TGS 2009: Lost Planet 2 Hands-On
Capcom may have had one of the strongest showings at Tokyo Game Show 2009 among all the publishers that attended, but on top of this Capcom USA was also present at the show for all the Western press. The highlight of their showing was the local 4-player co-op they had set up for Lost Planet 2. Anticipating the game as we are, Gaming Union got some thorough hands-on time with the title.
Lost Planet 2 is a third person shooter, its predecessor well known for having an impressive arctic setting. Jumping into the 4-player co-op missions in Lost Planet 2, the first mission started off in a desert stage. What looked to be an abandon settlement in the blazing sun next to a railway was littered with enemy snipers. As such, the first order of business for the group of four was to take out the snipers.
This was no easy task as using cover was vital and the snipers hid themselves quite well. Gameplay felt quite similar to the original Lost Planet, with some top notch animation, and the ever useful grappling hook. Weapons ranges from machine guns to RPGs, with each handling fairly well. Once the team of four took out the snipers things really took a turn for the worst as two enormous akrid monsters stomped into town, quite literally.
All the buildings in the town were destructible, and tossing around grenades when fighting the snipers had a few walls blown out here and there. When the akrids arrived they really showed off the game's destructibility as they towered over buildings, and thought little about plowing right through them towards players. The akrid ran around on all fours, with their glowing weak spot on their stomach, so some lengthy blasting away at their stomachs eventually brought each of them down.
The next, and last level on display had players pile onto a train to catch up to two other trains that plowed through the desert at high speed. This really changed gameplay as jumping from car to car, and train to train ended with a few failed jumps. The train was full of enemies, and cover wasn't quite so friendly inside the cars. Also present in the demo was a new battle suit that players can walk around in, weapon in hand. While it made players a fair bit slower, the added defense was a plus.
In all Lost Planet 2 really impressed. The presentation of the game so far is fantastic as the graphics and animation are simply top-notch. Weapons weren't overly unique, but they made-due quite well. The game is due out by the end of the year and definitely is one to keep an eye on.
