Janine "Iris Ophelia" Hawkins' ongoing review of gaming and virtual world style
Let me be honest: As much as I love games that make me think and games that make me create, sometimes I really do just want to pick up a gun and shoot things. Sometimes being able to hit a button and directly eliminate the problem ahead is exactly the kind of play I'm looking for. What I'm not necessarily looking for at the same time are the gruffness, grit and gore of most first-person shooters. Sometimes I want to shoot things in as cheerful and lighthearted a way as possible -- and that's precisely what makes Lovely Planet such a unique gem.
When people talk about Lovely Planet they're often quick to mention Katamari Damacy, the ridiculous and adorable junk-snowball rolling Japanese game that took gamers by surprise 10 years ago. While the gameplay doesn't have much in common with that quirky classic, the design absolutely does. In Lovely Planet players shoot their way through hundreds of ultra-cute (and ultra-bizarre) color-blocked levels, listening to music that features toy squeaks and dog barks as often as any other instrument.
And it's fun. It's very fun.
At first players are tasked only with eliminating all the enemies from a level, but as they progress the challenges grow more complicated. Civilians, platforms, trick-shots, spikes and all manner of obstacles are introduced, making each level an exercise in skill, reflex and memory. Most levels also have have tricks and shortcuts built in for those interested in replaying to get the best times possible. I typically don't have enough patience to enjoy this style of play, but Lovely Planet manages to sweeten even the bitter taste of repeated failure.
It's hard to get too upset when you're surrounded by pastel rockets, beach balls, and giant handbags.
The most upsetting thing about playing Lovely Planet may actually be the lack of options/settings available. As someone who's prone to motion-sickness while gaming I was disappointed when I couldn't find any way to adjust field-of-view or mouse sensitivity, two of the biggest influences on how fast a game makes me want to throw up. There's a chance that both of the options I'm looking for may be buried in a config file somewhere, but Lovely Planet really only gives players the most bare bones control over resolution and visual quality. For some this may be just a mild inconvenience, but for me it means I can only play the game for an hour or so at a time.
Thankfully one of my favorite features can be enjoyed outside of the game itself. Lovely Planet's soundtrack, which can be previewed and purchased directly from composer Calum Bowen on Bandcamp, is almost painfully charming. Like the game's aesthetic as a whole, the soundtrack evokes the poppy, chirpy charm of Katamari Damacy, not to mention Animal Crossing and many of Nintendo's best game soundtracks. Bowen's created a feel-good electronic suite that will worm its way into your heart whether or not you decide to play the game.
Lovely Planet is currently $5.99 on Steam and, considering just how many levels are packed into it, that price is an absolute steal.
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