Let’s start with the bad parts first. First off, split-screen does not allow for multiple profiles, which is a big bummer. It also doesn’t allow online players to join in, nor does it allow you to enter multiplayer matches. This was a big feature back in Halo 3, would have been nice to see this actually implemented in Lost Planet 2. Secondly, the game does not save between missions. It does save between chapters, and I think something is saved still even though you exit mid-chapter, but I haven’t had a chance to look over whether or not rewards or boxes are saved through this.

Third, you can’t restart from a mission. If you die on a mission, you have to restart the entire chapter. I would have preferred an option to restart the mission specifically, but it would cause a massive rank drop if I did. I’d rather take a rank drop than have to restart the entire chapter. Finally, as a nitpick on my own part, I would have liked options in co-op to do things like disable story cutscenes, so that I wouldn’t have to have everyone press Start to skip.

Now that we’ve pushed past the infrastructure/design issues, let’s move on to the good. The graphics are outstanding (if you play normally, not in split-screen), with attention to detail all around, including the environment, background, etc. Sound and ambience also matches quite well with the levels, which are not subpar in design like GameSpot and IGN would like to have you believe.

Controls are still the same as you’d expect from Lost Planet 1, but if you want the control scheme you liked from there, you’ll have to tinker with the control types available. They offer several, but it would also have been nice to configure your own. That said, the controls change when you get into a VS, so this might possibly complicate things.

Online play is also quite enjoyable. Campaign play online stresses the co-operative aspects by quite a margin, so communication is key. For example, if someone needs a VS to get rid of a boss as quickly as possible (which they can), then other players that opt to give up their VS will be rewarded when they slay the boss in said time. Or, players can lead others to hidden areas or ledges that will give them an advantage in battle later. AI partners that fill in the player slots are actually pretty well designed, doing specific things to help support you, such as shooting T-ENG at you, or bringing up ammo to a giant railway gun. However, they stop short of actually finishing mission objectives; that’s your job, after all.

Competitive multiplayer splits off into three categories; player, ranked, and faction. Player matches are the same as you’d expect; you create your rooms with settings you’d like, fill people up and start. Things you do in player matches will affect your career level, but credits for the LP2 Slot Machine are not offered. Ranked matches are the same as player matches, except they count in leaderboards. It also follows a system similar to Halo 3’s matches, where matches are randomized along with the players, and players can vote on what kind of rules or maps they’d like to see. Faction matches involve weekly arenas where players align with a faction and fight in these arenas for the week to try and let their faction win. Once you pick a faction, you can’t change until the next timeframe.

One thing to note is that there is now a DNF% counter, or “Did Not Finish %”. Basically, if you disconnect or leave a game early, this % will go up, and if it passes 30% then your career level cannot improve through any of the match types. Though it would be nice if the DNF% counter would weigh actual disconnects less compared to people leaving the game early via other means.

Customization runs across many aspects. You have character parts, which you can customize across five different characters, each representing a different faction. You level up each character to unlock more parts, and if your career level is high enough, you can mix and match parts (so I hear). Weapons are gained through the LP2 Slot Machine, where you spend credits to earn new weapons, emotes, abilities, or titles.

Emotes are used in-game for doing animations just for fun, and titles are simply displayed beside your name. Abilities actually change your character’s features. Remember what CAPCOM said about the T-ENG gauge not dropping anymore? It’s actually because of a default ability you have. You can change it up to do things like become totally silent, invisible on radar, higher attack power, and so on.

In summary, Lost Planet 2 is still an enjoyable game if you can get past the infrastructure/design issues with the game, which I hope CAPCOM fixes in the future. It’s not a game that I’d rate down to 5.5/10 or 6/10 though; in those cases, the reviewers were totally not in line with those who played the game in the videos before. On the other hand, reviews ranging above 70% do indicate there are infrastructure issues with the game, which do need tending to.

If CAPCOM is reading this, I’d also like to see the ability to save the music played in the Main Menu. That’d be awesome.

Seriously, this reviewer needs to start looking for a different career. Problems he has with the game:

• “Poor level design”, without justification as to why
• Complaining about the B button being context-sensitive; look at MGS4 and Peace Walker!
• 2:13, he stands there and shoots at a giant Akrid, just asking to get swiped
• Controls being “clunky”, but they’re the same as Lost Planet 1! (BTW, IGN gave that 8.0+)

If this is the level of reviews that are out there right now, then I’m not interested in reading them anymore. I’ll play my games, **** you guys.

1. Sign up for Capcom-Unity
2. Get your code at Lost Planet Community

Simple, right? Too bad site is slow, lol…

P.S. Codes are not valid until March 31.

The feature of “Install Other OS” was removed from the new “Slim” PS3 model to focus on delivering games and other entertainment content.

Please be assured that SCE is committed to continue the support for previously sold models that have the
“Install Other OS” feature and that this feature will not be disabled in future firmware releases.

Now, we have this:

The next system software update for the PlayStation 3 (PS3) system will be released on April 1, 2010 (JST), and will disable the “Install Other OS” feature that was available on the PS3 systems prior to the current slimmer models, launched in September 2009. This feature enabled users to install an operating system, but due to security concerns, Sony Computer Entertainment will remove the functionality through the 3.21 system software update.

This has got to be the stupidest move Sony has decided to pull. So we either lose Linux support, or we lose the ability to access to PSN. Sounds like bait and switch to me, doesn’t it? I notice that a bunch of the guys are looking into class action lawsuits, so all the best to you guys, and good luck.

