Lost Planet



""I don't see the issue. They're clearly on the planet. It's not lost.""

- Unskippable:

Lost Planet is a Third-Person Shooter developed by Capcom for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and the PC. The game takes place on a planet known as EDN III, a planet that humanity was attempting to colonize. However, the native Akrid, a mysterious race of insect-like creatures, drove off the colonists. Only after discovering the potent "Thermal Energy" inside their bodies did humans fight back. Now NEVEC, led by Commander Dennis Isenberg, is attempting to take control of EDN III by using what is known as the "Frontier System", which will Terraform the cold planet in exchange for the elimination of all life on the planet.

You take control of Wayne Holden, an amnesiac and former colonist turned Snow Pirate, whose tasks revolve around the prevention of the Frontier System's activation. Initially, you are led by Yuri Solotov, who used to work for NEVEC, but he leaves around halfway through the game. Throughout the game you fight the Akrid and other soldiers. The first half of the missions pits you against the Crimson Unity, and the second half against NEVEC.

A sequel was released on May 2010. Ten years after the first game, large parts of EDN III have been terraformed, resulting in a variety of environments. The story follows the actions of several groups of "Snow" Pirates as they enter fights against opposing factions and fight off the increasingly aggressive Akrid. This time, NEVEC decides to use their space cannon NEOS to simply gather as much Thermal Energy as they can, and abandon the planet. At this point NEVEC becomes so heavy handed that a breakaway faction, known as Ex-NEVEC, begins to rally the Pirates to eliminate both the corrupted corporation and the titanic Over-G Akrid in an Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny.

The series' executive producer, Keiji Inafune, left Capcom. Even still, a third game is still in development, though it being a developed by an outside party.

The PTX-40A Vital Suit is a playable character in Tatsunoko vs. Capcom! It also makes a cameo in fellow Capcom game Asura's Wrath.

A cel-shaded cartoonish spin-off called "EX Troopers" is being developed for PlayStation 3 and 3DS. It trades the cinematic sci-fi of the rest of the series for a VERY anime style - apparently set at a NEVEC school/training academy, it features a Hot-Blooded shounen protagonist, his stoic Bishonen rival, a mysterious White-Haired Pretty Girl who can somehow communicate with the Akrid, and Vital Suits that adhere more to traditional Humongous Mecha designs.

