "

yes im considering it. Havent had this much fun playing a console game in a very long time since games like Ninja Gaiden where I'll give it another playthrough again and again not to mention the unlockable challenge modes similar to RE4's Mercenaries that made me still play the game again and again. :D

" I beat most of the first act and loved it, but i haven't had time to really sit down this week for a good session.  i don't know if it'll be game of the year, but it looks like it'll be one of my favorites from a pure gameplay standpoint (like Red Faction: Guerilla last year, and Bayonetta this year). "

Why anyone wouldn't vote for Mass Effect 2 confuses and scares me. 
 
Anyway, I liked Vanquish a lot. Will it be in my top 10? Sure. Wait... did I play more than 10 games this year...?

" yes im considering it. Havent had this much fun playing a console game in a very long time since games like Ninja Gaiden where I'll give it another playthrough again and again not to mention the unlockable challenge modes similar to RE4's Mercenaries that made me still play the game again and again. :D "

Well if Spartan: Total Warrior is one of my favourite games of all time, I'm sure there are people out there who thinks Vanquish is for them as well. Personally, I haven't laid hands on the thing, but from what i've heard, sounds just as satisfying as STW was to me. That game had me playing the campaign no under than 30 times.

     Seriously though? Vanquish has fun gameplay but everything about it is as plain as it gets, the overly dramatic cutscenes are very Japanese (Translation: Stupid). it can no way stand up up to RDR, Alan Wake,Mass Effect 2, Castlevania,etc... "

"

     Seriously though? Vanquish has fun gameplay but everything about it is as plain as it gets, the overly dramatic cutscenes are very Japanese (Translation: Stupid). it can no way stand up up to RDR, Alan Wake,Mass Effect 2, Castlevania,etc... "

Uh oh, that was kind of dumb to say. I'm going to join in on the Bayonetta love in here and also say it's the front-runner for my GotY as well. Vanquish is going be the last game I get from Gamefly for a while and if it's got that Bayonetta level of style and character, it's also going to be one of my favorites this year. "

" @OwnlyUzinWonHan said:

"

     Seriously though? Vanquish has fun gameplay but everything about it is as plain as it gets, the overly dramatic cutscenes are very Japanese (Translation: Stupid). it can no way stand up up to RDR, Alan Wake,Mass Effect 2, Castlevania,etc... "

Uh oh, that was kind of dumb to say. I'm going to join in on the Bayonetta love in here and also say it's the front-runner for my GotY as well. Vanquish is going be the last game I get from Gamefly for a while and if it's got that Bayonetta level of style and character, it's also going to be one of my favorites this year. "

Elaborate on how that was "dumb" to say.    All the cutscenes in Vanquish have some VERY cheesy one-liners and Puns that you normally only see on Cartoon Network along with very annoying and bad writing that make you want to kill all the characters in the game. it's why im glade a lot of japanese franchises are in the hands of western developers since they seem to be the only one that can make cutscenes that aren't for 12-year-olds and retards.   Maybe you find it fine or normal but i find it very stupid considering i am not a child.  there is not excuse for that kind of writing in a M17+ rated title. "

  @owl_of_minerva said:

" @lavaman77:  Different cultural context, different writing style. It's a very stupid thing to say, given that it should be obvious. Is Xenogears for 12yos and retards? If Vanquish has a bad story then it's the fault of that specific game, not the whole industry.... "

" @lavaman77:  It's stupid to say all Japanese writing is stupid, it's as if I said "Halo 2's story was awful, JUST LIKE ALL WESTERN GAMES". It's a huge generalization and as is the case with most generalizations, it's pretty dumb to say. "

" Why anyone wouldn't vote for Mass Effect 2 confuses and scares me.    "

" @lavaman77 said:

" @OwnlyUzinWonHan said:

"

     Seriously though? Vanquish has fun gameplay but everything about it is as plain as it gets, the overly dramatic cutscenes are very Japanese (Translation: Stupid). it can no way stand up up to RDR, Alan Wake,Mass Effect 2, Castlevania,etc... "

Uh oh, that was kind of dumb to say. I'm going to join in on the Bayonetta love in here and also say it's the front-runner for my GotY as well. Vanquish is going be the last game I get from Gamefly for a while and if it's got that Bayonetta level of style and character, it's also going to be one of my favorites this year. "

Elaborate on how that was "dumb" to say.    All the cutscenes in Vanquish have some VERY cheesy one-liners and Puns that you normally only see on Cartoon Network along with very annoying and bad writing that make you want to kill all the characters in the game. it's why im glade a lot of japanese franchises are in the hands of western developers since they seem to be the only one that can make cutscenes that aren't for 12-year-olds and retards.   Maybe you find it fine or normal but i find it very stupid considering i am not a child.  there is not excuse for that kind of writing in a M17+ rated title. "

Well, it was dumb because it's actually more Western than Japanese. The whole point is for it to be sort of making fun of Western action movies. That's not just me defending the game because I love it. Here's the quote from one of the writers (not Japanese, by the way): 
 
