Meltylancer: The 3rd Planet

About

Meltylancer: The 3rd Planet is a sci-fi police simulation game that mixes strategy with turn-based combat. Players manage a team of Lancers, assigning them to missions that impact public trust in the government. Success depends on balancing individual stats and mission outcomes, failure too often and the game ends. Battles during missions use a semi-automated system where positioning and character traits determine results. The story follows a new cast navigating tensions between Earth and a war-torn alien planet, blending administrative planning with tactical decision-making. Released in 1999 for PlayStation, this third entry shifts focus from previous entries’ character training to team-based strategy. The blend of mission management and episodic conflict creates a tense, calculated experience. Set against a backdrop of interplanetary politics and terrorist threats, it stands out for its risk-reward gameplay loop. A niche title among simulation fans, its structured approach to resource management and branching consequences remains distinctive two decades later.

Storyline

In the year 2091, following a coup d'état on the planet of Karaba, a fleet of ships belonging to the Karaba Royalists approaches Earth seeking asylum. However, granting this request puts the Earth government at odds with the Karaba Revolutionary Army, who begin launching EMP terrorist attacks to pressure Earth into handing over the Royalists. As a new Public Safety aide stationed in Lunar City on the Moon, the player is tasked with responding to incidents and keeping the peace.