The first game provides examples of

 * Amplifier Artifact: Wayne's Harmonizer gets supercharged by a device made just for it by Yuri Solotov, which enables him to unleash the full power of his father's VS.
 * Attack Its Weak Point: Every single Akrid, from the smallest Mooks all the way up to the massive bosses have glowing weak points where they store their thermal energy. In addition, both human enemies (the head) and Vital Suits (the engine or the kneecaps) have (fairly obvious) weak points.
 * Attack of the 50-Foot Whatever: Some of the bigger Akrid. There's also the massive Spider Tank boss in a late mission.
 * Beam Spam: The Homing Laser can fire up to four beams that home in on targets. The typical VS can mount two of them.
 * However, it's Awesome but Impractical. The lasers drain a lot of thermal energy, and can't do much at close range. Plus, it's useless in low-ceiling battles, since all the beams will hit the ceiling (the lasers shoot upward).
 * BFG: Almost all VS weapons can be used on foot, from a gatling gun or a laser rifle up to a massive rocket launcher. Actually, using them on foot can prove to be Awesome but Impractical in most cases- they're so big, they slow down your movement speed and limit your vertical jumping ability just by carrying them. On top of that, you can only stand and fire a VS weapon- not the greatest thing to do in battle.
 * Big Bad: Dennis Isenberg.
 * Big Damn Heroes: Joe saves Wayne from The Dragon Bandero, while blowing away two spider-tank VS's with his anti-VS rifle. Later, he single-handedly destroys the Frontier Project from the inside, presumably avoiding all the NEVEC Mooks inside hunting for him.
 * To an extent, Rick saves Joe from Bandero as well, as Joe realized what the Frontier Project will actually do.
 * Blade Below the Shoulder: A chainsaw is mounted in the arm of the PTX-class VS units.
 * Bonus Boss: Two of them. The giant snow worm in Mission Three, and the giant moth in Missions Four and Five.
 * Book Ends:
 * Boom! Headshot!: Landing bullets in the head will deal double the damage it would deal to another part of the body. It's also the only way to obtain weapons from enemies in the Campaign.
 * Cast From Hit Points: Recovering health consumes thermal energy. Energy weapons and piloting VS's also use up thermal energy, so it may not be the best idea to use them unless you've got plenty to spare.
 * Chainsaw Good: Mounted in the left arm of the PTX-class VS units.
 * Charged Attack: All but two of the thermal energy based weapons can use the "hold trigger to charge" method. One of the two is a marksman rifle, and the other is a three-barreled rapid-fire weapon.
 * Do Not Run with a Gun: Averted as all hell. Except when using VS weapons on foot (understandable, considering how big they are), almost every weapon can be used while moving. In fact, not running 'n gunning will end up wasting thermal energy due to wasting time or getting hit.
 * Drill Tank: One VS can transform between this and a Spider Tank.
 * Eleventh-Hour Superpower: The L-P-9999, only usable in the last mission, once Wayne gets a device that unleashes the full power of his father's VS.
 * Exactly What It Says on the Tin: Green Eye is a massive Akrid with... green eyes.
 * Heel Face Turn: From NEVEC to Luka's Snow Pirate team, we have Joe.
 * Hyperspace Arsenal: Averted. You can only carry two guns at any time (or one gun and a VS weapon), and one type of grenade.
 * Frickin' Laser Beams: Fall into all of the standard erroneous tropes: glowing, slow-moving beams? Yup. Huge kickback? Uh-huh. Higher-end models capable of Roboteching? Of course!
 * Gatling Good: The VS Gatling Gun. It's commonly equipped on the VS's you find.
 * Grappling Hook Pistol: By simply pressing a button, you can lash out a hook (called the Anchor) that serves to pull you around places, rappel down chasms, knock down enemy humans, and so on. Unfortunately, you need to be on the ground to use it.
