Lost Planet: Extreme Condition
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| Lost Planet: Extreme Condition™ | |
|---|---|
 European Xbox 360 version box art |
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| Developer(s) | Capcom Valve Corporation (Windows) |
| Publisher(s) | Capcom Valve Corporation (Steam) |
| Designer(s) | Kenji Oguro (director) Keiji Inafune (producer) |
| Engine | MT Framework[1] |
| Platform(s) | Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows (via Steam) |
| Release date | Xbox 360[2] JP December 21, 2006 NA / PAL January 12, 2007 Microsoft Windows[3] NA June 26, 2007 PAL June 29, 2007 PlayStation 3[4] JP February 21, 2008 NA February 26, 2008 AUS February 27, 2008 EU February 29, 2008 Lost Planet: Colonies Windows, Xbox 360 JP May 29, 2008[5] NA May 27, 2008 EU June 6, 2008 |
| Genre(s) | Action, third-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Teen |
| Media | DVD, DVD-DL, Blu-ray Disc, Steam download |
| System requirements | Operating System Support Windows XP/Vista |
| Input methods | Xbox 360 Controller, SIXAXIS or DualShock 3 controller, keyboard, mouse |
Lost Planet: Extreme Condition is a third-person shooter video game created by Capcom for Microsoft's Xbox 360 and PC. A PS3 version was released on February 26, 2008. The game was produced by Keiji Inafune, the creator of the Mega Man and Onimusha series.
The game utilizes both vital suit (also known as VS, which is like a mecha or robotic armour) piloting and on-foot exploration and features Korean actor Lee Byung-Hun as the model for the main character, Wayne.[6] Lost Planet was released on January 12, 2007, in North America and PAL regions. Lost Planet: Trag Zero, a prequel which focuses on the character of Gale, Wayne's father, has been released on cell phones[1].
Lost Planet: Extreme Condition was released on Windows in June in Europe and North America. The Windows version includes DirectX 10 support, when run in Windows Vista[7], and enhanced graphics[8]. A demo for the Windows version was released on May 15, 2007, which was the first playable game to showcase DirectX 10.
On 17 October 2007, Capcom announced a PlayStation 3 version, including all 360 downloadable content and PC bonus characters,it was released on February 29, 2008. The game offers 16 player online play.[9]
Contents |
[edit] Plot
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The plot summary in this article or section is too long or detailed compared to the rest of the article. Please edit the article to focus on discussing the work rather than merely reiterating the plot. |
The game's plot focuses on the amnesiac character Wayne Holden, his father, Gale Holden, and the past and future of the planet E.D.N. III. After a particularly vicious battle against a large Akrid creature known only as "Green Eye", Gale is killed, and Wayne is lost on the icy plains of E.D.N. III. The planet of E.D.N III is perpetually cold and snowy, originally inhabited by a species of aliens known as Akrid, who forced humanity to abandon E.D.N. III by strength of numbers and surprise. Initially, the Akrid deterred humans from colonization, but this changed when T-ENG was discovered. Thermal Energy, or T-ENG, is a powerful energy source, found only in Akrid bodies, made humankind determined to fight them, for which purpose they created the Vital Suit, or VS, technology, essentially mechs powered by T-ENG, carrying mounted weapons.
