LittleBigPlanet 2, a new take.
- Thread starter hi0marc
- Start date
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Fans are often slated and bashed for their reluctance to accept something new. So often a developer claims ?Fan Feedback? is an inspiration to iron out obvious glitches and improve a storyline. But, here in Craftworld, as my caped Sackboy blasts through a level, grabbing pandas and making impossible leaps, I discovered that the fans may well be the future.
Gameplay
LittleBigPlanet 2 is a PS3-exclusive game to create levels, Share them to the world and play those made by the community and developers alike. The game is loosely termed as a platformer; the actual amount of genres made is huge: racers, first-person shooters, 2D arcade games and strategies games can all be employed through the unique design system. LBP2 relies on a physics engine on a 2.5D platform to get things moving, being very realistic the jumps feel weighted but exact. You collect points, disguised as bubbles, throughout levels and aim for a high-score, adding incentive to gain multipliers and bide your time during levels. All of this is largely unchanged from the first game, and the lives system makes a return, causing infuriating moments when you have to restart a level as they?d rapidly diminished. Aside from this the deaths often feel unlucky, being crushed is often arguable and occasionally random, as the physics engine fails to deal with certain situations, and I also feel harshly dealt with when I neatly clip a spike with my toe and fall to the ground dead, a problem with many a game. LBP2 harnesses many new ideas however, as new attachments throughout levels allow you to grab, throw, shoot and grapple through the various challenges. The overall gameplay of LBP2 is sound, and truly genius when a complicated mechanism falls into place, allowing progression through a level.
This brings me onto the story mode, where the neatest level design can be found. The game is at its brightest and most intuitive here, the developers rightly earn their salaries through a wonderful presentation and an unsullied experience. The story evolves around saving Craftworld from the inter-dimensional ?Negativitron? as Sackboy/girl rolls onto his/her 2nd adventure. The game introduces proper NPC characters for the first time, and pulls it off with tidy cut-scenes that fit to the overall plot and theme. Another asset the game bodes is the difficulty of the game. Lives are infinite in the opening levels but become scarcer throughout, adding to the increasingly complicated enemies, this game shows how the hardest games don?t have to be presented in a blood?n?gore adult way.
I am now obliged to move onto the Create mode, realistically the meat of the game, where users are given the opportunity to match the developers at their own job. And, boy, do they succeed. The mode see?s a large amount of tools and mechanisms at your disposal, all presented in the most non-threatening way possible. I won?t hide my personal uselessness at making levels, but it?s indicative to point out that this requires genuine time and dedication to tick off each tutorial, learn the best mechanisms and have a bright-as-hell mind. The result is an epic array of levels from all walks of the world, with all ideas imaginable. The wheat is considerably greater than the chaff here, helped by Media Molecule?s own special picks. Playing these, and the story mode levels, offline in 4 player co-op is utterly brilliant, with unexpected moments, demonstrating sheer class in terms of gameplay. The online co-op is also good, but suffers from connection and lag issues that often cloud the experience.
Visual
The original LittleBigPlanet was more than competent in delivering quality images to your screen, and the sequel is a notable mark up from that. Levels take over the screen with vibrant colours and smooth pictures that some games can only dream of. This is further added to by the level design, as each working slots perfectly in place. One part of the story mode, the cut-scenes, are definitely a huge improvement. The characters are more personal and this helps tie the plot together, adding a cinematic edge that you wouldn?t expect from such a game. Also, the customisations, stickers and decorations are all back again; there are new collectibles across levels to complete an impressive wardrobe, including anything earned in LBP1. The sense of accomplishment when defeating a boss is greater when it is your unique Ninja-Cloaked-Santa lookalike thing that is standing victorious.
Audio
Adding to the new cut-scenes, developer Media Molecule enlisted the help of voice actors to portray the new characters during the story. But, I get the feeling that their audio budget ran dry at some point- as during levels the voices just go missing. It means that the NPCs take on a Bill?n?Ben gibberish language while in levels, and back to normal in cut-scenes. It may work in this game to an extent, but I?d hate to see the same tactics used in a war game. Of course, it may have a reason, as the majority of the sound you?ll hear will come from the all-British lips of Stephen Fry, making a triumphant return. He pops up every so often to remind you to check out a certain part of the game, or congratulate me on my new level, and in the tutorials. I feel the tutorials are a bit numerous and dull as it is, but Fry saves them. Elsewhere, the songs are plentiful, and some will be chart-hits, some eccentric themes that always tend to match the atmosphere.
Summary
I often wonder if the excellence of the community levels outshines Media Molecule?s efforts, but you have to consider the complexity of the system compared to the ease of use. The ability to make the levels is found by investment of time and thought, but the results are truly worth it and a real sign of brilliant development. The game may not be quite the step up from the predecessor as some sequels are; yet it manages to bring in an experience that will last forever, be brilliant forever; and, should be regarded as one of the top games of 2011, which is turning out to be really something? And it?s only January.
Positives:
+ The design is considerably brilliant
+ Create mode returns with a bang that outshines every other.
+ Looks, sounds and plays like a masterpiece.