It’s got that great G.I. Joe sense of good guys taking on bad guys, which plays directly into the style of dialogue we were going for in Vanquish. In essence, Vanquish is tinged with parody, but not the point of being overt. I read a review that said, “It’s hard to tell whether it is taking the piss or not, which in itself may well be the intention.” Many of the dialogue lines in Vanquish are way over-the-top, but then again, you are talking about a group of super-powered space marines attacking a colony the size of a small city in space. I think it would be incredibly strange if they played things overly straight faced, so why not have fun with things? Why not make the characters aware of not only the ridiculousness of the situation, but also the varied cultural influences that lead to the creation of a game like Vanquish. My intent, at least with the English script, was not fan service, but rather making sure the game never forgets what it is – a game. There are plenty of companies working towards the serious. We never forget we are making games. I love that. As that same review said, “We weren’t sure if we were laughing at it, or with it, but we were definitely laughing.” Perfect.      I'd say, considering you didn't get that it was a bit of a parody, they nailed what they were going for.  Moreover, saying that it's just Japanese developers who deliver shit writing is laughable. Vanquish completely embarrasses Gears of War. Or would if Gears wasn't already an embarrassment in that department.  However, writing is not everything when it comes to a game's quality. Gears has shit writing, but is still considered a great game by many. If I were to list Vanquish's best features, I wouldn't list writing or story, even though it did make me laugh a few times, and I did think some things were cool. I'd talk about mechanics, gameplay variety, character animations (good... GRAVY...), enemy types and variety, boss fights, music and sound (...DAVEY), setting, and challenge (you don't have what it takes, my friend). ^_^  "Everything about it is as plain as it gets."  ... Oh. You're trolling then? Because that's the most ludicrous thing ever said on the internet ever. Vanquish is the least plain third person shooter ever. That's its entire schtick! What's with you, man? "

Mass Effect 2, bitches!.........And Bayonetta closely behind^^

Alright, can you name me one object that wasn't white or bright gold through out the whole game?"

I actually liked Bayonetta a lot more than Vanquish. Vanquish was OK but just not as memorable as Bayonetta.

I can't effing wait to play this game. As of right now my GOTY stands between Alan Wake and Castlevania. Don't get me wrong, Bayonetta, Mass Effect 2 and Red Dead Redemption were awesome, but not as awesome as either AW and LoS. Both of these games are top notch gaming with such satisfying, tight mechanics and gameplay. I can't get enough of jumping over enemies and whipping their backsides in LoS and Alan Wake is one of the few games I love to play over and over and over because the presentation is just so damn good.

" @lavaman77 said: 

Alright, can you name me one object that wasn't white or bright gold through out the whole game?"

Ah, so you only played the demo? That wouldn't make much sense though, because that was filled with the most basic enemy type, which is bright red! The slightly upgraded version that hovers around is blue. Snipers are sort of a greenish, but not really one color. The Romanovs and Scorpions are also more complicated than just one color, but I'd say they're more of a shimmering steel like color. When the bots explode it's either a bluish/purple mist or a bright orange explosion. Act 1 Level 5 puts you in a night time sort of level. Act 4 puts you in a park-type place (parks are sort of green, by the way, in case you're color blind). Act 3 starts at sort of the red light district of the station. There's a zero gravity level...  Didn't think very hard on this question, did you? It's clear you haven't even played the game but only glanced at a trailer. It's ok, we all make mistakes. "

" Vanquish is a game that if I could choose to show a game to people 15 years ago, this would be it. I think it would blow minds more than any other game I could show because it's simply so amazing looking aesthetically and stylistically. Saying that, it can't beat Mass Effect 2 or Red Dead for me. Those 2 games were just a step above imo. "

" @Duffyside said:

" @lavaman77 said: 

Alright, can you name me one object that wasn't white or bright gold through out the whole game?"

Ah, so you only played the demo? That wouldn't make much sense though, because that was filled with the most basic enemy type, which is bright red! The slightly upgraded version that hovers around is blue. Snipers are sort of a greenish, but not really one color. The Romanovs and Scorpions are also more complicated than just one color, but I'd say they're more of a shimmering steel like color. When the bots explode it's either a bluish/purple mist or a bright orange explosion. Act 1 Level 5 puts you in a night time sort of level. Act 4 puts you in a park-type place (parks are sort of green, by the way, in case you're color blind). Act 3 starts at sort of the red light district of the station. There's a zero gravity level...  Didn't think very hard on this question, did you? It's clear you haven't even played the game but only glanced at a trailer. It's ok, we all make mistakes. "

I have the full game and im on the third level at the moment. my eyes are tired of White, something tells me that White will be the new grey in a few years.  There is a line that designers and artists should never cross, which is to NEVER repeat the same color more than once on just one screen.  Anyway, the thing that bothers me the most is the writing and the characters. "

" @lavaman77 said:

" @Duffyside said:

" @lavaman77 said: 

Alright, can you name me one object that wasn't white or bright gold through out the whole game?"

