Tips on How to Survive in Lost Planet Online Play for Xbox 360

Lost Planet: Extreme Conditions is a great game and the online play is no different, it's just amazing. There are a variety of play modes that you can choose, form elimination to post grab, each having specific goals and objectives. The people for the most part are nice, and willing to explain and help in any way that they can, but the online play is challenging. A person new to the world of online gaming, or even just new to this game will have a hard time understanding and competing with veterans of the Lost Planet community.

Most everyone you play against online will be at least level 30 and normally more like level 50 or more so right away you can see how you're going to be outmatched. You may feel overwhelmed by this fact, but there are a few simple strategies that you can keep in mind that will increase your chances of survival and up your overall score in the game.

First off, play the single player mode of this game before even attempting online play. After about the fifth or sixth mission you will probably have a good feel for how the controls work and the game actually "feels" giving you an automatic advantage online. You need to learn how to use your grappling hook effectively and on what surfaces it will stick. You also need to know the kinds of guns and how they work, allowing you to make good combat decisions while online. Playing single player mode before entering the Xbox live arena is the most important thing you can do to prepare.

Learning how to power and maneuver a Vital Suite or VS effectively will be another essential piece of info and skill that will save your life. During online play, those who control the VS will control the score board. While in a VS try and seek out targets that pose an immediate threat to you. Look for the player with the rocket launcher, and stay away from gun turrets. Figure out what weapons the VS has and learn how to best utilize them. Keep in mind another fact as you move around the arena blowing people up in your VS, they count as more points during a match, meaning if you die, the other teams score will increase drastically, so be careful not to get caught in a trap.

Killing an opponent's VS is a good way to score some quick and hard earned points. Plasma weapons and the rocket launcher are the best ways of taking down one of these monsters and earning 1000+ points for the team, or yourself. Make sure you have an idea about where the VS is on the map, and track it, or lead him into a trap, then unload. Playing single player mode will increase your knowledge about who to better kill an opposing VS during play.

Post control does not equal victory, unless the game type dictates otherwise. You do earn points for activating and controlling data posts but they only give you 500 points, so don't be afraid to abandon activation to take out an enemy unit. That being said, activating or taking control of a data post is 500 points, and can be a great asset to you, so don't bypass the opportunity, just don't sacrifice yourself for one.

Become good with a variety of weaponry because during a game, you never know what you'll be stuck with using. Game types may include an initial weapon, like Rockets, or Shotguns, but there are a variety of other weapons scattered throughout the map, so if you don't like the starting weapons you can ditch them for something better.

Grenades are your buddies, pals, friends, confidants and life savers! Lost Planet does an excellent job of making grenades an efficient form of weapon, where as most games fall short in this aspect. They don't have too much bounce, just enough, and can create smoke screens for cover. Grenade use can be one of the most important skills you will need for survival during the course of online play.

Remember to stick and move, don't ever stay in one place too long. If you kill an opponent then get out of the area because as soon as they re-spawn, they'll be coming back looking for you. Also if other players notice explosions of signs of a fight in an area, they will be drawn to the scene like sharks to the scent of blood. So be sure to use good hit and run tactics.

Clean up after your fellow players actions. If you see two people in battle, don't be afraid to step in and clean up, killing at least one or both of them. Usually during a fight, both players are firing off rounds and beating the heck out of each other, so that means they will both be weak. Then you step in and nail both of them for an instant 1000+ points at the bare minimum. This is an effective tactic that works well during a large elimination style match.

Communication can play a big part in your victory... or utter defeat. Be sure to make full use of your Xbox live communicator and talk with your teammates. They can provide vital information about enemy strength, locations, and fortifications. Same goes for you, be sure to provide good and accurate information for your teammates. 9 times out of 10 the team with the best communication skills will lead the game and walk away with the win.

Remembering these helpful tips will start you on the path to victory and having a very high level. Just make sure you remember that the combat system in this game is very realistic, so you can't just go running around and shooting like in Halo 2. It takes a lot of hard work, strategy, and practice to become good at this game, but along the way it's a whole lot of fun. Lost Planet has one of the most fun and engaging online gaming communities to date, and is a must for any hardcore gamer that owns an Xbox 360.