Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Reviews

• Impressive graphics, sound... but kinda boring in all honesty...

  
  By A3K91X9X2ARDOK on 2007-03-01
  You know, it's amazing that in this day and age, you can have a game with spectacular graphics and unbelievable surround sound and the game is just.... blah.
  
  I mean, graphically Lost Planet is pretty nice. Beautiful, actually. There are some boss battles that are pretty astounding in how they are presented. There's one moment at the very beginning where a creature named Green Eye appears and the size of this thing is enough to make your jaw drop. There's also another moment when you're running across an open field getting chased by this monstrous worm thing that is an experience on its own. This is definitely a game that benefits from being played on an HDTV setup with surround sound.
  
  But then the story kicks in and you can't deny that it makes very little sense, not to mention the fact that the hero of the story is really not an interesting character to begin with. The gameplay itself is a bit repetitive and really, the game just amounts to little more than eye and ear candy. Even when you're not on foot and riding around in the mechs, it just doesn't add up to any memorable experience.
  
  The online portion of the game isn't enough to make you want to play it a lot, especially with games like Gears of War and Rainbow Six: Vegas out there. It's kind of stale and just not that interesting.
  
  I'm really down the middle on this game. I'd say that it's worth a rental and then if you like it, get it. I wouldn't call this an outright purchase as it just didn't grab me the way I would've expected it to.
  
  

• Thawing out the old school

  
  By A3Q6KRNB6VMNGE on 2007-01-29
  Capcom, you've done it again! The developer that brought us Resident Evil continues its excellence in the next generation. In an industry that is relying more and more on realism and sequels, Capcom bucks the trend. First they graced the 360 with Dead Rising, the most original horror game in years, and now they've outdone themselves with the delightfully old-school shooter called Lost Planet: Extreme Condition.
  
  The concept of bosses is a gaming convention, and in my opinion, one that should never be forgotten. There's nothing quite like the experience of outwitting and outgunning an overpowered enemy that is your superior. Let's face it, a good boss will usually squash you multiple times as you desperately try to figure out its weaknesses and patterns. The feeling of victory becomes that much sweeter as a result. Unfortunately, the boss has started to lose its popularity in favor of a more cinematic, realistic experience, especially when it comes to shooters. Thankfully, Lost Planet reminds us just how majestic boss fights can be, in jolting, electrifying fashion.
  
  There's nothing overly complicated about LP's plot. Main character Wayne is found frozen in the wastelands of E.D.N. III, a planet that humans are trying to colonize. The local life forms, known as Akrid, take offense to the human invasion, and fight back. Wayne's father is slain early on by a particularly menacing Akrid called Green Eye, and Wayne is off on a mission of revenge, despite his amnesia. That's basically it. The story serves only as a device to set up the gunplay.
  
  Some have called LP a next-gen Contra; a 3D version of a 2D side-scroller. In many ways, that's accurate: your goal is to run from one end of the level to the other, killing everything in your way. Barring your path to the next level is a boss, which you must defeat to advance. Capcom throws a couple of interesting elements into the mix: a grappling hook that can be used to scale snowdrifts, ice walls, and structures, and a constantly shrinking timer linked to Wayne's life that must be refilled by destroying enemies. These are interesting additions, but Lost Planet is unashamed of what it truly is: a run-and-gun shooter in which you must kill them before they kill you.
  
  The highlight of the game, and the reason to buy it, is the gorgeous, menacing bosses. There's no way I'll spoil any of them for you, but rest assured that they are some of the most spectacular, memorable, intense, and downright fun experiences you can have on the 360. They have no mercy, and ask for none. They will come in all shapes and sizes, and all are pattern-based with weak spots, just like the bosses of old. They will give you a sense of wonder at their beauty, and will cause your killer instinct to boil. Your thumbs will ache as you make yourself become a master of the unusual controls, vehicles, armored suits, and weapons in order to defeat them. Forget tactifully ordering a squad of elite commandos, levelling up your party, or trying to stealthily hack computers: these are knock-down, drag-out virtual firefights of the highest order.
  
  Needless to say, Lost Planet wraps these uncomplicated wonders in some of the best graphics seen to date. Capcom is not only a master of design, but also of technology. The explosions and smoke are comparable with Gears of War's. The frozen wastelands have an identity to them that is unmistakable and haunting. No slowdown or camera problems to hinder your viewing pleasure, either. A game set on an ice cube might sound boring, but this is one of the most striking settings that's been produced.
  
