Silpheed: The Lost Planet

Working Designs

Industry	Video game publishing
Products	Video game publishing

Silpheed: The Lost Planet is a vertical scrolling shooter released in 2000, developed collaboratively by Treasure and Game Arts, with Working Designs handling its North American publication. Serving as a direct continuation of Silpheed, the player commands the Silpheed starfighter from Solont's SA-77 Squadron in a battle against extraterrestrial adversaries.

Gameplay

Set three decades after the original title, Silpheed: The Lost Planet presents a vertical-scrolling shooter experience viewed from an angled perspective. The narrative centers on the Silpheeds confronting the alien UTOO forces responsible for ravaging human settlements throughout the Solar System. Players are tasked with halting this alien threat to protect humanity’s colonies.

Throughout eight distinct stages, users pilot a Silpheed craft that can be customized, focusing on dismantling enemy formations while evading hostile fire and obstacles. Available weaponry includes short-range explosive bombs, dual-shot configurations, and laser beams capable of piercing targets; these armaments can be independently mounted on each wing. Midway through levels, players encounter "refueling" zones that permit swapping between different weapon types. Additionally, the game incorporates a proximity-based scoring mechanic that rewards destroying foes near the player’s ship, thereby enhancing score multipliers according to closeness.

Release

Initially launched in Japan on September 21, 2000, for the PlayStation 2, the game’s North American release was managed by Working Designs. This version introduced several improvements such as analog stick compatibility and vibration feedback, along with significant reduction of performance slowdown found in the Japanese edition. The Western release also featured a distinctive foil-stamped reflective cover design. Although originally planned for October 26, 2000, the North American debut was postponed twice—first to November 24 and eventually to April 2001.

Reception

Critical response was generally moderate, as aggregated by Metacritic. Blake Fischer from NextGen acknowledged its visual appeal but criticized it for lacking originality within the shooter genre. In Japan, Famitsu awarded it a score of 29 out of 40. Game Informer delivered a mixed critique of the Japanese version several months before its U.S. launch. Various other outlets also reviewed the game during its development stages.