LittleBigPlanet 3
Developed By: Sumo Digital
Produced By: Sony Computer Entertainment
Release Date: November 18, 2014
Available on: PS3, PS4 (reviewed)
Play. Create. Share. That was the mantra that created the first LittleBigPlanet, and with it opened up the imagination and the possibilities of the Playstation 3. LittleBigPlanet 2 improved upon the first in nearly every manner. Sadly, Sumo Digital’s LittleBigPlanet 3 is, at best, a step sideways
Adventure mode is more story driven than the older titles. There are four main areas to explore that are all distinct and well designed. I particularly enjoyed the Ziggurat and the fifties Hollywood world. LittleBigPlanet 3 sends the intrepid hero Sackboy on a quest to rescue the three new characters Oddsock, Toggle, and Swoop. While Sackboy controls much better in this iteration, his jumping still feels a bit floaty. Sackboy controls much as he always has though he has a few new tools to work with. The Hook Hat lets Sackboy grind across rails, while the Pumpinator shoots blasts of air to charge switches. These new items set up some more creative puzzles than previous titles. Oddsock is a dog-like creature who can run up walls, and cling to them while sliding down. Toggle can “toggle” between large and small, letting him press switches or run on water. Swoop is the last character you’ll unlock and can fly through the air, and “swoop” dash through walls that try to crush him.
New Character Oddsock
It’s more than a bit disappointing that these new characters aren’t utilized as much as they could be. Oddsock, Toggle, and Swoop are only playable in their home worlds. While their individual levels are quite fun, you ultimately spend a small amount of time with each character. Even in multiplayer mode, all players are stuck with the same character. It feels like a massive missed opportunity, as levels with multiple characters would have so much potential to make this game great. Additionally, Adventure mode is very short, clocking in at maybe six to eight hours in length. Adventure mode’s short length isn’t a huge problem though thanks to the sheer volume of created material you have access to.
Glitches in LittleBigPlanet 3 are both frequent and frustrating. More than once I had my character fall through the floor, yet never die, forcing me to restart the level. Other glitches also showed up, and while they weren’t as egregious as the aforementioned ones, they still served to pull me out of the game and hamper my enjoyment.
LittleBigPlanet 3 still retains all the charm of the previous titles. LBP 3 is now fully voiced with Hugh Laurie as Newton (the villain) and Stephen Fry returning as the Narrator taking the lead. The rest of the voice work is solid as well and adds a lot to the game. The soundtrack is excellent. Each track feels perfectly designed for the level it appears in, and is the best soundtrack since the original.
The hook hat
Where LittleBigPlanet 3, really shines is in Create mode. Popit Puzzles are quite fun and serve to make you want to create your own level. The Popit Puzzles combine gameplay and tutorial naturally. These puzzles start out fairly simple, but eventually get to the more in-depth tools in your creators arsenal. The best tool of all is the Blaster Handle. The Blaster Handle lets you grab hold of any object, letting you turn any object into a weapon. As in Adventure Mode, you can create in sixteen layers, and while it’s pretty challenging to grow accustomed to, once you get used to it your creative arsenal will be expanded exponentially. LittleBigPlanet 3 also includes access to the nine million levels that were created for the first two titles giving access to nearly an infinite amount of play to get out of LBP 3.
While there is so much to do in LittleBigPlanet 3, a short Adventure mode and the multitude of glitches mar what it otherwise a good experience. If you even the least bit artistic, you will be able to do great things in the level editor. If you aren’t artistic, the nine million plus playable stages will occupy as much time as you are willing to give it.
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