Lifeless Planet: Premier Edition

 Xbox One
User Score
6.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 34 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 34
  3. Negative: 5 out of 34

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  1. eclat0011
    May 18, 2015
    10
    It's one of the best arcade games I have ever played. Has the same spitir as Journey for PS3. I have read Alexei Tolstoy book and now playing this game. Guys, it has an atmosphere and nice story. It worth every dollar from it's price.
    10!
  2. Peptide
    May 22, 2015
    8
    Outstanding title.
    To start, the game is absolutely gorgeous and the controls are tight and spot on.
    The mark of a great game is when you actually get a sense of vertigo being near a high cliff. My 9 and 7 year olds had a blast watching me explore this alien terrain. The story is great and everyone should be satisfied with the ending. Here are the reasons I didn't give it a 10. #1:    Outstanding title.
    To start, the game is absolutely gorgeous and the controls are tight and spot on.
    The mark of a great game is when you actually get a sense of vertigo being near a high cliff.
    My 9 and 7 year olds had a blast watching me explore this alien terrain. The story is great and everyone should be satisfied with the ending.
    Here are the reasons I didn't give it a 10.
    #1: There were a couple of spots where I got stuck in a crevasse and had to reload to a checkpoint. Not a big deal...and it only happened 2 times over 10+ hours.
    #2: I was having a lot of fun exploring (and there is plenty of space to explore) but there is almost nothing to find. they should have littered the environment with more goodies and/or discoveries and/or secrets.
    .
    Bottom line. This game was worth every penny.    … Expand
  3. Whiston532
    May 14, 2015
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Missed opportunity. This game starts off promising. You crash land on a strange planet with no idea what's going on. You begin searching and you quickly find the ruins of an old Soviet town/base/facility with nobody around and audio logs establish that the missing colonists both discovered something and were subsequently decimated. This is probably the peak, maybe a hour in yes, but it has potential to lead into... Oh. It's a weird vine monster. Ok, well at this point the story actually basically disappears, with the odd audio log that clumsily provides exposition to what happened. Some bits are actually interesting, such as finding an audio log for a group that's pushing towards possible safety, only to find their bodies a few feet away. But most of it is rather disjointed and clumsy. I'll break down a few positives and negatives

    - The early town is very eerie, with a Fallout vibe. Unfortunately this is actually the only scene like this. There's some buildings here or there. But none have any real vibe to them, or really any sort of context either.

    - outside of the voiceless crew members who die seconds after seeing them, there's a female character who you occasionally interact with. At first it's as a distant mysterious observer, but by the end she's essentially a tag along to you and spends the last bit of the game (all the time your actually together) basically standing around. Also her design is similar to ones you'd see in a cheap Xbox 360 indie game and who's animations probably should've been limited, instead of focused on at times).

    -levels are alright. There's a dead forest, a volcano segment, and a whole lot of desert (makes sense why. But variety is always a plus). Some levels have some odd "kill zones" with the lava level being the worst for it.

    - There's a sub plot about the astronaut having a wife that's in some sort of situation. At first it seems like it'll play a big part of the game, with a few references within the first bit. Then nothing, one voice over between the first and last levels. Admittedly how it was finished was nice, but the lack of any real meat to it makes it ring hollow, like a missed opportunity

    - controls are clunky. The jet pack functions as a weak double jump with occasionally a few extra jumps added on. The initial jump is ok. But any use of the jet pack can send you away from your planned landing spot.

    - there are oxygen tanks/jet pack fuel that are set up early as vital parts of your characters survival. Problem is that both are set pieces. You only run out of oxygen at set points and same with jet fuel. This is much better then having constant need to refuel. But at the same time why bother.

    -The overal story seems to be almost confused. Audio logs all seem to reference different events happening, then they're suddenly dropped. There are neat ideas here. But most are not really expanded on, and most, especially near the end are basically. "Well we screwed up. Now I'm sad". One issue I had was your main character figures things out before they're explained. Like, there was actually continuity errors. At one point your character randomly says "these trees they're the aliens !" Out of nowhere. Only to hear about it in an audio log 5 minutes later.

