LittleBigPlanet 3 launched last Tuesday for PS3 and PS4. It’s easily one of my favorite games of the current generation, and I’d like to tell you a bit about how I feel about this iteration so far.

General updates:

LittleBigPlanet was really cool when it first came out in 2008 because it had three “layers” so to speak. Your sack could switch between these layers to move through the sideshift level. It was a good way to update the old way of playing a 2D video game. Another of LBP’s strong points is the artistic value, integrating textures and combining artistic styles within stickers and level elements. What they’ve done in this version of the game is add a secondary layer that your character can jump to or use other items to slide on, so you essentially have two main paths with 2-3 layers on each. (or maybe just two, I’m only in the second act or so in the game). I like the way this adds depth to an already interesting series of levels.

They’ve also added some interesting new gameplay angles: whether you’re choosing a totally different character to race through a level in a bird’s-eye view, or building a race car and racing another character, there are plenty of new ways to play. . the game. Inside the game. It is simply miraculous.

The game interface also differs slightly in this version. You still have your “Popit” where your stickers and customization tools are kept, as well as where your blast loot tool resides. What they have added on the unused circle and triangle buttons are two new menus, a quest tracker and a tool keeper. In previous games for tools, you would normally walk over a platform to pick up the tool and it would disappear into the level once you no longer needed it. In LBP3, you can access all of your tools at any time, adding to the puzzle-solving aspect of the game and the convenience for level building later on. One less platform to consider, and if I remember correctly, you would have a limited radius in which you could use the tool as well. The quest tracker reminds me of World of Warcraft in the way you can highlight a quest and it will give you a pointer on the side of your screen to direct you to where the next quest step is. Either way, these two little menus were a nice update to the game and made sense to be where they are.

Characters:

So one thing I appreciated about the last game was the fun they had with the names: Larry Da Vinci or Dr. Higginbotham. The new game certainly doesn’t disappoint with phrase names like Papal Mache, Newton, or Marlon Random. While most children who are playing won’t make some of the connections, older people can appreciate the nuances.

But let’s not forget about the 3 new playable characters in the game: Oddsock, Toggle and Swoop. Currently I’ve only unlocked the first two, but they’re great to play with. Oddsock is adorable and fast, his strong points are running and jumping walls. Toggle can literally “toggle” between a larger or smaller self, able to walk through walls or run in small spaces, launch himself through different layers, and be an overall badass. Swoop is a bird, so I guess he can fly through other levels, which could be pretty OP depending on how he’s handled.

Adventure/Story Mode:

One thing I wasn’t too happy with in LBP2 was the story mode, or lack thereof. I went through the story mode about a week after buying it, and was left wanting a lot more. I understand that the game is geared towards a “homegrown” crowd, where the community levels are often better than the actual story mode levels, but I enjoy the unlockables and refinement of the game, so the fact that there are It wasn’t too much to go back to which made me quite disappointed.

LBP3 does not disappoint. I’ve played about 6-8 hours now and already find myself wanting to go back to the levels for the things I missed, but there’s also a lot of story ahead. The levels are also set up a bit differently, where they have “storybooks” of levels. A main world that will take you to levels within it as you unlock or find them through discovery. Even in this main world you can collect prize bubbles.

Another thing I look forward to is the other “modes” they have in this game. From what I have gathered (I’ve only dabbled in story mode so far), they have created a mode that encourages people to play through the levels using the building tools to keep progressing. If that’s the case, I think it’s a great integration of what is the second great part of this game, which I tend not to touch because I don’t have any amazing level ideas. I’ll let you know if I’m totally out of line.

Group play:

Trying to find a game that makes you want to play with others, I personally think it’s hard. With any of the new Mario franchises (Kart, Super Smash or World) you find characters you are familiar with and worlds or enemies that have been recreated over and over again to save the princess. (I think she wants to be saved, right?) LittleBigPlanet has a great way of engaging others, so much so that I want to bring my husband or someone to come over and play with me as I play through each and every level. Teamwork is interesting – I found this game overall to be a bit more challenging than the previous one with boss fights and level complexity, which lends itself to longer gameplay and more interesting replay value. The same goes for x2, x3, or x4 player puzzles, tying something more akin to Portal 2 within reason. The new tools you get in this game make puzzles something to think about instead of one person jumping on a switch and another standing on a platform.

New tools:

So at this point I have 4/5 of the new sack toys in my arsenal. Accessories for the game interface, which also makes them easy to access. I think the tools in this game so far are pretty fun. (the pumpinator – it blows and stinks!), but also very smart (the illuminator: illuminates something apparently flat so that it comes to life). I really like that there are levels where I’m playing and I see icons for other tools that I didn’t have at the time, so I’m even more encouraged to go back and see how I can get those prize bubbles. It’s like when you finally get a double jump in some game and you can get to all the places you couldn’t before. so satisfying

So can you say I like the game so far? Media Molecule has outdone itself again, and I’m delighted with the longevity this game is showing so far.

If you haven’t picked this up yet, I recommend you do so when you can. Don’t wait for the holidays, who does that? I guess relatives. That’s fine, but maybe you’ll pick it up and re-wrap it for the day and pretend you haven’t seen it before.

Do you have any idea? Share what you think of the game so far in the comments!