[BradleyLove]

This Poll is public and as such your vote will be visible!

So it's finally here, sans "offensive lyrics"...

Please avoid any spoilers in your review, and please please please try to explain your reasons for your score.

Thanks!

[Jay]

9 for me this game is outstanding, would be a ten but nothings perfect eh.

This really has re-ignited that magic spark in gaming, I'm talking the good old days when the likes of Mario 64 etc came out.

The presntation is great, the controls are simple, and it looks really good.

Throw in 4 player co-op and an unlimited amount of levels and your onto a winner.

Some of the user created levels are incredible, just think what it'll be like in 6 months time.

[musti]

10 for me since I can't see how it can be improved!! Well, maybe make the jumping a little more responsive... so 9.99999....

[onkeh]

Incredible, the environments, the music, the graphics (VERY underated, some of the materials look photo-realistic) the co-op, the building tools, the bundled levels. Has to be 10/10

[Tigerblade]

10 from me, the definitive game of the genre. It has taken from its platformer predecessors, stood on their shoulders and then added a bit more.

Brilliant.

[Fmrl]

A 9 from me. I love this game but sometimes it's let down by the awkward controls and the laggy/temperamental online service (would have been nice to have regional servers and some sort of ping support).

It's the only game I've ever played that's had me laughing so much it hurt.

[Billy Hunt]

9 from me nothing is perfect.

But it is the first game the whole family has enjoyed and played on together.

[BradleyLove]

lol. First spoiler vote already...

Don't understand though how it's not showing the person responsible... Mods - any ideas?

[Jack-Deth]

Originally Posted by Spank-A-Thon

lol. First spoiler vote already...

Don't understand though how it's not showing the person responsible... Mods - any ideas?

It was always going to happen. There are some real morons around. Usually the type of people who think that soap characters are real and that the x factor is a good programme.

[iddqd]

I don’t think a 10 should equal perfection in polls like this, but just a way to say the game deserves the highest accolade. After all, as said many times, nothing is perfect, but official review magazines dish out full marks now and again.

[derek1971]

I gave it a 10 - first time i have ever given a game a 10 on a poll like this.

Loved the beta but if truth be told didn't really appreciate how much i liked it until the beta ended and i couldn't play it for a couple of weeks until release. Is it perfect? No but for the genre it is imo currently head and shoulders above anything else out there. The amount of detail in all the objects etc and the possibilities given the toolset in the create mode are simply amazing.

Immense fun and i can see this lasting right up until LBP2

[winstano]

Don't the polls normally say 10 is genre defining as opposed to perfect?

It gets a 10 from me. The most enjoyable game I've played in my gaming life. It's challenging in places, innovative, funny... It's just brilliant.

[Mickus]

Originally Posted by jonathanmusto

10 for me since I can't see how it can be improved!! Well, maybe make the jumping a little more responsive... so 9.99999....

I'm with you on the responsiveness, so score it a 9 for that reason. Also, the auto jumping between plains is a bit hit-and-miss sometimes.

9/10 for a platformer - Hell must have just frozen over. I hate them with vengence, but this is just too damn cute!

If my boy could vote, he would rate it 1,000,000 out of ten!

[Tigerblade]

Originally Posted by Mickus

If my boy could vote, he would rate it 1,000,000 out of ten!

My eldest daughter is the same, she loves it insanely. Looks like I'll have to pony up for a few plushies when they get rounbd to releasing them

[BradleyLove]

Originally Posted by winstano

Don't the polls normally say 10 is genre defining as opposed to perfect?

It gets a 10 from me. The most enjoyable game I've played in my gaming life. It's challenging in places, innovative, funny... It's just brilliant.

They did, but when I followed the sticky guide, it's changed to Perfect for some reason.

[dan25730]

Gave it a very good. A little bit cutesy for me, I had to turn of the music it was driving me insane. However the gameplay is fun, the graphics are very good. The multiplayer is broken for me, I haven't managed to connect to another player once so far and the game resets my PS3 when I quit out so it's not without it's faults. Hopefully these things will be sorted soon!

[CAS FAN]

As posted in the other review thread (why 2? )

Just superb and i'm really torn between this and MGS4 as GOTY. Plays like a dream and offers endless lastability! Can see there being some amazing levels to play once people get to grips with it and it moves the platform genre on more than any game has since Mario 64 IMO.

An easy 10, didn't even have to think about it really! It's been an awesome year so far on the PS3 with GT5p, Wipeout HD, MGS4, LBP and Motorstorm PR and the only hard things are finding the time to play so many amazing games and deciding which one is the all format GOTY.

[BradleyLove]

Originally Posted by CAS FAN

As posted in the other review thread (why 2? )

The other review thread was not set up as a public poll and they have to be (according to review guide sticky).