    - the ending specifically. So at one point you and the girl are paired up for no clear reason. And you to keep moving forward before what seems to be Gravemind from Halo shows up suddenly and then you push two blocks together and boom, she goes down a light bridge and sudden it's "she sacrificed herself to save the planet" something we don't see because we immediey leave and enter a portal to go to an "alien world full of advanced buildings and tech" that the soviets had seen themselves but chose to not enter in fear and instead chose to stay and eventually die. It turns out this alien world they see and you go to is actually future earth. A neat twist kinda ruins by the fact that the city is rendered poorly.

    -the decision to have the two characters barely communicate was a poor one. The idea of piecing together what happened on your own is fine. But by the time the "what happened" phase ended Nd it turned into a "what are we going to do" it felt like some sort of communication would happen.

    TL:DR. Neat start hits its peak early. Then falls apart. Not s bad game at all. Is a textbook case of both missed opportunities and poorly fleshed out ideas. Honestly the best part of the game is what you see in the Xbox thumbnail.    … Expand
  4. superjoon
    Jun 24, 2015
    6
    You start the game crashing down onto the planet surface. When you awaken you can see the shuttle that brought you down crash landed into  what looks like a sandy area. It soon becomes apparent that you are running low on oxygen and need to find some before passing out.... Luckily there is a bright shiny blinking star in the distance... Its another space shuttle... With an oxygen supply...You start the game crashing down onto the planet surface. When you awaken you can see the shuttle that brought you down crash landed into  what looks like a sandy area. It soon becomes apparent that you are running low on oxygen and need to find some before passing out.... Luckily there is a bright shiny blinking star in the distance... Its another space shuttle... With an oxygen supply... Weird... I thought these were meant to be the first explorers to this planet... The plot thickens.

    You continue on with the story which brings about all kinds of twists and turns and also brings up more questions. Some people may play through this thinking 'What the hell am I playing?' Or as I did through the first few hours 'What do I do now??' The planet is vast and is split into different areas, and the game is designed quite linear as you have to do certain things and go certain places to progress in the story. However, some of the areas are vast and explorable making this more than just a linear story based game. You can move off the beat and track and look for other things, and I would highly recommend doing this as I've found that there are a lot of collectables to be found if you do this... *Cough* Achievement *Cough*

    The worlds are vast and have brilliant colours to them however they do lack in detail in parts. Don't take this away from the game as it helps to distinguish its character and charm throughout. There are different ranges that you visit during the game from Sandy Deserts, Rocky Quarries and Woodlands.

    From the original PC version to the Xbox One version you can see that there has been a graphical upgrade for the game and it is look sharper on the Xbox One than it did with the original version and you can see that from the image posted here!

    I have found that there is a lack of emotional bond with my character, all I feel towards him is... well.... nothing... He's just a guy bouncing around a planet looking for his buddies trying to establish civilisation when he stumbles upon a lot of Russian stuff... Its all very confusing for Joon

    The music within the game as well is pretty non existent and when music does kick in I've found that its not at a point where it should be kicking in.... IE walking across a desert with nothing around... I can understand that the game is trying to create a sense of atmosphere etc, but it needs to be played out at the right time.

    One thing I do love though is the games take on Classic Sci Fi. I've heard people say 'Oh this game looks boring, you're not doing anything' and things like that, but its the bigger picture of the game, keeping up with the story and sticking with it. Yes it may look boring to play, but when you're getting into the game and understand whats going on, the game is brilliant, it comes to life and you can see that element of Classic Sci Fi that maybe the younger generation wont understand.

    From the start of the game I didn't think it was boring, it had me straight away... Even before I was playing the game and I was watching Trailers and Game play vids it already had me hooked. Yes there isn't much to do and parts of the planet can look the same, but that's the beauty of exploration. You're there to search and see beyond the end of your nose, to play a genre of game that has been severally lacking in console gaming.

    I would love to say that this game keeps you going and wants you to come back more and more, especially after you have collected all the achievements, but there is nothing that would keep you coming back to play it again. Its not as though there is alternative ways to play, it would be the same rather linear way of play time and time again, and after one play through I think that would be enough for anyone. After finishing the game I found it to be rather anticlimactic and predictable. Throughout playing the game you were always going to know what he was going to find the portal and what I presumed to be a way back to earth.