Negatives:
- Not actually a huge step from LBP1
- The physics engine isn?t perfect, yet.
- Online experiences rather a lot of lag.
Gameplay
LittleBigPlanet 2 is a PS3-exclusive game to create levels, Share them to the world and play those made by the community and developers alike. The game is loosely termed as a platformer; the actual amount of genres made is huge: racers, first-person shooters, 2D arcade games and strategies games can all be employed through the unique design system. LBP2 relies on a physics engine on a 2.5D platform to get things moving, being very realistic the jumps feel weighted but exact. You collect points, disguised as bubbles, throughout levels and aim for a high-score, adding incentive to gain multipliers and bide your time during levels. All of this is largely unchanged from the first game, and the lives system makes a return, causing infuriating moments when you have to restart a level as they?d rapidly diminished. Aside from this the deaths often feel unlucky, being crushed is often arguable and occasionally random, as the physics engine fails to deal with certain situations, and I also feel harshly dealt with when I neatly clip a spike with my toe and fall to the ground dead, a problem with many a game. LBP2 harnesses many new ideas however, as new attachments throughout levels allow you to grab, throw, shoot and grapple through the various challenges. The overall gameplay of LBP2 is sound, and truly genius when a complicated mechanism falls into place, allowing progression through a level.
This brings me onto the story mode, where the neatest level design can be found. The game is at its brightest and most intuitive here, the developers rightly earn their salaries through a wonderful presentation and an unsullied experience. The story evolves around saving Craftworld from the inter-dimensional ?Negativitron? as Sackboy/girl rolls onto his/her 2nd adventure. The game introduces proper NPC characters for the first time, and pulls it off with tidy cut-scenes that fit to the overall plot and theme. Another asset the game bodes is the difficulty of the game. Lives are infinite in the opening levels but become scarcer throughout, adding to the increasingly complicated enemies, this game shows how the hardest games don?t have to be presented in a blood?n?gore adult way.
I am now obliged to move onto the Create mode, realistically the meat of the game, where users are given the opportunity to match the developers at their own job. And, boy, do they succeed. The mode see?s a large amount of tools and mechanisms at your disposal, all presented in the most non-threatening way possible. I won?t hide my personal uselessness at making levels, but it?s indicative to point out that this requires genuine time and dedication to tick off each tutorial, learn the best mechanisms and have a bright-as-hell mind. The result is an epic array of levels from all walks of the world, with all ideas imaginable. The wheat is considerably greater than the chaff here, helped by Media Molecule?s own special picks. Playing these, and the story mode levels, offline in 4 player co-op is utterly brilliant, with unexpected moments, demonstrating sheer class in terms of gameplay. The online co-op is also good, but suffers from connection and lag issues that often cloud the experience.
Visual
The original LittleBigPlanet was more than competent in delivering quality images to your screen, and the sequel is a notable mark up from that. Levels take over the screen with vibrant colours and smooth pictures that some games can only dream of. This is further added to by the level design, as each working slots perfectly in place. One part of the story mode, the cut-scenes, are definitely a huge improvement. The characters are more personal and this helps tie the plot together, adding a cinematic edge that you wouldn?t expect from such a game. Also, the customisations, stickers and decorations are all back again; there are new collectibles across levels to complete an impressive wardrobe, including anything earned in LBP1. The sense of accomplishment when defeating a boss is greater when it is your unique Ninja-Cloaked-Santa lookalike thing that is standing victorious.
Audio
Adding to the new cut-scenes, developer Media Molecule enlisted the help of voice actors to portray the new characters during the story. But, I get the feeling that their audio budget ran dry at some point- as during levels the voices just go missing. It means that the NPCs take on a Bill?n?Ben gibberish language while in levels, and back to normal in cut-scenes. It may work in this game to an extent, but I?d hate to see the same tactics used in a war game. Of course, it may have a reason, as the majority of the sound you?ll hear will come from the all-British lips of Stephen Fry, making a triumphant return. He pops up every so often to remind you to check out a certain part of the game, or congratulate me on my new level, and in the tutorials. I feel the tutorials are a bit numerous and dull as it is, but Fry saves them. Elsewhere, the songs are plentiful, and some will be chart-hits, some eccentric themes that always tend to match the atmosphere.
Summary
I often wonder if the excellence of the community levels outshines Media Molecule?s efforts, but you have to consider the complexity of the system compared to the ease of use. The ability to make the levels is found by investment of time and thought, but the results are truly worth it and a real sign of brilliant development. The game may not be quite the step up from the predecessor as some sequels are; yet it manages to bring in an experience that will last forever, be brilliant forever; and, should be regarded as one of the top games of 2011, which is turning out to be really something? And it?s only January.
Positives:
+ The design is considerably brilliant
+ Create mode returns with a bang that outshines every other.
+ Looks, sounds and plays like a masterpiece.
Negatives:
- Not actually a huge step from LBP1
- The physics engine isn?t perfect, yet.
- Online experiences rather a lot of lag.
You really should state whether its worth buying or renting.Or maybe a copairision.
Good review though.
Good review though.