  Multiplayer is passable, but not exciting. To be honest, it didn't seem like it was the focus. If you have any interest in playing an old-school shooter with a new-school coat of paint, Lost Planet belongs in your collection. Its basic nature is incredibly refreshing, and believe it or not, satisfying.
  
  They don't make em like this too often anymore - enjoy it!
  
  

• Good, but not great game

  
  By A1NJ2GWURL2ONB on 2007-01-16
  The bottom line is this: this game is worth renting, but not buying.
  
  Graphics
  The graphics are good and live up to the "next gen." hype. Despite being set on an ice planet, the game manages to throw in different enviroments so you're not constantly walking around in white snow and ice.
  
  Gameplay
  Overall, this is very solid. The game is played from an over-the-shoulder perspective, similar to Gears of War (albeit from a zoomed out perspective). The weapons and reloading are fairly intuitive; and like most new games, you can only carry two weapons at a time. Now, it wouldn't be a Japanese sci-fi game if it didn't have mechs; and this game has plenty of those. They're integrated fairly well, and there is plenty of varity in mech types. The last mech, however, is a ridiculous flying machine that attacks with lazer swords - great for japanime fans; not so much for everyone else. The singleplayer campaign is pretty linear. You move from point A to point B with little variety; but that doesn't make it dull. The bosses in this game are a great throw-back to games of the 80's when bosses were big, hard to beat, and usually involve some hidden weakness.
  
  Story
  This is where the game loses a lot of points. The story is poorly told, and just plain stupid. The cutscenes are generally pretty silly, and you'll enjoy the game more if you skip through them. I won't spoil anything, but I've seen this is a common complaint - the story is worse than something you see on weekday afternoon cartoons.
  
  Online play
  Online supports up to 16 players at a time and has 4 game modes: Elimination (every man for himself), Team Elimination, Post grab (control different areas); and Fugitive which is the only unique game, pitting the host against everyone else. The online play is fun, and there are enough achivements to keep people playing for a while. But after a while, it feels repetitive and a little frustrating. It also fails to separate out language zones, so you may be stuck on a team with French and Japanese - try to coordinate anything then!
  
  This game was a fun renter, and the campaign mode is long enough that it should keep you occupied over the weekend. The online play is fun, but after a few hours, the novelty wears off. Avoid the story in this game at all costs.
  
  
  
  

• Good But Not Great

  
  By A1040RWR64BQQ8 on 2007-01-16
  This game has amazing graphics and is really a lot of fun to play. So this is not a negative review, plus I have yet to use the Xbox live component, which I have heard is impressive. However, as far as the single player mode is concerned, the game is weak on a few fronts and you might want to rent it before buying
  1.) The story is really crappy - lame dialogue - pointless missions - and undeveloped characters. The developers were going for Sci-Fi action, but the storyline comes out as Anime. The characters are completely forgettable and in most cases annoying.
  2.) The missions, and there are not too many of them, are simple and Boss-oriented. They all seem to follow the same formula - ascend corridor -> fight boss, climb ridge -> fight boss
  3.) The game is not strategic or tactical like Gears of War or COD. This is a "run-and-gun" shooter -- that is there is not much "taking cover" or flanking and a lot of running around and circle strafing bosses.
  
  So while this game is fun, you might want to rent for the 3 reasons above. Plus you could probably play through this game in a couple of nights. If you don't intend to use the multiplayer options (online only - no split screen) you might want to rent or pick it up used.
  
  

• Dont even come within 20 feet of this mess

  
  By AL3SIK3NW084B on 2007-02-06
  This game may have been the biggest let down of the year. Everyone was hyped up for it, but the story line makes no sense at all, and the whole time your playing the game you have to run around like in mario 64 collecting coins, but this time they are little things called thermal energy to keep you warm, but if you dont collect them, your thermal meter ends up running out and you die. Its honestly retarded, whoever made this game must have been extremly high while creating it, because its probably one of the worst games i have ever played. When your fighting a boss, you have to worry about your stupid thermal energy meter and try to run around collecting the little red things, while fighting the boss is already a hastle. All in all, i would say this game deserves no starts, unfortunately amazon made me give it at least one star. Dont rent it, dont buy it, and dont even play it at Best Buy if they have it out.
  
