Lost Planet 2 preview – – Preview

Multiplayer combat is all about numbers, the interplay of characters and, of course, the speed of the gameplay. If last week’s demonstration was any indication, when Lost Planet 2 releases gamers will have plenty to get excited about.

GameZone has done a few stories about the game, but when Capcom showed off the title at its Captivate 2010 media event in Hawai’i, it was all about multiplayer and the hands-on time provided may have been short, but it was action-packed.

The customization options for the characters is deep and 16 players can amass on one of the 10 maps that will be available out of the box on May 11 (with more on the way with downloadable content packs that will pop out soon after the game’s release). The multiplayer maps will all be original maps, and while players can customize a character, there are some preset characters (including some Gears of War characters) available as well.

The game is geared to be easy to pick up and play, but hardcore gamers will find this an exciting and inviting proposition.

Game modes will include elimination, team elimination, the Data Post Battle, Akrid Egg Battle and Fugitive – some of those maybe familiar to franchise fans.

Some of the maps are geared for vehicular combat, and players can jump into the machines with ease – and even a few of the rides can be shared. While the 360 controls felt a little stiff during the hands-on time, don’t expect that to roll over to release. The control scheme is not that hard to understand (the cheat control sheets in front of each station where not that accurate but improvising and guessing achieved the desired effects – Ok, not always the kill, but hey, when being strafed by a helicopter and trying to run for cover across open terrain, a respawn was expected and often achieved.

The game looks terrific and the maps demonstrated were sufficiently detailed to provide for variety, challenge and fun.

New skills and abilities for players to carry into the multiplayer can be achieved by unlocking them in the story mode.

The multiplayer may essentially be familiar to a lot of players, but that does make it any less enjoyable, or challenging. LP2 is a robust experience that should be experienced, from the story it presents to the multiplayer elements.