 * Kinetic Weapons Are Just Better: Most of the weapons in the game are simple kinetic weapons. The handful of energy weapons that do exist are fairly rare and are not really worth using.
 * Subverted with the Plasma Gun. While its shots do not travel as fast as the Rifle's, it has a larger hitbox so you can hit your enemies even if your shot is not on par. It only costs 40 Thermal Energy per shot, and is a fairly effective weapon for all targets. The only downside is that you have to lead your shots at far out distances.
 * The Energy Gun also counts. Charged shots are its only effective use, but it can force a non-boss VS pilot to eject, making it available to you.
 * Limited Special Collectors' Ultimate Edition: Lost Planet: Colonies adds new weapons, maps, characters, and Akrid Hunter to multi-player.
 * A Mech by Any Other Name: The mecha are referred to as Vital Suits, or VS for short. They handle pretty much like standard Mini-Mecha.
 * Mini-Mecha: Most VS models fall under this designation: Not massive enough to be Humongous Mecha, too large to be Powered Armor.
 * More Dakka: The typical VS can mount two weapons. Gatling Guns Akimbo = There Is No Kill Like Overkill.
 * It's Awesome but Practical too; Gatling Gun ammunition is piss-easy to come by and it comes in packs of 400 out of 999. That's not mentioning that the Gatling Gun is just as trustworthy as the Machine Gun on foot.
 * Nintendo Hard: As expected from a Capcom game, Extreme Mode fits this trope to the MAX.
 * Older Than They Look: Potentially anyone who uses the Harmonizer.
 * Pure Energy: Thermal Energy, harvested by killing Akrid. All we know is, it's some kind of glowing orange liquid, and that it's a good fuel source. Possibly overlaps with Green Rocks.
 * Real Time Weapon Change: Averted on foot, where Wayne/your online dude has to pause for a second to switch weapons. Played sorta straight with a VS, which will swap weapons on the ground almost instantly (so as long as there's a VS weapon on the ground).
 * Redemption Promotion: Joe looks like another standard NEVEC mook who would get killed easily, but after defecting to Wayne's side he single-handedly infiltrates the orbital elevator and shut down "Frontier Project".
 * Rewarding Vandalism: Fuel tanks and old vehicles can be destroyed to get more thermal energy. You can also find Akrid eggs to break, which also give energy.
 * Snow Worm: Appears in Mission Three. Defeating one of them will get you an achievement.
 * Single Biome Planet: EDN III is completely covered in snow and is freezing 24/7.
 * Spider Tank: One VS can transform between this and a Drill Tank.
 * Sticky Bomb: The Disc Grenade will stick to Data Posts and enemies. The Gum Grenades stick to any flat surface.
 * Stupid Sacrifice:
 * Terraform: Yuri and NEVEC's goal on EDN III. However, NEVEC plans differently from Yuri.
 * There Is No Kill Like Overkill: Sure, you could just turn them into Swiss cheese, but taking out his whole squad with the VS Rocket Launcher is much more satisfying.
 * Trailers Always Lie: In the trailer, there is an epic war between the humans and the Akrid. In-game, it's all One-Man Army. The only time you fight alongside others is in the prologue.
 * Transforming Mecha: One VS can transform between Drill Tank and Spider Tank modes. Another VS can transform between bipedal walker and a jet-propelled snowmobile.
 * Unexpected Gameplay Change: For the most part, the game is a third person shooter with the odd Mini-Mecha thrown in. Except for the end, where it decides to pull off a Zone of the Enders.
 * Walk It Off: Justified, as it is explained that the Harmonizer converts collected Thermal Energy to something usable in the body. One thing's for sure, though: run out of T-ENG, and you're not going to live very long.
 * Walk It Off: Justified, as it is explained that the Harmonizer converts collected Thermal Energy to something usable in the body. One thing's for sure, though: run out of T-ENG, and you're not going to live very long.