  
• Halo on Ice
  By A3NCXT6JKT4ET9 on 2007-01-13
  I bought this game today(Jan 12th 2007),the day it came out. I quickly checked out the reviews from EGM and went out and bought it. It was an icy-freezing day outside, and was a great chance to play Lost Planet next to a warm and toasty Xbox 360. I popped it in the drive and immedietlly was immersed into LPEC's chilly High Def winterland. The Gameplay is sharp, graphics are the best of any 360 game yet, and you have to be quick and utilze the 90 degree turn features in order to defeat the insect like Akrid. Nice work Capcom and Havok. 5 stars
  
  
• Could have been awesome ...
  By AZPJ04CZIXWTR on 2007-01-29
  Totally awesome at first but once you've seen all the special effects and killed the same things a thousand times you get really board!
  
  Every single level has the exact same construction.
  1. start running
  2. get guns(always the same guns)
  3. shoot alot ... then shoot some more ... blow stuff up
  4. run!
  5. fight the huge boss at the end.
  
  The AI is unbelievably stupid. You can run right up to "Snow Pirates" and they just stand there ... lame.
  
  The story is so bad that i have to skip all the scenes. Just so stupid. Dont be fooled by the tv commercials that show some huge battle with lots of ppl ... it's just you.
  
  The online game pretty much sucks you never know what you're doing and you cant even see your score unless you have an HDTV ... lame.
  
  You know I couldn't wait for this game. I preordered it and everything. But after only a week I put Rainbow Six Vegas back in my box and forgot all about lost planet.
  
  If you want to play the entire game just download the demo on xbox live and play it 11 times.
  
  Game could have been awesome ...
  
  
  
• Lost Planet: Extreme Condition is a Great Game
  By A1VCJKQUUDV6SL on 2007-01-14
  First off, let me say I have always been a PC gamer for years. I never thought I would like playing on a gaming console as much has I like playing on the PC. When Call of Duty 3 came out last year and the game developer didn't make a PC copy of that game, I knew I had to buy an Xbox 360 because I love all the Call of Duty games on the PC and I didn't want to wait until sometime this year to get the next version of Call of Duty on the PC. So I broke down and bought the Xbox 360 console not only so I could play Call of Duty 3, but I also wanted to play Gears of War.
  
  I really didn't expect any console game to be, graphic-wise, as good as a PC game so I didn't expect too much from Call of Duty 3 or Gears of War. Boy was I wrong. Let me tell you something. The graphics on both Call of Duty 3 and Gears of War are just awesome. I have to admit that the graphics on console games are just as good now as on PC games. I thought I would never admit that since I have always been a die-hard PC gamer all my life. I am so glad I went out and bought an Xbox 360.
  
  And just so you know. I do not work for Microsoft trying to push the Xbox 360 console or its games. I'm just what you call a gamer junkie who just loves to plays games. If I didn't like the Xbox 360 or its games I would tell you the truth. It took me a while to get used to using a wireless Xbox 360 hand controller because I was so used to using a keyboard and a mouse on the PC, but after playing on the Xbox 360 for a while, I found out the hand controller is pretty easy to use.
  
  Now on to my review on Lost Planet: Extreme Condition. I have played through the first two singleplayer missions in Lost Planet: Extreme Condition. The storyline and the graphics are really good. The graphics for this game are right up there with Gears of War. The creatures in this game are very well made. Plus the harsh cold climate in the game is very believable. You have the neatest vehicles to control and maneuver around in. You are also fighting against other humans on the planet called Snow Pirates and I was really impressed on how the Snow Pirates maneuvered against me. The AI in this game is really good. The explosions in this game are just mind blowing. The sounds in this game are really good. My recommendation is to go out and buy this game. It definitely one of the top games out there right now.
  
  
• to much hype
  By A109LWN9DUGPDP on 2007-01-14
  i want to like this gsme but with your life always creeping down i just cant enjoy it like i want to,imagine playing halo and the entire time your health gauge slowly drains untill you kill some enemy and get their health and then it begins to drain,no time to adventure around even though on easy you do have a little time you always feel you have to stay on the move constanly or die,for the most part you do,it really gets annoying actually it was annoying the first time i played it.thats to bad their was so much hype,try rainbow six vegas,gears of war,prey or call of duty 3,or FEAR, this is ok for a rent
  
  
• A GREAT LOOKING ARCADE GAME
  By A2IRYRQMMEOS2E on 2007-01-27
  Wooow..... you run!..... You shoot...... You get shot..... YOU GET A MEDKIT!..... youre all right to keep running and shooting.
  This is like those old arcade games in which you loose "energy" when you get shot and your "energy" goes up when you get a medkit or eat something.
  
  Nothing like the great games where you die from one well placed shot, and you really have to take care of yourself, crouching, hiding, taking cover, and THINKING about what you have to do to survive..... No MEDKITS to save the day, and no lives.
  HAIL rainbow six vegas!, Ghost recon AW!, GEARS OF WAR!, and all the real tactical shooters (Americas Army on the PC is another one of those).
  
