Lovely Planet
| Lovely Planet | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Quicktequila |
| Publisher(s) | tinyBuild |
| Designer(s) | Vidhvat Madan |
| Programmer(s) | Vidhvat Madan |
| Composer(s) | Calum Bowen |
| Engine | Unity |
| Platform(s) | Linux, Windows, OS X, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Wii U |
| Release | July 31, 2014 |
| Genre(s) | First-person shooter, platform |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Lovely Planet is a first-person shooter platform video game developed by Indian indie developer Quicktequila and published by tinyBuild. It was released for Microsoft Windows, OS X and Linux in July 2014,[1] and later for Xbox One in January 2016,[2] and the PlayStation 4 and Wii U in April 2016.[3][4]
The game received mixed reviews from critics, with praise given its visuals and soundtrack, but criticism for its presentation and level of difficulty.
Gameplay
The game is a speedrunning focused first-person shooter where the player must complete the level as fast as possible to progress.[5] There is no plot, but rather "micro-levels" contained within larger areas.[5] Being hit by a bullet, falling, or touching enemies causes the player to die instantly, and the player must memorize the levels to win.[5]
The player's gun does not have an aiming reticle, and bullets move slowly, forcing the player to lead their shots.[5] Players can earn up to 3 stars depending on how fast they beat a level, with the third star requiring perfect accuracy.[5]
Certain level hazards also force the player forward, for example, apples that must be shot out of the sky or they will kill the player when they reach the ground.[5]
Development
The game's art style and music has been compared by several critics to Katamari Damacy.[5][6][7] Andras Neltz of Kotaku found the dissonance between the game's graphics, music and shooting mechanics to be "unsettling".[8]
Reception
The game received mixed reception, according to review aggregator Metacritic.[1]
Tyler Wilde of PC Gamer rated the game 82/100, calling the gameplay "great" despite being "merciless", but saying the presentation was "mediocre", as it was too "abstract" to be appealing.[7]
Tim Latshaw of Nintendo Life rated the Wii U version 6/10, comparing the contrast between its "cute" graphics and "technical" mechanics "like opening a Hello Kitty backpack and finding nuclear launch codes within".[6] He stated that while "dedicated speedrunners" would enjoy it, its appeal was otherwise "limited".[6]
James Cunningham of Hardcore Gamer rated the game a 2/5, saying that the necessity for extremely precise gameplay "leech[ed] the joy out of the action".[5]
Sequels
Two sequels were created following the game's release, Lovely Planet Arcade, a more puzzle-oriented first-person shooter, which released on July 22, 2016, and Super Lovely Planet, a third-person platformer in which the player controls a bouncing ball without any attacks, which released on July 28, 2017. Another sequel, entitled Lovely Planet 2: April Skies, was released on June 18, 2019.
References
- ^ a b "Lovely Planet". Metacritic. Retrieved 2017-09-02.
- ^ "Lovely Planet". Metacritic. Retrieved 2017-09-02.
- ^ "Lovely Planet". Metacritic. Retrieved 2017-09-02.
- ^ "Lovely Planet". Metacritic. Retrieved 2017-09-02.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Review: Lovely Planet | Hardcore Gamer". Retrieved 2017-09-02.
- ^ a b c Life, Nintendo (2016-04-13). "Review: Lovely Planet (Wii U eShop)". Nintendo Life. Retrieved 2017-09-02.
- ^ a b "Lovely Planet review". pcgamer. Retrieved 2017-09-02.
- ^ Neltz, András. "The Trippiest FPS You'll See Today". Kotaku. Retrieved 2017-09-02.