The second game provides examples of
""They [Capcom] contacted us about the cameo and we said 'heck yeah.'""
 * Artificial Stupidity: Your AI teammates are mediocre at taking out enemies (especially groups of them), but they might activate data posts and certain mission critical devices for you. Don't expect them to use Vital Suits effectively (much less get in one) or find their way around easily. Of course, they tend to get killed a lot, but this doesn't cost you anything.
 * The AI in any multi-player simulation gets this treatment as well. You can get 50 kills off of them without moving from your camping spot, for example.
 * Badass Army: While Wayne's was only a prototype, here just about everyone has a Harmonizer. It could explain their improved strength, reflexes and resilience.
 * Bandito: You play as one of them in Episode 5. They're pretty much the game's comic relief.
 * Base on Wheels: All of Episode 5 revolves around some hovering behemoth(s) packing a Death Ray. The ends of Episode 2 and 3 focus on the Railway Cannon, a massive train mounted artillery cannon.
 * BFG: In Episode 3, you hijack the Railway Cannon, which you can then use against one of the biggest Akrid that is known to EDN III. Kill Big, indeed.
 * Bigger Is Better: The entire game, including its tag line (KILL BIG) runs on this trope. Bigger Akrid, bigger guns, bigger Vital Suits and bigger explosions.
 * Bug War: In all its glory... and gory.
 * Car Fu: With an artillery train. Yes, it is as awesome as it sounds.
 * Character Customization: Cosmetics, load-outs, titles, and abilities can be established, once you get them, of course.
 * Colony Drop:
 * Combination Attack: When fulfilling certain conditions, a team of players can pull off one of these. They are very flashy, and, if used well, very devastating.
 * Combining Mecha: Two VS's can merge to form a bigger threat of a mech, complete with the ability to shoot a very powerful, focused laser called the "Final Cannon".
 * Cosmetic Award: You can unlock new Noms De Guerre (translation: Names of War) through the slot machine and other means. Also, the various outfit pieces that can be unlocked by level ups or the second slot machine.
 * Cutscene Power to the Max: The Waysiders get this big time trying to crack through the Over-G's outer shell. To put it simply, "Man, screw loading this anti-armor round with the crane! Here, I'll just throw the shell at you, you Sparta kick the shell to reload it, and our buddy on the gun here will just pop that sucker off at a ninety degree angle!" They make it look freaking amazing.
 * Death World: If it wasn't one before, the terraformed EDN III makes it more so, due to the fact that warmer climates make the Akrid go completely berserk.
 * Defector From Decadence: The Ex-NEVEC faction. They wear the uniforms from the first game to differentiate them from the still-decadent types.
 * Dual Boss: A few in the last episode, but the most recognizable of them would be the snow worm from the first making a return, this time with a partner. Also of note is the pair of sound-dependent Akrid from Episode 3-2.
 * The End of the World as We Know It: According to the research of Ex-NEVEC, NEVEC's newest plan would send EDN III back into an ice age, this time much, much worse then before. Put simply, the planet becomes an absolute zero freezer.
 * Everything Trying to Kill You: Does EDN III have any other natural life-forms besides the Akrid?
 * Faction Calculus: There are five playable factions in multi-player that players can join. This trope, however, is slightly averted as the only thing different from each faction are the characters used:
 * Rounders: A faction consisting of the Mercenaries, which is Exactly What It Says on the Tin, and the Waysiders, a group of people who fight to survive and stay alive.
 * N.E.V.E.C.: The main antagonists of the series, who are divided between the Ex-N.E.V.E.C (i.e. soldiers who underwent a Heel Face Turn and rebelled against their former employers) and New N.E.V.E.C (i.e. soldiers loyal to current N.E.V.E.C) groups.
 * Fight Junkies: As the title says, a faction consisting of people who like to fight and exert their dominance over other groups. These consist of the Jungle Pirates, Carpetbaggers, and Vagabundos.
 * Snow Pirate Elites: All members of this faction consist of the Snow Pirates from the first game, who for some reason, were Put on a Bus.
 * Femme Fetales: Exactly What It Says on the Tin, an all-female faction consisting of the female members from the other factions.
 * Featureless Protagonist: All the player characters are random members of the various Snow Pirate factions or part of an Ex-NEVEC assault team.
 * If the A.I. takes control of the first player, the PCs will have a name, but that name is not outright said by ANYONE.
 * Gas Mask Mooks: About 90% of the available head skins for multi-player.
 * Giant Space Flea From Nowhere: Literally done with Akrid X, the second episode's boss.
 * Gondor Calls for Aid: Towards the end of the game, the Ex-NEVEC Commander puts out a message to everyone on the planet, asking him to help stop NEVEC's latest destructive plot. It's a fairly Rousing Speech, and at the time you hear it, you're navigating an orbital minefield in a VS on your way back down to the planet's surface. Awesome.
 * Gratuitous Spanish: The Vagabonds from Episode 5 occasionally shout, but are not limited to, "oye" (hear or listen) and "cabrones" (bastards).
 * Guide Dang It: Most of the Noms de Guerre have rather ridiculous unlock conditions. Also, the Railway Cannon, when you're using it for the first time at least.
 * The merged VS may sound like this, but most people fail to realize that the VS Manual tells you how to do the odd combo for transforming, and which VS's can transform.
 * Hand Cannon: A literal one, first seen in Lost Planet: Colonies. It requires "sniper accuracy" but will quickly kill most enemies.
 * Healing Shiv: All players have a secondary projectile that gives some of your thermal energy to another player... by shooting it at them. It's handy to warn them if you can, before Hilarity Ensues. There's also the Injection Gun, which, depending on the type, either powers up or flat out heals any teammates in a small radius of the impact, including yourself. There are also the healing grenades.
 * Intercontinuity Crossover: This game features Albert Wesker and Frank West as old save bonuses or through a password, Marcus Fenix and Dom (Xbox 360 only), a Monster Hunter suit and a Helghast Scout and Soldier (PlayStation 3 exclusives). [Incidentally, the Gears of War characters' presence was announced on January 26, 2010, the same date as the American release of another Capcom crossover which included a Vital Suit as a playable character].
 * Rule of Cool: Epic Games' opinion over letting Capcom use Marcus and Dom.