  This game is great for pure action lovers, but if you like tactics, dont even rent it.
  (just my humble opinion anyway).
  
  
• Lost Planet is lost on me
  By A1IWYW88UXP4E on 2008-02-03
  At the time of its release, Lost Planet was arguably the most hyped game from CAPCOM since Dead Rising blew the minds of many, myself included. While it boasts a load of potential it is ruined by a horribly fiddly control system.
  
  Thrown into a cliched revenge story on a desolate ice-covered planet, we quickly learn the importance of a well thought-out control system. Sadly, this is what makes the game so painful; if it wasn't for the controls this game would have a lot going for it. The main problem is that the right analog stick controls your direction, but if you tap it quickly you spin quickly in that direction. So if you're facing one direction and tap down, you'll turn 180 degrees. What this means though, is if you're trying to aim at something and just want to adjust your site very slightly and you just tap the right stick, you're suddenly facing a completely different direction, which makes for VERY frustrating boss fights. And the control settings aren't modifiable! At least not the problematic ones anyway.
  
  Most of the game involves action on foot or controlling mech warrior style machines called Vital Suits which are actually pretty cool. There are different types of machines to keep things interesting. Your character also possesses a Batman style grappling hook which is pretty cool but overall the gameplay really suffers due to the controls.
  
  The graphics are very nice, with large, explorable environments with finely detailed snow and fog. The enemies vary in their quality but typically the bosses are very detailed. There are some very nice fire and lighting effects as well so overall the graphics are really very good.
  
  But when it really comes down to it, the controls RUIN this game. It's probably even more disappointing because you can see the games potential as well. It's like when you meet a really hot girl and you start getting along with her great and then she says she has a boyfriend.
  
  
• Decent graphics, but mundane
  By A2UN5UY8Q6YMOF on 2007-02-09
  This game is a bland third person shooter especially compared to Gears of War and Rainbow 6 Vegas. While it looks decent, it has serious framerate stuttering particularly during boss battles. It also requires you to gather energy from dead foes, barrels, etc. or else you die. This forces you to rush at times and removes any tactical element to the game. Its an ok game and I'll probably finish it, but its not worth $60.
  
  
• Great Monsters - No Co-Op Play
  By A3V6Z4RCDGRC44 on 2007-03-31
  Lost Planet - Extreme Condition is a classic run-and-gun game set on a frozen planet. This isn't a game of stealth or strategy. You see, you shoot, you move on.
  
  There is a plot here - but it's really best to ignore it. You, a young teen guy, are battling either ice monsters or other clans of pirates. Sometimes you fight both simultaneously. Missions in essence tell you - "go here, kill everything".
  
  Part of the fun is that you get to fight both on foot and inside a mech, hopping in and out whenever the whim takes you. This gives you a nice variety of weapons to choose from. Now, I have to comment that for a space-age distant planet colony, these weapons seem pretty modern times. You would think they would have progressed to laser cannons and plasma rifles as their sole weapons by now. I do like the grapple hook, though. It gave a fun, Zelda-like aspect to many of the levels.
  
  To add to the arcadey feel, your health naturally depletes over time and the only way to stay alive is to collect replenishing energy. Silly? Perhaps. But no more silly than most other arcade games and the reasons they give for you to collect objects.
  
  What's really impressive here is the way that large enemies seem "massive". You really get the sense that these are giant, ponderous beasts with weight and heft. The designers did a good job with enemy design and boss battles. From the small, intricate flying beasties to the larger main enemies, each creature is enjoyable to fight. Speaking of Zelda, you even get Goron-like rolling rock monsters.
  
  But, to diverge into the storyline for a brief moment, isn't it a bit troubling that man-kind has decided to land on a super-snowy (i.e. not ideal) planet - and when it found indigenous life there - decided that the appropriate action was therefore to wipe it all out? Surely if we're going to be on a hostile-environment planet anyway, we could find one without current inhabitants ...
  
  I also wish they had in-home multiplayer. Playing online on XBox Live is all fine and good, but with the relatively short built in missions, I'd really like to play co-op with a friend against them, and crank it up to super hard. That would be a ton of fun. I love playing this type of game multiplayer co-op, and for them to not even have that as an option seems a great shame.
  
  So a nice start - but I'd like to see a Lost Planet 2 with a better plotline, better weapons, and co-op play.
  