    My conclusion is that I really like and enjoy playing this game, and would encourage anyone to give it a go. Its strong story and Sci Fi setting make this an awesome gaming experience. I said at the start of this review that the game gripped me, and pulled me into it, yes, it did that, but it didn't do anything to keep me going, to keep me stuck in, and wanting more. If there is going to be a Lifeless Planet 2, there needs to be some dramatic improvements to the world and story telling. It gets a mediocre 6 from Joon.    … Expand
  5. SuperkenGaming
    Jul 22, 2016
    7
    Lifeless Planet
    awesome exploration
    Lifeless Planet is a platforming game where you play as an astronaut who’s crew crash lands on a planet that was once inhabited by the soviet union when you wake up you see that your crew is gone and you have no idea how long you were out for... you set out to find them and along your journey you discovery other mysteries to be solved.. You’ll find    Lifeless Planet
    awesome exploration
    Lifeless Planet is a platforming game where you play as an astronaut who’s crew crash lands on a planet that was once inhabited by the soviet union
    when you wake up you see that your crew is gone and you have no idea how long you were out for...
    you set out to find them and along your journey you discovery other mysteries to be solved..
    You’ll find data and audio logs that explain what happened on this planet and why it’s no longer crawling with life...
    The game is a constant 6 hours search for answers, and while this planet is lifeless.. it still manages to be just varied enough to stop it from feeling repetitive…
    Though not varied enough to blow you away or keep you immersed for the entire 6 hours…
    as the scenery doesn’t really change all too much…
    The gameplay itself is straight up platforming and throwing switches to continue on your path to get home…
    you hop gaps with your oxygen tank which can definitely take some getting used to as it feels just a little too floaty to ever feel satisfying…
    And the level design doesn’t quite do the greatest job at keeping the player moving forward as there are rarely visual clues to give you an idea of what to do, occasionally halting momentum…
    I found myself scratching my head probably once every 30 minutes not knowing where I was supposed to be going…
    the game also does some weird things towards the end with geysers that don’t really work, but I do appreciate their attempt at throwing something new into the game…
    The gameplay in Lifeless Planet definitely isn’t great, it’s passable...
    But the greatness is in the mystery and exploration of this planet…
    I give lifeless planet a 7/10    … Expand
  6. CenkAlp
    Jan 2, 2018
    5
    Hikaye = 7
    Oynanış = 6
    Grafikler = 5
    Sesler = 6
    Keyif = 5
    Atmosfer = 6
    Süre = 4
  7. tim_spooker
    May 15, 2016
    6
    Interested based on what I read about the game ......its good, but not great

    I find it very surreal and relaxing..... but the atmosphere is only thing it has going for it....... controls a bit off

    I generally stick to more action oriented games, so don't listen to me if you're well rounded in your tastes...

    So, to reiterate, I think it is good fun....... just not great
  8. Broyax
    Mar 6, 2018
    0
    L'indé du jour est un jeu de cosmonaute sauteur américain, sans doute très aigri d'apprendre qu'après un atterrissage chaotique sur une planète inconnue, il découvre qu'elle est colonisée (et contaminée) depuis belle lurette par la vermine communiste. Alors, de rage, il saute partout et se roule en boule comme Sonic le hérisson maniaco-dépressif et fait une crise d'épilepsie en hurlantL'indé du jour est un jeu de cosmonaute sauteur américain, sans doute très aigri d'apprendre qu'après un atterrissage chaotique sur une planète inconnue, il découvre qu'elle est colonisée (et contaminée) depuis belle lurette par la vermine communiste. Alors, de rage, il saute partout et se roule en boule comme Sonic le hérisson maniaco-dépressif et fait une crise d'épilepsie en hurlant "pourquoi, pourquoi, pourquoi".

    Après avoir repris ses esprits, il explore la planète et les installations des Rouges qui ont tous disparu... ça leur apprendra ! Nous, on con-trôle le petit bonhomme en scaphandre et on le fait sauter dans cet environnement assez vilain qui semble sorti tout droit du logiciel Vistapro des années 90... Sans doute, des ex-travailleurs de chez Lada reconvertis entre deux bouteilles de Vodka (plutôt plusieurs en fait) dans le monde merveilleux des merdes indés.

    Interface minimale et monde bien vide, maniement grandement perfectible, cette promenade de kangourou de l'espace devient assez vite barbante malgré un soupçon de curiosité ; on reste dans l'expectative comme dans un X-Files mais rien ne vient expliquer quoi que ce soit. Puis, on bloque éventuellement devant une alimentation de tours Tesla à rétablir et à part danser la lambada ou se précipiter dans le vide, j'ai pas trouvé c'était quoi le schmilblick.

