Review - Lost Planet: Extreme Conditions

It's Armored Core...but Good!

I must admit that I was a bit skeptical when I saw mechs on the back cover. I cannot even count how many times I got hyped about a game with mechs to be totally let down in the end (MechWarrior not included). But Lost Planet: Extreme Conditions (LP hereafter) not only succeeds as a mech game, but includes some great over-the-shoulder shooting as well.

Whether you are running over a snowy plain or through a lava cavern, the graphics and experience are impressive. The mechs, as usual, leave a bit to be desired. LP did a great job making the mechs feel big and bulky, adding a bit of realism that Armored Core may lack. How fast can a piece of machinery really move? Of course, when the game is set on a completely uninhabitable snow-world where the only life is an alien race that humanity has to rely on as a heat source, fast moving machines is something you can be confortable with. As you advance in the game, you fall upon your ultimate VS (mechs are called Vital Suits). Now this thing is incredbile, but it felt a little clunky for what it was. You can "skate" using your jump pack, jump jet around, and carry two weapons of your choice. I would have liked to have seen more of this though. Perhaps a page from the Armored Core book might have been proper here.

Single-player campaign will take a while to complete, but the multiplayer is the where LP will see longevity. Unfortunately, it is a bit problematic. The interface for finding a game is not the best in the biz. Games can sometimes last too long, but others will be way too short; there is no real consistency. How you win in certain game types can be confusing, and character customization is entirely too limited. I was disappointed that I could only choose from 3 character models and the unlockable content was simply what color shirt they wore. Stepping into this multiplayer customization from Rainbow Six: Vegas' PEC was a major letdown. The grappling hook will be a good time and can save you in a grind. If you can ever get a rocket launcher or shotgun off one of the VS suits, you will begin to really rack up the kills. VS suits are rather infrequent, and you will typically find the more basic, less fun, models on multiplayer maps. I definitely shed a tear at this realization.

I rented LP for 5-days (Blockbuster) and was ready to give it up when I returned it after 10-days (don't you love the lack of late fees?). Though I wouldn't spend $60 on LP, it is definitely a game you will remember playing. Going up against a 10-story worm on a barren snow covered plain is not easily forgotten.