Fun arcade-like fps shooter where you speedrun through each of the short levels. It's like a decent mix between Mario and Quake which is fun. The game actually gets pretty challenging later on and can feel annoying when everything else in the game is so cute and happy and positive music is blasting in my ears. It feels like my own personal purgatory.
Simplistic, kawaii-style first-person shooter. You're playing through small stages jumping between floating islands (platformer-style) and try to reach the goal at shortest time, settling for global scores. You also get stars for finishing it in time, shooting down enemies (while sparing friendly creatures) and having full accuracy.
There's not much depth into this, unless you feel a bit competitive or want to run a zen-like shooter.
There's not much depth into this, unless you feel a bit competitive or want to run a zen-like shooter.
I was really loving this game, everything felt great and the difficulty progression from worlds 1 to 3 felt natural and fun, and then from world 4 onwards things got really out of hand in a way that didn't feel fair at all, with the fog that hid bombs just out of view until it was too late, made it hard to judge which shots are and aren't homing in the moment, and is just conceptually a pretty shit mechanic for this kind of game completely ruining the vibe, and while it does go away in the next world the level design really doesn't recover and generally turns into a trial and error slog. Obviously, a game of this nature is going to come down to trial and error at the end of the day, but the level design really goes out of its way to prevent you from having a chance to see anything coming and just makes you bash your head against the wall for ages to make any progress, testing your patience moreso than aim or movement.
These level design issues are made worse by how off-center your gun's shots initially are, making them likely to hit nearby terrain rather than whatever you're aiming at or miss altogether if you're too close, and the tiny little detail that you don't have any crosshair to aim distant shots. To be fair this is fixable with third party software, but it's an inexcusable omission in a modern shooter, let alone one that demands perfect accuracy. idk, this game might not be for me but it was extremely noticeable just how fast it went downhill.
These level design issues are made worse by how off-center your gun's shots initially are, making them likely to hit nearby terrain rather than whatever you're aiming at or miss altogether if you're too close, and the tiny little detail that you don't have any crosshair to aim distant shots. To be fair this is fixable with third party software, but it's an inexcusable omission in a modern shooter, let alone one that demands perfect accuracy. idk, this game might not be for me but it was extremely noticeable just how fast it went downhill.
This game is so inviting with its chirpy music, soft colors, and simple shapes. The way it slowly ramps up the difficulty into a twitchy, precise shooter is fantastic. The high score speedrun/arcade style gameplay works well because there is a purity and simplicity to the game's mechanics. The speed feels right, the jump feels right, hitting enemy shots with your own shot feels satisfying. This is a great game to pick up for 15-odd minutes here and there to chip away at difficult challenges.
Thought this game was going to be a simpler but cleaner predecessor to Neon White but I ended up just hating the game and figuring that the genre just isn't for me. It's hard to hate on a game this indie/old but such a unique hatred was born of just me playing through Episode 5 and I need to make it known. Every god damn minute of this game is filled to the brim with the flattest visuals I've ever seen and one of like 5 songs that are incapable of giving me any positive emotion. In one ear out the other, my mind keeps wanting to call it mobile game music. I keep seeing people say "Oh the game is cute! It's got hearts and rainbows and candy and giant m16 statues!" and I can't help but overwhelmingly disagree with them! Did they forget about the evil apple like demon that will end your life if you let it touch the floor? This game is only cute to people who have Instagram pages for their pets. This game is cute to people who generate puppy pictures on Bing. This game is only cute to people who have never played Katamari, THAT GAME IS CUTE. This game is as cute as a baby hippo, in that it looks sweet at first but give it time and it'll crush your windpipe. And people talk about movement, WHAT MOVEMENT? The gross floaty and unresponsive Unity movement? The bounce pads? The speedrun routes that most players won't know exist on the first playthrough? I'm so confused! I forced myself to finish this and I think in the end this game just somehow made me hate Neon White even more. I had Lonely planet 2 and Remix on my wishlist and they instantly got removed once I finished the game. I think I'm just not a fan of this genre!
Budget shibuya-kei Neon White outshines its direct comparison for me for two reasons. One is that it offers a significant objective aside from speed - you get one star for clearing the level under par time, but another for clearing with 100% shot accuracy, which gives a great incentive to keep coming back to levels since you probably won't be too focused on accuracy your first time through. The other is that this game gets HARD. It's a pretty obscene ramp in difficulty that comes mostly near the end - the first four worlds have a reasonable curve while world 5 absolutely *eclipses* them in difficulty - but it's that same difficulty that made it so compelling. Going from perfect clearing every W1-4 level and feeling like it was tough but fair, to some W5 levels feeling nigh on impossible to even *clear* - and then toughing through it, learning and coming out the other side.
While I still got the satisfaction of the 'grind' that I'd expect from a time trial/speedrun/whatever game, it still doesn't have enough depth in its basic movement to be really compelling as one, and some physics awkwardness make it annoyingly resistant to allowing cool skips. (or maybe I'm just missing stuff - all the WR times are REALLY low, but some are also obviously cheated.) It also has some performance issues that made it lag a LOT at some critical moments and needed to be restarted to fix. It's still no TrackMania as far as time triallers go, but its best moments still gave me the same levels of satisfaction. Hard to say too much about it, but I really just wanted to chance putting it on people's radars!
