A Planet of Innovation
As corny as the title is, all truth behind it. A brief look back at the past, will show how important I feel this game is to the industry and it's future. When I was a youngling, roughly around the age of 7, games like Spyro and Crash Bandicoot pretty much owned my childhood and became my icons. For my friends? It was Mario, and even - dare I say? Pikachu. The gamer generation before had Mario, Sonic, Donkey Kong, etc. Their have always been video games that connected with children, and kept them into the industry till they were in their 20's, 30's. In my opinion, even before I get to this review, Little Big Planet is that game, and is their to replace children's icons in Call of Duty and Halo. Solid games, but not for 7, 8, 9, and 10 years olds for obvious reasons. The Sackboy has the ability to be a childs icon like Mario, Crash, and Sonic were for the older generations. IF. If everything goes as it should...
Onward to the review.
Play
Gameplay wise, their are some noticeable kinks that need to be ironed out. Jumping from one plain to another can be troublesome. The game does a good job at automatically doing this for most situations - however, complex areas make this a nightmare. However, with practice this obstacle can be easily overcome. Grabbing is also something that has it's technicalities and errors, especially for moving objects, such as cars - which can be a hassle. But, these are just extremely knitpicky points, Little Big Planets controls and gameplay is completely solid and easy to use with quick practice.
Create
Creating is a huge part of LBP. Once you start, you start of with minimal amounts of stuff to create your sackboy with, but overtime - with playing the game thoroughly you can get a WIDE variety of clothing, all are extremely unique and help everyone create something unique that identifies with themselves. One of the best points about little big planet, no doubt.
The Creation tool is a bit more.. complicating. You start off my going to your moon and get started in a slew of mundane tutorials. However, half way through they start getting interesting and you realize that these are the key tutorials for actually enjoying Little Big Planet. You get a basic tool to shape your level. Take a basic shape, size it(the grid aspect of this is a god send), move it, place it. Simple as that. Simple designs and levels are easy to do on the fly. The old saying rings true here, "Easy to play, hard to master." That could not ring truer, but it just adds to the insane amount of replay value.
Share
At the day of release, the online aspect was extremely glitchy and slow - but that seems to be fixed. The ability to jump into games with friends, invite them into yours and both collect the objects and stickers is a huge plus, and.. after day one - works smoothly and easily.
I have found however, that if you get invited to join a game when it ends, the points count for you as well - which doesn't make much sense to me.. But I guess it could possibly get fixed later on. With expception to that, the online play is smooth, and feels just like playing with a person next to you - which is a huge plus in this kind of game.
Overall
Ever since I got this game on day one - I have been wandering forums an a fluery of game sites - I've found something weird. Something I know Media Molecule wanted, happened. It's already sprouted a unique online atmosphere. It's different then Halo, Gears, and Call of Duty. It's even different then sports games. Theirs a genuine appeal to embrace the community of Little Big Planet more so then ever before for other games. Upload a level, everyone comments with great crit., very few negative comments. And after playing Call of Duty for months - that was a weird feeling.
It's already developed a friendly atmosphere which will really entice parents to put their kids to this game - and imagine, not just the hardcore gamer making levels - but non-gamers like children and women making levels as well, such a wider variety of possibilities could be enabled if this atmosphere continues.
Overall, I have to say - on of, if not the best game of this generation, and of the past 8 or so years. If you have a Playstation 3 - get this game. It's not just the gameplay, the story, the presentation, the online style or even the innovation. It's this entire package that makes me give this game a 5/5 (something I have never done since Final Fantasy 7 and Metal Gear Solid). Will it change video gaming forever? Or fall onto the shelves of gamers? That's up to you.
Onward to the review.
Play
Gameplay wise, their are some noticeable kinks that need to be ironed out. Jumping from one plain to another can be troublesome. The game does a good job at automatically doing this for most situations - however, complex areas make this a nightmare. However, with practice this obstacle can be easily overcome. Grabbing is also something that has it's technicalities and errors, especially for moving objects, such as cars - which can be a hassle. But, these are just extremely knitpicky points, Little Big Planets controls and gameplay is completely solid and easy to use with quick practice.
Create
Creating is a huge part of LBP. Once you start, you start of with minimal amounts of stuff to create your sackboy with, but overtime - with playing the game thoroughly you can get a WIDE variety of clothing, all are extremely unique and help everyone create something unique that identifies with themselves. One of the best points about little big planet, no doubt.
The Creation tool is a bit more.. complicating. You start off my going to your moon and get started in a slew of mundane tutorials. However, half way through they start getting interesting and you realize that these are the key tutorials for actually enjoying Little Big Planet. You get a basic tool to shape your level. Take a basic shape, size it(the grid aspect of this is a god send), move it, place it. Simple as that. Simple designs and levels are easy to do on the fly. The old saying rings true here, "Easy to play, hard to master." That could not ring truer, but it just adds to the insane amount of replay value.
Share
At the day of release, the online aspect was extremely glitchy and slow - but that seems to be fixed. The ability to jump into games with friends, invite them into yours and both collect the objects and stickers is a huge plus, and.. after day one - works smoothly and easily.
I have found however, that if you get invited to join a game when it ends, the points count for you as well - which doesn't make much sense to me.. But I guess it could possibly get fixed later on. With expception to that, the online play is smooth, and feels just like playing with a person next to you - which is a huge plus in this kind of game.
Overall
Ever since I got this game on day one - I have been wandering forums an a fluery of game sites - I've found something weird. Something I know Media Molecule wanted, happened. It's already sprouted a unique online atmosphere. It's different then Halo, Gears, and Call of Duty. It's even different then sports games. Theirs a genuine appeal to embrace the community of Little Big Planet more so then ever before for other games. Upload a level, everyone comments with great crit., very few negative comments. And after playing Call of Duty for months - that was a weird feeling.
It's already developed a friendly atmosphere which will really entice parents to put their kids to this game - and imagine, not just the hardcore gamer making levels - but non-gamers like children and women making levels as well, such a wider variety of possibilities could be enabled if this atmosphere continues.
Overall, I have to say - on of, if not the best game of this generation, and of the past 8 or so years. If you have a Playstation 3 - get this game. It's not just the gameplay, the story, the presentation, the online style or even the innovation. It's this entire package that makes me give this game a 5/5 (something I have never done since Final Fantasy 7 and Metal Gear Solid). Will it change video gaming forever? Or fall onto the shelves of gamers? That's up to you.