At the beginning of the game, Wayne is found on the snow plains by a small band of snow pirates, colonists left behind after the evacuation. References from Rick, the gang tech wiz-kid, suggests that the gang may have been larger at one point, but because of an attack by a rival gang, they are all that's left. The band consists of the cool-headed leader, Yuri Solotov, the wiz-kid Rick and his sister Luka. From the beginning, attention is put into a device implanted in Wayne's arm. Called the Harmonizer, this device feeds from Wayne's T-ENG reserve, and uses this energy to heal his wounds. The game starts off with the gang suiting up for the trek through the mountains leading to the dome where Wayne last saw Green Eye. Along the journey they meet a woman named Basil, who has VS piloting skills and an arm-mounted device similar to Wayne’s Harmonizer. She's looking for a man named Solotov, who has apparently at this point vanished from their party. She also lets the crew know about a third mysterious faction called NEVEC. Shortly afterwards they find Gale's VS, described by Rick as possibly the most advanced VS ever produced, and use it to defeat Green Eye. After the battle, NEVEC soldiers show up, along with a commanding officer, named Shane Bandero, who also has a harmonizer-like device though far more crude. His appearance triggers Wayne's memory, making him realize it was not Green Eye who killed Gale, but it was Bandero who made his soldiers kill him. After a short battle between Wayne and Bandero's VS's, Wayne is forced to retreat on Luka's scooter. They leave the dome to discover that their trailer has been destroyed and Rick captured by NEVEC troops. To compensate for their losses, and continue hitting NEVEC, they resort to guerilla-tactics, hitting NEVEC convoys and the like. After one of their raids, they discover Rick and Basil in a small shelter. Rick was actually attacked by NEVEC, but Basil rescued him and helped him though the year following his separation from Wayne and Luka. Now big events are afoot. By capturing a NEVEC soldier named Joe, and negotiating with him, they learn about NEVEC's Frontier Project, a terraforming operation to make E.D.N. III habitable by humans without the aid of T-ENG. At first, it seems harmless enough, though the truth is far from benign.
The Frontier Project will not only wipe out the entire Akrid race, but will also kill any human beings left on the surface of the planet. The Frontier Project was to use a nearby volcano's T-ENG to warm up the entire planet. During their attempt to halt the project, they meet Bandero again, along with his superior, and the commander of Nevec, Dennis Isenberg. They meet Bandero a final time, and after killing him, they reclaim Gale's VS. The heroes find Yuri, who has been tortured by NEVEC. Yuri then hands Wayne an attachment to his harmonizer, allowing him to realize the true power of Gale's VS. Their plan to take down the Orbital Elevator goes into action. Basil sacrifices herself to hold off NEVEC troops, while Joe plants high-powered charges to take out the Elevator itself. At this point, Wayne is seen installing his Harmonizer's attachment, which causes great transformations in his VS that, amongst other things, allow it to fly, and use dual energy swords. Wayne then flies up the elevator and battles Isenberg in the skies around the Elevator. Isenberg's VS is also top-of-the-line, second only to Gale's. After Isenberg is defeated by Wayne, Wayne's memories are erased again by the attachment.
[edit] Combat system
Most of the game revolves around combat. Wayne can use a variety of weapons, like machine guns, shotguns, and rocket launchers, but can also pilot an assortment of robot suits (mechs), called Vital Suits (VSs). When on foot, Wayne also has the ability to remove heavy weaponry from these vital suits for upgraded firepower.
Wayne can carry a maximum of two weapons at once, allowing the player to prepare for the challenge ahead. Weaponry is used primarily to combat the planet's native species, the Akrid, but some levels require their use against rival snow pirates and mechs.
In both the single-player and multiplayer game modes, there is a "T-Eng" (Thermal Energy) meter below the character's health. This counter goes down continually in the cold, and can be refilled by collecting pools of glowing orange "heat" that drop from dead enemies or other heat sources found in the environment, such as explosive barrels. It can also be replenished by activating data posts. The T-Eng is used to refill Wayne's health in the single-player mode, and is also used to power energy weapons such as plasma rifles and energy weapons.
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For more details on Lost Planet's characters and enemies, see List of Lost Planet: Extreme Condition characters & adversaries.
[edit] Xbox Live support
The game has multiplayer support on Xbox Live with up to 16 players online in a single game. Players can compete through four game types; Fugitive, Elimination, Team Elimination, and Post Grab. Killing enemies, destroying VS, and hacking data posts will add to the players score while getting killed and committing suicide will take away points. The point total at the end of the game will be added to the player's overall score across all of their games. This score will be used to determine the player's level. The highest level is 99. Players can unlock new character models and patterns. There are eight (nine in SE version) multiplayer maps: Crimson River, Dark Town, Diplidation, Training Facility, Canyon 810, Lost Coast, Pirate Fortress, and Frozen Wasteland. There are also several downloadable maps that you can get off of the Marketplace. These include Battlegrounds, Island 902, Ice Drop, and Radar Field.
