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Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies Edition Review for PC

Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies Edition Review for PC

Get Lost in Lost Planet – Again

Let’s get right to the point: Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies Edition is a “best of” title with some new features. It’s based on the 2007 version, Lost Planet: Extreme Condition that was released for the X360, PS3, and PC. The original is great. This version is just good. It’s really like adding a new room to an existing house. However, the price is right, and for those who haven’t played the original, this version is definitely the best bargain.

Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies Edition screenshot

Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies Edition, aside from the addition of “Colonies Edition” to the title, includes three new single-player modes, six new online modes, four new multiplayer maps, in addition to new weapons, new playable characters, and new environments. There is even the option of toggling between first-person and over-the-shoulder perspectives. So, do these new additions warrant a purchase? If you are a first time player, abso-friggin’-lutely. Vets are warned that because Capcom considers the new content to strongly impact this version, saves made in the original version will not be recognized. That means you’ll be starting all over again. Looking on the positive side, you’ll get your money’s worth with the extra replay value. Not only that, but both PC and X360 players will be able to compete against each other online.

The Colonies Edition has a lot going for it, including its Lost Planet pedigree. On a frozen planet where conditions are extremely deadly, a human can freeze to death in an instant. The good news is there is a thermo-energy heat source in the form of an oozing, glowing liquid. The bad news is it’s produced and guarded by the inhabitants of the planets, an ugly and evil insect-looking race known as the Akrid. These creatures are your official nemesis. As humans attempting to colonize this ungodly planet, special mech suits have been constructed to help deal with the extreme cold. These suits are known as Vital Suits, and not only do they provide protection from the elements but are equipped with weapon systems and offer armored protection as well.

Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies Edition screenshot

The thermo-energy source is integral to your survival. Without it you will simply freeze to death. It functions similarly to health. As you destroy enemies and enemy equipment, you will receive some of the liquid heat. This is stored and used as needed. It’s always being used and needs to be collected continually. If you take some hits it will be used as a form of health and depleted more rapidly. It will even be used to power some weapons such as the flamethrower. This basically forces you into action since standing around and taking it easy will eventually kill you if you run out of the hot juice.

Weapons can be used with or without the vital suits. The guns are incredibly powerful and are extremely fun to use. You can blast the giant bugs to kingdom come with a few well-placed shots. There are machineguns, pistols, hand cannons, and lasers. Grenades are also a very useful component to your arsenal that help you blow up nest of the Akrid. Of course, the suits can carry bigger payloads, which include rockets and missiles. You can equip two main weapons systems on a suit. The suits range from an upright, walking, bipedal style to a quick and highly maneuverable snowmobile-style vehicle. Other suits have different abilities such as hover jumping, the ability to drill into the ground or chainsaw through virtually any obstacle. There is a suit for nearly any occasion.

Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies Edition screenshot

The suits offer considerable protection, but there’s nothing like taking advantage of the natural cover found throughout the environments. Various ruins, caves, hills, and machinery offer natural protection and help to save your precious thermal energy. Much of the environment is destructible, so your cover is only temporary. This forces you to keep moving.

Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies Edition screenshot

Since there is a linear direction to the game, you can actually move past enemies and on to your destination. Most won’t follow you. But as I mentioned, you’re required to replenish your thermal energy, so you can’t totally avoid combat. You are not restricted to the suits, as many battles will take place on foot.

Enemies come at you in various numbers from one to an entire horde. You can take your time when battling one enemy and experiment with different killing tactics. You won’t have that luxury when attacked by a swarm. I found the control system to be awkward for running-and-gunning. Even standing in one spot, the targeting system is slow to respond. Stock animations of your character taking hits and being knocked down are almost in slow motion. Precious time is wasted, allowing the enemy to move in on you and take you out.

The suits, weapons, and alien bugs are varied and well detailed. The bugs range from small flying insects to huge Dune-style worms. The bosses are huge, powerful, and incredibly imaginative with different attack patterns. Each has vulnerable areas you have to locate and target. All the animations are smooth and natural looking. The environments range from open frozen wastelands to tight, confining caves. Textures are clean and realistic. Concrete looks like concrete and flesh looks like flesh. Particle effects such as smoke, explosions, and water are second to none. There are some framerate issues when too many enemies and explosions appear onscreen. Overall, it’s a great looking game.

There are plenty of modes, both single and multiplayer. Unfortunately there is not a co-op mode, but you won’t really miss it. Variations of Deathmatch and Capture the Flag can be played online. Instead of flags, you will try to capture the other team’s Akrid eggs, or defend your eggs from capture. In Akrid Hunter, a player assumes the role of a huge Akrid while the others try to kill him. The beast is slow but is able to move quickly by rolling up into a ball and literally crushing the opposition. Players can expect four new maps in the multiplayer mode which include a city, industrial complex, a battle arena, and a spaceship. Up to 16 players can take part in the online multiplayer modes utilizing both the PC and the X360 systems.

Despite a few design flaws, Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies Edition is a great game. There are plenty of new features that will entice fans back to the fold including new maps, characters, and single-player and online modes. My only complaint is the control system is sluggish to respond and can cause you to take a lot of unnecessary hits. But then again, nobody ever said war on hostile planets would be fair.

RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 4.7 Graphics
Crisp, clear, high res graphics with excellent particle effects. Some slowdown. 4.1 Control
Aiming and moving while in suits is sluggish and frustrating. 4.5 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Great ambient sound effects. Music fits the mood. 4.8 Play Value
Great shooter. Lots of variety in characters, weapons, and environments. Plenty of replay value in online multiplayer. 4.0 Overall Rating – Great
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

  • Frenetic action: Lost Planet is a fast-paced third-person shooter with all the depth, intrigue, and intensity of a science fiction classic.
  • Downloadable content such as additional maps, missions, and weapons.
  • Foot and vehicle based gameplay: Command highly powered armed vehicles and weapons, including transformable snow vessels, not only to help players traverse the treacherous terrain, but to eliminate enemies that lie ahead. Or, strategically switch from vehicles to on-foot gameplay as dictated by the situation.
  • Vast environments: Snowstorms, arctic winds, towering buildings, and mountains of ice are all stunningly realized as battles occur above and below ground, creating a truly immersive and cinematic event of epic proportions.
  • New modes, weapons, characters, and maps.
  • 11 pulse-pounding, single player missions and 8 intense multiplayer maps.

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