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LittleBigPlanet Continues To Enchant
By Paul Munn | July 22, 2008
This new video features Sackboy charging into battle to save a princess — a princess he can apparently see, not one in another castle, although I’m sure someone will create that scenario in record time upon release. It highlights the fun and cute spirit of the game and offers a fast and classic bit of action chock full of fun elements topped off with a giggle-inducing twist.
LittleBigPlanet charmed the press yet again this E3 and Media Molecule’s title continues to surprise me with its overwhelmingly positive aura it exerts on the blog-writing media. You’d think people would be tired of the game by now given its numerous delays but the developers have continued to expand the gameplay significantly, it seems, and have solved a number of problems that were written up as concerns in earlier previews.
Specifically the issue of depth has been conquered, with three levels of depth having been decided on for the otherwise 2D platforming action, and less specifically the idea of the game being “just a sandbox” has been put to rest. There is a full suite of competitive features including timed races, integrated trophies, the ability to offer reward items to those completing your levels, and a very Lego-game-like, friendly sense of mortality. Dying just sets you back a bit and really carries no penalty, and can be rather fun. Nick Breckon of Shacknews has a preview of the game where he puts most concerns he’d heard about the game to rest. Making dying fun is something key to ease frustration and encourage slapstick fun, as Nick points out in his preview when he notes that he could grab a friend and leap with them into the fiery pit over and over again for a while and not get bored.
Another criticism of the earlier footage? No boss battles. I’d read an interview with the Media Molecule folks that they were working on “enemy brains” that you would connect to your own creations, and I’m sure that’s the case, but this new video shows off that they’re planning to really put enemy encounters into the game proper. Couple them with the use of elemental hazards like fire, electricity, and ice and you have the building blocks for some rough and tumble fun.
I continue to hold out very high hopes for the game not just for the PS3 in general but for my own use of it. I desparately want to play it with my daughter, who will have just turned 6 by the time it comes out (if it appears on time) this October, and I think I could even get my son to take his first wobbly video gaming steps with it as he’ll be approaching age 4. The ability to create very easy levels to introduce them to the video gaming skills they lack is key with this game. I can make it a very easy transition with some very fun rewards sprinkled along the way.
In actuality I won’t really know what skills will be the hardest to teach them until I have the game in hand, so I’ll begin my tutorials in earnest then and with luck produce something other parents can use and enjoy as well.
From ShackNews, PlayStation Universe, and PS3Fanboy.
Tags: LBP, littlebigplanet, Media Molecule, playstation 3, PS3, Sony
Topics: Online, PS3, Playstation Network, Sony |
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Comment by Joe (Aeropause) — July 22, 2008 @ 5:52 pm
I am a bit worried about the news coming out today that they may be charges for some of the user created downloadable content. Not all of it, but some of it. Not a good sign, as the appeal of this game, was the idea of free downloadable content for the users.
Comment by Shane — July 22, 2008 @ 6:08 pm
LOL love the music, who is that?
Comment by Duder56 — July 22, 2008 @ 7:16 pm
When is this game coming out?? It seems like it’s been talked about since the PS3 came out.
Comment by Paul Munn — July 23, 2008 @ 12:27 am
Duder56 there is only a release month of “October” right now.
The initial report I think Joe’s talking about is that end users may be able to sell their own content:
http://www.ps3fanboy.com/2008/07/20/littlebigplanet-allows-users-to-charge-for-created-content/
This has been dispelled by a clarification from SCEE:
“SCEE and Media Molecule can guarantee that all consumer-generated content will be free at launch.”
“Reeves “was talking about how user-generated content could potentially evolve in the long term”"
http://www.ps3fanboy.com/2008/07/21/scee-littlebigplanet-user-generated-content-free-at-launch/
I think that indicates that it’s not in the cards for launch, but maybe later.