Lost Planet 3

Lost Planet 3 is a game that doesn’t do much wrong but doesn’t do enough to make you want to play through it even once, which is a real shame because it tells a really good story.

58%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

stability, grinding

58% User Score Based on 1,709 reviews

Critic Score 53%Based on 6 reviews

Platforms

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About

In Lost Planet 3, rig pilot Jim Peyton travels to E.D.N. III to secure Thermal Energy for Neo-Venus Construction, facing harsh conditions, indigenous Akrid, and the chance for a profitable pay-off in this action-shooter game. Jim's mission to survey the uncharted planet and obtain samples of the energy supply is crucial for the Coronis mission's success and his own ticket back home to his family. His home base, the utility rig, provides a refuge in the harsh environment.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

58%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,709 reviews

story430 positive mentions

stability64 negative mentions

The story is engaging and well-written, with relatable characters and emotional depth.
The atmosphere and graphics are impressive, creating a hauntingly beautiful environment on E.D.N. III.
The gameplay offers a mix of mech piloting and third-person shooting, providing some variety in combat.

The controls are poorly designed, with confusing key bindings and incorrect prompts that hinder gameplay.
The pacing is slow, with a lot of backtracking and tedious fetch quests that can make the game feel repetitive.
The lack of variety in enemies and the reliance on quick-time events for boss fights detract from the overall experience.

