There's some decent criticism in all of us, but some like to share theirs with the entire world. Here's ours.
LittleBigPlanet - Our Review
Much like a cunning modern trend like the exponential sales of iOS devices and the tendency of hipsters to screw themselves over with pointless doodads which make them feel part of a minority when really their minorities make them part of a huge majority, a rising star emerges from the very edge of the universe, hurtling towards earth at incomprehensible speeds. No, we’re not all dead soon. This is LittleBigPlanet, the inner egos of the maniacs of Media Molecule, previously known for their somewhat iconic look at how fighters should be made, “Rag Doll Kung Fu”. Is this about that game? No, it is not. Keep reading.
LittleBigPlanet (contrary to popular misconception) is not a seven-year-old’s answer to “What is Earth?”; it’s actually a fabulous stream of creative fuel comprising music, stickers, engineering, carpentry, crazed sadism and rainbows compacted into a small circle that you shove into your PlayStation 3 console. This, my friends, is truly art. If the pre-release demos gave you anything to gaze at, it’s probably this response to France’s Louvre – tres chic, to say the least.
First and foremost, let’s introduce you to the main character. He’s called Sackboy. He’s pretty fancy, being made from hessian, stitched with love, all that jazz. He can run, jump, slap, do your taxes, burp the alphabet backwards and prevent the world from ending on December 21st, 2012 (if you’re reading this after said date, you only have Sackboy to thank). He’s your host for this highly inspired evening filled with saving the universe from nasty idea-stealers, creating sexy intricate landscapes and challenges for other Sackfolk to manoeuvre and manipulate and sharing your heartfelt comments with those you truly appreciate. Isn’t this how a community should be?
Quite.
Let me tell you, Sackboy is the snazziest thing since the best thing since the snazziest thing since sliced bread. His heroic guise is entirely at your whim; throw some clothes on and start gadding! He (or… she) is entirely customisable, and LittleBigPlanet virtually begs you to dress to impress… even if you don’t have much time for fashion, you can stick on some random clothing and set a few trends. It’s really that simple – customisation is the key to keeping cool.
Then it’s off to the floating cardboard vessel on which you’ll hop to and fro, battling baddies and triumphing triumphantly, returning to this disposable home you call your “pod”. Instantly customisable to suit your thriving mind, it lay gyroscopic in the dark atmosphere like a cross between a blank canvas and a dandy house. From here you can set foot on the Earth which has a few problems of its own, namely a “Collector” who’s stealing bits and pieces throughout Craftworld and keeping them locked away and horded. Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to set the world free from this delicately-made disaster. You’ll find yourself jumping between countries, saving the universe solemnly with a smile on the side, as you collect prize bubbles hidden throughout the world which grant you delicacies to customise your customise-ables even further.
The story itself is a typical heartbreak story of loss and confusion, while the protagonist Sackboy/Sackgirl treads foot on the artistic tranquil and tumult of ingenuity. The accompanying non-diegetic sounds throughout your journey will leave you craving for more delightful presentations of gameplay and strategically-placed popit clutter. The characters, moreover the Creator Curators, have gorgeous designs and make the story of helpless diorama dwellers much more believable, as if it were a world set in a world.
The realistic design of the materials and the diegetic sounds emphasise this more so, like an unknown spirit has summoned this Sackboy and you’re making your way through a conundrum of art in order to balance the universe. Once your adventure comes to an end, all is not lost; the real adventure has barely begun. From here you can make your way to the moon and make use of all the collected objects, materials, stickers, music and such to start work on your own art, the intricacy of which depends entirely on your own styles and the work you put into each level. The controls of the create mode are highly ergonomic and therefore easy to get used to, so you’ll find yourself in an urge to create, especially when the “share” part of the game’s “Play, Create, Share” motto comes into play.
From here you can publish your level online for other people to play, rate and recommend. While you’re waiting for others to check out your display of endless talent, you could check out levels from other people, and even leave some feedback for them too. Who knows? You could be the next Pablo Picasso. The truth is, LittleBigPlanet is the perfect complementing community for thriving artists, critics and players alike. While commonly overlooked as the lesser of the three words comprising the game’s memorable motto, sharing plays a big part of the entire game and can be utilised in so many ways which keep your favourite creators creating and can even give you inspiration to create.
Overall, LittleBigPlanet is the modern artist’s dream. While cunning and cute, the ideas you bring into the creative side of the game will establish your mood and ideas with the game, making it easy to toy with. Not only for artists, though. It’s still pretty fun as a social network, a means for you and your friends to hang around and play many different types of levels. Is it worth your money? Well, is the sky blue? Of course. It’s probably worth the money to buy a PlayStation 3 console and then to buy this game, if you already haven’t. What are you waiting for? Get out there and buy it!