The weapon variety in Lost Planet becomes obvious when playing in multiplayer matches; the game features 5 varieties of grenade, 15 distinct weapons (7 of which are dual-function in that they can be carried by infantry or attached to a mech), and 6 mechs ranging from transforming tanks to jump-jet walkers. Weapon placements are randomized for each match, as are a player's grenades upon spawning. The five grenades include a regular hand grenade, a disk grenade which flies in 1 direction, a gum grenade which you can attach to people, and a plasma grenade which freezes your enemies.
On March 2, 2007, Capcom released the first gameplay patch for Lost Planet's multiplayer modes. The patch includes fixes that allow players to easier discern the nationality of their fellow players, to tell who is speaking during matchmaking and gameplay with an added "speaking" icon, as well as a connection speed/strength indicator. This speaking symbol is also added in the results screen at the end of the match. It also contains a number of bugfixes geared to prevent major glitches and exploits during online play. However a few people have not been able to enter a match, due to the host quitting the match. This problem has been linked to the NAT settings on a player's router, and can be rectified by making sure the NAT setting is OPEN. This can be determined through the network setting's diagnostics test from the 360 dashboard.
[edit] Multiplayer map packs
Capcom has released three sets of map packs for 400 Microsoft Points each.
| Map Pack | Maps | Marketplace Release | Free Release |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Radar Field and Island 902 | March 9, 2007 | June 20, 2007 |
| 2 | Hive Complex and Trial Point | April 6, 2007 | June 20, 2007 |
| 3 | Ice Drop, Ruins, and Lost Technology | June 21, 2007 | August 16, 2007 |
| Battleground | Originally included in Limited Edtion. | June 7, 2007 |
[edit] Extra content for PC
On July 16, Capcom has announced extra content for PC[14][15] which includes:
- Over the shoulder style view mode
- A wide view
- Movie mode for watching the game's cut-scenes back to back
- Multiplayer updates to allow you to see connected players
- Four multiplayer maps which contains: Trial Point[16], Hive Complex[17], Radar Field[18] and Island 902[19][20]
- Three new characters, each character featuring unique weapons and characteristics:
- Joe from Lost Planet (NEVEC soldier)[21]
- Mega Man[22]
- Frank West from Dead Rising[23]
All the extra content comes in a form of a 400 MB patch. It became available on July 20 from Steam.
On August 9, Capcom has announced second extra content for PC which includes[24]:
- Four multiplayer maps which contains:
- Battleground: An abandoned town populated with rubble and ruined buildings. Indoor and outdoor areas are available and offer multi-level vantage points[25].
- Lost Technology: Inspired by 8-bit gaming[26].
- Ruins: Ancient temples buried deep in a jungle[27].
- Ice Drop: A frosty glacier bursting with peaks, nooks, and crannies[28].
- A simple chat system which is implemented including four default messages that can be sent to other players in the lobby or during a multiplayer game.
- DX 10 technology and utilizes Geometry Shader to improve the game's visuals with greater depth of field, improved motion blur, and fur shading.
The extra content will be available on August 16
[edit] Limited edition
A limited edition of the game is also commercially available, featuring an art book, and an extra multiplayer map (Battleground) not found in the 'standard' version of the game. It also includes a separate CD-ROM that has the complete game soundtrack in .mp3 format, along with wallpapers and quicktime versions of three game cutscenes dubbed "webisodes".
[edit] Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies Edition™
Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies Edition™ is a gold edition version of Extreme Condition for the Xbox 360 and PC.[29] The game will include new multiplayer maps, a Human vs Akrid multiplayer mode, and a selection of new monsters and weapons. In addition, Luka will be a playable character.[30]
Colonies will also introduce four new single player modes: Score Attack (points are given for each kill dependent on kill type and weapon used, akin to the co-op mode in Halo 3), Time Trial Battle Mode (similar to the Arcade mode of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare), first person shooter mode, and Unlimited Mode (which must be unlocked).[31] The game will also include cross-platform play between Xbox Live and Games for Windows - Live users. [32] The game is due for a May 29, 2008 Japanese release;[33] the North American release has been announced to be on May 27, 2008 while the European one will be on June 6, 2008.