    Bon, de toute façon, ça me faisait chier la planète sans vie. Je vais aller ouvrir une bière.    … Expand
  9. Imrahil
    May 2, 2018
    5
    Lifeless Planet is the story of an unnamed astronaut who crash lands on an unknown planet, and must find his way home by piecing together what happened to those there before him (Both human and alien).
    This title, a short but sweet entry in the big book of video games, doesn't offer much in terms of gameplay. In my opinion, though, what it lacks in gameplay and controls, it makes up for    Lifeless Planet is the story of an unnamed astronaut who crash lands on an unknown planet, and must find his way home by piecing together what happened to those there before him (Both human and alien).
    This title, a short but sweet entry in the big book of video games, doesn't offer much in terms of gameplay. In my opinion, though, what it lacks in gameplay and controls, it makes up for in story that kept me not exactly enthralled, but interested enough to finish the game. the graphics are not the greatest, especially in cutscenes, but during gameplay they're decent enough to make the game playable, even if the same sandy landscapes get a tad boring (towards the end of the game, the landscapes do become more varied, with different chapters taking place at different times of day, among other modifying things, so that definitely helps).
    As I mentioned before, gameplay is very basic, which is a blessing and a curse. A blessing in the sense that a kid could be challenged to play this, making a great game for a younger gamer, but a curse for older gamers, who will likely tire of the repetitive aspects of the game. I personally found that after the first few chapters of the game, I grew tired of the controls, which more or less consisted of jumping and then jumping again. The puzzles in the game are not particularly difficult, either, a bit disappointing for a game labelled as a puzzle-platform hybrid.
    Even though the gameplay was lacking, the score was excellent, especially when the player discovers the town for the first time, in the game's third chapter. in later chapters, it did an excellent job in setting the mood as the player progresses as well.
    In conclusion, the game is not bad by any means, but it's also not a standout game either. If it's on sale, I'd suggest picking it up, but for full price I don't think it's really worth the money.    … Expand
  10. Xplocion
    Nov 8, 2019
    8
    The good: a Walk Simulator with plot twists. It has an immersive and uncovering history, huge and desolate valleys, inhospitable landscapes, unforgiving and unexpected enemies, deadly traps, surprises, script turns, jump-scares that surprise you. "The story that gets crazier and crazier." Some collectibles that invite you to explore, puzzles (simple) and platform that demands precision.The good: a Walk Simulator with plot twists. It has an immersive and uncovering history, huge and desolate valleys, inhospitable landscapes, unforgiving and unexpected enemies, deadly traps, surprises, script turns, jump-scares that surprise you. "The story that gets crazier and crazier." Some collectibles that invite you to explore, puzzles (simple) and platform that demands precision. Easy achievements

    The bad: it is a Walking Simulator and if history is not your thing you will get bored, it is not re-playable unless you want all the collectibles and the two most difficult achievements (finish the game in less than 4 hours and spend the game without ever dying) ... There are some parts not suitable for acrophobics.

    Lo Meh: you can do "Death Stranding" (wandering like an idiot in desolate wastelands). If you do not have patience, the game will seem little and you will end up leaving it. There are parts of the game in which "nothing happens." Do you want to play a Walk simulator with plot twists, visits to a planet, desolate moors, fuzzy characters, relentless and unexpected enemies ... Death Stranding ?, nah, go for Lifeless Planet 100% recommended.    … Expand
  11. Moonalith
    Aug 21, 2021
    10
    Lifeless Planet is a dream game for sci-fi fans who love delving brain deep into the possibilities of space exploration, mysterious stories and puzzle solving. This game has great atmosphere and environments both visually and sonically. A unique must-have in your collection. Looking forward to the next instalment Lifeless Moon.

Awards & Rankings

69
#69 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2015
84
#84 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
57

Mixed or average reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 12
  3. Negative: 3 out of 12
  1. GameCritics
    Aug 17, 2015
    75
    The developers have managed to create[] a beautiful world to explore, but whether some players will find the journey's tale worth experiencing is a different question altogether.
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  2. Gaming Age
    Jun 24, 2015
    75
    As a cinematic experience, it's interesting, but as a game — which, really, is the level that matters — it's just not as engaging as it needs to be.
    Read full review
  3. COGconnected
    May 29, 2015
    65
    This title is 100% made for the ‘niche-gamer’ and won’t appeal to a broader audience.
    Read full review
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