At a glance...

Reviewer	Platform	Publisher	Developer	Players	Screenshots
Matt Bailey	Xbox 360	Capcom	Capcom	1-16 (Xbox Live)	Here
Requirements					Buy from Amazon.co.uk
Memory Unit or HDD, Xbox Live Gold subscription for online play					Click here to buy Lost Planet: Extreme Condition.

Lost Planet: Extreme Condition review

Capcom is an interesting company for platform support. As we saw in particular with the GameCube, they like to go all-out in their support for a console, providing it with a host of exclusives. Dead Rising, released on the Xbox 360 last September, was the first of two of these for the platform. With 360 sales struggling in Japan it wasn't surprising that it was a more 'Western' game, starring an American man in an American shopping mall, to appeal to North America and Europe, where the console has met reasonable success. The other exclusive is this: Lost Planet: Extreme Condition, a title starring a Japanese character, and featuring a storyline more typical of a game from the region. However, as a shooter, it's still something with more appeal for us Westerners.

So, another gun-heavy game for the Xbox 360, then. It's well-known that the console has more than it's fair share of them, especially if you include Xbox Live Arcade releases, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for some rather good additions to the genre. Gears of War, Microsoft and Epic's AAA-title that hit last November, was certainly one of them, and it's safe to say that Lost Planet is another. Capcom's title stars Wayne, who is suffering from amnesia, and finds himself caught up in a struggle against rival clans as well as the Akrid, the species which inhabits E.D.N. III, the ice world you are on. The cold in particular means a reliance on Thermal Energy, which due to complications has become part of Wayne's very survival. This means you'll have to search out its orange glow, which can be obtained from defeated enemies, and keep and eye on the constant gauge in the corner; when it hits 0, your health will decrease very rapidly, but on the upside, Thermal Energy is used to rejuvenate health. The plot also features a conspiracy, and some other interests of the shadowy NEVAC corporation, but most of time you'll find the story is nothing more than a distraction from the action. It lacks the intrigue and general curiosities of Gears or other shooters like Halo, but if your interest lies more in the action, it shouldn't matter too much.

The gameplay very much boils down to being essentially a third-person shooter, but it's not a clone of Gears of War at all. For a start, both employ different control setups; where Epic's game features traditional third-person movement and aiming using zooming to hone in on certain enemies, Lost Planet sees traditional movement combined with more precise aiming, used in combination with 'soft' lock-ons to combatants. This looser systems takes some getting used to, but a whole host of options for the speed of turning and cursor movement are provided, and eventually it proves a rather effective and satisfying method to gain kills. Also, where Gears was about careful movement, taking a strategic approach and using cover, Lost Planet sees more running and gunning, but also lets you more freely explore the land with the ability to jump, as well as grapple on to higher ground - an essential skill to explore some of the more mountainous regions.

The variety of approaches is what lifts Lost Planet up above many of the more generic shooters out there; each encounter via an enemy can be taken in a different way, keeping the experience fresh, particularly when encountering large amounts of similar enemies. It can be a bit repetitive at times because of this, though sheer numbers will often distract you from such thoughts, and the weaponry on offer provides interesting opportunities even against the same opponents. Mechs, a staple Japanese action game inclusion, make an appearance here. The Vital Suits, as they are called, control reasonably well, and come in a range of options - including one that transforms into a snow bike - though they are thankfully not often of compulsory use. While taking on other machines is difficult on foot, the weaponry can level the game, and often makes the boss battles more exciting.

Ah, yes, the bosses. They are impressive creatures - vast in size, and seem to have been inspired by those in classic Nintendo series Metroid and Zelda. They are pretty much the focus of many levels, with the preceding action sometimes there to train you for the techniques needed to fight these beasts. They are, however, very difficult - even on easy - and this feels out of proportion with the rest of the game, which seems more balanced. Repeat attempts at bosses are common, but they are both exciting and intriguing, partly due to the need for a strategy to overcome them. Their design is part of the game's overall impressive character design, and typical of a Capcom action game. The attention to detail is impressive, and the Akrid are more than a match for the Locust.

