15 Best Hidden Gem Video Games Of The Decade

5. Vanquish

Vanquish game
Platinum Games

In a lot of ways, Vanquish takes the polar opposite approach to Max Payne 3, and acts as the other side of the coin when it comes to the decade's best, most immediately thrilling shooters.

Unlike Rockstar's effort, which prioritised balancing weight with momentum and the immediate limitations of the play space, Vanquish was quick, responsive and arcadey, throwing you into large combat areas to live out your wildest anime dreams.

Especially at a time where the industry was obsessed with sticking you to a wall and having you pop your head out to shoot targets from a static position, Vanquish was a breath of fresh air. It didn't totally escape the trappings of the genre at the time, but it still provided a tantalising alternative, and resulted in an action game that still stands alone today, a whole generation later.

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Josh has over 11 years of experience as a published writer, having worked full time as a content producer at WhatCulture for nine years. In that time he has created hundreds of articles, videos and podcast episodes for multiple channels, specialising in subjects such as gaming, horror and film & TV. He now primarily works as a senior content producer and presenter on WhatCulture Gaming where he co-hosts the WhatCulture Gaming Podcast, a top 3 most listened to gaming podcast in the UK that he co-created in 2018. Over the years he has reviewed several high-profile gaming releases, covered industry events with on-site reporting, covered breaking news, and even kicked off his interviewing career by chatting to childhood hero, Tommy Wiseau.