story
1,346 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
61%
7%
The story of *Lost Planet 3* is a significant departure from its predecessors, focusing on a more grounded, character-driven narrative centered around Jim Peyton, a family man working for a mining corporation on the icy planet EDN III. While the plot offers emotional depth and explores themes of love and sacrifice, it is often criticized for being predictable and slow-paced, with some players finding it engaging despite its clichés. Overall, the game is seen as a solid attempt at storytelling within the franchise, though it may not satisfy those seeking the fast-paced action of earlier titles.
- “Lost Planet 3 takes a bold step in a new direction for the series, offering a prequel that trades explosive set-pieces for a more grounded and story-driven experience.”
- “Unlike the action-hero protagonists of the earlier games, Jim is driven by love for his wife and son, which gives the story emotional weight.”
- “The story is engaging, the characters are real, and the acting is largely superb, but the gameplay doesn't really live up to it.”
- “The story is boring too, trying to be cool in the dialogue, but it's just embarrassing.”
- “The plot of the game is bad too.”
- “The story is forgettable, the characters are one-dimensional, and the world lacks the immersive quality that could have made it a memorable experience.”
gameplay
595 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
61%
13%
The gameplay of "Lost Planet 3" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting a significant departure from the mechanics of its predecessors. While it features a blend of first-person mech piloting and third-person shooting, the overall experience is often described as clunky, repetitive, and lacking in innovation, with some players finding the combat and exploration tedious. Despite these criticisms, some appreciate the narrative focus and atmospheric elements, suggesting that the game may appeal more to those interested in story-driven experiences rather than traditional gameplay mechanics.
- “The gameplay blends first-person mech piloting with third-person shooting.”
- “The game also incorporates side quests, exploration, and light survival mechanics, such as managing your rig in the planet’s brutal storms.”
- “Gameplay: being a third-person shooter with cover mechanics, a giant mech to hop into whenever possible, a decent amount of weapons to choose from and upgrade, and with side quests, all the elements are there to make it a good game.”
- “The gameplay is very bad; I mean, you cannot jump.”
- “The gameplay becomes boring and repetitive after a while.”
- “The gameplay is quite similar to Dead Space, right down to the 'breadcrumbs' mechanic and the inventory/map screen.”
graphics
327 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
47%
5%
The graphics of "Lost Planet 3" receive mixed reviews, with many players noting that while the visuals were impressive for a 2013 title, they have not aged well and show inconsistencies in quality. Some praise the game's atmospheric environments and character models, while others criticize the dated textures and technical issues, such as crashes when adjusting settings. Overall, the graphics are generally considered decent for their time, with some standout moments, but they fall short of the standards set by its predecessors in the series.
- “Graphics I found shockingly good for a 2013 title.”
- “Man, what an absolute joy it is to play this game, fantastic graphics and scenery and a world jam-packed with things to see and explore.”
- “The graphics are actually pretty good in my eyes.”
- “The graphics have poorly aged.”
- “It's clear that the developers were not aiming for top-tier visuals, but even so, the lack of consistency is jarring and detracts from the overall experience.”
- “The graphics are pretty bad, even on max settings.”
music
167 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
66%
3%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising the soundtrack as atmospheric and fitting for the setting, particularly the inclusion of country music that enhances the "space trucker" vibe. Players appreciate the ability to listen to their own music while piloting the rig, although some find the in-game music repetitive or unremarkable. Overall, while the soundtrack has its highlights, it may not appeal to everyone, especially those who are not fans of country music.
- “The soundtrack is an absolute banger which I listen to during real-life road trips.”
- “The music selection was a fine selection of calm tunes without going too crazy, ideal for this kind of job.”
- “The music for the game is very well done, and a neat component with the rig blaring out the music from Earth.”
- “Performance-wise, I didn't have a single crash or issue, but I found some audio glitches where voices were not synced with the characters, sometimes where it was supposed to be music and there was none, and a couple of times where the sound of the guns shooting disappeared.”
- “The music wasn't particularly catchy - I won't be googling the LP 3 soundtrack anytime soon.”
- “If you want to be bored out of your mind playing a linear game about characters you don't care about, fighting a bunch of forgettable monsters and listening to horrible music.”
atmosphere
130 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
41%
2%
The atmosphere in Lost Planet 3 is widely praised for its immersive and captivating qualities, effectively conveying a sense of isolation and adventure on a harsh, icy planet. Reviewers highlight the game's strong audio design, diverse environmental settings, and a blend of atmospheric storytelling that evokes feelings reminiscent of classic sci-fi horror, such as Dead Space. However, some critiques mention inconsistencies in atmospheric design across different levels, with certain areas feeling lackluster compared to the game's more successful atmospheric moments.
- “The developers nailed the atmosphere, creating a world that feels as much an adversary as the alien creatures stalking you.”
- “This game is extremely atmospheric, and the sound design is amazing - you can hear everything from distant storm rumbling to snow hitting against metal.”
- “The atmosphere in this game is absolutely stunning, and Capcom has done an excellent job in bringing the deadly, ice-filled world of E.D.N.”
- “It has no atmosphere overall, a sense of progression is only rudimentarily included and combat feels just clunky, dumb and boring at every point in the game.”
- “First 15-20 minutes fulfill this expectation, but then you realize the boundaries and the atmosphere is lost.”
- “Really, they try to create an atmosphere that just really was never there for me.”
stability
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
91%
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous players reporting significant bugs, glitches, and control issues that hinder gameplay. While some users experienced smooth performance without crashes, many others faced freezing, audio desynchronization, and problems with key rebinding, making the game feel unpolished and frustrating. Overall, the consensus suggests that the game is plagued by technical issues that detract from the overall experience.
- “After the latest patch, the game runs great.”
- “A very underrated game, a better Dead Space than Dead Space 3 at times and a bug-free experience for me.”
- “I found my playthrough to be mostly bug-free; I only had to deal with one particular issue, but despite any technical flaws, the game is worth it for the campaign.”
- “Even the quick time event key prompts are labeled wrong, and many other things are broken or buggy enough to block your progress.”
- “This game is a buggy mess.”
- “I really wanted to like this game, I loved the first two, but this thing is so buggy I can't get past the first boss; I spent an hour shooting it and nothing happened.”
