Little Big Planet Review

Little Big Planet is one of the flagships of the PS3, but is it worthy of such a weighty position? With an adorable mascot and a plethora of online features, LBP offers a memorable and light-hearted romp around the world, exploring such exotic locales as the African wilderness or the mountains of Asia. However, the gameplay isn't always sharp and Sack Boy sometimes moves like a sack of potatoes, creating serious hindrances to this otherwise delightful game.

There is a loose sense of narrative as you progress from one portion of the globe to another, but it's really rather inconsequential to the game. It provides just enough structure to give you a reason for exploring each area, but for the most part, LBP is all about gameplay and presentation. As the lovable Sack Boy, you'll jump and climb through elaborate levels generally with the goal of simply reaching the end of the stage. There is some variety; you will occasionally race your comrades, be asked to find someone or something, or have to run through timed sequences. There are also some puzzle elements, and though most of it is pretty basic, there's plenty of clever designs and even a few tricky sequences to satisfy your platforming side. Additionally, there are several side missions attached to the main sequences. These missions have one short, specific goal, oriented toward collecting points--it may be a race, or a challenge to stay alive as long as possible. They're fun for a side diversion with friends, but cannot compare to the main levels.



The platforming gameplay would be even better if Sack Boy didn't have some of the most awkward controls possible for a platforming star. Sack Boy employs floaty jumps as well as slow, stiff running, making his movements often imprecise. He is simply not optimized for small, tight platforms, or craggy surfaces, and trying to perform moves with finesse is abysmal. Missing jumps because Sack Boy controls like a piece of fluff is beyond frustrating--almost as annoying as the camera. Generally it is pulled back as far as possible, so Sack Boy is practically a speck on you television screen, making accurate movement a pain. Often the camera is positioned at a dynamic angle showing off the scenery, but it just puts an annoying perspective on your adventures. It might have been nice during portions where your movements did not require fine-tuned maneuvering, but instead it is usually during important sequences. These controls really ruin some sequences, and make much of the game needlessly difficult.

The major distinctive feature of LBP's platforming are the three planes among which Sack Boy can move, providing more action within a smaller viewing space. Though it's a clever concept, in practice it is a large hindrance to the game. Oftentimes it's difficult to even tell which plane you are on, given the inflexible camera, and moving between planes is a pain, especially when you activate it by accident. You can move between the planes by pressing up or down on the control stick or the game will automatically shift you when necessary. Neither is terribly precise, and both cause a lot of problems during tricky portions, particularly on small platforms. It would be a lot easier to have a single button to control changing planes, and it would definitely streamline the action. As it is, one of the main features of LBP ends up being its most troublesome aspect.



The gameplay may have its ups and downs, but the graphics and sound display an unwavering high level of quality. The visuals are quirky, odd, and gorgeous; there is a fantastic juxtaposition of realism and outlandish designs, crafting a unique and memorable presentation. The effects are top notch as well, and though Sack Boy's physics leave a lot to be desired, the movements of objects and the seamless clarity of the graphics in LBP show off the PS3's capabilities. Similarly, the soundtrack is amazing, offering a wide range of musical styles and influences to match Sack Boy's globe trotting adventure. Some are more stirring than others, but all of them provide excellent background music to top off the already stunning presentation.

It would be hard to ignore the sheer amount of customization the game provides for you. Sack Boy's tiny body is a waiting canvas for your artistic eye, with a huge assortment of skin patterns, hats, shirts, pants, facial features, etc. After you have unlocked a substantial amount of items by collecting them in the main missions, it's easy to spend an absurd amount of time just messing around with Sack Boy's appearance, creating wacky costumes and saving them for future use. Not only can you tailor cut Sack Boy, but you can craft your own stages, using a variety of tools and decorating them with stickers, also collected in the main missions. For a creative mind, the palette that LBP provides is enough to put almost any idea into a reality, then publishing your creation online for Sack Boys worldwide to enjoy.



Jumping online and exploring the compositions of other LBP players can be somewhat shaky, but overall it's a worthwhile endeavor. Naturally, you may run into some strange, bizarre, or poorly constructed stages--a danger with any such user-generated content--but there are also plenty of smart ideas out there, and playing through them with friends or strangers online puts long legs on this game's replay value. Putting four Sack Boys into a stage and watching them run around is entertaining enough as it is--give them a proper objective, and it becomes a madhouse. Some sequences become a lot more challenging or tedious with four players, but overall the cooperative gameplay is a lot of fun. There are a ton of options for replaying and jumping into the LBP community, so don't be afraid to play around with things.

What Little Big Planet really encapsulates is an online social experience, one of user generated levels, shared designs, and shared experiences, and in that respect the game is a success. However, delightfully bouncy graphics and a fantastic soundtrack fail to remedy the blatant problems with the controls and gameplay. As it stands, LBP is a good platformer, but it has plenty holding it back as well.

7/10