Even with the tutorials, designing levels takes a lot of patience and a simple understanding of physics, especially if you intend to make something good. Figuring out how to make switches, trap doors and other complex devices takes lots of thought, thus pushing what should be a game for all ages into the teenage/adult category.
If you crave inspiration, you can always turn to LittleBigPlanet's online community, and it's here where the game really shines. Not only can you upload your designs for others to play, but also vice versa, so what we have is an infinite supply of content. Most of it sucks (sorry, it does), but already, we've seen nods to God of War, Shadow of the Colossus, WipEout and even Super Mario Bros. There are literally hundreds if not thousands of creative types hoping to unlock LittleBigPlanet's full potential, and the promise of new designs means there's always something new to check out. As for all that crap content, you have the option of "hearting" designs you love, so if you come across a stage with tons of hearts, it's probably not crap.
As much as we enjoy playing, Sony's game falls short of perfection, in large part because of imprecise controls. After making a jump, Sackboy slides just a bit, as if he were on ice. This makes platform jumping a pain in the butt because it's too easy falling off a ledge and into a hazard. Although LittleBigPlanet plays like a 2-D game, with Sackboy moving left and right, you can leap between three planes within the 3-D space. It works fine except when the game decides to shift you to another plane, which often kills Sackboy.
Momentum is another issue. Most stages feature spinning wheels and other objects that you must grab onto and then let go at just the right time, the goal to propel Sackboy to another pinwheel or ledge. Again, the physics don't feel right, so it takes more tries than necessary to complete the objective. It's a shame, because aside from these small issues, LittleBigPlanet features extraordinary physics.
It also has some of the best graphics and audio on PlayStation 3. All of the textures, from a sun drenched African landscape to Sackboy's realistic looking burlap skin look amazing, as do the various special effects. Wood looks like wood, feathers blow in the breeze, fire hypnotically dances in the air and spit-shined black boots gleam in the light. Now complimented with a catchy soundtrack (LittleBigPlanet's signature main theme will be in your head for a while), and there's no doubt that Sony and Media Molecule nailed this game's presentation.
In a sense, LittleBigPlanet is only as good as we make it, and with the promise of downloadable content (including a Metal Gear pack, complete with Solid Snake Sackboy), there should always be some new world to explore or sticker to collect. Even if you have no desire to make anything, there will be a never-ending stream of content. Who knows, perhaps seeing other people's designs will inspire you, and if that happens, there's no telling how many doors you'll open. With that, we strongly encourage you to purchase this marvelous game and unleash those creative juices.
Reader Comments (4)
belawler9...Don't you already know that this site is run by 13 year-olds? Honestly, I just like to read their stuff, laugh at all the stupid stuff, and then go to GameSpot for a real review.
@belawler9 -- Touche -- Guess we had to eat crow on that one!
"Keep in mind, however, that the game has an excessive amount of instructive videos and you should take notes, especially if you download LittleBigPlanet and don't have a manual." Correction: There is no PSN version of LittleBigPlanet. It's BD only. I remember hearing that it took around 40 GB on the disc anyhow, so it wouldn't be possible through PSN since that is just too huge.
gee, guys. i could've sworn you said LBP would "probably suck." what happened?