[CAS FAN]

Originally Posted by Spank-A-Thon

The other review thread was not set up as a public poll and they have to be (according to review guide sticky).

Ah fair enough, someone best close it then. I agree that all Polls should be public so we can all laugh at the people with a sense of humour so basic that they think giving a big console exclusive 1/10 is even remotely funny.

[spidermanalf]

I am sorry, I just don't get it! I have tried, I just don't!

[CAS FAN]

Originally Posted by spidermanalf

I am sorry, I just don't get it! I have tried, I just don't!

What is there to get? Generally it's about getting from the start to the finish of each level whilst scoring as many points as possible. Some are races where you are racing against the clock (and others if you're playing co-op) through a level. The level creator means that the creative folk can pretty much design whatever they want as a level with the only real barrier being the limit of the designers imagination. Essentially it means that the game has limitless lastability and how good the game is all depends on the quality of the level.

I've played some amazing levels like "Escape from Alcatraz" and some poor ones but generally it's easy to spot the good ones by the rating and how many people have played and hearted it.

[spidermanalf]

I am not saying that it is rubbish, I can see the merits to it, I can see people loving it, but I don't know, I was just expecting "more".

But hey I did not like some other big name games

- Far Cry 2
- Fallout 3

All reviewed exceptionally well, but just weren't for me.

Think I am getting old and cantancerous!

[catisfit]

Games used to be praised for their physics if they had a stack of boxes somewhere which could fall over. The very best examples of physics in games involved picking objects up and moving them around to complete a puzzle.

Games used to be praised for their co-op if multiple players could exist in the same place without having to kill each other. The very best examples of co-op in games involved people pressing two buttons at once to proceed.

Games used to be praised for their customisation if you could pick from a few different objects to represent the player. The very best examples of customisation in games involved people adding decals to objects and spraying them a different colour.

Sometimes a game comes along which makes you realise just how limited everything else is - games you used to consider phenomenal examples of the craft are now empty, hollow and even boring.

There can be no other score.

10/10

[spidermanalf]

I have been playing it a bit more, and realising it is just a platform game has made me less uptight about the game, and I am enjoying it a lot more.

I do keep thinking when the arm, head and waist movements are going to come into play though.

[BradleyLove]

Originally Posted by spidermanalf

I have been playing it a bit more, and realising it is just a platform game has made me less uptight about the game, and I am enjoying it a lot more.

I do keep thinking when the arm, head and waist movements are going to come into play though.

Try playing online with a few peeps, but don't use headsets. You'll find you start trying to use arm/head movements and emotes to communicate... and it's great fun.

LBP really really shines with more than 1 player.

[Wamphyri]

Gets a 10 for sheer inventivness for me.

[paul cliff]

Hi, i recently wrote a review for LPB for my university paper, i was then informed that it was supposed to be 300-400 words (ridiculous) so this version will never be printed now, anyway, dont know if this is in the correct place but i just wanted to share my thoughts.

please leave comments on how i could improve my reviewing and anything you think i missed out.

thanks

Little Big Planet: Does it live up to its big expectations? Or is it just a sack of potatoes?


Level design has always been a daunting prospect for most gamers, but with level editors shipping left right and centre with games now a days it’s hard to imagine a gamer that hasn’t tried their hand at it. Level design is no longer being left for the ‘modding’ community, with such things as Garry’s Mod for the Source Engine (Half Life 2), Halo 3’s Forge, and more recently Far Cry 2’s map editor, we are seeing more and more custom levels being churned out by the more casual gamer.

Since its first preview trailers back in early 2007 Little Big Planet (LBP) has been set to provide people with the ultimate means to create, well, anything you can think of, advertised by its rather apt slogan ‘Play. Create. Share.’.
So, have developers Media Molecule made the game that will finally unlock all that creative potential inside us?

After firing up the PS3 and putting the disk in you’ll be greeted by what can only be described as the most unique and quirky opening credits sequence I’ve ever seen in a video game, shortly after which you are greeted by the familiar voice of none other than Stephen Fry, who in exactly the same manner as in the Hitch Hikers Guide To The Galaxy (2005) provides a pleasantly amusing voice over that walks you through the first hour or so of the game. The first few levels of the story mode are tutorial levels; Mr. Fry will guide you through the controls and provide helpful little hints along the way. Even from the first level it’s clear this game is something special, you are introduced to your Sackboy, this is your very own customizable character, who, incidentally is made of a potato sack. Don’t let this fool you; it is undoubtedly the cutest thing this side of Finding Nemo.

