LittleBigPlanet 2 review

Formats: PS3
Format Reviewed: PS3
Publisher: Sony
Developer: Media Molecule
Made2Game LittleBigPlanet 2 review score: 9 out of 10

 

LittleBigPlanet should have been the game to end all games, with a platform game and a level creator that made for very easy design; so how come there is a sequel and what can Media Molecule change to make us purchase another one? Well, for one they made it bigger, as well as better and now with so many options your imagination may be too small cope.

As with the previous game the main modes have been split into planets based around a universe created by your thoughts; yet again we have the lovely voice of Stephen Fry to guide us through the narration plus many other supporting characters of all shapes and sizes to push the story along.

The story mode has not changed too much, you still control your Sackboy through many levels, although this time you are trying to stop an evil presence from sucking up all of the world’s inhabitants. The aim of the game really is to reach the end, along the way collecting stickers and parts that you can use later.

Whilst it is fun and there is a story in there, the real idea is to show you what Little Big Planet can really do. Away from the main missions, dotted throughout the levels are keys that open up a huge array of side missions, some of these are high score challenges like surviving for as long as possible whilst jumping over spikes, whilst others are party games that you can play online or locally with a friend.

Early on in the game you are introduced to some cool new additions to Sackboy's repertoire like the grapple hook and grabinator which really open up the gameplay, as you can use these to skilfully get to previously unattainable areas and hopefully some new secret items. Playing through should also start to form little bubbles of thought in your mind that you can take to the Create mode.

Once you have played a few levels on your own or with a friend (sadly the single screen shared experience is still there even when playing online) it's time to hit the create and share modes. In the Create mode you select a crater on your own personal moon and after playing through a large amount of tutorials that take you through the basics, such as  placing an entrance portal to fiddling with the gravity.

Once you have picked the basics up you can then simply let your mind run wild. Initially the Create mode is very daunting as there is just one huge blank space, but patience in watching the tutorials will eventually pay off as you realise just how much you are able to manipulate the world to your ideas with your easy to use pop-it menu. The single player won't last forever and creating can be a chore if you are not in the mood so why not see what the rest of the LBP community has to offer; under the community menu are four  main areas to check out  that help filter the millions of levels that are available for you to download and enjoy.

Cool Levels will show you the current highest user rated levels, Mm Picks are a selection of best of the best and finally you can search just by typing in key words. The levels that have been created are an interesting mix and you really should check out the Mm Picks as they have some amazing ideas there, from capturing Pandas, shooting robot Sackboys with a sniper rifle or jumping in a spaceship Asteroids style, there are loads of games to try that will keep you occupied for a very long time.

Finally you have the Recent Activity updates that keep aware of updates and what is happening in the community plus you can see what your friends are up to and what they have recently played and rated. If the huge amount on offer is not enough for your creative splurges then you can also visit the store that offers plenty of new clothes and accessories for your Sackboy and even a few new themed levels to try out.

The presentation of LittleBigPlanet 2 is a great mixture of cartoon looks and realistic environments all thrown together to make a patchwork world that looks stunning on a HDTV, sadly the physics side of things are still a little off, with a slightly awkward jump and at times unpredictable control of the grappling hook when trying to get to the higher areas.

Customisation is again key to the game, with you able to put your own stamp on your home pod, the world and the moon with the stickers you have collected over the many games. You can even use the PlayStation Eye to take photos of anything in your house and stick these customised photos in your game world for everyone to see. LittleBigPlanet 2 pushes what games are all about with so many possibilities available, platform, flying, space battle, racing, party games;  the list goes on and on, so in theory, you will never need to buy another game again. In fact now that you can even make music videos, you may not even need to switch on MTV.

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