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LittleBigPlanet Hands-On Preview for PlayStation 3

LittleBigPlanet Hands-On Preview for PlayStation 3

Unleash Your Creativity

September 29, 2008 – If you haven’t been closely following LittleBigPlanet, you might be confused as to what all the hype is about. At first glance, it might not seem to be anything special; you may have seen images or videos of a little doll-like character running around and interacting with various different environments. However, after sitting down and playing through the first world of the game along with experimenting with the much-touted level creator, I’m confident that LittleBigPlanet completely deserves all the attention that it’s been getting.

LittleBigPlanet screenshot

I started out with a quick introduction to how the game works and after a few brief tutorials, I started running, jumping, and exploring through a handful of different levels. The controls are fairly typical and easy to use, and they allow you to run, jump, swing, and grab items to manipulate them and solve some environmental puzzles.

What’s neat about the platforming component of LittleBigPlanet is that there’s a definite emphasis on puzzle-solving and exploration in addition to your standard Mario-esque platforming. The game’s impressive physics engine comes into play here. For example, in one part, you’ll use your weight and inertia from a jump to tilt over a block and use it to access a new area. The puzzle solving was never particularly difficult, but it was satisfying and creative.

What’s most exciting about the platforming segments is the exploration aspect; the later levels had a lot of hidden areas and secrets. Scattered throughout each level are a variety of items, from stickers to new environmental items to music, all of which can be used when you create your own levels. The more you explore in the pre-made levels, the more options you’ll have when it comes time to working on your own user-created content.

LittleBigPlanet screenshot

There were a few minor issues with the platforming aspect of LittleBigPlanet, most of which revolved around the 3D structure of the game. It’s mostly a 2D game but along the 2D path, there is a depth to the level. There can be structures in the foreground and in the background, and the game has this mechanic where it will automatically switch you between planes when you jump. This is helpful when you’re climbing up a structure that exists on multiple planes, but sometimes there’ll be a hazard (a string of fire, for example) in one plane and when you jump up to grab an item in your current, safe plane, the game will slide you back to the plane with the hazard in it. It’s a confusing situation, and it ends up with you losing a life and there’s no obvious way to overcome this problem.

As a platformer, while charming and fun, LittleBigPlanet doesn’t do anything particularly revolutionary. What is groundbreaking is the level creator and community features that this title sports. As you play through the game, you’ll find items that can be used in creating your own levels. You can choose from different templates for your own creations or you can start with a blank canvas and make everything from scratch.

LittleBigPlanet screenshot

Incredibly, despite the seemingly-limitless depth of the creator, it’s surprisingly easy to use. You’ll open up your character’s personal menu and easily create items and structures and position them in your level. Rotating and resizing items is quite easy, and the click and drag tool for wood and stone allows you to create large structures quite easily. The workspace that you’re given is large and it’s no exaggeration to say that the sky’s the limit when making your level; if you think something up, you’ll be able to make it.

Once you’ve finished your creation, uploading it to the server is as easy as hitting publish; it’ll be available to play for anybody who owns LittleBigPlanet. It’s this aspect of the game that is most exciting, because in addition to uploading your own levels, you can obviously play levels that other people have created. I played through several; many of the levels were quite creative and some were even better than the pre-made levels. You’re only going for high scores in the user-created levels; there are no items to find. But, the sheer amount and variety of the user-made content ensures that you’ll find some levels that you really love.

LittleBigPlanet is a platformer, but at its core it’s all about the online community. It’s an accessible, easy-to-pick-up title that offers lots of fun in terms of exploration. More importantly, the level creation tools are robust and intuitive, and making levels is fun, easy, and addictive. Chatting with your friends, customizing your character, uploading your own levels, and leaving feedback on other people’s levels is where this game really stands out. LittleBigPlanet completely deserves all the hype it’s been getting and I, for one, am more excited than ever about this title’s upcoming release.

Game Features:

  • Community-based game in which players meet on a planet scattered with individual plots.
  • Design, shape, and build both objects and entire locations for others to view and play.
  • Full of places to discover, creative resources to collect, and puzzles to solve.
  • Explore the massive single-player game or go online to find user-generated content.
  • Customizable characters, landscape, and more.
  • Screen Resolution: Up to 720p (Standard HDTV, Widescreen).


  • LittleBigPlanet: coming to orbit on your PlayStation 3 soon!

    July 19, 2007 – Everyone is very excited about LittleBigPlanet. If you haven’t heard about it yet, chances are you’ve been living in a cave since it debuted last spring at the Game Developer’s Conference. But for those of you who have been in said cave, here’s a quick recap.

    GAMENAME screenshot

    What LittleBigPlanet is, in very simplistic terms, is a completely interactive game where users can create their own characters, create their own levels, and really express themselves. And your experience is completely ground by physics. You’ll have different materials like felt, Velcro, yarn, and a host of other hard and soft surfaces, with which to interact in real-life situations. And to further the experience, users can share their different levels over the PlayStation Network and challenge others to clear your masterpiece level. And the best part? It’s brought to life by adorable sock puppets!

