Lovely Planet
A speedrunning-focused FPS with no reticle and instant death.
Lovely Planet is a first-person shooter platformer from Indian developer Quicktequila, published by tinyBuild. It launched on Windows, OS X, and Linux in July 2014, then arrived on Xbox One in January 2016 and on PlayStation 4 and Wii U in April 2016. Critics gave it mixed reviews, praising the visuals and soundtrack while criticizing the presentation and difficulty.
The game has no plot. Players must clear each "micro-level" as fast as possible, dying instantly from bullets, falls, or enemy contact. The gun lacks a reticle and fires slow bullets, requiring players to lead their shots. Up to three stars are awarded per level based on speed, with the third star demanding perfect accuracy. Some hazards, like apples that must be shot before they hit the ground, force the player forward.
Critics compared the art style and music to *Katamari Damacy*. Kotaku’s Andras Neltz found the contrast between the cute graphics, cheerful music, and punishing shooting mechanics "unsettling." On Metacritic, the game received mixed scores. Tyler Wilde of *PC Gamer* gave it 82/100, calling the gameplay "great" but "merciless," and the presentation "mediocre" and too "abstract." Tim Latshaw of *Nintendo Life* rated the Wii U version 6/10, likening the cute visuals paired with technical mechanics to "opening a Hello Kitty backpack and finding nuclear launch codes." He noted dedicated speedrunners would enjoy it, but its appeal was otherwise "limited." James Cunningham of *Hardcore Gamer* rated it 2/5, saying the extreme precision required "leech[ed] the joy out of the action."
Several sequels followed: *Lovely Planet Arcade* (a more puzzle-oriented first-person shooter, July 22, 2016), *Super Lovely Planet* (a third-person platformer with a bouncing ball and no attacks, July 28, 2017), *Lovely Planet 2: April Skies* (June 18, 2019), and *Lovely Planet Remix* (November 12, 2021).
Quick Facts
- Title
- Lovely Planet
- Developer
- Quicktequila
- Publisher
- tinyBuild
- Engine
- Unity
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows / OS X / Linux / Xbox One / PlayStation 4 / Wii U
- Released
- Windows, OS X, LinuxWW · July 31, 2014Xbox OneWW · January 8, 2016PlayStation 4WW · April 5, 2016Wii UNA · April 5, 2016 · EU · April 7, 2016
- Genre
- First-person shooter, platform
- Modes
- Single-player
- Designer
- Vidhvat Madan
- Composer
- Calum Bowen
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Lovely Planet is a speedrunning-focused first-person shooter where the player must complete each level as fast as possible to progress. There is no plot, but rather micro-levels contained within larger areas. Being hit by a bullet, falling, or touching enemies causes instant death, forcing the player to memorize levels to succeed. The player's gun lacks an aiming reticle, and bullets move slowly, requiring the player to lead their shots. Players can earn up to three stars depending on how fast they beat a level, with the third star requiring perfect accuracy. Certain level hazards force the player forward, such as apples that must be shot out of the sky or they will kill the player when they reach the ground.
Reader's Guide
Lovely Planet occupies a niche in the 2010s first-person shooter landscape as a title that prioritizes speedrunning and precision over narrative or traditional combat. Its lack of an aiming reticle and slow bullet speed demand memorization and careful shot leading, creating a steep difficulty curve that divided critics. The game's art style and music were compared by several critics to Katamari Damacy, while Andras Neltz of Kotaku found the dissonance between the game's graphics, music, and shooting mechanics to be unsettling. Tyler Wilde of PC Gamer rated the game 82/100, calling the gameplay great despite being merciless, but said the presentation was mediocre and too abstract to be appealing. Tim Latshaw of Nintendo Life rated the Wii U version 6/10, comparing the contrast between its cute graphics and technical mechanics to opening a Hello Kitty backpack and finding nuclear launch codes within, stating that while dedicated speedrunners would enjoy it, its appeal was otherwise limited. James Cunningham of Hardcore Gamer rated the game 2/5, saying that the necessity for extremely precise gameplay leeched the joy out of the action. The game's mixed reception reflects its polarizing design: rewarding for those seeking a pure skill-based challenge, but frustrating for players expecting a more forgiving experience.
Did You Know?
- The game was developed by Indian indie developer Quicktequila.
- The player's gun has no aiming reticle and bullets move slowly, requiring leading shots.
- Two sequels followed: Lovely Planet Arcade (2016) and Super Lovely Planet (2017), plus Lovely Planet 2: April Skies (2019) and Lovely Planet Remix (2021).
- The third star in a level requires perfect accuracy.
More in First-Person Shooters of the 2010s, Part 1 1-24
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