Lost Planet 2 – exclusive hands-on
Bigger robots, nastier bosses and faster gameplay highlight our first look at Capcom’s bug-smashing sequel
Teeth-rattling explosions. Bullet-belching robot suits. Giant monster-lizards that literally pass you through their ass and crap you onto the battlefield. If there’s one idea Capcom wants to convey about Lost Planet 2, it’s “more” – more towering bugs, more bosses, more players, more stuff to do. We recently visited Osaka for a brief hands-on with next year’s surefire hit, and what we played blends the original game’s well-received multiplayer modes with a mission-based, co-op campaign.
Gone is the unrepentantly boring story that focused on some guy doing something while some villains tried to stop him. Instead, you create your own character, hook up with other Snow Pirates and haul ass through the rapidly thawing EDN III. The goal? To hoard valuable thermal energy that powers your mechanized Vital Suits, energy weapons and your own life bar.
Above: Forget fighting solo – this time it’s all about co-op
The most immediate and dramatic demonstration of this new direction came in the form of the aforementioned lizard, so far dubbed “salamander.” He’s easily one of the biggest enemies we’ve seen in our many years of gaming, with six legs, huge tendrils and a gaping maw large enough to swallow players whole. Our group of four hardened Snow Pirates engaged ol’ Sally and met frequent doom despite its glaringly obvious weak points, only succeeding when we got our shit together and coordinated attacks.
Example:
Above: Oh crap
There it is. Obviously the orange bits are the weak points. But what do you do? Charge it with the new Gears of War-style roadie run? Hop into a three-person Vital Suit and shower it with bullets? Systematically shave its legs off, then scale its back with your grappling hook and wear it down over time? All are sound possibilities, but none are as impressive climbing inside, struggling against its internal juices and firing off a few rounds into its glowing heart.
Eventually through, you’re going to be expunged, and you’ll have no choice but to allow its digestive track to force you out of its ass. We would describe the ass in more detail, but… just wow. You’ll want to see it for yourself. Hell, the whole damn monster is immensely impressive as it roams around its nest, climbing the rocks and trying to shake you off. It actually feels like you’re tackling a living creature, not just a boss on a pre-programmed course.
Above: Full-frontal assault probably isn’t the best strategy
The point of it all is, there’s no way one person could do this. It’s a team effort. You need to coordinate who’s doing what, who’s in the VS blasting Sally’s back, who’s running by its mouth trying to jump in, who’s hammering the legs with rockets, sending gallons of glowing orange goo in all directions. Picture the first game’s multiplayer, add bigger and louder everything, and that’s essentially what we played.
While this Shadow of the Colossus moment drove home the concept of team play, the game’s opening level felt a bit more “classic,” albeit with a few new touches. Instead of another frozen stretch of land, we’re treated to a tropical environment peppered with rival pirates, all attempting to muscle in on what little thermal energy is left.
Above: Rival pirates, giant Akrid bugs… there’s still plenty to kill
It all starts with the four of us zooming across a river as part of a united amphibious assault. As the camera zips around, we see friendly units gobbled up by something in the water, explosions in the sky and several other pals blasted before ever reaching the front. Once on foot, the four of us (plus other friendly pirates) storm the rivals’ stronghold, activating as many mash-the-B-button radar posts as we could find; as long as there is a post activated somewhere nearby, you’ll respawn ready to fight.
Die too much, and your team’s collective gauge will deplete rapidly, and when it’s empty, you lose for good. So, even if your energy isn’t constantly depleting due to the frigid environment, you’ll still need to pound more bugs and steal more energy reserves to stay alive.
Above: Players can join co-op matches in between levels
Other than the intermittent rain and steamy tropical setting, this level played just like the previous game. The same verticality is present, forcing you to think what’s above and around you, not just directly in front. Early on we bumped into one of those long-armed bugs from the original game and everyone immediately went for its glowing sacs of energy. Smart move, but one person (let’s say, GamesRadar) used the standard-issue hook to scale a tree and fire down on the creature from above. While our comrades are getting smacked around, we’re getting in plenty of free hits… until it wised up, batted us off the top and proceeded to stomp our face in the mud. Maybe the best tactic is a mix of straight shooting and smart use of the environment, then.
Lost Planet 2’s still about a year out, probably landing in the early part of 2010 (as was the case for the first Lost Planet, as well as Resident Evil 4 and 5). Sadly, we hear the lid’s gonna be shut tight for a while to come, so further details are probably a ways out. |