[edit] Reception
| Reviews | |
|---|---|
| Publication | Score |
| 1UP.com | 6.5 of 10 |
| Game Informer | 8.25 of 10 |
| IGN | 8.5 of 10 |
| PC Gamer US | 81%[34] |
| Compilations of multiple reviews | |
| Compiler | Score |
| Metacritic | 79 of 100 |
| Game Rankings | 79% |
Lost Planet is ranked at 79% on Game Rankings, based on 88 reviews. Its Metacritic score is also 79% based on 76 reviews and 80% on GameStats based on 46 reviews. The game was subject to a wide range of reviews, from a 95/100 by Gamebrink and an 8.5 by IGN, to a score of 6.5 from 1UP. Despite varying scores, the reception has been positive overall. Game Informer rated it a 8.25 and awarded it the Game of the Month for February 2007.[35] Lost Planet became the top-selling game in the United Kingdom upon release.[2] At the same time, it continues to be running in the Top 10 video game sales charts of Amazon.com and Play-Asia.com.[citation needed] On certain days, both regular and collector's editions of the game occupied the same charts.[citation needed] During the month of January 2007, Lost Planet was the top selling game in North America, with 329,000 copies sold. [7] As of December 31th 2007 the game sold 1.45 million units on the Xbox 360 alone according to Capcom.[36]
[edit] References
- ^ 西川善司の3Dゲームファンのための「ロスト プラネット」グラフィックス講座
- ^ Lost Planet: Extreme Condition for Xbox 360 - Release Summary. GameSpot. CNET Networks. Retrieved on 2008-03-13.
- ^ Lost Planet: Extreme Condition for PC - Release Summary. GameSpot. CNET Networks. Retrieved on 2008-03-13.
- ^ Lost Planet: Extreme Condition for PlayStation 3 - Release Summary. GameSpot. CNET Networks. Retrieved on 2008-03-13.
- ^ Lost Planet: Colonies, Confirmation & Details - Xbox 360 Fanboy
- ^ CAPCOM Announces "Lost Planet", Featuring Lee Byung Hun for Xbox 360!. Retrieved on February 21, 2007.
- ^ a b Capcom, Nvidia To Bring Lost Planet To PCs. Retrieved on April 13, 2007.
- ^ Lost Planet PC Screenshots. Retrieved on April 14, 2007.
- ^ Lost Planet Heading to PS3 Retrieved on October 18, 2007.
- ^ IGN: Lost Planet Finds Map Pack #2
- ^ 360 Updates
- ^ Three new Lost Planet maps drop next week - Xbox 360 Fanboy
- ^ Lost Planet Multiplayer Maps #3 now free - Xbox Live's Major Nelson
- ^ Capcom official announcement
- ^ Lost Planet for PC getting extra content - EuroGamer
- ^ Trial Point Pictures
- ^ Hive Complex Pictures
- ^ Radar Field Pictures
- ^ Island 902 pictures
- ^ New Content for PC - IGN
- ^ Joe Picture
- ^ Mega Man Picture
- ^ Frank West Picture
- ^ Extra Content for PC #2 announced - IGN
- ^ Battleground Pictures
- ^ Lost Technology Pictures
- ^ Ruins Pictures
- ^ Ice Drop Pictures
- ^ Sorry, But Lost Planet: Colonies is Lost Planet Redux, Joystiq
- ^ Rumor: Lost Planet Colonies Finally Announced
- ^ Experience Colonies' single player four ways - Xbox 360 Fanboy
- ^ Lost Planet: Colonies, Confirmation & Details - Xbox 360 Fanboy
- ^ Lost Planet: Colonies, Confirmation & Details - Xbox 360 Fanboy
- ^ Chan, Norman (October 2007), “Lost Planet: Extreme Condition”, PC Gamer (Future Publishing) (no. 166): 62
- ^ Game Informer, Issue 166, February 2007. Page 104.
- ^ CAPCOM | Platinum Titles
