Lost Planet: Extreme Condition

Lost Planet: Extreme Condition takes players to the frozen planet E.D.N. III, where humanity, clad in giant mechanical Vital Suits, battles insectoid creatures called Akrid over the last remaining scraps of thermal energy. Capcom built the game on its own MT Framework engine, combining a third-person action shooter with a survival element – without collecting thermal energy from fallen enemies and generators, the character slowly freezes to death, which pushed players into constant forward movement and discouraged defensive waiting behind cover. Battles against giant Akrid also often required targeted shots at specific weak points and switching between on-foot action and the player's own Vital Suit, giving the game a variable pace.

The PC version arrived roughly a year after the original on Xbox 360 and was practically unchanged in content – the same campaign, the same weapons and mechs, no new content added. The difference was mainly in the controls: mouse and keyboard gave aiming a precision the gamepad on console didn't offer, and players could set resolution and graphics detail according to their own computer's power, including a higher frame rate than the Xbox 360 could manage. Cooperative and competitive multiplayer, which kept the game alive on Xbox 360 for a long time thanks to regular online matches, worked here too, albeit with a smaller player base and less populated servers. On PC, players could also set their own keyboard shortcuts for individual weapons and grenades, making it easier to switch quickly mid-fight in a way the gamepad's limited number of buttons didn't allow.

The port, however, is remembered more for controversy than for the quality of its execution. The SecuROM DRM used limited the number of installations and activations, which drew heavy criticism on forums shortly after release and numerous complaints about being unable to reinstall the game after replacing a computer or reinstalling the operating system. Because of this, the PC version is still viewed today more as a problematic alternative to the console original, even though visually it offered a sharper image, more detailed snow and ice textures, and smoother camera movement during fast battles with the Akrid.

Why play it: The graphics offer a sharper image and smoother camera during battles with the Akrid, but due to the strict SecuROM DRM with a limited number of activations, the PC version remains more of a problematic alternative to the console original.