Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Review - PS3

As we approach an era when third-party exclusives are as rare as a coherent thought from Paula Abdul, it's comforting to know that some publishers are willing to rework their properties instead of slapping it on a different disc, charging full price, and running home to count the cash. Lost Planet: Extreme Condition on PlayStation 3 not only enters the market at a lower price point, but also adds some features designed to make a good game better. At least that was the idea. Sadly, some things just don't work quite as intended…

Ice, Ice Baby

Lost Planet starts off on the wrong foot by forcing players to perform a 5GB installation that involves 20 minutes of staring at a horizontal meter. During this time you might shake your fist at the screen, curse under your breath, or make yourself a Hot Pocket. None are particularly satisfying. Once the game finally begins, you'll be whisked away to an arctic world set in the distant future. While the planet's name -- E.D.N. III -- alludes to a potential paradise, it's anything but tranquil. Giant bugs called Akrid, who apparently weren't glamorous enough to get screen time in Starship Troopers, aren't particularly enthused about human colonists mucking up their turf.

The goal in Lost Planet is essentially to clear out dens or hives populated by the Akrid and some ruthless snow pirates. What makes Lost Planet stand out from previous Capcom games is not necessarily the departure from the well-traveled zombie theme, but a combat system that involves some strategy over twitch blasting. The action takes place entirely from a third-person perspective, with the lead protagonist able to quickly zip to higher areas with a Bionic Commando-style anchor or climb into armored mechs called V-suits.

Thar She Glows!

Larger enemies have specific weak points, conveniently depicted by a glowing body part that must be targeted if you want to kill the creatures in a reasonable amount of time. The strategy comes from getting into the right position, which often involves using the grappling hook or hovering in the V-suit to avoid getting stampeded. After a few quick flip turns, you'll be able to unload your ammunition and start the death-dealing dance over again. The controls take time to get used to, and the camera angles aren't always helpful, but you learn to adjust. Most Akrid emerge from festering boils resembling the "before" picture in a Proactiv Solution ad. In true Gauntlet fashion, you must destroy these generators to stop the flying, burrowing, crawling nasties from swarming.

Planet in Crisis

Many of Lost Planet's problems are holdovers from the Xbox 360 version, although the PS3 game has a few of its own issues to contend with. One minor drawback is that the weapons aren't particularly fun to use, and many seem a bit underpowered. You'd think that the future would bring more inventive armaments than machine guns, sniper rifles, shotguns, and rocket launchers, but that's the bulk of the guns you'll be using on foot. The V-suit adds a little more oomph to the fighting, but you're still using "familiar" devices such as Gatling guns, grenade launchers, and shotguns. Even the laser weapons aren't that special.

Another issue is the frame rate, which is more inconsistent on PS3 than on Xbox 360. It never reaches the point where the game is unplayable, but in several key spots where there are lots of Akrid swarming about, the frame rate takes a dive into some choppy waters. The visuals are also not as eye-popping on PlayStation 3 as you might expect, with awkward walking animations (the protagonist's torso sways back and forth like a pendulum while his legs move straight) and a slightly "fuzzier" sheen than the crisp presentation on Xbox 360. The voice acting, fortunately or unfortunately depending on your perspective, is identical and just as melodramatic.

More than Meets the Eye

Despite some flaws, Lost Planet offers a high amount of replay value thanks to its 16-player online support. After completing the 11-mission solo campaign, players can participate in ranked matches or battle others just for the pleasure of blowing them off the map. Four game types include team elimination, elimination, post grab, and fugitive. Most modes are self explanatory, but "post grab" involves a race to activate all data posts on a map, while fugitive is a variant on "kill the carrier." The PS3 version includes all downloadable content previously available on Xbox Live, and even lets you play as Frank West or Mega Man after you complete a specific number of matches. 

Lost Planet is a welcome departure from Capcom's previous next-gen titles and offers some truly epic-feeling boss battles against some large, nasty looking creatures. The V-suits, grappling cable, and "thermal energy" mechanic, where you need to maintain your armor and life by capturing the enemy's "heat," are interesting twists to the traditional action title. Fans of first-person shooters will likely find issues with the game's controls and slower pacing, and the PS3 game is not a smooth port of the Xbox 360 version. Yet for the price and amount of bang for the buck, Lost Planet: Extreme Edition on PS3 is certainly worth warming up to.

Review by: Scott Alan Marriott