While I still got the satisfaction of the 'grind' that I'd expect from a time trial/speedrun/whatever game, it still doesn't have enough depth in its basic movement to be really compelling as one, and some physics awkwardness make it annoyingly resistant to allowing cool skips. (or maybe I'm just missing stuff - all the WR times are REALLY low, but some are also obviously cheated.) It also has some performance issues that made it lag a LOT at some critical moments and needed to be restarted to fix. It's still no TrackMania as far as time triallers go, but its best moments still gave me the same levels of satisfaction. Hard to say too much about it, but I really just wanted to chance putting it on people's radars!
🕗 Total time played (approx.): 38h
🏆 Completion: 100%
REVIEW:
"Lovely Planet" is a unique and charming FPS that defies genre conventions. While it may appear deceptively simple at first glance, the game offers a delightful and visually captivating experience that challenges both reflexes and strategic thinking. At its core, "Lovely Planet" is a game of precision and timing, set against a whimsical, colorful backdrop. The game's visual style is a striking departure from the gritty, realistic environments typical of FPS games. Instead, players find themselves in a vibrant and surreal world filled with floating platforms, smiling vegetables, and anthropomorphic foes. The juxtaposition of a cheerful, almost childlike art style with the frantic pace of the game is part of its unique charm.
The Game- & Gunplay revolves around eliminating targets on each level while avoiding obstacles and enemy attacks. Unlike traditional FPS games, "Lovely Planet" does not involve moving in a three-dimensional space; instead, players navigate a flat, two-dimensional plane. This simplicity is deceptive, as the game's true challenge lies in maintaining speed and precision, as any mistake can be fatal. The game rewards players who can navigate its levels swiftly, memorize enemy patterns, and prioritize targets efficiently. The game's initial levels introduce players to the basic mechanics, but as the game progresses, the difficulty ramps up considerably. Quick reflexes and trial-and-error are essential for success, and players will find themselves replaying levels frequently. This trial-and-error aspect is not a weakness but rather a testament to the game's design philosophy, emphasizing player improvement through repeated play.
The absence of a traditional narrative in "Lovely Planet" places a strong emphasis on gameplay itself. It's a game that challenges players to overcome obstacles through skill and perseverance rather than relying on narrative motivation. The satisfaction derived from mastering a level, with each run feeling like a rhythmic dance of precision and fluidity, is what keeps players coming back for more.
While "Lovely Planet" offers a uniquely enjoyable experience, it's not for everyone. Its fast-paced, demanding gameplay may be frustrating for some players, and the absence of a traditional story might leave others wanting more depth. However, for those seeking a fresh take on the FPS genre, a quirky and visually captivating experience, and a satisfying challenge, "Lovely Planet" is a game that is sure to delight.
⭐ Rating: 2.5/5
🏆 Completion: 100%
REVIEW:
"Lovely Planet" is a unique and charming FPS that defies genre conventions. While it may appear deceptively simple at first glance, the game offers a delightful and visually captivating experience that challenges both reflexes and strategic thinking. At its core, "Lovely Planet" is a game of precision and timing, set against a whimsical, colorful backdrop. The game's visual style is a striking departure from the gritty, realistic environments typical of FPS games. Instead, players find themselves in a vibrant and surreal world filled with floating platforms, smiling vegetables, and anthropomorphic foes. The juxtaposition of a cheerful, almost childlike art style with the frantic pace of the game is part of its unique charm.
The Game- & Gunplay revolves around eliminating targets on each level while avoiding obstacles and enemy attacks. Unlike traditional FPS games, "Lovely Planet" does not involve moving in a three-dimensional space; instead, players navigate a flat, two-dimensional plane. This simplicity is deceptive, as the game's true challenge lies in maintaining speed and precision, as any mistake can be fatal. The game rewards players who can navigate its levels swiftly, memorize enemy patterns, and prioritize targets efficiently. The game's initial levels introduce players to the basic mechanics, but as the game progresses, the difficulty ramps up considerably. Quick reflexes and trial-and-error are essential for success, and players will find themselves replaying levels frequently. This trial-and-error aspect is not a weakness but rather a testament to the game's design philosophy, emphasizing player improvement through repeated play.
The absence of a traditional narrative in "Lovely Planet" places a strong emphasis on gameplay itself. It's a game that challenges players to overcome obstacles through skill and perseverance rather than relying on narrative motivation. The satisfaction derived from mastering a level, with each run feeling like a rhythmic dance of precision and fluidity, is what keeps players coming back for more.
While "Lovely Planet" offers a uniquely enjoyable experience, it's not for everyone. Its fast-paced, demanding gameplay may be frustrating for some players, and the absence of a traditional story might leave others wanting more depth. However, for those seeking a fresh take on the FPS genre, a quirky and visually captivating experience, and a satisfying challenge, "Lovely Planet" is a game that is sure to delight.
⭐ Rating: 2.5/5
Fun speedrunning shooter. Neon White was my GOTY for 2022 so this game was fun to play. When you do a level quickly with 100% accuracy it's super satisfying. And the short levels are fun.
Finding alternate and faster routes is not as fun or deep as neon white and I felt less motivated to improve my times. I did repeat lots of the early levels to try and climb the leaderboard though. The difficulty in the final world was obnoxious, I had no desire to repeat the levels I just was trying to beat it once and then move on. This final section brought the game down from a 4 to a 3.5 stars for me.
Lovely Planet is a nice fun shooty game. But Neon White is better.
Finding alternate and faster routes is not as fun or deep as neon white and I felt less motivated to improve my times. I did repeat lots of the early levels to try and climb the leaderboard though. The difficulty in the final world was obnoxious, I had no desire to repeat the levels I just was trying to beat it once and then move on. This final section brought the game down from a 4 to a 3.5 stars for me.
Lovely Planet is a nice fun shooty game. But Neon White is better.