grinding
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
98%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be overwhelmingly tedious, characterized by repetitive missions, slow movement, and lackluster combat. Many reviews highlight the frustration of long walks and monotonous tasks, which detract from the overall enjoyment and pacing of the gameplay. While some appreciate the story and character development, the general consensus is that the grinding elements make the experience feel like a chore rather than an engaging adventure.
- “Each boss battle feels like a chore, a tedious exercise in repetition and frustration.”
- “It's just overwhelmingly tedious; every step you take has to be accompanied by half a dozen little chores, and every other door requires a bunch of extra running around to open it. It gets incredibly old.”
- “The biggest downfall that this title comes with are the tedious walking sections, where you're either stuck running through the massive landscape by foot, or even tromping through it with your mech.”
optimization
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
32%
24%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its performance and stability, particularly on lower-end systems, while others criticize the introduction of DRM by Capcom that has led to performance issues, crashes, and the blocking of mods. While certain titles run smoothly at high settings, others suffer from stuttering and audio glitches, indicating a lack of consistent optimization across the board. Overall, the game's optimization appears to vary significantly depending on the specific title and system configuration.
- “It's well optimized and runs surprisingly well on a low-end computer for how it looks.”
- “Great optimization, so it runs like a dream.”
- “A solid, extremely good looking, well optimized third-person shooter with an awesome soundtrack and graphics!”
- “Capcom retroactively adds obscure DRM to their older titles, breaking modding support on Steam Deck and causing performance issues/crashes.”
- “DRM that not only blocks mods, but also ruins performance and has allegedly even bricked Steam Decks.”
- “This game is a mess; it is far too buggy and very unoptimized.”
emotional
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
70%
30%
The emotional aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the heartfelt story driven by love and personal sacrifice, while others criticize the lack of depth in character development and emotional engagement. Although there are moments that resonate emotionally, many find the overall narrative dull and the characters unlikable, leading to a disconnect that diminishes the game's impact. Ultimately, while some players found genuine emotional moments, the game's pacing and execution left many feeling uninspired and bored.
- “Unlike the action-hero protagonists of earlier games, Jim is driven by love for his wife and son, which gives the story emotional weight.”
- “Corporate intrigue, alien threats, and personal sacrifice combine to create a surprisingly heartfelt tale.”
- “There are some genuinely emotional moments too, and the voice acting is a real step up.”
- “A boring story that will have you dozing off before you realize what is going on.”
- “3/10: A boring story, bad characters, and lack of combat made this a dull, miserable experience.”
- “Technical issues, boring gameplay, and a boring story make for an overall completely unpleasant game.”
humor
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
92%
8%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, featuring a blend of cliche jokes and moments that can elicit genuine laughter, such as NPCs joking about toilet paper as currency. While some players appreciate the witty dialogue and character interactions, others find the humor falls flat or feels forced, with certain comedic elements being described as "stupid yet funny." Overall, the game offers a functional mix of humor and serious themes, though opinions vary on its effectiveness.
- “I did find it funny to hear NPCs joking about having their toilet paper taken and it being his currency, especially with the fact that this game was made years before this COVID pandemic happened.”
- “What really cracks me up is the hilarious script of Gale (in a very good way^^), the really good script overall and the fantastic voice acting!!”
- “One hell of a journey that will have you screaming at your monitor one minute then laughing with joy the next...very memorable game!!”
- “Unfunny conversations.”
- “Who in the world would want to play as this unfunny, ugly family man?”
character development
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
20%
30%
Character development in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the impressive voice acting and certain well-crafted backstories, others feel that it lacks depth and fails to fully realize the potential of its characters. Overall, the game is noted for its good character design and storytelling, but many believe that more development is needed for a more impactful experience.
- “The voice acting, character development, and content is rather impressive.”
- “I tend to focus on character development and I really liked what had been done with that.”
- “As a gamer who thoroughly enjoys plot, character development and doesn't mind a bit of grind if it fits the theme and tone of the story, I recommend this.”
- “Insufficient character development!”
- “However, the lack of character development and story presentation means that the potential of the game is not fully realized.”
- “All the characters were good and so were their voice actors, even a bit of character development.”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
Overall, the game's replayability is considered low, particularly in campaign mode, with many players noting a lack of incentive to replay unless pursuing achievements. However, some users express enjoyment in the game that keeps them engaged for hundreds of hours, suggesting that personal enjoyment can enhance replay value despite the absence of traditional replay incentives.
- “It is well worth the money to buy and is totally replayable time and time again as you can see from my stats of 784 hours played and still loving it, so give it a go, it may surprise you.”
- “In conclusion, I much prefer the Japanese developed LP1/LP2 which are quirky, imperfect but fun and replayable.”
- “Decent gameplay with a compelling story; however, I found the replay value to be pretty low.”
- “Replay value is virtually none in the campaign mode unless you want to get all the achievements, and I didn’t care to play the multiplayer, so there was no value in it for me.”
- “I would not even mind that it has zero replay value.”
- “But since there's no bots, the replay value is limited.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The reviews highlight a prevalent trend of monetization issues across various games, particularly criticizing the reliance on microtransactions, cut content, and the impact of always-online DRM. Many players express frustration with how these practices detract from the overall experience, leading to a perception that newer installments often fall short of their predecessors. Despite these concerns, some players still find enjoyment in the storytelling and gameplay of certain titles, indicating a mixed reception towards monetization strategies in the gaming industry.
- “8 microtransactions”
- “I really enjoyed this game, probably because there's so many current titles that are half-sold with microtransactions and loot boxes and non-existent stories.”
- “While gameplay-wise it adds absolutely nothing and battles can (and most likely will in the late game) become boring and repetitive, Spark did a great job with the storytelling - the cutscenes and voice acting have aged really well and you do become engaged over time with it.”