Lifeless Planet Premier Edition

74%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,460 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • atmosphere
Lifeless Planet Premier Edition Game Cover
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PREMIER EDITION While seeking life on a distant planet, an astronaut discovers an abandoned Russian town. He suspects his mission is a hoax until a mysterious young woman saves him from a strange and deadly phenomenon... Lifeless Planet is a third-person action-adventure that features an old-school sci-fi story and spectacular environments in the spirit of classic action-adventures. After a hard…

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

74%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,460 reviews
story589 positive mentions
stability41 negative mentions
  • Engaging and intriguing story that keeps players invested throughout the game.
  • Atmospheric visuals and sound design create a sense of isolation and mystery.
  • Simple puzzles and platforming mechanics that are easy to grasp, making it accessible for casual gamers.
  • story1,394 mentions

    The story of "Lifeless Planet" is a central focus that captivates players with its intriguing sci-fi narrative, exploring themes of isolation and discovery on a desolate planet. While many players appreciate the atmospheric storytelling delivered through logs and audio recordings, some criticize the pacing and execution, feeling that the gameplay often detracts from the narrative experience. Overall, the game is seen as a compelling journey that combines exploration with a rich, albeit sometimes convoluted, storyline.

    • “The story is very well written and presented at a good pace.”
    • “The atmosphere and the story are both good.”
    • “The story is engaging and keeps you guessing until the very end.”
    • “The story is very anemic; most of it you have to read from a tablet that seemingly appears from nowhere.”
    • “The story is weak and the puzzles are essentially non-existent.”
    • “The story keeps you interested in the game, but the gameplay is seriously lacking.”
  • gameplay374 mentions

    The gameplay of "Lifeless Planet" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its simplicity and repetitiveness, primarily consisting of walking, basic platforming, and light puzzle-solving. While some appreciate the atmospheric storytelling and exploration elements, others criticize the clunky mechanics, frustrating controls, and lack of engaging gameplay variety, leading to a sense of tedium over time. Overall, the game is seen as more of a narrative experience than a robust gameplay offering, with many suggesting it may appeal more to those who prioritize story over intricate mechanics.

    • “The gameplay difficulty increases as the game progresses to match up with the player's skills learned from playing the game.”
    • “The gameplay is simple and most people could pick up and play this without any trouble at all.”
    • “The gameplay is tight and does what it needs to do, and the puzzles may start out easy but later on they require a lot of patience.”
    • “The gameplay is extremely dull, however, because the only challenges, with the exception of three or four mini-puzzles, are 'don't jump too far' and '*splat!'”
    • “The gameplay itself gets really repetitive after a bit, as all the challenges just rehash variants on what you've already done.”
    • “The gameplay is not interesting enough to make up for the linear story.”
  • atmosphere361 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and haunting qualities, effectively combining beautiful environments, a compelling soundtrack, and a mysterious storyline. Many players appreciate the sense of isolation and exploration it evokes, although some note that the gameplay can feel linear or repetitive at times. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered its strongest aspect, drawing players into a captivating sci-fi experience.

    • “The atmosphere and the story are very well done.”
    • “The atmosphere was perfect, and I was always excited to find out what was around the next corner.”
    • “The atmosphere is great, although I have not completed yet and the story is not fully understood; I am enjoying how it is slowly feeding me details on what happened.”
    • “There is no atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere wears paper-thin.”
    • “The graphics are a bit basic as well, which does not help for the atmosphere.”
  • graphics324 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they appear dated and reminiscent of earlier console generations, such as the PS2 or even PS1 era. While some appreciate the simplistic style and atmospheric visuals that contribute to the game's overall feel, others criticize the low-resolution textures and lack of detail, suggesting that the graphics detract from the immersive experience. Overall, while the visuals may not be groundbreaking, they are often described as functional and capable of supporting the game's narrative and ambiance.