    Of course, we knew all this back in the spring, and we were so excited we could hardly wait. But now it’s summer, and E3 gave us the opportunity to really explore the intricacies of this title. First off, there’s the playthrough. Unfortunately, the only immediate level available for play was the one featured in the first trailer. But there are so many possibilities, it almost felt new again. One really great thing about this game is that nothing is off-limits. If it’s on-screen, you can use it in any physically-possible way to try and reach your goal.

    LittleBigPlanet screenshot

    But the real treat when it comes to LittleBigPlanet is the creation aspect of the game. Because the whole concept is to create a user-defined experience, it was absolutely vital that this part be explained a little more in detail. Well, we definitely got our wish this year at E3! The game’s controls as far as creation are very basic. You simply decide what you want to customize, hit a button, and bring up an overhead menu. Since there are almost limitless choices associated with the game, the developers have wisely decided to narrow the field by limiting what you see to the current backdrop you’re using. So no snowmen in the desert stage. But the items that you can use are full of potential. Not only can you use them for whatever you want, you can also combine items to create new ones. And it’s all presented in a very simplistic scrolling menu system that’s extraordinarily easy to use. Plus, it’s very cutely stylized in bright neon colors!

    The key here is that everything you want from this game you can get. And it will be a completely user-defined experience. Nothing about what you do with this game will resemble anything anyone else does. You can create the experience you want, and that’s such strength for this game. In truth, I wasn’t too sure about the prospect of essentially “creating” a game for myself, but if you’re having thoughts similar to these, prepare to write them off completely. LittleBigPlanet is everything everyone said it would be and more. Trust me on this.

    LittleBigPlanet screenshot

    Features:

  • There’s not just one way to play. Players craft their own individual experience
  • Unlimited possibilities for user-created content – players can customize everything: their characters, the landscape around them, and their own patch on LittleBigPlanet
  • Players discover and win new skills and items to aid them on their creative journey
  • Initial levels will be provided – endless others will be user-generated on a global scale. LittleBigPlanet will change every day as players contribute their own levels
  • Online and offline multiplayer modes – play alone, work as a team, or get competitive
  • LittleBigPlanet global community for players to get involved with: includes player comments, rankings, and easy communication with new and existing friends

  • Making the world yours!

    March 20, 2007 – LittleBigPlanet. The name nearly says it all. It’s a simple game with an admirable premise that some speculate is set to ignite the PlayStation 3. This past week at the Game Developers’ Conference, Little Big Planet created a buzz firestorm. So what is LittleBigPlanet, and why is it making so many people excited?

    LittleBigPlanet screenshot

    What the game is (from what we know) is a fully interactive gaming experience. You design the characters. You design the levels. You design your character’s abilities. You create goals. You decide when levels begin, and you decide where they finish. The world is literally in your hands. Sound innovative? Nothing like this has ever been done before. Sure games like Animal Crossing have come close, but experiencing full interactivity on this scale is a brand-new thing. And the response at the Game Developer’s Conference was overwhelming. After the LittleBigPlanet demo was shown at the Sony keynote address, it was awarded with a standing ovation. For the first time in history, a game was honored with a standing ovation.

    However, the gameplay will not start out with an entirely blank slate. Players will go through a few computer-generated levels that will introduce you to the physics of the game. You’ll learn about the different materials you’ll be using and how they interact with each other. However, once you learn about the game’s mechanics, the future of the game will be entirely up to you.

    LittleBigPlanet screenshot

    So what all can you do with LittleBigPlanet’s interactivity? The only confirmed feature is online level sharing. What this basically means is that you design a level, and challenge those in the online community to see if they can conquer it. The demo showed four users going through a level, but it is yet unknown exactly how many players can go through a level at the same time. Although this is the only confirmed feature, I’m sure more will come down the pipeline as LittleBigPlanet approaches its early 2008 release. Although 2008 seems far away, never fear, a demo of LittleBigPlanet will be available on the PlayStation network this fall for you to try out.

    The audio featured in the trailer is whimsical and beautifully orchestrated. Although unconfirmed, I would suppose that the sound would be yet another facet of control at the gamer’s disposal when creating their own experience.

    Another huge strength of this game is it’s beautifully stylized graphics. Everything looks textured and extremely crisp. Every character is unique, and different materials show up in wonderful contrast in the user’s assembled world. One look at this game’s visuals, and you can see what Sony was aiming for with the PlayStation 3: to create a completely different gaming experience with the graphical tools to execute it brilliantly.

    LittleBigPlanet screenshot

    All of this together will either sound brilliant or insane. The very idea of a game that is exclusively user-defined may either trail blaze or fail miserably. My view is that with the growing demand for user-generated content, Sony has finally realized the need for inmates to run the asylum. Let gamers design their own experience, and you can’t go wrong. Everyone gets what they want. Who can argue with that logic?

    Features:

  • There’s not just one way to play. Players craft their own individual experience
  • Unlimited possibilities for user-created content – players can customize everything: their characters, the landscape around them, and their own patch on LittleBigPlanet
  • Players discover and win new skills and items to aid them on their creative journey
  • Initial levels will be provided – endless others will be user-generated on a global scale. LittleBigPlanet will change every day as players contribute their own levels
  • Online and offline multiplayer modes – play alone, work as a team, or get competitive
  • LittleBigPlanet global community for players to get involved with: includes player comments, rankings, and easy communication with new and existing friends

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