Ah, so you only played the demo? That wouldn't make much sense though, because that was filled with the most basic enemy type, which is bright red! The slightly upgraded version that hovers around is blue. Snipers are sort of a greenish, but not really one color. The Romanovs and Scorpions are also more complicated than just one color, but I'd say they're more of a shimmering steel like color. When the bots explode it's either a bluish/purple mist or a bright orange explosion. Act 1 Level 5 puts you in a night time sort of level. Act 4 puts you in a park-type place (parks are sort of green, by the way, in case you're color blind). Act 3 starts at sort of the red light district of the station. There's a zero gravity level...  Didn't think very hard on this question, did you? It's clear you haven't even played the game but only glanced at a trailer. It's ok, we all make mistakes. "

I have the full game and im on the third level at the moment. my eyes are tired of White, something tells me that White will be the new grey in a few years.  There is a line that designers and artists should never cross, which is to NEVER repeat the same color more than once on just one screen.  Anyway, the thing that bothers me the most is the writing and the characters. "

I'm not going to tell you that you should like this game, but if the writing and characters bother you so much, you've definitely missed the point entirely.  Also, NEVER repeat the same color on just one screen? What world do you live in? That's kind of a weird rule that you just seemed to make up. "
 

Nobody anywhere in the world except you.

Vanquish is amazing but it's not my GOTY. My GOTY is Bayonetta so far if nothing else pops up and takes her place. :O

Vanquish is a pretty solid title that has been tons of fun to play so far.  It's not GOTY for me personally, but that doesn't mean too much honestly.  Game is fun as all hell to play and hopefully it gets even better as i plow through it this weekend.  It reminds me a little bit of Darksiders in the sense that certain people are like meh, seen this done that, where as other people like me absolutely adored the title and loved it.

I still don't understand how people can love Bayonetta so much (and this is coming from a guy who was practically addicted to Ninja Gaiden Black years back). Something just seemed.... missing from the whole experience. Hopefully I'll get to play Vanquish before the year is up though as the demo was insanely good.
 
Although it would have to be insanely, insanely good for it to top Mass Effect 2 for my GotY - the only thing that looks to even come close to giving it a run for its money is the upcoming Assassins Creed : Brotherhood.

Vanquish is an amazing game without a doubt (Only halfway through ACT 3 but has been my favourite game since Reach.) GOTY contender however it isn't.

Vanquish had a neat idea, and I can get behind the whole over the top silly nature they're going for, but at the end of the day this is a decent game and nothing more. The shooting feels like I'm hitting enemies with BB guns and there are serious gameplay flaws that make me scratch my head. Such as how everything, no matter how minute, depletes your heat meter. If you like the game, good on you, but if anyone is considering Vanquish for GOTY they haven't played many games this year.

It's definitely in my top ten, maybe in my top five.  Not my number one, no way.  That honor, barring some serious change in my mindset, belongs to Monster Hunter Tri.  
 
I wouldn't normally have decided this early, but the only three big releases left I can think of are AC2: Brotherhood, CoD Black Ops, and Donkey Kong Country Returns.  I don't know if I'll be buying any of those. 
 
And for the record, ME2 and RDR will not be on my GOTY list.  I beat ME2 and it's good, but too patterned to be truly standout.  RDR I lost interest in after 4 hours. 
 
People have differing tastes, who knew?

Not me. If it had come out last year, sure, but with Mario Galaxy 2 and Bayonetta coming out this year... no. Sorry. I can't.
 
@lavaman77 said:

" Vanquish has fun gameplay but everything about it is as plain as it gets, the overly dramatic cutscenes are very Japanese (Translation: Stupid). it can no way stand up up to RDR, Alan Wake,Mass Effect 2, Castlevania,etc... "

Why anyone wouldn't vote for Mass Effect 2 confuses and scares me.

Mass Effect 2 is a great choice for GOTY. And if it wasn't so buggy I'd say that Fallout New Vegas would be a good contender. However, I have to go with Red Dead Redemption. 

I'm surprised at how many people are saying Bayonetta is there GOTY. I bought it, but I've never got around to finishing it. I checked it out at a friend's house and felt like it was something I could put off for a while. Maybe I should invest a Saturday morning.

if the story and the characters were meant to be a joke, guess what? no one is laughing. "

if anyone is considering Vanquish for GOTY they haven't played many games this year. "

" Consider? Yes. Awesome, awesome game. But GOTY for me was locked up one week into the year--Bayonetta. "

I am encouraged for humanity with the amount of Bayonetta love I've seen lately. That and Vanquish in the same year from one developer? It's insanity.

BioWare already stripped Mass Effect 2 to the barest essence of what's typically expected of a computer RPG.  Some people hated the simplicity.  That said, the main draw for ME2 is the story and the character relationships although I thought the updated combat system was pretty sweet.   
  
It's almost November but ME2 is still the overall GOTY front-runner in my book.  Vanquish should get serious consideration for Action or Shooter GOTY.

it's probably gonna be my GOTY for best rental game, runner up is enslaved.

I haven't played it yet but Kevin Van Ord said on The Hotspot that it's his favorite game of the year, so there's another one.

I had a really good time with this, but GOTY, not for me :)
I actually liked bayonetta better.

It wont be #1 but it's going on my list.  Incredible gameplay, beautifully cheesy "so bad it's good" dialogue.  I'm not a huge multiplayer guy so wasn't pining for any of that and I didn't find the single player length too short.