How's Your LittleBigPlanet?
It's been a little over a month since the release of LittleBigPlanet and many players have already made their way through enough levels on the disc to unlock a sufficient amount stickers, shapes and objects to start making their own levels. While not all of the user generated content is all that great, there's plenty that stand out from the crowd. While there are murmurings of the game not becoming the "system seller" that many fanboys expected it to be, the number of player made levels that are actually worth playing increases everyday.
Like many other players out there, my favorites seem to crossover between serious and humorous situations, original content and parody, and even a few levels that could just be considered "toys." For retro referencing goodness there's LunarFreeze's Megaman: Cutman's Stage. Directly lifting one of the most recognizable levels from the NES classic, you make your sackperson make all the jumps and leaps across a level I probably know too well. Evolution7354 captures the art and pace from EA's recently released (and misunderstood) Mirror's Edge and creates a freerunning race. One of the most fascinatingly original levels out there that I keep coming back to is Link_AJ's Jail Break, a level that tells the story of your sackperson escaping a strange prison. It include sneak past guards, a ride on a zip line and even a car chase! On the sillier end of the spectrum, thefoxguy's spoiler filled tributes to Bioshock and Friday the 13th always get a least a few chuckles from me. Even though I'm pretty sure that I'll never publish a level myself, it's great to see just how many people are using this game as a tool for expression. The fact that these simple tools are being used to create some wildly creative things is even more impressive. I only hope that Media Molecule's support for the game makes level creation easier for those that have the time to do so.
What's your take on the first month of LittleBigPlanet? Has Sony's leap into user generated content paid off or fallen flat on its face? What levels are you playing? What community features do you want to see in future updates?
Game-Boy
Posted to Miscellany, Video Games on 1 December 2008
· Comments (9)
Other stuff like this: littlebigplanet, media molecule, online, playstation 3, sony, user-generated content
I've noticed that it's kind of difficult to play with other people. I've been booted out of too many groups from connection problems or whatever. Still though it's exceeded my expectations. I only picked it up to play with some other people and I actually found it enjoyable for myself.
My favorite level by far is the ICO tribute. It's completely worthy of bearing the name.
There's a level... I don't quite remember what it's called... Where you just ride on a cart, but it activates the music emitters into a decent re-creation of Sweet Child o' Mine... That one is my favorite so far. But it is kind of difficult to play with other people, be they in house or online.
@OR: Agreed on the ICO level - completely brilliant.
I have spent maybe 3-4 hours playing this game. Sad to admit, but it kinda flopped for me.
My 360 keeps stealing my attention, Fable 2, Last Remnant, and any other of any games that I have for it that I find endlessly more entertaining than thumb fumbling with a sackboy.
I've got to admit, I've really been enjoying it. I stopped playing the single player level after the first world to look at what was out there, and the first thing I ran across were the mirror's edge races.
I think I ran those races for a couple hours; kept picking up new players to race against, and just kept running... Made me realize that Mirror's Edge desperately needs multiplayer time-trials.
I've since finished single-player, and I'm going back through to goodie-collect. And I've played some really fun levels by others - and hit bugs in a few of them (azure palace, I choose you!) - but mostly I've had a good time.
The biggest problem so far has been getting multiplayer games started. They need to sort that.
I think it's a slow-burn - one of those casual games we'll be seeing for a looooong time, so long as they can keep it, and its levels, in the news. They need to start showcasing some of the best levels, though - a 'level of the week', or something.
It did kind of disappoint me a bit, but I guess all the hype around it made me expect something it could never be.
My main issue with it, are the weak controls. That floaty jumping drives me insane!! But every once in a while you'll find a user created level that just blows you away, and you realize that's why you bought this game.. and you forget all about the crappy controls.
My favorite level has to be that one where it's completely dark and a bunch of LED lights light up when you run past them.
Although I like a lot of the user-generated content, the pregenerated levels that came with the game are generally the best (makes sense, considering the people that are most familiar with the level-building mechanics are the game developers themselves). And the levels that exist solely to earn you trophies take the joy out achieving them at all. Still, there are a few great examples of gamer genius; even though it isn't playable, per se, the calculator is mind blowing. And in line with the cart that plays "Sweet Child O' Mine" is the one that plays the Final Fantasy theme. Pretty damn awesome.
I'm much more into the creating aspect of the game, and I spent quite a few hours on my first level- I'm just a bit worried about it getting moderated. u.u I love that there is enough DLC, and upcoming DLC, I think, will keep this game alive for a long, long time.
The ICO tribute, and the song from ICO- and the Azure Palace are a few of my favorites. If I may plug my own level as well, Aperature Science INC. by FoxKit. I don't need the hearts, but I would like to know that people are playing and enjoying something that I made. n.n
Alright, I feel bad about plugging my own level- I'm going to go... finish it now. u.u
I've made a few LBP friends through the GameFAQs board, but unfortunately, I still haven't been able to play with any of them (or other online players) - I keep getting errors like "failed to load player profiles" and "failed to join game". That's the biggest disppointment of all, for me. I actually ordered two additional controllers just so I could get the prize bubbles from the 4P story areas (and ultimately, the Booty Master trophy).
I've had no problems playing online creations in single-player mode, though. Some of my favorites include ICO, Ghostbusters 1 & 2, Tetris, Gradius, Xevious, Super Mario 1-4, Megaman 2's Air Man stage, and Megaman 3's Gemini Man stage.