LittleBigPlanet (contrary to popular misconception) is not a seven-year-old’s answer to “What is Earth?”; it’s actually a fabulous stream of creative fuel comprising music, stickers, engineering, carpentry, crazed sadism and rainbows compacted into a small circle that you shove into your PlayStation 3 console. This, my friends, is truly art. If the pre-release demos gave you anything to gaze at, it’s probably this response to France’s Louvre – tres chic, to say the least.
First and foremost, let’s introduce you to the main character. He’s called Sackboy. He’s pretty fancy, being made from hessian, stitched with love, all that jazz. He can run, jump, slap, do your taxes, burp the alphabet backwards and prevent the world from ending on December 21st, 2012 (if you’re reading this after said date, you only have Sackboy to thank). He’s your host for this highly inspired evening filled with saving the universe from nasty idea-stealers, creating sexy intricate landscapes and challenges for other Sackfolk to manoeuvre and manipulate and sharing your heartfelt comments with those you truly appreciate. Isn’t this how a community should be?
Quite.
Let me tell you, Sackboy is the snazziest thing since the best thing since the snazziest thing since sliced bread. His heroic guise is entirely at your whim; throw some clothes on and start gadding! He (or… she) is entirely customisable, and LittleBigPlanet virtually begs you to dress to impress… even if you don’t have much time for fashion, you can stick on some random clothing and set a few trends. It’s really that simple – customisation is the key to keeping cool.
Then it’s off to the floating cardboard vessel on which you’ll hop to and fro, battling baddies and triumphing triumphantly, returning to this disposable home you call your “pod”. Instantly customisable to suit your thriving mind, it lay gyroscopic in the dark atmosphere like a cross between a blank canvas and a dandy house. From here you can set foot on the Earth which has a few problems of its own, namely a “Collector” who’s stealing bits and pieces throughout Craftworld and keeping them locked away and horded. Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to set the world free from this delicately-made disaster. You’ll find yourself jumping between countries, saving the universe solemnly with a smile on the side, as you collect prize bubbles hidden throughout the world which grant you delicacies to customise your customise-ables even further.
The story itself is a typical heartbreak story of loss and confusion, while the protagonist Sackboy/Sackgirl treads foot on the artistic tranquil and tumult of ingenuity. The accompanying non-diegetic sounds throughout your journey will leave you craving for more delightful presentations of gameplay and strategically-placed popit clutter. The characters, moreover the Creator Curators, have gorgeous designs and make the story of helpless diorama dwellers much more believable, as if it were a world set in a world.
The realistic design of the materials and the diegetic sounds emphasise this more so, like an unknown spirit has summoned this Sackboy and you’re making your way through a conundrum of art in order to balance the universe. Once your adventure comes to an end, all is not lost; the real adventure has barely begun. From here you can make your way to the moon and make use of all the collected objects, materials, stickers, music and such to start work on your own art, the intricacy of which depends entirely on your own styles and the work you put into each level. The controls of the create mode are highly ergonomic and therefore easy to get used to, so you’ll find yourself in an urge to create, especially when the “share” part of the game’s “Play, Create, Share” motto comes into play.
From here you can publish your level online for other people to play, rate and recommend. While you’re waiting for others to check out your display of endless talent, you could check out levels from other people, and even leave some feedback for them too. Who knows? You could be the next Pablo Picasso. The truth is, LittleBigPlanet is the perfect complementing community for thriving artists, critics and players alike. While commonly overlooked as the lesser of the three words comprising the game’s memorable motto, sharing plays a big part of the entire game and can be utilised in so many ways which keep your favourite creators creating and can even give you inspiration to create.
Overall, LittleBigPlanet is the modern artist’s dream. While cunning and cute, the ideas you bring into the creative side of the game will establish your mood and ideas with the game, making it easy to toy with. Not only for artists, though. It’s still pretty fun as a social network, a means for you and your friends to hang around and play many different types of levels. Is it worth your money? Well, is the sky blue? Of course. It’s probably worth the money to buy a PlayStation 3 console and then to buy this game, if you already haven’t. What are you waiting for? Get out there and buy it!
Meet the Developers - Media Molecule
Media Molecule are the beloved founders and creators of the acclaimed LittleBigPlanet and Tearaway franchise. Their outstandingly and cleverly developed creative games have made their way to the top of my list of my favorite games to play and they always keep me coming back for more. Media Molecule is a British video game developer based in Guildford in Surrey. The admirable Molecules were founded on January 4th, 2006 by former Lionhead Studios employees. These employees such as Mark Healey, Alex Evans, Dave Smith, and Kareem Ettouney have made it possible for us to have fun and express our creativity with their games to this very day.
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