Game Title: LittleBigPlanet 2
Console: PS3
Developer: Media Molecule
Release Date: January 18, 2011
Pregame:
After the widespread success of LittleBigPlanet in 2008 (check out the late in the game review on that one), Media Molecule spent the next three years creating a sequel that set out to top it, which is no small task. The result was a polished gem that earned critical praise to the level of near-worship.
Play-by-play:
So, how do you go about besting one of the industry's best platformers? Well, for starters, you keep the game mechanics the same, you keep the world in 2.5D, you make the jumping and grabbing feel the same as before, you keep the ridiculous costumes, you keep four-player-compatibility, and you keep. Stephen. Fry.
It does seem like the developers sat down and decided, as a whole, to make the game feel as much like its predecessor as possible. For example, when a player has a LBP1 save file on their hard drive, LBP2 will import that save, keep all the player's unlocked content and costumes, and even start the player off wearing whatever costume they had on when they last played LBP1.
So what's different? Well, for starters, the story mode this time around has an injection of personality. Not for the Sackthings, which is a new blanket term for the voice actors (!) to use to address both sackboys and sackgirls, but for the supporting characters in the game's plot. Sackthing is still a silent blank slate for the players to project their own personality onto, but the secondary characters have come to life. In LBP1, one of the game's few weak points was the plot, what with it being missing and all. NPCs were mostly background noise and were used to setup the game's superior levels, and that worked for the game. Media Molecule seems to have wanted to improve upon that, however, and succeeded. In LBP2, the secondary characters stand out and drive the story. Players are given a real reason to traverse the game's beautiful levels.
Players are first greeted by Larry Da Vinci (pictured above), who is based on just who you think he is, and later meet the over-the-top Avalon Centrifuge, the prim and proper Victoria Von Bathysphere, and many more. They and the player(s) must team up to save the world from an evil vacuum dragon named the Negativitron. In a game that is rife with creativity and boundless possibilities, I can think of no more fitting enemy than negativity.
The key difference in between LBP1 and LBP2's gameplay comes in the form of items. LBP1 let players carry around a paint gun, but this time around, Sackthings have an arsenal. Players can get around levels and defeat enemies using a slew of new items, including the Grappling Hook (which players can use to attach themselves to any grab-able surface, including other players), the Grabinators (which let players pick up and throw objects, again, including other players), several vehicles, and more. These innovations may seem small, but the way they're used and they way they could be used in player-created content are anything but.
Speaking of player-created content, I'd say that LBP2's greatest flaw actually lies within its greatest strength: creating new levels. That is, learning to use the level creator and all the tools therein is initially a daunting prospect; it can be overwhelming to choose between the the frankly staggering amount of tools, items, and environments available, even without DLC. Even more so considering all the content from LBP1 is included. It's not as if learning how to use these tools and items is particularly difficult - it isn't - it's just that the empty canvas can be a little intimidating. However, players can do great and wondrous things once they clear that particular hurdle.
Of course, if players don't have the creative itch themselves, that doesn't mean they can't enjoy the brainchildren of the thousands of existing LBP2 players. What's more, all the previously existing LBP1 user created levels are also playable with LBP2. That's a huge number of levels to play!
The really amazing thing about player-created levels is what people have manged to do with them. Some of these things seem impossible with this kind of game, but there they are, and they work. To get my meaning, consider the following:
That is, unsurprisingly, a level in LBP2. But so is this:
And this:
And even this:
The fact that it is actually possible to create a gritty 3D first-person shooter inside a game that is a lighthearted 2.5D platformer is nothing short of amazing.
Media Molecule recognized the gigantic online community it was creating, and planned accordingly. It designed most of the games Trophies to only unlock with extensive online play, and why not? It would be an awful shame players skipped the veritable clown car of online content, and a little encouragement could keep some players from missing out on the bigger part of the LBP2's experience.
