Lost Planet: Extreme Condition on the Xbox 360 was one of the first great games of 2007, offering some intense action, gorgeous graphics and fantastic multiplayer matches. Now, the game is seeing its way onto the PC, taking advantage of Vista’s DirectX 10 platform while still giving XP gamers (and those without a top-of-the-line video card) the option to play a slightly scaled-down DirectX 9 version. For the most part, Lost Planet is a solid port, offering much of the same great gameplay found in the block-buster 360 version. However, the port stumbles a bit in the transition, falling prey to a few shortcomings that make the Xbox 360 iteration still the preferred means of playing the game. Still, if you are looking for a solid way to show off your brand-spanking new DX10 card and gaming rig, then Lost Planet is a safe bet.

In Lost Planet, you play as Wayne, a young man on a snowy planet caught in the middle of a fracas between an alien race of bugs as well as some nasty space pirates. Your father is killed in a skirmish between your group and some bugs and you are left seriously injured. Nursed back to health, you join up with another group of fighters to combat the alien menace, battle pirates, and avenge your fallen father.

Just as in the Xbox 360 version, Lost Planet is a short but sweet game. The battles in the game have you fighting tons of enemy bugs that are much bigger than you, much like a version of Starship Troopers on ice. These bugs range in size, from slightly bigger than you to the size of a city bus to extremely huge. The action is fast and frenzied, requiring quick reflexes and an itchy trigger finger.

The one element that Lost Planet utilizes to keep it from feeling like just another action game is T-Eng. T-Eng is a special gauge that relates to your healing abilities in the harsh and icy conditions. The gauge is constantly timing down, requiring you to move about the map quickly before it runs out. Also, when you get hit by an enemy, the gauge will fill your health bar back up at the cost of additional T-Eng. You can gain a lot of T-Eng from special stations on the battlefield, or get a slight amount from enemies (the bigger the enemy, the more T-Eng you’ll get).

Also, you’ll be able to employ the use of several vehicles on the battlefield, from speed bikes to mechs. The mechs play a large part in the game, as you’ll often have to face off against huge enemies or even other mechs commanded by space pirates. You’ll have access to some pretty heavy-duty weaponry when you play with a mech, including huge shotguns with great stopping power, mini-guns and rocket launchers.

Unfortunately, Lost Planet falls into a couple of holes in the jump to PC. For starters, the game relies heavily on Valve’s Steam network. While the distribution platform has grown by leaps and bounds in terms of reliability since it initially launched with Half-Life 2, it’s still pretty obnoxious to have it running whenever you want to play Lost Planet, even if you purchased the retail version of the game.

Secondly, the controls are a bit problematic. The keyboard and mouse configuration doesn’t feel very intuitive, as the targeting reticule moves sluggishly and feels cumbersome. Even with the Xbox 360 controller hooked up to your PC (which is the preferred method to play Lost Planet on the PC), the targeting reticule moves a bit too laggy when put up next to the Xbox 360 version.

Thirdly, the multiplayer element is spotty at best. Whereas the 360 version offered some great and consistent multiplayer battles (no doubt a benefit of Xbox Live’s unified service), the PC version has a very tough time connecting to matches, cutting out frequently and seldom finding a good match to connect to.

Graphically, Lost Planet is still a beautiful game, getting the requisite resolution boost and some cleaner textures. However, this comes at a price, since to get the most out of the game, you’ll have to have a seriously powerful computer to play it on. If you do, then be prepared for a truly fantastic looking PC game, complete with extremely well-animated character models and great special effects.

Soundwise, the game is exactly the same as the Xbox 360 version, meaning that you’ll get corny voice work and dialogue, and sparse music. One unfortunate thing about the PC version is that is doesn’t support custom soundtracks like the 360 version, so what you hear is what you get.

All foibles aside, Lost Planet is still a solid and engaging action game with some amazing graphics and fun gameplay. While the Xbox 360 version is still the way to go hands down, if the PC is your only means to play (and you have an extremely powerful machine), then Lost Planet is a solid choice.

Gameplay: 7.5
Much of the great gameplay is still intact, but the PC translation loses a bit due to problematic controls and steep requirements.

Graphics: 9.0
The game is gorgeous, with tons of great details and effects, assuming your PC is beefy enough to handle what it throws at you.

Sound: 8.0
Identical to the Xbox 360 version, Lost Planet has crisp sound effects, but corny dialogue and a barren soundtrack.

Difficulty: Medium

Concept: 6.5
As far as action games go, Lost Planet is a blast. Unfortunately, as far as PC ports go, Lost Planet has more than its share of problems.

Multiplayer: 5.0
The multiplayer needs a lot of work to get it into shape, as matchmaking is a huge pain and matches are generally sparse.

Overall: 7.0
Lost Planet is a great game, but the PC translation suffers quite a bit due to some conversion issues and strange production choices. If you have an Xbox 360, then definitely pick up that version over the PC port.