Lifeless Planet
While seeking life on a distant planet, an astronaut discovers an abandoned Russian town. He suspects his mission is a hoax until a mysterious young woman saves him from a strange and deadly phenomenon… Lifeless Planet is a third-person action-adventure that features an old-school sci-fi story and spectacular environments in the spirit of classic action-adventures. After a hard landing on the planet, the astronaut discovers the planet that was reported to be rich with life is instead a barren wasteland. When he goes searching for his crew, he makes a more startling discovery: evidence that humans have already been to this planet years ago! When he comes upon a deserted Soviet-era Russian town, he struggles to make sense of his mission. Did his light-speed travel to the planet send him back in time? Or is this all some strange Cold War hoax?
Game Discussion
Steam User 9
An interesting short story
I couldn't even think that the game is so amazing.
Pros
Great plot.
The game design is good in its own way.
Simple.
Cons
Can be boring.
Not enough interactive elements or lore.
It's good for 2014. This game did cause positive vibes and awakened a sense of curiosity about the plot.
Conclusion: 7/10 - If you like walking simulators filled with a good plot, this game is for you.
Steam User 5
This game is a hidden gem. If you like urban legends or glitches in the matrix, this game is a keeper for sure. Prepare to open more than one of the many Pandora's Boxes. This one requires thinking outside the box of every day comfort zones.
Steam User 3
It's fun for a slow moving, casual game. There's no fighting aliens or anything like that.
Steam User 2
I bought this game for the premise, but they tell you exactly why the town is there like 10 minutes in and left me with a far less interesting mystery. Not a huge fan of the way the game would give you a "power-up" and then take it away when convenient either. The mood and aesthetic were wonderful though, And I'm interested in seeing more from the dev!
Steam User 2
Overall:
Buy on sale.
I really like the story. It's a level of unexplained thriller that I look for. The desolateness of the world was also very beautiful. I'd enjoy if it was a never-ending walking simulator on the first level with occasional landmarks.
Gameplay:
Most of the game is exploring desolate areas with the occasional landmark, puzzle, or parkour challenge.
Controls/Graphics:
I used an 8bitdo controller for this game and didn't have any problems.
Devices played on:
PC - EndeavourOS (Arch) w/ nvidia GPU
Bugs:
PC:
- Opening cutscene did not play, showed a "SMPTE color bars" type image and no audio. If you waited long enough, you would show up in level one. This was fixed by switching to Proton GE.
- Game started studdering once. Exiting to menu and starting again fixed it. Never happened again.
- Ran with "-force-d3d12" launch option. Saw many people saying it helped on ProtonDB.
Steam User 1
Lifeless Planet is one of those games that thrives on atmosphere more than mechanics and depending on your patience, that can feel either meditative or monotonous. It begins with an irresistible hook: you’re an astronaut, crash-landed on a barren world, only to stumble upon the ruins of a Soviet settlement. From that moment, the game promises mystery, existential dread and the thrill of discovery.
Visually, it leans into emptiness. The vast deserts, volcanic wastelands and eerie alien structures all reinforce the theme of isolation. There’s something powerful about trudging through these barren landscapes, your oxygen running low, unsure of what you’ll find beyond the next dune. The soundtrack, sparse but haunting, amplifies the sense of loneliness and wonder.
Unfortunately, the gameplay itself doesn’t quite rise to meet the premise. Most of what you’ll be doing is walking across wide, empty spaces, occasionally solving light puzzles or using your jetpack to make simple jumps. While this fits the lonely mood, it often drifts into tedium, especially when backtracking or traversing areas that feel padded out for length. The platforming, while serviceable, can be clunky and the puzzles rarely challenge or surprise.
The story sits at the heart of the experience and while it flirts with grand sci-fi themes (colonization, hubris, survival) it sometimes feels underdeveloped. The Soviet subplot is fascinating but not fully fleshed out and the ending may leave you with more questions than answers. Still, there’s a sincerity to its ambition that makes it linger in the mind longer than its mechanics suggest.
Lifeless Planet is a flawed gem, haunting in atmosphere, thin in gameplay. If you’re drawn to lonely worlds and slow-burn sci-fi, it’s worth the trip. But don’t expect a polished or varied adventure.
Steam User 1
Its hard to put into words how AWESOME the game is... I don't remember now how I first come across this game, but I do remember I didn't even get thru half way watching the trailer years ago, and I was in love with this game. This is not just a game but an Experience! I use a part of the soundtrack from the game as my Alarm Clock sound for probably like 8-9yrs and still love it. This a Definitely MUST play game. Thank you David for giving us the Experience.