I really enjoyed the atmosphere and story of this game. I did not realise the game was released in 2014. For reference, I completed the game in mid-2022. Here is my spoiler-free review:
The atmosphere of the game was mysterious, to begin with. We start the game as an astronaut travelling to a distant planet, in a journey which took 15 years when travelling at twice the speed of light. We were supposed to arrive at a blackwater planet with Earth-like conditions, hence it was expected this world would be teeming with life.
However, once the expedition arrives at the planet, it is discovered that the planet is nothing more than a lifeless desert. There are some small caves or canyons with water there and there, but as a whole, it was NOTHING as expected.
As we explored slightly deeper (don't worry, it's not a spoiler), there appeared to be remnants of an old Soviet town. That's right, a SOVIET settlement in the middle of a distant desertified planet. This, understandably, causes the main character to question his sanity, with him assuming that maybe this is part of a test. He has theories, such as maybe some time-travel was involved or he entered a wormhole etc.
However, as you explore deeper into the secrets of the plan, it gradually starts to make more and more sense. The disparity between the expectations and reality of the nature of the planet is eventually addressed, with the clues being dropped at various points pertaining to the history of the world.
Whilst the gameplay is more or less linear-designed, it does feel open-world due to its majestic design. Whilst the planet appears to be barren, the diversity of its world will push players further and further into the story to uncover its mysteries.
The player himself explores deeper to uncover the truth, coming across varying puzzles and obstacles to overcome, before completing his journey. The puzzles are relatively simple, although will require careful thought to visualise the environment and to plan out the solution accordingly.
I played this game shortly after I completed 'Deliver Us The Moon', which had a similarly bleak environment, although that was largely based on the moon itself and without any horror elements. By contrast, I consider 'Lifeless Planet' as a spiritual successor with its similar feeling of hopelessness in the void of space and the need to explain seemingly unnatural events.
I will highly recommend this game to all those who are interested in the explorative science-fictions, who enjoy puzzle solving, to uncover the truth of the reality they find themselves knotted into. I completed the game in a couple of hours (or two sittings), so if you have a chance to play this game, definitely give it a shot!
