Little Big Planet 2
I'll cut to the chase this time. No elaborate, inspiring, attention-grabbing, over-analyzed, smack-the-reader-across-the-face introduction here. Little Big Planet 2 has been out for a while now. Do you have it in your video game library? No? Then it's time . And here's why.
Little Big Planet 2 has 30+ levels to play with the game's hero Sackboy on a mission to save the world from Negativitron, a monster who is eating the cities of Craftworld. Oh no!
While it may play like a traditional 2D platformer, Little Big Planet 2 has unique and creative level designs that are a blast to play. The diversity alone is enough to buy the game. Whether hopping around, swinging, flying, racing, button mashing, or even riding around on a caterpillar to nanomachine to rid a poor soul of an infection. Expect the unexpected, and then don't expect it because your mind would blow up. Wha?
Little Big Planet Trailer Youtube by LittleBigPlanet
Create Mode
The Create Mode, which had mixed review and its fair share of ups and down from the original is back. And what a relief, it is not a bit more user-friendly and the overall experience of making your own levels to rock with your friends is simply easier to do. You have a vision for that perfect level for the servers to enjoy? Make it happen, it's now more within reach than ever before. The tutorial list makes things so much faster. Phew.
Multiplayer
Multiplayer in Little Big Planet 2 will have you and your friends playing into the early hours of the morning. Just a heads up. Might require a little discipline on your part if you have school or work the next day. I'm sure when you're in the coffee room or sitting in class, your head drooping to your chest, your eyes puffy, and you don't feel like doing anything, you'll be thinking one thing in your head: "WORTH IT!"
Over 3.5 MILLION Use-Created Levels in Little Big Planet 2
There are over 3.5 MILLION user-created levels to play. So if you played this game every day, for most of the day, for the next year, you wouldn't be close to completing each level and collecting all of the collectibles plus beating all the challenges. This game potentially has some of the most replay value of any game out there, and continues to grow by the day, by the hour, by the minute.
Jump Pads and Grappling Hooks and Creatinators oh my
Like just about any 2D platformer worth its weight, Little Big Planet 2 has items that grant Sackboy fun abilities to help him through the level and get from A to B. Jump pads, one of my personal favorites, launch Say Boy into the air and makes for some fun challenges. Another item lets Sack Boy shoot creation projectiles at enemies, not to mention grappling hooks. I can see Sack Boy kicking it with Batman or Spider-Man.
DLC Carries Over
Before I forget. Pretty much all items and DLC from the first game carry over into the second. Nice.
Little Big Planet 2 Versus Mode
Playing online with up to 3 friends locally or somewhere in the great unknown never gets old, Almost nothing more entertaining than four Sackboys umping all over the place and creating havoc and mayhem. And versus mode, which act like mini games and levels, will have you all competing outside the story mode. Win a game of pool or air hockey for online bragging rights.
Unresponsive controls?
Now, as amazing as this game is, there are some drawback worth mentioning. First, many people complained about the somewhat unresponsive controls, ala, the moon jumping feeling as I call it. That's still around, unfortunately. Personally, I've gotten over it, but there are just too many frustrated people out there to ignore. But in reality, this is more of a mixed bad\g as there are times when the controls are spot on and everything they need to be.
Foreground, Middle, or Background?
Second. Sometimes I get mixed up jumping between planes, accidentally jumping into the background when I meant to jump into the foreground. Asking around, it seems others have had this problem too. And sometimes I did it at the worst possible time. Yup, it was bad.
Outstanding Online Community
But back to what's so great.The online community works just like a social network. Think Twitter or Facebook, Tumblr, Stumbleupon, Delicious, Digg, Pinterest, Google+, you name it. You can upload your creations to the online community, browse through what others have made, rate it, learn about the designer, heart your favorite creations, and compare pins.
Little Big Planet 2 Gameplay Youtube vid by TheOpeningSet
lbp.me Where it all goes down
Media Molecule wants to engage the players of Little Big Plant 1 and 2. They want interactions and sharing between players to be easy and fun. This is evident with their website . It has pretty much everything you need to find cool new levels, look into designers, follow recent trends, and, well, there's A LOT. Check it out for yourself.
Little Big Planet 2 Final Verdict
On its own, Little Big Planet 2 is worth every penny of its purchase price. With relatively few annoyances (most of them sticking around from the first game, unfortunately) and countless hours to invest in mastering the levels, collecting all the prizes, playing online with friends, sharing your own level creations online, and more, Little Big Planet earns an outstanding 9 out of 10.
