'Planet' is big fun
Players can create their own levels.
Published Nov. 3, 2008
In a console war that has seen the "Halo" franchise take the Xbox 360 to unparalleled heights and the motion-based gameplay of the Wii, the PS3 has fallen to the back of the pack. But just because the PS3 stumbled out of the gate, help is finally on the way with the release of Sony's PS3 exclusive "LittleBIGPlanet."
The game is a new age platformer that gives players the ability to create and edit just about anything they can imagine, a creative game that is absolutely amazing with very few problems and so much upside.
When it comes to platformers, it is crucial to the success of the game that the developer creates a character a gamer can fall in love with, like Nintendo's Mario. "LittleBIGPlanet" has the sackboy/sackgirl, both completely customizable. Players can be in the middle of a level, pick up a new costume piece and put it on immediately. This is just one of the many reasons why the game is easy to love.
The single-player experience encompasses 25 main levels and several more mini-levels, with extremely basic gameplay. The sackboy can only run, jump and grab. Even if you can't shoot fireballs, the gameplay is still addictive because of the originality of every level. The main storyline focuses on players using their sackboys to traverse the levels that Media Molecule has put together.
A single player can play the game, but there are certain puzzles that can only be solved with two or more players. Don't worry if you don't have any friends, because you can join players online to fully complete your quest.
While there is no princess to save, you will have to save the entire "LittleBIGPlanet" from the evil collector. To beat the main levels it shouldn't take players more than 10 hours, but if you try to beat the levels without losing a single life and collecting all of the objects the time you play will increase dramatically. The mini-levels are equally addictive, with some unique levels and traditional races - even a mini-game that plays like the "Internet Helicopter" game.
One of the things that make "LittleBIGPlanet" so good is the ability to create anything. In the level editor, players can create their own levels from scratch, making their own obstacles or by editing those already created by Media Molecule and adding that missing element. The physics engine and amount of objects you can put in your level make for the most innovative features ever put in a game. If you happen to have a Playstation Eye, you can create your own objects in the game. Once you have created your masterpiece you can then upload it online and have other players enjoy your creation. Within the first week there have been "Mario," "Pac-Man" and "Space Invaders" clone levels. With the game community's ability to create its own levels, "LittleBIGPlanet" could have one of the longest replay values ever.