When gamers think of the first PlayStation console, they no doubt reminisce about how titles like "Metal Gear Solid," "Final Fantasy VII" and "Gran Turismo" not only defined the system, but altered the gaming landscape as well.
A decade or so from now, when gamers are playing their PS5s, they will remember "LittleBigPlanet" for the same reasons.
This is the game of the year for 2008.
At its core, LBP plays like your average 2D side-scroller. Up to four players can team up to tackle any of the in-game or user-created online levels.
If played in a linear fashion, the story mode won't take long to complete. Perhaps one of the only criticisms you could throw at LBP is that it's not a ton of value for users who haven't taken their PS3s online. However, even these gamers should experience the incredible game design.
The story itself is very simple and revolves around an evil-doer named The Collector, who is kidnapping all the different creatures in LittleBigPlanet. Along the way gamers will encounter a number of puzzles and hazards while gathering items they can use in their own stages.
The levels that come with the game are ingeniously designed and offer a ton of replay value. The emphasis is for gamers to play each other's stages and eventually build their own, but you will want to go back and collect every item from the built-in levels.
The style in LBP is also incredibly charming -- think a cuter version of "The Nightmare Before Christmas." Each gamer can dress up their little sack person and even have them convey a number of emotions as they play through the game.
And then there's the level editor -- a tool so powerful, users can literally build anything from the ground up.
However, you can't simply jump in and start creating. The game offers numerous lessons and tutorials to sit through first. They're not mandatory, but you'd be crazy not to see how everything works. Invest a bit of time and you'll be rigging stuff to blow up in no time.
Building a level is a big investment in time (I still haven't perfected my first one), but seeing your imagination come to life on screen is one of the most satisfying experiences you're likely to have in a videogame.
Even if level design isn't your thing, you still have a seemingly endless stream of new levels courtesy of your fellow gamers.
There are a number of great titles being released this holiday season, but LBP should be right at the top of every PS3 owner's list. Not only is it one of the most original games to be released in a long time, it's the single best title on the system so far. Buy it.
WHAM! Rating: |
10 out of 10 |
ESRB Rating: |
E (Everyone) |
Official Web Site: |
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