 * Kill Sat: NEOS is equipped with a massive Thermal Energy cannon. You hijack it towards the end of the game.
 * Jiggle Physics: A couple of outfits for female Snow Pirate models. These outfits not only come with very motion-prone breasts but a rather soft behind as well. Jump in place to your heart's content.
 * Just Eat Him: Larger Akrid can and will. The first Category-G you fight, however, has soft, squishy innards, so jumping down the big guy's gullet is not only an option, but endorsed by the game's GJ rewards system.
 * Level Grinding: Most of the Noms de Guerre require this. Also, you have the standard Faction Levels that max out at Level 99.
 * Luck-Based Mission: Sort of, with the slot machine that you get your abilities, titles, weapons, and eventually outfits from. It's entirely up to chance what you get from it, but you won't get the same two items from it.
 * Mood Whiplash: Episode 4 ends with one Ex-NEVEC team beginning their second phase of their mission by heading to NEVEC's space station to prevent The End of the World as We Know It. Then Episode 5 opens up by establishing your POV on the Vagabonds as the game's comic relief.
 * Nerf: All energy weapons were given an overheat gauge, supposedly to prevent abuse of the Homing Laser among other things.
 * In a patch, many things were nerfed in multi-player to balance with other weapons. Of particular note is the Cannon, which had its ammunition changed from ∞​ to 15, and its reload time quintupled.
 * Press X to Not Die: A new addition, QTEs are in Lost Planet. In an interesting variation, however, the situations requiring them are very static (the input is all that changes), and have every player participate. The third time you have to do this, you have to react a total of three times.
 * Send in the Clones:  NEVEC team Task Force First Descent are clones of
 * Sequel Difficulty Drop: Extreme Mode is not so much the Harder Than Hard that the first game's Extreme Mode was. It's most likely because of the co-op mode, weapon variations, and abilities. This can also be averted depending on the competence of your teammates.
 * Stripperiffic: Some of the female Snow Pirate uniforms are... revealing, to say the least. Of course, there are more reasonable options as well.
 * Single Biome Planet: Averted with the appearance of jungles and deserts, though some areas are still iced over..
 * Taking You with Me: Episode 3-3: Once Red Eye has low health, it will make one final attack that WILL end your mission outright if not stopped. You are expected to shoot the Railway Cannon one final time into Red Eye's open mouth.
 * Traintop Battle: Against one of the biggest Akrid in the game.
 * Underground Monkey: Well, sort of. In addition to Snow Pirates, we now have pirates of the jungle and desert varieties, and then subsets of those pirates.
 * Underwater Boss Battle: Episode 4: The experimental submarine as the Episode's boss, and the two Akrid serpent things in Episode 4-4.
 * Unstable Equilibrium: The farther you are in the game, the more weapons and abilities you can choose from, giving you an adaption advantage over newcomers.
 * Virtual Paper Doll: With many wardrobe options (and cameo skins) for your multi-player pirate, you will see people with either horrifying, sexy, plain, or awesome clothing combinations.

The third game provides examples of

 * Badass Normal: Jim, a colonist who (unlike the battle-hardened heroes of previous games) is an everyman trying to provide for his family back on Earth. Doesn't stop him from cutting down Akrid.
 * Darker and Edgier: Seems to be going this way, as the game incorporates more elements of survival horror games like Dead Space.
 * Heel Face Turn: Unlike previous installments, N.E.V.E.C. is not a major antagonist, but instead an organization that will assist in colonization efforts on E.D.N. III. However, Lost Planet 3 will mark N.E.V.E.C.'s Start of Darkness as the player will uncover their dark secrets.
 * Mini-Mecha: Instead of Vital Suits, the game will feature Rigs, which are not weaponized (these are meant for mining materials above all else) and serve as the predecessors of Vital Suits. These Rigs seem to be very important as well for exploring E.D.N. III, as the game's HUD is tied into the Rig; the farther you are from it, the more transparent your HUD is. Rigs, unlike VS's, are also customizable.
 * Prequel: The game will take place long before the events of the first game.