    • “The graphics are amazing - if it were 1999.”
    • “The graphics are great, and there is a real fun factor.”
    • “The graphics were beautiful, so was the music, and the storyline, while a tad predictable in the beginning, had me hooked by the end and wanting more.”
    • “The graphics are jarringly bad.”
    • “The graphics felt incomplete and muddy.”
    • “The graphics were quite poor, as was the control scheme (the character turns on a dime, and whenever you need a flashlight this becomes dizzying).”
  • music294 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and emotional depth, with many reviewers highlighting its beautiful orchestration and fitting ambient qualities. While some noted that the soundtrack can become repetitive or abruptly cut off, the overall consensus is that it significantly contributes to the game's immersive experience, making it a standout feature. Many players expressed a desire to obtain the soundtrack separately, indicating its impact and quality.

    • “The music is well placed and adds to the feeling of the game.”
    • “The soundtrack is simply lovely, fits well with the game.”
    • “The music and scenery really create some great visual moments.”
    • “Even though I enjoyed the story of the game, I would never recommend it because of the music.”
    • “I couldn't figure out why I'd start to get physically sick after playing this game; it wasn't until the fourth session of playing that I figured out why I was getting sick: there was a ton of bass in the music.”
    • “The music cut out randomly with harsh transitions that broke the mood.”
  • stability43 mentions

    The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many players reporting various bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including audio issues, visual glitches, and problematic mechanics. While some users found the game largely playable and enjoyable despite these issues, others experienced significant frustrations, such as game-breaking bugs and unreliable controls. Overall, the consensus suggests that while the game has potential, it is hindered by its technical shortcomings.

    • “No glitches, no bugs, no issues except my poor timing on really easy jumps.”
    • “It was bug-free, it ran smoothly, and the vistas were visually beautiful.”
    • “The game is very buggy and easy to break.”
    • “It is buggy and nearly unplayable at parts.”
    • “Beautiful visuals, good story, and okay gameplay are ruined by horrible bugs and technical glitches.”
  • grinding40 mentions

    The reviews highlight a pervasive sense of tedium associated with grinding in the game, with many players feeling that the repetitive jumping puzzles and tedious mechanics detract from the overall experience. While some appreciated the initial enjoyment and exploration, the gameplay often devolved into a monotonous grind, particularly in the latter stages, leading to frustration and disengagement. Overall, the game struggles with pacing and repetitiveness, making it feel longer and less engaging than it could have been.

    • “There's a lot of grinding involved, but it feels rewarding.”
    • “You'll need a second life for all the grinding, but it's worth it for the progress.”
    • “Grinding can be time-consuming, but it adds depth to the gameplay.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The pacing is all over the place and the second half of the game just drags between tedious 'put the thing in the other thing' chores and long, taxing walks.”
    • “An interesting premise, but a promising open-world start quickly degenerates into a tedious, linear platformer, where you must battle poor controls to get who knows where for who knows what purpose.”
  • replayability31 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is generally considered low, with many players noting that once the story is completed, there is little motivation to replay it. While some achievement hunters may find value in replaying for collectibles, the lack of alternate endings and a short runtime contribute to a consensus that replay value is minimal. Players suggest waiting for sales if interested, as the experience is often seen as a one-time playthrough.

    • “There is also replay value, especially if you're an achievement hunter.”
    • “I'd say there's at least a little bit of replayability, not just for the achievements, but to make sure you hear the whole story due to the way it is told through finding research and journals.”
    • “While it has limited replayability, other than to run through it again, this game will stick in my mind as fully worth my time and money.”
    • “There seems to me to be absolutely no replay value.”
    • “No alternate endings, hence no replay value.”
    • “The scripting will naturally limit the replay value.”
  • emotional15 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its intriguing and heart-wrenching story, which, despite initial confusion, evolves into a profound journey that resonates with players. The atmospheric world and powerful soundtrack enhance the emotional experience, immersing players in feelings of solitude and introspection. However, some players found the pacing slow and the gameplay tedious, which detracted from the overall emotional impact.

