There’s something strangely familiar about the new Need for Speed Hot Pursuit. Take away the licensed cars and there you have it, Burnout Paradise. Even the new Autolog is probably inspired by how “connected” Burnout Paradise was (not surprising since both games share the same developer) . The latter featured an unprecedented amount of online integration, making online races accessible at the turn of a corner (with a push of a button). Need for Speed Hot Pursuit’s Autolog tracks player’s as well as their friend’s progress, using this data to foster competition.

Even the mode where players take the role of cops chasing after street racers feels like one of them takedown races in Burnout Paradise. The only difference is, you get to use “power-ups” like road blocks and spike trips to stop your quarry.

Driving games aside, one game that’s sure to bring about a workout on both analog sticks would be Vanquish. The game arrived in the mail today and it’s pretty awesome so far. If you are unfamiliar with the storyline, basically some Russians took over a space station (with a death ray, no less), and it’s your job (with a spiffy high tech suit..it comes with the job) to get it back.

A third person shooter, the game boasts several unique gameplay mechanics. First there’s the boost function that sends you sliding at high speeds, then there’s that AR time where everything slows down when you are near death, giving you a chance to extricate yourself from that sticky situation. These abilities are provided for by the suit, and watch out whenever your character switches weapons. The transition effects, in which the weapon is formed up component by component is just…too cool. The first boss battle I’ve been through featured a gigantic, missile shooting spider bot which later transforms into a humanoid robot (see screenshot above).

Don’t forget to check out the Vanquish online app created by Sega Europe (see above); like the first boss encounter, this app is a doozy. Just key in any valid UK post code and stay tuned for the surprise at the end. The full review on Vanquish will be up soon on Nine Over Ten 9/10.