Lost Planet 2
Lost Planet 2 is a science fiction third-person shooter video game that is the sequel to Lost Planet: Extreme Condition. Lost Planet 2 was developed and published by Capcom, and developed by Jun Takeuchi and Kenji Oguro on the MT Framework 2.0 engine for the PlayStation 3 game console. Lost Planet 2 is the second instalment to the Lost Planet series that falls under the genre of third-person shooter with a hint of RPG elements. Its scheduled released date is in December 2009 to North America and January 2010 in Japan. The story takes place ten years after the events of the first game, on the same fictional planet. It takes place back on E.D.N III 10 years after the events of the first game. This time around, the snow has melted to reveal jungles and more tropical areas that have taken the place of more frozen areas. The center of the game would be on the fictional corporation, also known as NEVEC and their on going war to gain T-eng. It is expected that many gameplay features from the original Lost Planet will return including major boss battles, extreme terrain, and the ability to pilot mechanized armour suits known as Vital Suits (VSs). Players will be able to ride on the sides of some VSs which can be controlled by one player, while two other hang on by the sides and shoot. Not only that, there will also be flying VSs which feature unlimited flying time as revealed by producer Jun Takeuchi at his Q&A session at Comic-Con 2009. In contrast to its predecessor, Lost Planet 2 allows its players to create and customize their own character’s head, body, back and legs as well as allow them to unlock more clothing and body types after levelling up and downloading content. In addition to that, players will also be able to edit gestures, weapon models, and colour pallets used although weapons used in multiplayer mode will have to be unlocked through levelling up.
Reviews
Lost Planet 2 is the sequel to the fairly successful sci-fi action title, Lost Planet 2 with promises of even better gameplay experience and more sophisticated story. In the game, players follow five different characters across six mission-based chapters, with attention focused on one specific character for each of the first five chapters. As for the sixth and final chapter, it will see a culmination and combination of the previous five. However, as the game is telling and all-new story in a new environment, it is going to be a very different game, although it is guaranteed to be a proper sequel. One of the main additions to the game is the four-player online co-op with possibility of a two-player split-screen. There will also be DLC (downloadable content) which have been planned even before the game is released to retailer, indicating that the developer is committed to supporting the product post-launch. Critics have commented that the controls for the Lost Planet 2 are slick and that the game not only runs well, but feels just right as well. Although the first game ended on a high note, with your band of snow pirates managing to get icy world defrosting, there was definitely room for a sequel as humanity attempted to continue relocating. Lost Planet 2 starts off several years after the end of the original game, resulting in the environmental change and its effect on the population of E.D.N. III that has impacted the dynamics of the ice-pirate groups. In place of ice that blanketed the world are lush jungles although despite the extreme tropical makeover, thermal energy is still a source of conflict for all of the pirate bands on the world.
“From the looks of the demo, Lost Planet 2 is shaping up to be an impressive follow-up to the original. The game is going in a very different direction from its predecessor, but that doesn’t appear to be a bad thing. The game’s large sense of scale and cooperative gameplay seem to be a very good combo. We’re getting a Monster Hunter and Dreamcast-era Phantasy Star Online vibe going on, which sits very well with us. If the game’s camera and control are tightened up compared to its predecessor, and enough content is packed into the experience, this could be one addictive game when it ships next year. At the moment, the only platform that’s been officially confirmed is the Xbox 360. From the sound of it, there should be more information given out at E3 in June. Look for more on the game, including an XBL demo, then.” (GameSpot, 2009)