    • “There is a story and it was a little confusing at first, but it did start to make sense at one point and it became such an emotional journey.”
    • “The story they tell is very interesting and pretty heart-wrenching.”
    • “Despite its rather mediocre graphics, Lifeless Planet is an atmospheric and immersive game that has an intriguing, touching story backed up with an excellent soundtrack.”
    • “The game lacks any emotional depth, leaving players feeling disconnected and indifferent to the story.”
    • “I found the narrative to be incredibly dull, making it hard to invest emotionally in the characters or their journeys.”
    • “Despite its attempts at storytelling, the game fails to evoke any real feelings, resulting in a flat and forgettable experience.”
  • optimization14 mentions

    The game suffers from significant optimization issues, with players reporting frequent frame rate drops, particularly on lower-end systems like the Steam Deck, and even on high-end PCs. Many users experienced freezing and sluggish performance, which detracted from the overall gameplay experience. Additionally, the controls are described as basic and not well-suited for the game's vast environments, leading to prolonged periods of unengaging gameplay.

    • “The fair voice performances and writing are enough for the clichéd premise to be convincing and successfully instill loneliness in the player.”
    • “Restless, visually sleek, and powered by a lithe star performance from the astronaut, Lifeless Planet offers dark, thought-provoking thrills.”
    • “Optimization issues, awkward controls, and unnecessary narration aside, Lifeless Planet is an otherwise respectable space survival adventure, one drawing an obvious inspiration from Soviet-era science fiction.”
    • “I have a pretty high-end PC and there were sections that were so poorly optimized that it froze for 3-5 seconds for every 2 seconds I could move.”
    • “But it's not optimized well at all (my computer should run it very well, but the frame rate is about 20-25 fps).”
    • “The annoying plant life, the 15 minute walking sessions doing nothing, the stupid platforming jumps, terrible optimization, fps drops left and right on my GTX 760, plot holes, and more.”
  • character development10 mentions

    Overall, reviews indicate a significant lack of character development in the game, with many players expressing frustration over the absence of meaningful interactions and growth for the characters. While some appreciated the character design and backstory elements, they felt these aspects did not translate into impactful storytelling or emotional engagement. The consensus suggests that improved character development is essential for enhancing player immersion and overall enjoyment.

    • “I really really enjoy the story and the lore, and especially the character development of the colonizers.”
    • “Character development is crucial for the player to become immersed in the reality of this game.”
    • “More interesting puzzles, more character development, and more interesting mystery would have made this much better.”
    • “There is some backstory to the astronaut, but as the astronaut experienced no character development nor interacted with anyone in any meaningful way, it felt like fluff intended to give artificial depth to a story that had thus far been filled with nothing but someone screaming at you in Russian and killer bushes.”
    • “There is no character development at all and consequently the fate of the woman has no impact.”
    • “No character development, almost no plot to speak of, and the storytelling itself is atrocious.”
  • humor6 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by the amusing ragdoll physics and the absurdity of the character's deaths, which consistently elicit laughter. Players appreciate the developers' comedic touch, particularly through funny achievements and the overall lighthearted tone, despite some frustrations with gameplay mechanics. Overall, the humor contributes significantly to the enjoyment of the experience.

    • “So the developers certainly have a sense of humor.”
    • “Beautiful music :) The controls are a bit funny sometimes, but I found myself laughing every time I died in some stupid way, so all in all, a very good time!”
    • “Not to mention, the achievements are hilarious and I love them, and I'm so frustrated and I love it.”
  • monetization3 mentions

    The monetization aspect of "lifeless planet" is perceived as fair, with no misleading advertisements; however, players feel that the game lacks depth and fails to deliver on the expectations set by its promotional materials. Overall, while not a bad game, it leaves players wanting more in terms of content and engagement.

    • “This game is like a movie whose ads draw you in, but ultimately disappoints.”
    • “The description and advertisements aren't misleading and 'Lifeless Planet' is not a bad game by any means, but the overall game feels quite shallow.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Buy Lifeless Planet Premier Edition

Play time

6hMedian play time
9hAverage play time
5-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 24 analyzed playthroughs

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