  
• Rent.........if you are just that bored........
  By A127UO7V9HMV3B on 2007-04-17
  I got my xbox 360 not too long ago. I didn't have many games and I had heard that Lost Planet promised to be really good. Luckily, since I was too cheap to actually buy it, I rented it instead.
  
  Let me begin by saying the graphics are great for this game. There are some very nice snow affects and explosions- two things you can never have enough of. The problem with the game is the game play.
  
  I assumed that the game play and story line and storyline would be phenomenal. They weren't.
  
  The game play was mediocre at best. You have a grappling hook, which is semi-cool, and you can control robots (I forgot what they call them in the game)n The problem is all this is done before- and done better.
  
  The story is about as interesting as this review except a lot longer and much more tedious.
  
  The game is decent enough if you are devoid of any other games or friends, although I do suggest you purchase F.E.A.R. or Oblivion for the 360. Both are excellent and worth your money.
  
  
• Good for kids
  By A1PPNARMM441OA on 2007-01-26
  If you're an older gamer, say 18+, this game really doesn't cut it. Long movies and TERRIBLE multiplayer action led me to dislike this game. Multiplayer looks like it was on a deadline and they just released what they had completed. Campaigns are ok... and by ok, I mean just ok. The graphics are unparalled, but the game is shallow and only 1 player.
  
  Great for kids, not so much for the older gamers. GoW is much more fun and involved.
  
  
• very nice game.....................
  By ABIR5936CP2GS on 2007-02-04
  I have to say that i was very scepticle when purchasing this game.But when i got it home and started to play it i was sooooo amazed with how well it played and looked.The game does offer alot of excitment. What i love is that , you are not just fighting one thing or alien but humans as well. The boss battles are simply amazing, the challenge is great. Now i gave it an overall for only one reason....THE STORY! Its o.k. but it needed alot of work. It really seems to leave stuff out of it. I love the game. You cannot go into this game and think that its like Quake or any other straight forward shooter. Play it like Gears of war or fear. Ypull need to be tactfull. There will be times youll have to really battle a group of humans and akrid and nevec all at the same time. The game is a must buy, if you can live with the so-so story. Again it plays greats and looks awesome.
  
  
• Surprising
  By A2YC1KJ9FLTX5K on 2007-02-06
  I must say that I was not expecting the game to be as good as it is. From the huge bugs to the dum snow pirates I am enjoying the game from top to bottom, though Im not done with the game yet since I am playing on hard difficulty and it is pretty challenging, and thats coming from someone who played through gears of war on insane and beat it. I enjoy throwing a grenade into a cluster of snow pirates and hearing them scream the most. All around great game.
  
  
• Capcom fails horribly
  By A1BDI0FWK3DFGY on 2007-02-13
  This was probobly one of the worst games ever made. The storyline makes no sense and is just so bland and boring that can not seem to keep my attention for more then two minutes. As for the stupid thermal energy thing goes, what is up with that. It makes no sense and half the time you die trying to keep up your thermal energy while also having to fight. I wish I could get my money back and the 2 hours of my life that I spent on this game.
  
  
• tiny mouse fight
  By AY7QLRH2EB0TX on 2007-02-22
  i bought this game and played it for 20 minutes and then switched back to GOW. tryied online and no fun there either. characters looks like stupid mice and have to keep on recharging urself before you can fight. not fun. sold back to EB games . I would say its not even worth renting.
  
  
• PUBLISHERS TAKE NOTE AND BUYERS BEWARE
  By A3A8F6T8MUIWE5 on 2007-03-24
  It's not enough anymore to slap a game together people will not let you get away with games that are as bad as this one is I rented it and returned it its god awfull i cant see why anyone would play this game, and I would bet the positive posts are all fakes, or at least some of them, I mean the power full weapons are heavy but the big boss is super fast so fast you cant dodge him, this game is lame, the concept is lame and the design is cookie cutter and soft around the edges like play mobile toys, no grit or feel to this game at all. if you want a good shooter game look else where cuz this one sucks.
  
  
• This game is a ball to play
  By A195O39MWP3TMG on 2007-05-10
  I have owned this game from day 1 and I must say that it is by far my favorite game. I have little interest in the 1 player mode so I can't speak on that. But when it comes to online play.... This game is FANTASTIC !!!
  I've read that many people think that Gears of War is a better game than LP. I completely disagree. I own Gears and have spent many hours playing it. In my opinion, the only thing Gears has over LP is the actual speed of the game. Gears is a much faster paced game. Aside from that... LP is better. There's more variety in LP. You have access to numerous Mechanical warriors (some that transform), probably close to 20 different weapons to choose from, grappling hook and numerous game modes including Post grab (similar to capture the flag), Elimination (Every man for himself), Team Elimination (2 to 4 teams battle it out) and Fugitive (one guy gets hunted by everyone else). This game really does bring a lot to the table. Don't be fooled by all the Gears of War hype. This game is better !!!
  
