Little Big Planet 2
Developer: Media Molecule
Publisher: Sony
Release Date: 19/01/2011
Format: PS3
When Media Molecule released a game about a small teddy made of wool, no one expected the massive scores. 10/10 from OPM, 9.7 from IGN and PSM3 quoted they may even have to lower other games scores because LBP is that good. How can you follow a game so perfect? Well somehow they did. The premises of LBP is great, give the user the same tools the developers used to make the game and allow them to make their own story and share these levels with the world online. It does sound like its letting users to make their own game and Media Molecule are taking the easy route. BUT the idea was brilliant. Within weeks, levels that could rival the main story where being created and shared and played by millions from around the world, further enhancing the LBP experience.
After a wonderful greeting form Stephen Fry, explaining about all the creative energy washing away and creating its own little worlds. We are introduced to the Negativatron destroying these special created worlds and hoovering everything on LittleBigPlanet along with its inhabitants, (It sounds daft, but it works). You are selected to become part of The Alliance, part of a special fighting force to protect LittleBigPlanet from dangers such as the Negativatron. When the game begins, the controls and layout are the same from LBP, a 2D world with three different planes to navigate. You could quite easy mistake LBP2 for the first, it has slightly better visual graphics, but the quality, scenery, and build of the game is identical. The first few levels are the usual hold your hand tutorial, over seen by Larry Da Vinci, one of the many bizarre characters of this game. But it takes a bit of practise to understand how simple this game works it also introduces some of the new gadgets LBP2 has to offer. The two main buttons used in LBP2 (apart from Left and Right) are the X to jump and the R1 button to do everything from Grabbing, picking up objects and grappling. You pick up gadgets by walking past the Checkpoint doors and now this is where the improvements over LBP show.
Publisher: Sony
Release Date: 19/01/2011
Format: PS3
When Media Molecule released a game about a small teddy made of wool, no one expected the massive scores. 10/10 from OPM, 9.7 from IGN and PSM3 quoted they may even have to lower other games scores because LBP is that good. How can you follow a game so perfect? Well somehow they did. The premises of LBP is great, give the user the same tools the developers used to make the game and allow them to make their own story and share these levels with the world online. It does sound like its letting users to make their own game and Media Molecule are taking the easy route. BUT the idea was brilliant. Within weeks, levels that could rival the main story where being created and shared and played by millions from around the world, further enhancing the LBP experience.
After a wonderful greeting form Stephen Fry, explaining about all the creative energy washing away and creating its own little worlds. We are introduced to the Negativatron destroying these special created worlds and hoovering everything on LittleBigPlanet along with its inhabitants, (It sounds daft, but it works). You are selected to become part of The Alliance, part of a special fighting force to protect LittleBigPlanet from dangers such as the Negativatron. When the game begins, the controls and layout are the same from LBP, a 2D world with three different planes to navigate. You could quite easy mistake LBP2 for the first, it has slightly better visual graphics, but the quality, scenery, and build of the game is identical. The first few levels are the usual hold your hand tutorial, over seen by Larry Da Vinci, one of the many bizarre characters of this game. But it takes a bit of practise to understand how simple this game works it also introduces some of the new gadgets LBP2 has to offer. The two main buttons used in LBP2 (apart from Left and Right) are the X to jump and the R1 button to do everything from Grabbing, picking up objects and grappling. You pick up gadgets by walking past the Checkpoint doors and now this is where the improvements over LBP show.
2D platformer, with a 3D twist.......... Make sense?
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The evil Negativatron, hovering anything and everything.....!
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Depending on the gadget, you can now grapple and swing over large gaps or lift yourself to great heights. The power gloves allow you to pick up heavy objects and throw them, either at buttons or enemies, (better still you can pick up and throw another player). Helmets are later used to fire cake icing and water, at various objects. Once your training is complete, Larry Da Vinci and Sackboy go to save another important inhabitant from the Negativatron. Victoria Von Bathysphere has created an army of SackBots able to help in the fight against your enemy. These AI controlled helpers, require babysitting during these levels, carefully navigating them across bridges and opening doors to their escape. But later in the game they prove themselves worthy and aid in your quest. As the game carries on you visit Avalon Centrifuge, now his aid for the battle are various animals with special attacks and moves. You hop on one of these nasty attack fluffy animals and the game changes. One possible, slight criticism of LBP was the gameplay was the same throughout the story. Well, no such talk here. Rabbits hop everywhere and have massive slam attacks, The Hamster, rolls along the level and can boost in any direction. Dogs have sonic barks and the Bumble Bees fly and shoot nectar as if you’re playing an arcade 2D side shooter. These animals are constantly used throughout at various points of the game and really shake up the norm 2D platformer.
