hat would happen if an ordinary person, armed with nothing but a measly machine gun, picked a fight with Godzilla, the king of all monsters? For most people in this unfortunate predicament, I foresee uncontrollable whimpering, wild arm flailing, and epic racehorse-like urination before their body is reduced to an unrecognizable smear on the asphalt. But if that certain someone happens to be Wayne, Lost Planet’s gutsy protagonist (and yet another video game character that suffers from amnesia), toppling a beast that can level a building is just another day’s work.

The entire game feeds off of the David versus Goliath theme, dropping the player directly onto the  trail of bloodthirsty behemoths whose nose hairs dwarf you. The odds may seem stacked against you, but with a little firepower, a lowly man can slay the world’s most dangerous beasts. As you trudge through the knee-deep snow of this frozen wasteland, you’ll cross paths with a gigantic moth outfitted with heat-seeking missiles, a hyperactive worm that will devour you in seconds, and an agitated tortoise that makes Gamera look like a docile aquarium-bound pet.
Most of these walking monstrosities will wage war on you in different ways, but the secret to taking them down is always the same. A quick glance at their body reveals their weakness: glowing orange spots. Target these sections and their health will begin to drain. As disappointing as it is to know the secret to every foe before you even confront them, challenge is presented in a much more upfront way. These creatures don’t pull any punches. They’ll beat the living snot out of you if you hesitate for a brief second. Thus, it becomes a test of skill.

The gameplay unfolds mainly through running and gunning, and Lost Planet handles it with style. The flexible targeting system is ingenious, the rocket launcher kicks like a mule, and the Bionic Commando-like grapple grants players a higher level of verticality than you normally see in these types of games. When situations call for a little more firepower and defense, you’ll have the opportunity to hop into a mech (Vital Suit), of which there are many types. One VS transforms from a spider into a speedy cruiser. Another boasts nerd-tastic jump jets. All of these wondrous vehicles control exceptionally well, and empower you with the all-too-rare sensation that you are unstoppable.

The excitement that the game delivers in its adrenaline-draining boss battles is captured beautifully through some of the finest spectacles that the mighty pixel has ever produced. Remember how you felt when you first saw the dinosaurs from Jurassic Park? You’ll be revisiting that feeling quite often throughout the course of this adventure. It’s not just the creatures that stand out. The player is also bombarded with effects that range from Zone of the Enders-like particle storms to smoke that blankets the screen; both lead to moments of complete disorientation and awe.
At this point, I’m sure that I’ve made Lost Planet sound like a game that simply oozes awesomeness. There’s no doubt that it will bombard you with a ton of great memories. However, outside of the visual candy, cool mech designs, and larger-than-life encounters, the game is quite dull. In moving from one boss fight to the next, you’ll confront legions of grunts that don’t pose any threat. Boss fights are rarely this exhilarating, but at the same time, disposing of pawns is hardly ever this boring. I walked away from Lost Planet with sweaty palms from combating giant monstrosities, but also with the feeling that I wanted so much more as I progressed through the quest.