  See ya on the Battlefield Sometime
  
  
• Don't let the demo's multi-player "lobby" interface discourage you from buying this game...
  By A1LPFB36L69JAL on 2007-01-18
  Before buying this game I had downloaded the multi-player demo from XBox Live's Marketplace. I really enjoyed playing Lost Planet but became increasingly frustrated *between* games while attempting to join a host. This was so frustrating, that I seriously considered not purchasing the game despite the excellent game-play.
  
  The demo interface doesn't tell you how many players are currently waiting for a game to start until you actually join a host. If you decide there are not enough players and leave, you are kicked back out to the search screen and have to wait for it to search for active hosts - it doesn't cache the list of hosts it had just retrieved. Also, when you complete a game, you are returned back to the lobby interface and have to search for a new host - you can't just stay on the same host and wait for a new game to start. Another frustration is that the majority of hosts I had attempted to join were canceled, which forced me back to the search for more hosts...
  
  This was extremely frustrating because it seemed like I was doing more waiting than playing at times. All of these problems appear to be resolved in the retail version - games still get canceled but it's much less frequent and happens rarely when you tend to join games that have a reasonable number of players waiting for the match to begin. I feel the developers of this game are doing themselves a real dis-service by leaving these flaws in the demo - resolving them shouldn't prevent people from buying the retail version since you're limited to one map in the demo and the ones that come with the retail version are much better, in my opinion. Having said all this, I'm quite happy with my purchase - I haven't played Gears of War or Perfect Dark Zero since Lost Planet arrived at my door. :-)
  
  PS - A previous reviewer had stated that this is a third-person perspective shooter. I can't remember if someone else has already commented on this but you can change your perspective to first-person if you prefer FPS type games...
  
  UPDATE - As more people have purchased this game, I've noticed somewhat frequent "Game initialization failed" errors during xbox live multiplayer mode. This is quite frustrating since you're ejected from the game and can't rejoin the game you were just in the middle of. I'd subtract a point for fun and overall rating for this annoyance, if I could, but at least Capcom acknowledges this problem and is currently working on a fix for it.
  
  UPDATE (7/17/07) - I just logged on for the first time in a few months and downloaded the current patch. I only played a couple matches but no sign of the error so far...
  
  
• Good: Note Great
  By A16H0MIIIBI7VN on 2007-01-20
  Some good ideas and occasional excitement are marred by tedious, juvenile cut scenes and artificial difficulty that is "engineered" through the old trick of extended reload time for your more powerful weapons.
  
  This is a rental or a borrow. Save your money for one of the Halos, Gears of War or Elder Scrolls Oblivion.
  
  
• 2D side-scroller in 3D
  By AK4NBAU41ODBO on 2007-01-24
  I, along with it seems many others, recommend renting this one before you buy it. Lost Planet just didn't do it for me. The game looks great, yes, but it is essentially just a 2D side-scroller from the days of yore, only in 3D. I'm just not one for the whole "fight, mini-boss, fight some more, big boss, end of mission" equation. If you look past the graphics there really isn't anything new being offered. If that's your bag, though, then you might love the game and you can write a review on how I'm wrong. This one just wasn't for me.
  
  Kudos to Capcom for the subtitles option. Every game should have at least an option to turn on subtitles for Deaf and Hard of Hearing gamers. Again, thanks Capcom.
  
  
• its good!
  By A3J41L5D6ZM12X on 2007-02-12
  Well i played the game and its a good challenge...the story and graphics are greate... THE GRAPCHICS ARE GREATTTT
  Give it a try, you may end up playing it more than you imagine...
  
  
  
• Great Game!!
  By A26PPLP9EGF5LG on 2007-02-15
  This is super great game! Worth the buy. If do not already have this game, get it, it is must have! The graphics are outstanding, the story is one of the best and the game play is super. This game is fun and challengying. The best thing is, that the graphic for the game are so real, that it makes you feel like you're really there. When I stared playing it and I saw the snow blow and crunch beneth the carature's feet, I felt a chill. Five stars is just not enough.
  
  
• Not bad for a Third Person Shooter
  By AMXE382DCAMQO on 2007-03-13
  I don't really like TPS (Third Person Shooters) as much as FPS (First Person Shooters) and mecha doesn't thrill me (I hated Mechassault) but this one does a pretty decent job.
  
