LittleBigPlanet

Game Info

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment

Developer: Media Molecule

Platform:  PS3

Genre(s): Action

Players: 4

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Release Date: October 28, 2008

Intro:
The cute little sack boy gets an instant introduction on a blackened screen under a spotlight.  A disembodied voice tells the player how to move and he moves along past amusing pictures.  It's an innovative and creative way to do game credits at the beginning of the game, allowing the player to play from the start and to get a feel for the game.  It definitely draws the player in. 

Getting Going:
The intro already has the player going.  What follows is a quick prologue that tells the player how to access things in the poppet menu.  It's fairly apparent from the start that there will be a lot to do in this game, a load of creativity for the player to use and a multitude of options for personalization.  If I had a complaint in the beginning, it would be that my poor little sack boy had a horrible scowl.  I found out shortly how to fix that, but I wished I'd have had that information while I was customizing my character.  Still, since you can customize at any time, it really is a non-issue.

Fun:
There is so much to see and do in this game.  It had to be the most fun I've ever had in a side-scroller.  Every detail is attended to in the creation of this game so that theming is never an issue.  There is truely something for everyone here.  Players can put stickers on just about any surface, if so inclined.  There are things to grab, things to push, swinging items, and Humpty-Dumpty's to push over.  There are prizes and trophies and things to keep players busy for many hours.  It's a great family game since it offers cooperative play and is easily cross-generational.

Visuals:
Every item is themed.  When something needs to be soft enough to grab, it's a sponge.  Some surfaces look upholstered.  Cardboard looks like cardboard.  Prizes are shiny.  There is a lot to see and do.  Players don't always have to race through the game making it possible to play with many of the surfaces in the game along the way.  And the sack boy is completely maneuverable, which is extremely impressive.  The sixaxis controller makes it possible to make the sack boy's head move, look, etc or to make him wiggle his hips, dance-style.  The navigation arrows give players emotional options for the sack boy.  L2 and R2 let players control the arms. 

Sound:
It is said that sound quality can add to the feel of the game and an immersive quality.  Media Molecule doesn't disappoint.  The music and sound effects fit in seamlessly creating an invisibility, which is a good thing.  It's not jarring and the player is never taken out of the experience by a sound effect or irritating music.

Intelligence:
There are really no NPC's to play against.  The game sets up a gauntlet of obstacles for the player to go through and the player makes it or doesn't.  It's not so much that the game plays against the player.  On the other hand, it's not challenging simply for the sake of being challenging.  The player can go through and try to get everything, obtaining the highest score or can simply make it through the best they can.  Players are given more than one try at any given obstacle before receiving a retry, the game's only real "fail" state.

Immersion:
The sack boys are completely customize-able as is much of the environment.  The avatars are so cute as they toddle their way across the screen, legs kicking in the air as they swing from sponge to bird to ledges.  What's not to love about this game.  There is no real story, no emotional tie.  There is simply engrossing gameplay that allows the hours to slip away without notice.

Cameras:
It's a side-scroller, so there's little to nothing in the way of camera options.  The views are perfect, however, and I never felt as if I couldn't see what needed to be seen.  The game is relatively, if not almost completely, glitch-free.  I never came across an area in which I was stuck, ran off-screen or ran into any gameplay bugs.  In fact, an animation for "stuck" is included in the game!

Controls:
As stated in "Fun" and "Visuals", there is a lot to do here.  The development team has made full use of the Sixaxis controller to allow full body movement options for the avatar, as well as a multitude of gameplay options such as pulling, pushing, running, jumping, grabbing, extra strength, etc.  It is obvious that a great deal of thought and effort were put into the gameplay experience and it pays off.  Every aspect of this game works in harmony to make gameplay a true pleasure.

Ideas:
Innovation, uniqueness, cute:  LittleBigPlanet, more than any game I've seen, makes it evident that a game can be fun for all ages.  It reveals a hidden truth: even cute games are fun for adults and males.

Memory:
It's hard to put this game down for long.  It's even harder to consider staying away.  LittleBigPlanet has a lot to offer and that, alone, keeps players coming back for more.