When you think third person shooter you're inclined to visualise plodding action defined by cover and flanking manoeuvres with some friends on coop or a few semi useless AI buddies. Lots of action and shooting and violence but not very much split second adrenaline soaked action. Vanquish is a third person shooter that looks more like a racing game dialled to maximum. Still images of this game don't do it justice. You really need to see it in motion. Luckily we have a video to assist in the process.

The game is set during World War III as Russia and the US duke it out for the last remaining natural resources. The US has come up with a satellite to harvest solar power, but those sneaky rotten Russian democrats hijack the satellite and use it to blow up San Francisco. Not taking the destruction of their (quick wikipedia search) fourth most populous city lying down, the US sends in their super terrific armed forces to kick ass, including your character Sam, who wears a one of a kind suit of power armour. They have to defeat Russia before they turn the satellites power on, dun dun duuuuh, New York.

Because... that's where Spiderman lives and... Gossip Girl is filmed there, and stuff. Hmm, not really sure why the Russian's wouldn't just blast Washington with the first shot. Bit of a plot whole there maybe.

Anyway, watch the kick ass trailer below, does that not look like some beautiful cross between Burnout and Gears of War?

Vanquish will be out by the end of the year (WInter 2010 says the release) and it's by the guy who made Resident Evil, that's his name up front of the trailer there.