After playing with your Sackboy, changing his/her outfit, hair, accessories etc and anyone female in the room demanding a cuddly Sackboy for Christmas you then start playing the game properly. Each level is set out like a 2D plat-former, reminiscent of old Mario games, however LBP is set in a 3D world, you’ll be constantly shifting between 3 planes throughout each level, the game does try it’s best to auto-shift you so you land where you need to land after a jump but this can every so often prove unhelpful and a little annoying. It’s extremely helpful that LBP eases you into the game; you certainly aren’t thrown in at the deep end, being taught how to jump, grab, smile, laugh, cry and even control a jetpack from time to time. Playing the game does take some getting used to, especially the jump controls, if I have one gripe with this game it’s the jumping, it’s overly floaty and very hard to master, you will often find yourself jumping farther than you intended or not far enough and as a result find yourself in a pit of fire or a bed of spikes.

As the single player story mode progresses the voice overs die off and levels start to become more and more challenging. You’ll find yourself confronted with a whole host of weird, wonderful and wacky creations, puzzles and enemies. Levels are divided into themed areas on a cardboard planet; each area contains a few levels and a host of side levels and puzzles. All the levels contain a plethora of goodies; littered all over each one are objects, outfits, accessories and stickers, all of which can be used to customize your Sackboy, pod (main menu screen) and creations. There are about 20 main levels in total, each unlocking plenty of side levels. As you work your way through each one trying to figure out how to open gates, how to get to places and how to kill bosses you’ll definitely experience every emotion. You’ll spend time marvelling at the creatures and vehicles Media Molecule have created for the story mode, ten minutes later you’ll be popping out to buy a new PS3 controller after throwing your one at the wall in frustration.

Game play is accompanied by a brilliant soundtrack, Media Molecule went to a lot of effort here to ensure the music fitted and enhanced anything you are doing. As each level has a theme this was vitally important. What’s better is you can use all the music in your own levels. Music is accompanied by comically appropriate ‘voice acting’, if you can call it that. Each character you meet has their own voice; well it’s more of a noise, that plays over their speech bubbles as they explain what’s happening in the level and point you in the right direction.

Finishing the mind-blowingly brilliant single player part of the game can be done in about 6-7 hours if you put your mind to it, you will easily get twice that if you play with 2 or 3 friends on each level and try and collect all the items.

This game is not all about single player though, in fact, it’s the smallest part. LPB is all about creation, the single player levels will leave you brimming with creative ideas and you’ll want to jump straight into the level editor. However, the level editor suffers from the same curse as any other, you can’t just ‘jump in’ and start making stuff, however much you want to. You are presented with a massive open, empty space and a host of options, fortunately, Stephen returns to guide you through this part as well.

The tutorials here are straight forward; listen to Stephen, watch the video, do what the bizarre cardboard woman on the left tells you to do, go to next tutorial. After what seems like an age you’ll be equipped with all the knowledge needed to start working your magic and creating levels. Once you get your head around making what is essentially a 2D level on a 3D platform and start getting creative the game really begins to shine. The editor is so simple to use you’ll have made hilarious and strange creatures, vehicles, buildings and everything in between in no time. Literally anything is possible in this editor; you can think something up and have it sitting in front of you ready to play with little effort. Whilst it will take time and patience to really master it and start making levels that are worthy of your fellow Play Station Network (PSN) peers it’s definitely possible, and if you are stuck for ideas, you can go and play the hundreds of brilliant levels already uploaded on the PSN.

All in all, the ‘create’ part of the game’s slogan is where you are going to be spending most of your time in this game, as such you can see the amount of effort that Media Molecule put into this aspect to make it as good as it can be, and as accessible as it can be by almost anyone.

Little Big Planet promised big things, and it certainly delivers on them. Between playing on your own trying to beat that final boss or level, playing with 2 or 3 friends to beat a level, customizing your Sackboy to look from cute to down right stupid, playing the whole host of user created content already out there and building your own fun filled levels you might find time to sit back and admire the brilliant art style and presentation, the excellent soundtrack and uniqueness of the game, though, it’s far more likely you just want to make a rocket powered cardboard fish and watch your Sackboy get hurled across the level. Either way, it’ll keep you coming back for more.

Game Play: 8/10
Presentation: 9/10
Life Span: 9/10

Overall: 9/10

(Not an average)

Word count: 1,312

[Digitalize]

Other than the fact LittleBigPlanet has no spaces, seems pretty good (i admit i skimmed)

[Bribrian]

Just my type of game where i don't get killed every 10 seconds. Really unique & even got my missus interested which is no mean feat. For me it's a game in which the fun factor could well last for years......... 10/10

[Munkey Boy]

Outstandingly creative game, very social too and the added bonus of being easy to pick up and play. I've been constantly impressed with the thought and attention to detail as I've gone through the game. It's not perfect (you may have seen the bug I found in the LBP forum), but it is a 10/10 by definition as I really don't know how they could have made this better, and I'm not marking it down for a couple of technical flaws - the creativity is just too impressive for that. Great game!