Some of the multiplayer will have been well explored by some of you thanks to the demo released late last year on the Marketplace. The mode allows up to 16 players to compete over Xbox Live across a range of game modes, including more standard deathmatch-style Elimination and Team Elimination. A more interesting mode is Post Grab, which, while not exactly original, can be great fun when played with a bunch of people who are utilising voice chat for coordination. It divides players into two teams, and sees you competing for the data posts that appear throughout single player as way-pointers and Thermal Energy providers. They take time to build up and dismantle - by tapping B on both fronts - which can add to the tense feeling of the matches, that often become rather close. Fugitive is the other mode on offer, and can be rather exciting against good players. It sees one person versus the world, where the host becomes the fugitive and everyone has to hunt him or her down. It can lead to some rather interesting and creative battles, particularly with a good fugitive.

The timing for the release of Lost Planet means that it finds itself having to compete with some of the best graphics around, thanks to Unreal Engine 3 at the heart of Gears of War. However, Capcom's in-house effort stands up well in this comparison too. While they don't immediately grab you - mostly due to featuring less of the effects that dominate the look of Gears - they are rather impressive. The vastness of the areas is something you'll immediately notice, with sweeping hills and immense buildings being two common features. The snow-covered landscapes may lack a variation of colour, but they can be beautiful, particularly with well-modelled snowfall, and are broken up by explosions, smoke and various other atmosphere-enhancing effects.

Atmosphere is also provided by the good use of audio. To match the snow-covered wilderness you often find yourself in a howling wind typical of a blizzard, and this is especially noteworthy if you have a decent sound setup. It even continues when you pause, resulting in a time when I stopped the game, turned the volume up, and did some research with the pleasing ambient noise in the background. Other sound effects are generally well covered, but it is this wind that helps build the atmosphere of this desolate winter world. However, while the effects are great, the voice acting isn't. It's a shame that English voice acting in Japanese games can still be poor, and while it is certainly no shambles, it doesn't help the sometimes over-complicated story mentioned above.

Probably most impressively of all is a feature of the game that is worth commending, yet is not mentioned on the title's literature. That feature is the lack of loading which is present throughout most of the game. While recent releases have been a lot better than the slow loading days of the Xbox 360 launch, nothing matches Lost Planet on this front. Those vast worlds are often available in an instant, with split-second black screens when switching from major locations, which happens very infrequently, with only an occasional (and brief) 'now loading' message. In fact, the lack of waiting does make you wonder, "Where is the loading?"

Ratings

Graphics	Impressive visual effects, that show that you don't need Unreal Engine 3 to make your game look beautiful. The vastness of lands and great character design also play their part.	9/10
Gameplay	Essentially a straightforward shooter, but introduces elements of strategy in attacking - often overly powerful - boses, as well as dynamic gameplay through the use of a grapple and mechs. Ultimately, though, it's not really pushing the genre, no matter how enjoyable it can be.	8/10
Value	At the full retail price of £50, you might have expected a bit more if you're stictly an offline gamer. With an Xbox Live Gold subscription, however, there's plenty more fun to enjoy online. So dock 2 points if you don't go Live.	8/10
Lifespan	The main game isn't terribly long, but does well by the standards of Japanese action games.	8/10
Audio	The Arctic winds whistle through and help build up a desolate atmosphere on the icy world of E.D.N. III. Sound effects accompany the visual effects well, but voice acting isn't particularly great.	8/10
Overall	While Lost Planet isn't pushing any gameplay boundaries, it is a beautiful, exciting and enjoyable game, that somehow feels compelling despite featuring a story you may not be interested in. It's not recommended as an alternative to Gears of War, but this 360-exclusive is certainly a worthy accompaniment.	8/10

Click here to buy Lost Planet: Extreme Condition from Amazon.co.uk.

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