Planet Laika
Encyclopedia
is a role-playing video game
developed by Quintet
and Zeque for the PlayStation home game console. The game follows the main character, Laika, through a mission to Mars which forces the player to manipulate Laika's multiple-personality disorder
in order to solve puzzles. All the characters in the game have dog heads, a possible reference to the Soviet space dog Laika
. The game was only released in Japan
.
Unlike most RPGs, which feature turn-based
battles, Planet Laika's are played out almost like Space Invaders
and Pong
. The player must bounce around a Mind Core and reflect back the enemies attacks to inflict damage. There are not a lot of battles in the game and enemies only attack when Laika is in one of the special forms.
(famous for ActRaiser
, Illusion of Gaia
, and Terranigma
) and Zeque, a relatively unknown developer in North America
, but known in Japan for the PlayStation cult hit Kowloon's Gate
. Zeque was responsible for the concept, design, scenario, and graphics, whereas Quintet handled the programming and sound. Like Kowloon's Gate, Zeque's themes for Planet Laika were good and evil and light and darkness. Some of the characters from both games share names as well.
Role-playing video game
Role-playing video games are a video game genre with origins in pen-and-paper role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, using much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics. The player in RPGs controls one character, or several adventuring party members, fulfilling one or many quests...
developed by Quintet
Quintet (game developer)
is a Japanese video game developer, founded in 1987 or 1989. The company name is derived from musical terminology, as well as 5 elements of game design - planning, graphics, sound, programmers, and producers...
and Zeque for the PlayStation home game console. The game follows the main character, Laika, through a mission to Mars which forces the player to manipulate Laika's multiple-personality disorder
Dissociative identity disorder
Dissociative identity disorder is a psychiatric diagnosis and describes a condition in which a person displays multiple distinct identities , each with its own pattern of perceiving and interacting with the environment....
in order to solve puzzles. All the characters in the game have dog heads, a possible reference to the Soviet space dog Laika
Laika
Laika was a Soviet space dog that became the first animal to orbit the Earth – as well as the first animal to die in orbit.As little was known about the impact of spaceflight on living creatures at the time of Laika's mission, and the technology to de-orbit had not yet been developed, there...
. The game was only released in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Gameplay
A major theme of the game is Laika's different personalities, embodied by three different characters, Ernest, Yolanda, and Spacer. By talking to different characters, Laika absorbs their different colored auras and when a specific color has been absorbed enough, Laika can turn into that personality to solve a problem, such as needing Ernest, the strongest, to lift a heavy shutter.Unlike most RPGs, which feature turn-based
Turn-based strategy
A turn-based strategy game is a strategy game where players take turns when playing...
battles, Planet Laika's are played out almost like Space Invaders
Space Invaders
is an arcade video game designed by Tomohiro Nishikado, and released in 1978. It was originally manufactured and sold by Taito in Japan, and was later licensed for production in the United States by the Midway division of Bally. Space Invaders is one of the earliest shooting games and the aim is to...
and Pong
Pong
Pong is one of the earliest arcade video games, and is a tennis sports game featuring simple two-dimensional graphics. While other arcade video games such as Computer Space came before it, Pong was one of the first video games to reach mainstream popularity...
. The player must bounce around a Mind Core and reflect back the enemies attacks to inflict damage. There are not a lot of battles in the game and enemies only attack when Laika is in one of the special forms.
Development
Planet Laika was co-developed by Japanese software developers QuintetQuintet (game developer)
is a Japanese video game developer, founded in 1987 or 1989. The company name is derived from musical terminology, as well as 5 elements of game design - planning, graphics, sound, programmers, and producers...
(famous for ActRaiser
ActRaiser
is a 1990 Super Nintendo Entertainment System action and city-building simulation game developed by Quintet and published by Enix that combines traditional side-scrolling platforming with urban planning god game sections. A sequel, ActRaiser 2, was released for the Super Nintendo in 1993...
, Illusion of Gaia
Illusion of Gaia
, known in Europe as Illusion of Time, is an action role-playing game that was released on September 1, 1994, for the Super NES . It was developed by Quintet. Enix published the game in Japan, and Nintendo published it worldwide...
, and Terranigma
Terranigma
Terranigma, known as in Japan, is a 1995 action role-playing game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System developed by Quintet. It was published by Enix in Japan before Nintendo localized the game and released an English version in Europe and Australia. The game was never officially released...
) and Zeque, a relatively unknown developer in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, but known in Japan for the PlayStation cult hit Kowloon's Gate
Kowloon's Gate
Kowloon's Gate is an adventure video game developed by Zeque. It was released for the PlayStation in Japan on February 28, 1997, and re-released for the PlayStation Network on April 14, 2010.The game is set in Kowloon Walled City in Hong Kong...
. Zeque was responsible for the concept, design, scenario, and graphics, whereas Quintet handled the programming and sound. Like Kowloon's Gate, Zeque's themes for Planet Laika were good and evil and light and darkness. Some of the characters from both games share names as well.