Lost Planet 2 is the sequel to the 2006/2007 third-person action game from Capcom. Taking place ten years after the first title on the planet E.D.N III, the once-frozen environment has given way to lush jungles as a tropical climate descends upon what once was the realm of the snow pirates. Despite the climate changing, those native insectoid - the Akrid - still roam and feature as a constant danger to all the colonists traversing the planet.
The action is set amidst a civil war between various factions with the fate of E.D.N. III hanging in balance as NEVEC strive to harvest the very energy that keeps the planet together.
The action of Lost Planet 2 is a mixture of on-foot and mech-based combat. Utilising a slew of different weapons - shotguns, machine guns, rocket launchers, sniper and energy rifles etc. - as well as an entire motorpool of varied and intricate mecha known as Vital Suits, combat is nuanced and a rather different style to the usual third-person shooters of the genre. A new addition to the Lost Planet 2 experience is the premium put on co-op campaign, whereby up to four players can run through the campaign - akin to Capcom's other franchise, Monster Hunter.
Lost Planet 2 can be played on Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and later in the year, PC.
If you like the sound of a uniquely Japanese third-person action shooter that plays by its own rules, then you might very well like Lost Planet 2. Be warned, character movement in Lost Planet 2 feels somewhat "clunkier" compared to games such as Uncharted 2, though "clunkier" is not a particularly useful descriptor.
The grappling hook is a useful addition to the movement augmentation, as well as combat rolling. Give yourself enough time and you will relish all the nuance of moving about the environment aided by the grappling hook, as well as the intricacies of combat-rolling.
Unless you're godlike - a fair chance, considering the game and accompanying taste - you will have to spend a little while experimenting with certain concepts, such as timing rolls to avoid grenade detonation and grappling techniques. However, once you've got the basics down, you will definitely enjoy how different Lost Planet 2 feels.
If you're a fan of co-op, this game might float your boat as well. Chances are, taking down large beasts in a group of four will indeed be your cup of tea.
Genre: Third Person Shooter
Developer/Publisher: Capcom
Online Play: 4-player campaign co-op / 16 player versus/team.
Offline Play: 2-player co-op.
2010 PS3/360 Release Date: NA/EUROPE - May 11 / JP - May 20
2010 PC Release Date: TBA
Capcom have promised untold character customisation with a wide variety of load-outs and costumes available for players to assemble for online and offline play. Capcom also have stated people with saves of other Capcom games on their systems will unlock special items, with super-rare items available to those with game saves from every Capcom game released on their respective systems.
Xbox 360 gamers receive Gears of War characters Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago as exclusive character skins to use online and offline, with PS3 owners receiving Frank West and a Monster Hunter character.
Networking:
Lost Planet Twitter
Lost Planet Community Website
Videos/Trailers:
Lost Planet 2 Announcement Trailer
Lost Planet 2 2009 E3 Trailer
Lost Planet Official Trailer 2
Lost Planet Official Trailer 3
Lost Planet 2 Gamescom Trailer
Lost Planet 2 Final Episode
Lost Planet 2 Co-op City Trailer
Lost Planet 2 Co-op Desert Trailer
Online Co-op/Competitive GAF Soldiers
Legend - (GAF name)/(Online Tag) - (Region)
Xbox 360
McBradders / McBradders - UK/EUR
Karram / Notorious Dem0n - ??
Hypertrooper / Hypertrooper - UK/EUR
Rhino / Dorian Tullus - ??
Nos_G / Nos G - ??
d0c_zaius / Dok Zaius - ??
AgentOtaku / AgentOtaku - UK/EUR
JustAnotherOtaku / JohnnyD84 - UK/EUR
Lucentto / lucenttto - ??
Llyranor / Plutobux - ??
Playstation 3
Seventy5 / Seventy5 - ??
Zozobra / Jucifer - NA
TeTr1C / ryanisolation - ??
GraveRobberX / GraveRobberX - ??
Saint Francis / konopko - ??
BudokaiMR2 / budokaininja - ??
IPoopStandingUp / IPoopyStandingUp - ??
Archaix / mythofadream - ??
omegamars/ Omega_Mars - ??
JonnyKtyler/ JonnyKtyler - ??
Baloonatic / Baloonatic - UK/EUR
GraveRobberX / GraveRobberX - NA
Pylon_Trooper / Pylon_Command - JPN
Everyeye.it -- 90
Lost Planet 2 is a splendid action game. The charm of new locations, the cooperative aspect greatly stressed, and the exalting look of MT Framework 2.0 are the main elements of a cool gaming experience.
