Is Lost Planet 2, Lost?

Lost Planet 2:

What's wrong with it?

Lost Planet looks like a game you would expect too have learned from its past. However since the development team took the game into another direction, they seem to have forgotten one thing. When you make a game with Ally AI that you depend on, they need to actually do something in the game. Now do not get me wrong Lost Planet 2 is a great co-op experience, but using the word AI is overkill for the computer allies on your side.

There was more then a few moments where I found my AI teammates standing in a corner doing who knows what or even jumping to there death on a regular basis. The game became a work of frustration when I tried to play the game without friends. Most of the time I wanted to turn off the AI (which is an option , except they were so good at being good dummy grenades, which is in the game already). Other then the computers helping hand, the other thing that brings the game down is the issue from the first game. When you use your grapple, sometimes your character will not leap over a railing like it should and you fall to your death. If any of you played the first lost planet you will know what I am talking about. I had hopes this was fixed, but I guess the development team decided to over look this little snag.

The game should have had certain missions for single player and another set of mission for going co-op. If you can't get a reasonable AI working in your game, then you should not make them so important when playing single player. Overall these issues were not a complete deal breaker, as I did have some friends to run the missions with. This turned the game from and evening of foul words and controller throwing, too making fun of one another as we pushed each other over a railing.

What's right with it?

Lost planets a beautiful looking game and is great for jumping in and knocking out levels with some friends. Also as you play thorough the CO-OP single player part of the game, you will earn points that you can use in a sort of slot machine to get random upgrades for you offline and on-line characters. Upgrades like titles, weapons, and armor will really allow you get an edge later on when you hope into multi-player. Lost planet this time around is a lot more linear then the first one. One game it reminds me of is Fantasy Star Universe on the 360. You will load up the mission and it will latterly tell you to go as if you where starting a Mario cart racing game. Once at the end of your mission you will need to strike a pose using the games character emotes for some bonus points. (why, I have no idea). The co-op works great as there was no dropping of friends and we seemed to enjoy working together on the objectives that made the AI just spin in circles. The on-line is solid as and not too much different from the first game other then the fact you can customize your characters now.

Conclusion

I would have to say the game is more of a good rent to play with friends. If you plan on playing this game on your own then I would say pass. As E3 is coming around the corner and so many other games are on their way. Any game that does comes out with the issues this games has shown to have, will most likely get passed over by gamers. It is going to be hard for a average game to stand out and developers are going to have a rough time making there games stand above the rest.

By Chris Wiemold