Format: PS Vita
Release Date: September 18, 2012
Publisher: SCEA
Developer: Tarsier Studios, Double Eleven Studios
Price: $39.99
ESRB Rating: E
LittleBigPlanet has to be one of my favorite Sony exclusive franchises, so any new chance to play as Sackboy, I'm all over it. The new Vita iteration proved to be possibly the best option to playthrough LBP's beautifully crafted world.
Even though Media Molecule wasn't at the helm of this new Vita title, its still LittleBigPlanet, just in your pocket. In this game, The Puppeteer has taken all the joy out of Carnivalia, and the people need Sackboy's help to stop the evil Puppeteer. The story is as simple and charming as the previous games. Lots of whimsical writing keeps the light-hearted narrative moving forward. Thanks to the Vita's pristine screen, Sackboy has never looked better. The beautiful environments are highly detailed, with a lot of depth thrown into each level. There might be some debate on which game looks better, the PS3 version or the Vita version. There has been some problems with the clipping on the Vita game, but its minimal to say the least. I'm putting my money on the Vita version, thanks to the smaller screen, everything looks sharper and crisper. Complimenting the gorgeous visuals, the eclectic score is just as diverse as the game's many environments. The great Stephen Fry reprises his role as the charming narrator, guiding you through the game as always. There are a few issues with the game's loading times, sometimes I felt like whats taking so long, but as soon as I said that, the level loaded right up. These small problems don't hold the game back in anyway. You can expect the high production values found in the PS3 games.
The core gameplay really hasn't changed from previous games, but the utilization of the Vita's many components help add more variety to the gameplay. Your main goal is to still make it from the left side of the screen to the right side, while collecting and unlocking as many stickers and costumes that you can. The 40 level campaign spans you through 5 different worlds, which will actually take you a bit of time to fully complete. There is a lot of gameplay which involves the Vita's touchscreen, but it never feels tacked on in anyway. It could have been a bit more responsive at times, but it still feels smooth. The overly complicated level creator makes a return, still being a bit too complex for the less-creative. If you are a creative person, you can create some pretty spectacular stages that fully utilize the Vita's many features. You can even create levels that saves your progress, so any people looking for a LBP RPG might actually find one while scouring the game's huge community levels. Just like in the PS3 version, you can play the entire campaign alone or with 3 other friends. Some unlockables will actually require to have at least one buddy along for the ride. There isn't any voice chat in the game, but you can take advantage of the Vita's excellent touch keyboard.
This is easily the best way to play LittleBigPlanet, the game fully utilizes everything the Vita has to offer. If you're looking for another game for your Vita, you're in luck. LBP is one of the best Vita games to date.
S&S Rating: 9/10 @whatsPlay