  PROS:
  - excellent graphics, good environments, snow, smoke, etc
  - some fantastic fire fights
  - multitudes of enemies and bosses all with there own behaviors and characteristics gradually introduced to you throughout the game
  - tons of work put into the cut-scenes (as much as a half-hour or an hour or so - almost like a mini-movie) and you can thankfully bypass them!
  - decent amount of weapon variety with there own characteristics; you can also detach mecha weapons and drag them around
  - decent length to the game
  - although a TPS, you can zoom in with many weapons to make it appear as if you're in an FPS (although certain actions like reloading will throw you back into TPS).
  - vehicles - the game shines here. It's a mecha game (they call it a V-suit) so you get a lot of different things to operate. Big boss anime-style mecha toward the end.
  - decent button/stick configurations (although no exact mapping)
  - never had to consult the internet because of some glitch or something I was required to do that wasn't intuitive.
  
  CONS:
  - No save anywhere (though for the most part you will not need it)
  - the entire game bends on you collecting thermal energy (like collecting health packs or armor) or you die, but there is so much of it laying around that it never affects game play. There is no dire urgency to collect it much of the time. Plus, collecting 100 bits of it scattered all over the battlefield is rather annoying. Why not have the game require you to collect 1 pool of the stuff every so often.
  - camera isn't always cooperative. your view will occasionally go off into a place you didn't want it to.
  - main protagonist character acting leaves much to be desired. Plus he's a bit of a puss and never hits on any of the hot anime chicks in the cut-scenes. 10 million cut scenes and he never even gets to first base.
  
  I'm going to place the story/plot somewhere in the middle even though I didn't really get into it. They put a lot of effort into it (you can tell with all the cut-scenes) and it's a little unfair to criticize games for bad or non-stories (Doom3 didn't need one). Overall a good combo of mecha/TPS.
  
  
• So cool its cold
  By AY3Y9ROK6LRPI on 2007-03-20
  Lost Planet: Extreme Condition - Circa 2007
  
  
  GOOD:
  - Tight fitting responsive controls (which can be adjusted).
  - Great looking graphics and effects, also the animations are done very well.
  - Shooting feels spot on, with more then a few guns (a grenades) to choose from (like rocket launchers, energy guns, ect... - as for different types of grenades, you get ones like sticky and EMP to name a few). It should be also noted that while on foot you could pull weapons off mechs (only when the mechs are not in use) and use these over sized weapons.
  - Grappling hook -Shot (like the one in the Legend of Zelda Series or like the grappling hook from Tenchu), which lets you scale tall buildings, and fly across the landscape.
  - Online Gameplay (versus other players), this really helps extend the life/fun of the game long after you have beaten it.
  
  BAD:
  - Enemies can be pretty cheap, Example, after you get hit with a powerful weapon like a rocket you go into a fall and have to get up to recover, during your recover animation many enemies will strike at you making you fall over again. What ends up happening is you get stuck into a cycle where you fall over after getting get shot at or hit and while getting up it happens again (enemies shoot you or hit you) so you never fully get back up and fight back, you just fall again. It is very hard to break this cycle after it starts; usually it only ends if the enemies miss or you die.
  - Using mechs or any energy weapon uses up you reserve of "Heat Energy". If your "Heat Energy" runs out you can't pilot any Vital Suit or use any energy weapon. It should be noted that in this game "Heat Energy" ties directly into your life bar if you run out of this "Heat Energy" your life will slowly drain till you die. This makes prolong use of any Vital Suit (Mech) or any energy weapon a risk to your health.
  - Pretty confusing story which many people will not get nor care to understand.
  
  IF IT FITS YOUR TASTE:
  - Sci-Fi 3rd Person Shooter (camera behind the player).
  - The game takes place on a world covered in ice and snow, lots of levels have snow and winter theme.
  - Life energy or Heat energy plays a big role in this game, this energy ties directly into your life bar if you run out of this energy your life will slowly drain till you die. It should also be noted that this happens even while in doors and underground not just outside in the cold. The only way to refill this energy is to kill enemies or destroy objects in the game, by doing so you'll see a pool of gold colored substance when your characters body touches it your energy bar will refill.
  - Fight lots of "Bug" like enemies as well as human enemies.
  - Lots of mechs and Mech Combat - mechs are robotic suits of armor you pilot, in this game they are called Vital Suits, they can also equip their own weapons.
  - Game is broken up into 11 levels (so essentially this a fairly short game).
  - Shoot at to collect "markers" for a higher score (there are "markers" in every level and the look like big spinning coins).
  - Wining matches online unlocks new character dress options for your online avatar.
  - Online portion of this game has your standard set-up with Death Match, Team Versus, ect...
  
