Lost Planet Review (X360)

Xbox Live Multiplayer

In addition to the fun and frantic single-player game, Lost Planet also has a very nice multiplayer mode. It features all of the gametypes we have come to expect over the years – free for all, team modes, post grab – you know the drill. Taken at face value, the multiplayer modes don’t really seem all that spectacular because, like I said, the core gameplay isn’t really anything new. Lost Planet’s multiplayer game has a lot of depth hidden beneath the surface, though, which makes it feel fresh and fun. There are weapons all over the place, VS suits to find and use, huge gun turrets to use, and since you can use the grappling hook, no area of the map is out of reach. The maps are very well designed and some of them are absolutely massive, and when you have a full 8 vs. 8 game going on, the battles feel very massive and epic just like the single-player. You can use a lot of different strategies and tactics and play any given map a hundred different ways. It is all very satisfying and fun when a plan comes together and you actually find a group of people that want to work as a team.

Graphics and Sound

Graphically, Lost Planet is a very nice looking game, but it impresses more with a great sense of scale and nice effects than it does by overwhelming you with detail. The levels are huge and filled with enemies and the frame rate rarely takes a hit. It also has to be said that the special effects for smoke and explosions are easily some of the best ever. It is amazing when you’re staring down the barrel of a rocket launcher and can actually see the rocket fire, the smoke trail behind it, and duck out of the way at the last second.

The sound is also very good. The weapons, mechs, and enemies all make decent enough “sci-fi” style sounds, and the music fits the action perfectly. The only disappointing aspect of the sound is the flat voice acting, but the story isn’t all that interesting anyway.

Bottom Line

Lost Planet is a good game and an excellent way to start 2007. It isn’t going to floor you with a completely new experience, but it is a well executed third-person-shooter that is hard to really find fault with. Some say it has braindead AI, and that adversely affects the game, but for the style of game that is trying to be executed here – a 3D shoot-em-up – the AI doesn’t need to be smart. Lost Planet is a game that only gets better the more you play it and you understand what it is attempting to do. When you blast your way through some massive battles or spend some quality time with the online mode, you’ll appreciate it more and more. Like I said at the top of this review, though, if you didn’t care for the demos, you probably aren’t going to like the final product. If you loved what you played in the demos, then by all means Lost Planet is worth a purchase.