Game Title: LittleBigPlanet
Console: PS3
Developer: Media Molecule
Release Date: October 28, 2008
Pregame:
LittleBigPlanet is the brainchild of the UK-based Media Molecule, and it was a wide detour from most AAA titles of the time. 2008, when LBP was released, was the year of GTAIV, Gears of War 2, Fallout 3, and Left 4 Dead. Instead of something gritty or bracing, LBP is a lighthearted platformer that leads players through beautiful locations that are often soaked in sillyness. That detour won Media Molecule Studio of the Year at the 2008 Spike TV awards, eight AIAS awards, five Develop awards, two BAFTAs, a Surrey Business Award, and a slew of awards from online news portals. Needless to say, the innovation paid off.
Play-by-play:
A lot can be said for first impressions, so let's talk about LBP's intro. The opening , which is entirely skippable, shows video of real people drifting off to sleep, with their dream bubbles drifting up to form the world the players will soon enjoy, all to wonderful narration by the great Stephen Fry. Check it out below.
That is the spirit behind LBP in a nutshell. The game itself doesn't have too much in the way of plot, but that's not the point. The point is relaxed and fun exploration, which LBP executes perfectly. In LBP, players control an extremely customizable doll who seems to be stiched out of a burlap sack, aptly named a Sackboy (or Sackgirl, if you like). As the game progresses, players will unlock all kinds of goodies, many of which are costume pieces that their Sackboy can wear. The sheer number of them are staggering.
While the Sackboys and Sackgirls frolic from place to place, they travel through a large number of varied 2.5D levels. For the uninitiated, 2.5D closely resembles 2D, except that the player can hop into the 3rd dimension to a limited degree. For navigating around some obstacles, you would think this would get pretty tricky, but a simple jump will usually put the player where they're trying to go.
The controls are simple: left, right, jump, and grab. While that may seem meager compared to most games complex control schemes, there is beauty in simplicity. When I first rode a moving sawhorse down a steep hill, only to jump off at the end, fly forward, grab a hanging ball and swing to the next platform, I was hooked. From then on, I was trapezing from one stampeding wildebeest to the next while traversing a burning jungle, dodging electric traps while navigating a half-finished construction site, and even controlling a hot air balloon to go fight ninjas. And don't even get me started on the roller runs!
What's more, I didn't do it alone. LBP is one of the few PS3 games out there with four-player co-op, which just amps up the fun level. When all four of you have to make a big jump, it's a rather unique moment when one of you grabs the hanging ball, and every other player grabs someone's legs, and all of you swing over a huge gap in a giant line.
Adding to the game's customization, there are several (and I mean several) downloadable costume packs for your favorite Sackboy, and they cover a wide range of interests. For example:
Those are from the Final Fantasy VII costume pack and Assassin's Creed II costume pack, in case you were unsure. While there are thousands of combinations of possible outfits for your Sackboy, the biggest mark of customization in this game is the level creator. With it, the possibilities are endless. While the game's Story mode may be lengthy, it absolutely pales in comparison to what players have created over the years.
Players have made everything from interesting spins on the game's core mechanics to homages to other games. I once played a creepy Silent Hill level that ended with a fight with a giant Pyramid Head. Picture the gentlemen to the right made of cardboard swinging a flaming sword.
The fact that something like that is even possible is a mark in this game's favor. The opening video alone should tell you how much this game and its creators value creativity, and they've given the players tools to do almost anything.
Final Call:
LBP may do plot to the highest degree, but what it does do it does extremely well. Gameplay, sillyness and ingenuity are this game's calling cards. You can pick it up and play it as long or short as you'd like, and it'll always be fun. Grab a friend or three and definitely check this one out. Now, nearly three and a half years after it's release, you can pick up a Game of the Year edition for $20!
Console: PS3
Developer: Media Molecule
Release Date: October 28, 2008
Pregame:
Play-by-play:
A lot can be said for first impressions, so let's talk about LBP's intro. The opening , which is entirely skippable, shows video of real people drifting off to sleep, with their dream bubbles drifting up to form the world the players will soon enjoy, all to wonderful narration by the great Stephen Fry. Check it out below.
That is the spirit behind LBP in a nutshell. The game itself doesn't have too much in the way of plot, but that's not the point. The point is relaxed and fun exploration, which LBP executes perfectly. In LBP, players control an extremely customizable doll who seems to be stiched out of a burlap sack, aptly named a Sackboy (or Sackgirl, if you like). As the game progresses, players will unlock all kinds of goodies, many of which are costume pieces that their Sackboy can wear. The sheer number of them are staggering.
The controls are simple: left, right, jump, and grab. While that may seem meager compared to most games complex control schemes, there is beauty in simplicity. When I first rode a moving sawhorse down a steep hill, only to jump off at the end, fly forward, grab a hanging ball and swing to the next platform, I was hooked. From then on, I was trapezing from one stampeding wildebeest to the next while traversing a burning jungle, dodging electric traps while navigating a half-finished construction site, and even controlling a hot air balloon to go fight ninjas. And don't even get me started on the roller runs!
What's more, I didn't do it alone. LBP is one of the few PS3 games out there with four-player co-op, which just amps up the fun level. When all four of you have to make a big jump, it's a rather unique moment when one of you grabs the hanging ball, and every other player grabs someone's legs, and all of you swing over a huge gap in a giant line.
Adding to the game's customization, there are several (and I mean several) downloadable costume packs for your favorite Sackboy, and they cover a wide range of interests. For example:
Those are from the Final Fantasy VII costume pack and Assassin's Creed II costume pack, in case you were unsure. While there are thousands of combinations of possible outfits for your Sackboy, the biggest mark of customization in this game is the level creator. With it, the possibilities are endless. While the game's Story mode may be lengthy, it absolutely pales in comparison to what players have created over the years.
The fact that something like that is even possible is a mark in this game's favor. The opening video alone should tell you how much this game and its creators value creativity, and they've given the players tools to do almost anything.
Final Call:
LBP may do plot to the highest degree, but what it does do it does extremely well. Gameplay, sillyness and ingenuity are this game's calling cards. You can pick it up and play it as long or short as you'd like, and it'll always be fun. Grab a friend or three and definitely check this one out. Now, nearly three and a half years after it's release, you can pick up a Game of the Year edition for $20!
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