Played MMORPGs

• Star Trek Online
  Star Trek Online is a good game overall, I don’t see why companies like GameSpot and the like rate it so bad (5.5). However, it does feel incomplete but that’s to be expected of most MMOs when they’re just starting up. Give it a year and your opinion may change. I don’t plan to be playing 24/7, but every once so often as things change and when I have some time to go where no man has gone before.
• EVE Online
  I tried playing it again in the summer last year, and found that it was still as boring as ever, or took up too much time to justify keeping the ISK intake in and buying PLEXes. If I can’t be bothered to make ISK and buy PLEXes, why should I continue to play the game? I’m not even paying for it (only paid the initial $5 re-entry cost), so oh well.
• Mabinogi
  I notice Nexon has reached some of the new content Mabinogi has in Korea, though whether I will come back to take a look at it is another story. It’s nice to see that there are a few changes in Nexon policy for the better, but whether that will translate to having a company that can properly support players and provide quality customer support is another thing altogether.

Recent Purchases

I’ve recently made some orders online, for ESPGaluda II and a Hori Fighting Stick EX 2. Now you may say, why the FSEX2? It’s because right now it’s $39.99 CAD from Amazon.ca and it’s not an offer I’m going to easily throw away. The thing is supposed to be some $60-70, so it’s definitely a bargain. Compared to the $150+ price range that tournament-level sticks have, with a bit of tinkering (I know the process already, and I have the tools and people with expertise for it), I may one day have something that can compete with those sticks.

Upcoming Releases

• Mobile Suit Gundam UC – March 12
  Yes, I already watched it, but I am getting the Blu-ray. If you’re not, I don’t know what you’re doing.
• Chaos;Head Love Chu Chu – March 25
  Not exactly a game I’m looking forward to. The fandisc, shall we call it, appears to have a lot of service for those who are fans of Chaos;Head, but I’m more in love with the Steins;Gate aspect of the world. If there’s anything interesting about the game that I will miss out on, such as Steins;Gate related stuff, then I might give it a shot. Otherwise, this is going on the backburner… until maybe it goes cheap?
• Ketsui: Kizuna jigoku tachi – April 22
  The legendary shmup of shmups, shall we say. This is a must-buy. Though it’ll be 360 only, that’s what the FSEX2 is for.
• Angel Beats – April 22
  This is an anime I will be keeping tabs on, it being written by Jun Maeda. I notice he’s taken a step away from visual novels, but that doesn’t mean he’s done with writing stories.
• Lost Planet 2 – May 18
  Already pre-ordered this one for the 360, really looking forward to it.
• Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker – May 25
  I haven’t pre-ordered this because I’m waiting for it to come out on PSN, so I can buy it. Screw the UMD format, because flash memory access times are where it’s at. MGS4 was a total disappointment, but Peace Walker is turning out to be the game that MGS4 should have been, and then some. In fact, MGS4 should never have happened.

Current Anime

As a final note, I noticed that the plethora of current anime is all just total garbage. It’s all full of moeblobs and focusing on girls but very little on good storytelling. There are a few exceptions out there, but sadly they are a minority in the sea of anime where everything is all about what’s under a girl’s clothing. Sadly, because of how stupid the otaku in Japan are, this will only continue to worsen until I don’t know what kind of bubble pops. I will pray that those who know how to continue writing good anime will continue in the industry doing what they love.

P.S. Mizushima may be high from all that love he has for the Middle East, but he did make Gundam 00. Great times.

And the better news? Capcom has also announced split screen multiplayer for Lost Planet 2, a feature that doesn’t show up enough in today’s multiplayer shooters.

OH F*** YEAH!!!! SPLIT SCREEN BABY!!!!

Umm, wow. I knew the CAOD forums were really bad, but then this? Really, CCP?

Just a FYI.

Also, Gears of War in Lost Planet? LOL!

1. The people canceling their subscriptions and/or pre-orders… seriously? Do we look like we care? If the game isn’t what you want, then you shouldn’t have come in the first place. Open beta access? You could have been like me and grabbed it from the nearest free provider; Ten Ton Hammer was mine, which was yours?
2. Skill point cap? When was the last time we had an MMO where the skill point cap was infinite? I can think of Mabinogi, but you know how much of a grind that game is…
3. People not reading dev posts when they are posted. What the hell is wrong with you guys? They say something about re-specs, and then you totally ignore it and post something inflammatory and/or totally misinformed, without a care in the world what the actual circumstances are. That’s cool.
4. The design for an MMO is meant to be able to expand further and further. So what if Starfleet was the only faction that was planned in the first place before Klingons were introduced? Are you saying that Klingons should not be thrown in? Sounds like killing features for the sake of killing them.
5. How many bug reports have you submitted? I’ve submitted nearly 30 or so, as informative as I can get them. The rest of you lot that are slacking are too busy whining and complaining about the game, rather than being constructive about it and submitting feedback to Cryptic. This is why the game won’t progress any better, and it’s because you lot aren’t being helpful at all.

   On top of that, you pressure the devs to push out updates quicker, and when they do you complain how big their patches are. Gee, I wonder why?

6. This isn’t EVE Online, so please leave the stupid CAOD-like threads out of these forums.

Hopefully we won’t be seeing you once the actual game hits… I hear only subscribers get to post to forums then.

In a nutshell, live long and prosper.

P.S. Try to be a software developer in a large team before coming to play an MMO still in beta; trust me, it’s a very enlightening experience.