2old2play takes a look into the PS3's long awaited platforming title, Little Big Planet. Was it worth the wait? Read on to find out.
It’s not often that the gaming industry hits a milestone. By milestone, I mean something that redefines how we game, or how we enthusiasts look at gaming. Everquest opened people’s eyes to the possibilities of massive multiplayer online gaming, and paved the way for the behemoth known fondly as World of Warcrack. Nobody, not even the Nintendo executives, could have foreseen the level by which the Wii can print money for the company. With a motto of “Play, Create, Share”, I can’t help but wonder if Little Big Planet is poised to start another revolution in gaming - one where it’s the gamers’ imagination, not the developers’, that defines the limits of the game.
Play
At it’s core, Little Big Planet is a pretty standard side-scrolling platform game. Like it’s predecessors, you start a level at one end, and by traversing obstacles and solving puzzles, you reach the levels conclusion at the other end. However, where most history platformers are strictly two dimensional, Little Big Planet adds a touch of a third dimension by adding 3 separate depths to the play field. As such, you can step behind the scenery to reach areas hidden from first view, or allow levels with multiple paths to the same end, often interweaving throughout the level. It will take a few minutes to wrap your head around the extra depth in a platformer, but once you do moving in and out of the screen becomes second nature.
From a visual perspective, Little Big Planet brings a fresh, fun but not cute style to the PS3. Where games on the Wii tend to be simplistic in order to attract the ‘casual’ gamer, Little Big Planet has a vibrant pallet and quirky feel that will appeal to anyone playing the game, or just passing by. Your sackboy/girl, while initially plain and non-descript, quickly becomes whatever you can imagine through the pages of costume pieces, all interchangeable for a near limitless level of customization. The level design from the campaign is just as diverse as the characters you can build. From storyland castles to jungle adventures, from underground tunnels to cityscapes, you will not get the feeling of playing the same level twice.
The controls for the game are a bit floaty at times, with more relaxed physics than in other titles. However, both the controls and the world environment match the look and feel of the game, so they do not detract from the playing experience. The soundtracks for each level are light, fun, and just plain catchy. I found myself humming some of the tunes (even that oh-so-heinous banned track) well after shutting the game off. Minimal load times are restricted to just the start of the levels, after which you can play without pause as you move up, down, and across the levels.
Create
I will put this as plainly as possible: Little Big Planet comes with the single most robust and powerful level creation toolset gamers have ever seen. In fact, all the tools used by the developers to make the game levels are there for the end users to use to build their own creations. That’s right – the only limit to what you can build is your own imagination. The game ships with dozens of building materials, more stickers and decorations than I could count, and every type of switch, level, piston, motor, etc. etc. etc. How powerful are these tools? Someone with entirely too much time and mathematical prowlness than I even made a basic calculator using the tools in the game.
"With great power comes great responsibility." Uncle Ben's words hold true in Little Big Planet as well, and while not unexpected, its a bit of a downer that most levels available online right now are either basic, poorly thought out, or just simply put together for cheep, fast trophies. While having the full power of the tools is a wonderful thing, it also is very intimidating at the start. As such, the learning curve for the 'create' portion of the game is quite steep. Don't expect to be creating masterpieces worthy of a developing contract within your first hour in the game, or even your first month. However, with that said, I have full confidence that as time goes on, more and more quality designers will float to the top and give gamers an ever expanding gaming experience.
Share
But what fun is it to create something if it’s just for you? With that in mind, the game offers a simple interface to publish your levels to share with anyone and everyone who owns the game. Then, as those people play your creation, they can leave feedback on a level-specific message board (which you can fully moderate), rate it on a 1 to 5 star system, and label it with one of dozens of metatags which best describe your level.
The only thing better than knowing others are enjoying your imagination incarnate is to do it yourself with your friends, and this is where the game truly shines. Little Big Planet includes 4-person co-op play, whether that is local, online, or a mix of the two. Many levels are designed specifically for this capability, having special areas or routes that are only accessible through cooperation of two or more people. Your friends and your avatars can interact with each other in the game, from pulling one another to and fro, to full out sticker wars that leave levels and Sack-people alike painted as even Picasso couldn’t dream of.
At the end of the day – usually one that ends in the wee hours of the morning – Little Big Planet delivers on all the hype that preceded it. From fresh graphics to gameplay made of pure fun to some of the best co-op gaming available, look no further if you own a PS3. You probably already own it, but if not, Little Big Planet is a win.