Final call:
Essentially, LBP2 is LBP1, but with a plot and some new toys. Since LBP1 was such an great game, that makes LBP2 fantastic in my book. For those of you that have not played either game, I'd say go with the the sequel. It's the same great fun, and you can even play the old player-created levels from LBP1 with it. At the time of writing, it's possible to get the Special Edition (which includes some DLC) for $30. It's a tough deal to pass up, and I wouldn't recommend doing so.
Console: PS3
Developer: Media Molecule
Release Date: January 18, 2011
After the widespread success of LittleBigPlanet in 2008 (check out the late in the game review on that one), Media Molecule spent the next three years creating a sequel that set out to top it, which is no small task. The result was a polished gem that earned critical praise to the level of near-worship.
Play-by-play:
So, how do you go about besting one of the industry's best platformers? Well, for starters, you keep the game mechanics the same, you keep the world in 2.5D, you make the jumping and grabbing feel the same as before, you keep the ridiculous costumes, you keep four-player-compatibility, and you keep. Stephen. Fry.
It does seem like the developers sat down and decided, as a whole, to make the game feel as much like its predecessor as possible. For example, when a player has a LBP1 save file on their hard drive, LBP2 will import that save, keep all the player's unlocked content and costumes, and even start the player off wearing whatever costume they had on when they last played LBP1.
So what's different? Well, for starters, the story mode this time around has an injection of personality. Not for the Sackthings, which is a new blanket term for the voice actors (!) to use to address both sackboys and sackgirls, but for the supporting characters in the game's plot. Sackthing is still a silent blank slate for the players to project their own personality onto, but the secondary characters have come to life. In LBP1, one of the game's few weak points was the plot, what with it being missing and all. NPCs were mostly background noise and were used to setup the game's superior levels, and that worked for the game. Media Molecule seems to have wanted to improve upon that, however, and succeeded. In LBP2, the secondary characters stand out and drive the story. Players are given a real reason to traverse the game's beautiful levels.Players are first greeted by Larry Da Vinci (pictured above), who is based on just who you think he is, and later meet the over-the-top Avalon Centrifuge, the prim and proper Victoria Von Bathysphere, and many more. They and the player(s) must team up to save the world from an evil vacuum dragon named the Negativitron. In a game that is rife with creativity and boundless possibilities, I can think of no more fitting enemy than negativity.
Speaking of player-created content, I'd say that LBP2's greatest flaw actually lies within its greatest strength: creating new levels. That is, learning to use the level creator and all the tools therein is initially a daunting prospect; it can be overwhelming to choose between the the frankly staggering amount of tools, items, and environments available, even without DLC. Even more so considering all the content from LBP1 is included. It's not as if learning how to use these tools and items is particularly difficult - it isn't - it's just that the empty canvas can be a little intimidating. However, players can do great and wondrous things once they clear that particular hurdle.
Of course, if players don't have the creative itch themselves, that doesn't mean they can't enjoy the brainchildren of the thousands of existing LBP2 players. What's more, all the previously existing LBP1 user created levels are also playable with LBP2. That's a huge number of levels to play!
The really amazing thing about player-created levels is what people have manged to do with them. Some of these things seem impossible with this kind of game, but there they are, and they work. To get my meaning, consider the following:
That is, unsurprisingly, a level in LBP2. But so is this:
And this:
And even this:
The fact that it is actually possible to create a gritty 3D first-person shooter inside a game that is a lighthearted 2.5D platformer is nothing short of amazing.
Media Molecule recognized the gigantic online community it was creating, and planned accordingly. It designed most of the games Trophies to only unlock with extensive online play, and why not? It would be an awful shame players skipped the veritable clown car of online content, and a little encouragement could keep some players from missing out on the bigger part of the LBP2's experience.
Final call:
Essentially, LBP2 is LBP1, but with a plot and some new toys. Since LBP1 was such an great game, that makes LBP2 fantastic in my book. For those of you that have not played either game, I'd say go with the the sequel. It's the same great fun, and you can even play the old player-created levels from LBP1 with it. At the time of writing, it's possible to get the Special Edition (which includes some DLC) for $30. It's a tough deal to pass up, and I wouldn't recommend doing so.
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