While every new gen system has been announced as THE one that will be accessible to ALL gamers ,casual included, MS has unapologetically continued to court the hardcore gamers with it's great library of action titles. Lost Planet was one of the first announced games for the 360 but it is now just come out and let me be the one to say its been worth he wait. The first thing you'll notice is just how good looking this title is. The smooth animations, the attention to detail such as snow clinging to the pants of the characters etc. Particle effects and explosions are extremely impressive showing off just how potent this console is. Movement is spot-on as well. If you're a typical shooter fan you might be put off about the slowness in which you move but you quickly adapt and you don't notice it after a short time. The aiming mechanic is unique in that your gun will slightly lead you as you move in either left/right direction. If you've played Timesplitters 2 you'll know what I mean. Story wise the game is wanting. I'm still not entirely sure of what the hell was going on. Shady organizations, boy avenging his father, betrayals, etc. Typical clichéd stuff that really won't effect your enjoyment either way. Just know this: You are on a planet that humans are colonizing, the planet has huge insectile life forms, you kill them. And....oh yeah, theres "snow pirates". you kill them too. Thats all you need to know.
In typical Japanese fashion you fight standard AI for most of the level and at the end you get a nice Boss fight (with boss health bar and all) which usually involves stages of picking apart its defenses and then exposing its weak spot which you beat on until its vanquished. Many of the boss fights are done via a "VS" (virtual suit) or more specifically, a mech. Mech implementation is great. There are several different types all with unique abilities. You can customize most of them by picking up weapons that lie scattered around every level.
Multiplayer flat-out rocks. Thats all I have to say.
All in all Lost Planet is very much worth your time with very few downsides. Combat is "just right", challenging but never frustrating. While the inevitable comparisons with Gears of War come up they are really two very different games and both should be admired on their own and not compete in some ridiculous fanboy flame war. LP is worth a purchase, not just a rental.
Other Helpful Reviews for Lost Planet: Extreme Condition
FOREWORD One of the things that tilted me towards the purchase of an Xbox 360 console was playing the Lost Planet: Extreme Condition single-player demo. For me, the game lived up to its hype and taps straight into my ... Read Full Review
By jonnyglitch8 | Review Date: Jan 15, 2007 | X360
Lost Planet is a game that has been hyped for quite a few months, thanks to the demo that was released last spring. Having followed a shooter like Gears of War many speculated that the game would never stand a chance. We... Read Full Review
