LittleBigPlanet Co-Op Hands On Preview and Video
Preview System(s): Playstation 3
Sony truly has a new icon on their hands with SackBoy from LittleBigPlanet. Who knew such a cute little guy could cause such a fuss? The public beta was unleashed onto the internet last week crippling sites that were giving away keys to readers. The game is a platformer at heart, but adds a unique content creation mode with a splash of social networking to bring a co-op gaming experience we really haven't seen yet.
While the game will launch without the online version of the level editor, you are still able to build levels and share them online for co-op play. The game uses a really unique interface and system to do this. First, when you browse the online planet you are shown popular levels to choose from. These are levels that have high ratings and lots of downloads. From there you can view details on the level, including tags about it like "quick, difficult, clever, colorful, etc." Using these tags you can link to other levels with similar features, or perhaps other levels by the same author. The nice thing about this, especially in the beta, was I had no difficulty finding people to play online co-op with.
The full game will feature a story based adventure, and during that adventure there are specific sections clearly marked for co-op play. Whether it's puzzles or vehicles or whatever; you'll have to have at least one other person to participate in the challenge. For the user created content in the beta, I really didn't find any levels specifically written for cooperative play. The potential is there though to really do some cool things, and hopefully the story mode will bring inspiration to level designers to come up with clever uses of co-op.
It's really hard to describe what kind of game LBP is, because really it's just a basic platformer with physics based puzzles. The entire experience though just oozes style left and right, and I was easily entertained for hours doing...well basically doing nothing but running, jumping, and making SackBoy dance. There's so much personality in that little sack - and on a online network devoid of voice chat - I found it fairly easy to communicate using the tools an controls given to you. You can easily customize your character by collecting unlock able items, and you can even customize any level you are currently playing in real time by sticking stickers and small objects around it. While I didn't get a chance to play with it much, it does appear to let you import your own objects and textures using the PlayStation Eye.
I'm really anxious to dig deeper into LittleBigPlanet, but I think I'll wait for the full version. The beta wet my appetite enough and put a rest to any fears I may have had about the game. I really hope the online co-op creation is patched in shortly after launch. Creating levels with my friends is going to blow away hours upon hours of my life, and I'm sure I'm going to love every minute of it.
Ha! Thanks. I boo boo'd.
This game has disappointed me on so many levels. Perhaps it is because of the hype, but all I see is a sidescroller with an included level maker.Everything that is mentioned about the character personality means so little against the quote "because really it's just a basic platformer with physics based puzzles."I expect this to peak high the first week, then collapse as people notice they were swindled by style over substance.
its a side scroller?!? Time to cancel my pre order! I think why alot of people here are going to love this game is being able to express your creativity in a "simple side scroller" with its vast level builder, hosting those levels online, seeing how many people download and how many people like it. And being able to get comments which will help you in making new levels, or new versions of the old one. This game is going to sell huge on the PS3, and will have a long standing community that will probably only take it out to insert a BRD movie.
Shazoo,Enjoy the game. l'll try not to bring any discussion to a discussion forum anymore as I can see how wrong I was. Couldn't help it, must be my know it all nature...
I have a feeling Flatpicker has yet to actually play this game.Trust me, you wont fully get what makes this game so amazing until you actually play through some of the levels. It is a very unique and fun, charming game. I'm glad I got in the beta. Loads of fun...
I haven't.I'm going by the article here.I really don't think a game like this is all that big a deal outside of the hardcore world.None of this would be considered intuitive or near what most expectations of what a "game" is.3. I'm sure the readers of COG or any other are more conscious of what this game is. But when little sally creamcheese is with dad at best buy and sees the cute little guy on the cover and wants to play a game, they aren't going to have the time or patience to go through either the level creation or the online level search to grab content.I'm sure this will sell well for about 1 week. Until word get's out that there is no real game here. But, yes the hardcore will be the ones who keep it and do as Shazoo says. Shame of it is that's not enough to sustain a title anymore.