Game Informer -- 8.5/10
Lost Planet 2 could be the most changed sequel in all of video game history. No characters return, snow only makes a very limited appearance, and its all about co-op this time around. The story doesnt matter a bit, but Ill take any plotline that takes me to outrageously realized locations like zero-G outer space bases, underwater caverns filled with massive sea snakes, and speeding mechanical sand ships battling each other like high tech pirates. Unfortunately, the clunky maneuvering and grappling controls havent been improved, but youll hardly notice as you battle some of the most enormous monsters in video games, working with your co-op pals in ways never before seen. A surprising variety of mechs helps even the odds against these beasts, and can give you a hilarious advantage in versus multiplayer. I love the career upgrades, too. I just wish they didnt rely on a random slot machine system that chokes out new weapons and abilities with charming, but useless, emotes and name tags.
MS Xbox World -- 8.5/10
There's really very little to fault here because as a whole it seems to have all bases covered. A comprehensive and interesting campaign, challenges for those who want to hone their skills whilst competing against the wider audience, co-op play for friends to get down and dirty together (and yes weapons, and drops are unique to each character, so there's no stealing), versus competitive play for those who love to beat down human players and of course the integrated system of character development - which by itself is enough to keep you hooked.
Pelit (Finland) -- 80
Although Lost Planet 2 definitely has its moments, it fails to deliver most of its potential. If you can overlook the infuriating difficulty level, lack of checkpoints, stupid AI and the overall imbalance, the highlights offer an exciting thrill ride. You can go bonkers in so many ways with this game.
Official Xbox Magazine UK -- 80
Everything's improved except the controls.
Official Xbox Magazine -- 80
If you can weather the campaign's slow start and the game's wildly overwrought menu system, you'll find more than enough incredible content here to satisfy your Akrid-killing, giant robot-piloting fix.
Punch Jump -- 4/5
Lost Planet is a high-octane combat title that delivers a divine large-scale alien war. Though there are a few drawbacks, the action is a strategic, frenetic blast against giant beasts.
Games Master UK -- 79
An epic co-op experience but it loses points for poor AI and a scrappy offline experience.
Gametrailers -- 7.2/10
Lost Planet 2 had many missions, modes and battles to experience, but it's not accessible without some effort. You'll definitely need to enlist some allies to properly take advantage of the game's co-op focused structure. It's a poor choice for anyone without the means to party up, but there's definitely some fun for players who choose to invest in it.
IGN -- 6/10
Lost Planet 2 plays like it was never put in front of a member of its intended audience at some point during its development, someone who might have asked "why?": "Why can't I pause the game unless I make my game unjoinable?" "Why can't I join a co-op game in progress?" "Why can this monster kill me in two hits?" A little "why?" may have taken this game in a different, more compelling direction. If you've burned through other multiplayer or co-op options, then there might be something for you in Lost Planet 2. The single player campaign is lengthy at around 14 hours with full co-op support and the multiplayer has plenty of maps and modes. Just do yourself a favor: buy some insurance for the controller you'll invariably throw across the room at one of Lost Planet 2's seemingly endless design and interface issues.
Eurogamer -- 6/10
If a skilled video editor were to cut together the best bits of Lost Planet 2, you would end up with the most persuasive montage of gameplay footage in recent times. Bombastic in scale and seductive in its epic ambition, it looks every inch the instant shooter classic. Sadly the hands-on reality tells a different story. Filled with hair-tearing moments of abject frustration that defy logic, mixed with fist-pumping moments of total exhilaration, it's a quite bizarre game of two halves.
Almost equally fun and frustrating whether played in co-op or in single-player mode, it's a game you'll both love and hate in the same breath.
Gamespot -- 5.5/10
On paper, Lost Planet 2 sounds like it should be the only sci-fi shooter you need. There are full-featured online modes, a good-sized campaign that supports up to four players, and gross alien bugs that demand to be shot. Furthermore, the game is beautiful, generously stuffed with small details and boasting a great cohesive art design that refuses to be overshadowed by the impressive technology that powers it. But all of these important features are wrapped around basic mechanics gone horribly awry. Too many missions are either broken, tedious, or downright frustrating, and basic mechanics are focused on removing control from the player in lieu of providing a legitimate challenge. There should be a sense of triumph when you defeat a gigantic creature after a protracted struggle. In Lost Planet 2, you're just relieved that it's over.
Giant Bomb -- 2/5
It feels like Capcom barely missed making a great game with Lost Planet 2. It looks fantastic; the multiplatform MT Framework engine that powered Resident Evil 5 last year is still pumping out truly great visuals, the enormous akrid bosses being the most prominent example. With faster and more responsive controls, a better multiplayer framework, and a smoother character progression system, this one could have been surprisingly competitive in its category. But with so many problems holding it back, Lost Planet 2 is hard to recommend against all the other great shooters already out there.