  GAME ITS MOST ASSOCATED TOO:
  - Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction (Xbox, PS2)
  - Armored Core: Last Raven (PS2)
  
  ADDITIONAL NOTES:
  - This is the Special Edition of this game that comes in a metal case and comes with an Art book as well as a Mixed media CD (that contains Videos, Wallpapers/Photos, Music, and windows icons for your PC). This Special Edition also comes with a new multiplayer level (Battleground), which will be available to all Xbox Live players for free a few more months from now (people who got/get this Special Edition can play this multiplayer level early).
  - There are already a few new multiplayer levels available to buy over Xbox Live. The 4 new Levels ready for download and use in online multiplayer action they are called Radar Field and Island 902, which come in one pack and then there is Hive Complex and Trial Point which come in a second package. Both packages sell for 400 Microsoft Points or $5.00 USD each.
  - The Korean actor Lee Byung-Hun is the model for the main character named Wayne.
  
  
• Above average game at best
  By A24TC3DWKJO027 on 2007-04-18
  This game is pretty decent. I rented it for five days and I liked it. However, it's not nearly as good as Halo 2 or Gears of War. I'd say it's the best rated-T game on the market though.
  I'll start with the pros first. The gameplay is good, the graphics are exceptional (especially if you have an HDTV), and the bosses are very good. If you are looking for a serious gaming challenge, you should definitely get this game (I was having a few problems with the game on easy mode!). The graphics are so realistic. It's amazing how far the graphics in games has advanced in the past 20+ years. Finally, the bosses. The bosses are amazing. They are one of the reasons to give this game a try. The bosses range from being mechs (V-suits) to Giant Akrid (Green Eye). When I rented this game, I couldn't get past Green Eye at all. I still haven't beaten that thing. Nonetheless, the bosses are what make this game.
  Finally, the cons. The story isn't that good and there aren't too many weapons. The story is original, but it's not very good. The main character (Wayne) is uninteresting and static. But, then again, who plays a game just because of the storyline anyway? The lack of guns in this game is what really turned me off. I remember using just 4 or 5 guns and only 4 types of grenades. However, there is a plethora of V-suits that you use throughout the game. They make fighting the bosses a heck of a lot easier.
  All in all, I would say that the pros outweigh the cons in this game. I think the game is definitely worth renting at least.
  
  
• Very Fun with a Few Problems
  By A3LBZLI0FOL2YP on 2007-05-03
  There are several things I like about this game. The main one is the Vital Suits, VS, which are like big combat mechs you can ride around in and fight with, lots of fun. On the one player game the main thing I like is the huge boss battles. The bosses all look great and are fun to fight. The game has several difficulty settings. The "normal" mode isn't too hard but it also has a hard mode and an extremely hard mode if you're up for a challenge. Of course the multiplayer is fun. It has different modes to keep things interesting.
  
  There are a few problems that keep this game from being better. The first is that you walk very slow. This problem is alleviated some by the use of a grapple that you can use to quickly move around in the multi-player stages, but in the one player there isn't as much to grapple on to. The second problem is the enemy AI. Even on the hardest difficulty the enemies all seem rather stupid. This makes the game on normal difficulty seem really easy, but the game can still be very difficult on the harder modes. A third problem is the story suffers a little from bad localization.
  
  The main thing that makes this game different is the use of thermal energy. In the one player game you are able to use the "harmonizer" to refill your health using thermal energy. In the multiplayer you don't have this option and only use the thermal energy to power VS and energy weapons. In the one player if you run out of thermal energy you will lose health until you refill it or die, but running out in multiplayer only means you can't use a VS or energy weapons until you refill. You get thermal energy from every enemy you kill, from "way points", and from T-energy storage containers. On multiplayer there are specific places you can stand at to fill your energy. You continue to lose thermal energy while walking around and you use even more while using a VS. This help balance out the game and you must consider your T-energy when deciding whether to use a VS or Energy weapons.
  
  Overall the good in this game out does its shortcomings. I really enjoy playing this game and would encourage people to give it a try.
  
  

• Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Signature Series Guide (Bradygames Signature Series) (Bradygames Signature Series) (Bradygames Signature Series)
• The Official Xbox Magazine [1-year]
• Electronic Gaming Monthly
• Play

• Gears Of War
• Halo 3
• Assassin's Creed
• Xbox 360 Wireless Controller
• Crackdown