Flatpicker, you're entitled to your opinion, and thank you for posting it.I'm just curious: what did you think of Pixel Junk Eden? Bionic Commando Rearmed? Alien Hominid?I agree that Little Big Planet's premise is very generic, but then again, so is the premise of Killzone 2, Call of Duty 4, Heavenly Sword, God of War, etc. Disliking a game because of its genre is one thing, but lumping it in with other titles from that genre for the sake of forming a negative opinion is another.For the record, I don't own a PS3, and if I did, I doubt I'd be very enthusiastic about LBP, so I'm not arguing with you. I'm just reminding you that fighting hype is a lost cause. Some people are going to like it BECAUSE it's a casual and simple game. Some people will disagree and see the deeper meaning in the art direction and style. Some people are going to prefer the user-created content. Some people are going to buy a console based on LBP press coverage!If you dislike what you see, I encourage you to see the value in a (so-called) simple side-scroller that allows four people to have fun together...versus an incredible 60 hour single-player experience with no end game.This is Co-optimus, and whether or not the game delivers on the hype, we are generally optimistic about anything that gives players the freedom to share the experience with their friends.Just keep that in mind.
I don't have a dog in this hunt as I wouldn't pay full price for this. It's not a dislike, just a way too full holiday gaming season.I was just using the preview to talk about how I think this will received by the general public. That's where think this title is somewhat misleading. It's giving a kid friendly facade to something that I could not bring home and expect my kids to be able to play easily. (meaning get to the game content easy, not the challenge level)Just seems like a great idea that will be a miss because of the decision.Gamers tend to believe that the general public thinks like we do. I think that's why the Wii surprised us. It goes against most of what we expected in a gaming system. But they ate it up.LBP, I think tries to hide it's complexity in a candy shell. It looks cute, the sackboy characters are really unique and it's got style out the wazoo. But once again, I wonder if after purchasing the game, people will be disappointed in it's outside involvement. Playing a co-op game is a lot different than making a level and seeing how people vote on it. See, what you have mistaken with my post is a complaint regarding the gameplay. I'm not faulting the gameplay, singular or co-op. My concern is the involvement to get to the gameplay.
you gotta love the people who go into a thread of a game they have no interest in playing, and try to ruin it for those who do. Especially the know-it-all ones. Thing is, sally creamcheese most likely Wont own a PS3, those who do purchase it, do so for an HD player, or the exclusives that sony has to offer, who are they? Most likely the hardcore. Making a mod or level in games like Unreal, is much more indepth and difficult then LBP is going to be with it's simple "Pop" menu. Half the game is going to be about creating levels. And by the way, I didn't know if I posted about 1/10th of the things about LBP i'm excited for, I'd be all encompassing the game in it's entirety. Just because I say a few things that people might like, doesnt mean that is ALL there is to look forward to.
Your commentary is welcome. Don't be afraid to take some lumps as you give them out. A big part of the reason why our articles don't get so many comments is because most of the folks here would rather say nothing than to start a debate, especially when it's concerning unreleased games. But you've been nothing but civil; don't let a sour note or two stop you.
Since I've been playing the beta of this game, I feel like I have some insight to the general feel of the game.I can tell you that you can completely enjoy this game without EVER having stepped into the level creator once. I had a friend stop by to say hi while I was playing LBP and he was really impressed by it. He doesnt game. He doesnt own any game sytems, but I offered him the controller and he ended up playing around in the game for over an hour. He didnt care about how the levels were created or what it took for them to get there. He was just impressed with the sheer variety and number of levels avaible to him, and just how he could just pick up the controller and instantly get how it worked. He said that his wife and kids would like the game and he brought them back to see it a while later. All four of them were running around, goofing off and having a fun time interacting with eachother.I'm not sure if everyone knows this, but LBP has like over 60 pre-made levels that are sort of like the "story mode" of the game. The beta has only three of them. I would be satisfied with just that portion of the game.Then, you have all the user generated content. This ... is .... mind ... blowing. There are thousands of really, really dedicated hardcore people that have poured hours and hours into their creations. And I'm sure they enjoyed doing that... I just dont have the time to do that. I do however, have the time to download their custom levels and enjoy them. Thats the great thing, you dont have to know how it works... you dont have to build the levels yourself... you can just go right in and start playing the best the world has to offer. You can mark which ones are your favorite and come back to them, or if you find a really impressive level, you can look at what other levels that person has built.The ability to have fresh content every time you boot up this game is what will really give this game legs. It has the potential to be played for years and years without experiencing the same thing twice.How well will it sell? Only time will tell, but based on what I've played, and seen, and based on what I witnessed with casual non-gamers... I think this game has A LOT of potential.
I haven't played the beta, but I am looking forward to the game. The art style alone caught my eye, and the promise of user created content make this a must buy for me. I know the wife and kids will love it.
DjinniMan, for those reason, especially it looking like a game the wife and kids can jump on easily is why I'm looking forward to LBP.
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did you mean to title it "Hands On Preview" Anywho, can't wait to read the review and write up you guys come up with.