'LittleBigPlanet': an extension of the player's imagination

By: Jake Ryan

Posted: 11/5/08

These past few weeks have seen a myriad of games released across all formats. Some were good ("Fallout 3"), some were bad ("Wii Music"), but one title stood like a pillar of light above all others: "LittleBigPlanet" for the PlayStation 3. No, you can't blow off people's heads or have sex in this game, but despite these reasons, and in fact because of these reasons, LBP is a better game.

From the moment you start playing until you turn it off, it is impossible not to smile. The characters, menus and levels are all bright, fun looking and goofy enough to put a smile on any gamer hardened by warfare and alien extinction.

The game has three main pillars: story mode, creating levels and online play. All are brilliant, but the story mode is recommended for those just picking up the game. The 2D platform starts off simple and engaging, but by the end, you will be animating your character to weep with frustration. The story itself is nothing more than a loose connector for the levels, but a game like this doesn't need a plot like "BioShock." The joy of this game is in the act of playing, and it is a pure joy.

Inside the story mode levels are hundreds of items to collect, all of which are used to customize your character or the levels that you can build. For gamers out there who obsess about getting every hidden item in a game, this is your bread and butter.

The creating aspect of LBP is definitely where its replay value lies. Those hundreds of cheery stickers, decorations and building materials you scoured the planet for are all at your disposal to create any level you can imagine.

To see what diversity is possible and to inspire creation, take a look at the story mode levels. Every one is possible to make in the level creation mode, everything from your own unique bad guys, boss fights, obstacles and anything else you can imagine. If you think making video game levels is easy, here's a chance to put your money where your mouth is.

If you do make a level to be proud of, you can "publish" it on the network, making it available to everyone across the world to play. The online qualities of "LBP" make it a caliber of game that could not have existed on the last generation of consoles. Countless numbers of online levels exists to test out and rate. Any level, including the story mode, is playable with up to four players, whether they are in your living room or across the globe. In fact, many items can only be unlocked if multiple people are playing in unison to solve a puzzle.

Overall, the game has clean and sharp graphics for a game that could still excel with PS1 graphics. The soundtrack is extremely charming and on a warm and sunny morning, you just might find yourself whistling a few tracks.

The game is not without its faults though. The network seems to be a bit finicky, but several messages have been issued stating that the powers that be are working on it. The controls can take some getting used to, as a single track of ground actually has three depths: a background, middle and foreground. The player can jump in-between these and this gives the levels a great layered effect that is well worth any minor annoyance that comes with learning controls.

The creation mode has a long list of tutorials and necessary learning. Don't expect to pick up the game and instantly create a masterpiece. Of course, this is the cost of an extremely in-depth creation mechanism that is well worth it in the long run.

To sum it up, "LittleBigPlanet" is one of the greatest titles on PS3. It is beautiful, exuberantly fun and defies you not to walk away smiling. LBP is an absolute must-own game.