Customise your Pod any way you want.
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The Boss battles require good timing and offer the only real annoyance of the game.
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The worlds you visit are lush and full of life, everything is placed and with reason. The enemies you face are simple and easy to defeat. A simple jump or thrown object to hit the “brains” of the beast and it’s defeated. The boss battles require more hits and timing to dodge attacks, but the premise is the same. The health aspect will catch a lot of people out. There is no health bar, one hit and you’re sent back to the last checkpoint portal. Once all your tries are used up, you have to restart the entire level again. This can seem unfair and annoying when compared with today’s games, offering unlimited re-tires, but it makes the LBP more of a game. And when you face the Negativatron in the final battle, it feels like you deserve to be there.
Another great aspect of LBP was you were able to customize your own Sackboy and levels. By playing and collecting stickers; decorations and clothes placed along the level, you can further decorate the story levels with whatever you felt it needed. Better still you could customize your own Sack character and dress him in whatever you had collected thought the game. This allowed you to add you own creativity and enhance your game, the whole idea of LittleBigPlanet. The sticker and decorations can be used in your own Pod or Home; basically you are allowed to customize your own main menu. Once you had finished the story, to real fun begins, LBP2 continues the work started with LBP. You have even more options and controls to make your own story and levels. Or go online and play one of the millions created by other users, your imagination is only limited by yourself.
Another great aspect of LBP was you were able to customize your own Sackboy and levels. By playing and collecting stickers; decorations and clothes placed along the level, you can further decorate the story levels with whatever you felt it needed. Better still you could customize your own Sack character and dress him in whatever you had collected thought the game. This allowed you to add you own creativity and enhance your game, the whole idea of LittleBigPlanet. The sticker and decorations can be used in your own Pod or Home; basically you are allowed to customize your own main menu. Once you had finished the story, to real fun begins, LBP2 continues the work started with LBP. You have even more options and controls to make your own story and levels. Or go online and play one of the millions created by other users, your imagination is only limited by yourself.
Flight of the Bumblebee, 2D shooters make this game even better.
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The mighty Rabbit, take it for a spin and Slam enemies.
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LBP2 is best played with a friend, both off and online can accommodate up to 4players, although the game doesn’t change and no teamwork is required to complete the story. Every few levels you will come across a section that requires more than a single player.
These offer unique stickers and decorations for you to collect with the use of teamwork. Most are simple, pressing switches to allow another player through or a good timed jump. But the game still has more to offer, by collecting hidden Keys during the Story; you unlock mini games. Levels where competition is the name of the game, some see you jumping obstacles with the screen constantly moving sideways or reaching the top of a complicated obstacle course tower. These usually end with you dying or are timed races. But shows what LBP2 is capable of offering and what you can build yourself.
The concept of LBP is so simple, its mind boogieing that it’s so good. When compared with triple A titles, who spend millions on live capture animation, everything has to look as realistic as possible. LBP just forgets all that and does it its own unique way. No part of this game is boring; every single level is fun, challenging and just awesome. I couldn’t think any game would beat LBP, just goes to show, Lighting DOES strike twice.
Chris Sowry 10/10
These offer unique stickers and decorations for you to collect with the use of teamwork. Most are simple, pressing switches to allow another player through or a good timed jump. But the game still has more to offer, by collecting hidden Keys during the Story; you unlock mini games. Levels where competition is the name of the game, some see you jumping obstacles with the screen constantly moving sideways or reaching the top of a complicated obstacle course tower. These usually end with you dying or are timed races. But shows what LBP2 is capable of offering and what you can build yourself.
The concept of LBP is so simple, its mind boogieing that it’s so good. When compared with triple A titles, who spend millions on live capture animation, everything has to look as realistic as possible. LBP just forgets all that and does it its own unique way. No part of this game is boring; every single level is fun, challenging and just awesome. I couldn’t think any game would beat LBP, just goes to show, Lighting DOES strike twice.
Chris Sowry 10/10
Sackboy, watching over us from LittleBigPlanet