I know I’m late to the party on this one. With Little Big Planet 2 set to drop in a few weeks, I’m only giving the game a fair shake now. I’ve played it a few times at demo kiosks, but playing it that way hasn’t really grabbed me for some reason. However, now that I’ve been able to start the experience from the beginning and play it as intended, I’m liking it a whole lot more. I haven’t dived into the creation tools or user-created levels yet, but I can talk about my early experiences in the story mode.
Little Big Planet is a visually arresting game. There is a lot going on under the hood to make this game as pretty as it is. But more impressive than the game’s utilization of the hardware is the actual art direction. There is something in the look that really captures the feeling of a dream. The worlds themselves are designed to be crazy out-there, yet the characters, set pieces and levels all look like real-world objects come to life. It’s not on the level of something like Toy Story, but the look definitely evokes the feeling of being a child, playing with your toys and using your imagination to create the greatest adventure ever.
Unlike other side-scrolling platform games, the emphasis of the game is more about exploration rather than survival. Yes, you can die, and you can fail a level and be forced to restart, but so far the challenge hasn’t been overly difficult and the game is really generous with checkpoints and lives. My brother and I have been playing it more casually, taking our time through levels and exploring every nook and cranny for items that can be used in the level creation mode. On top of the core platforming elements, it does have other elements to the action too, such as racing bits and mini games.
Also worth noting during my limited playtime is the music. So far I’m loving the soundtrack of this game. The ‘world music’ vibe to the whole game just feels right for the action.
I’m not sure how the rest of the game will play out, but I really like what I’m experiencing so far. My brother and I will continue playing through on co-op and hopefully we’ll finish it before the sequel hits stores.
In Third Person 
I only have the PSP version but I’ll tell you, I was pleasantly surprised. It’s actually a fun game. I came into it believing it was just a bunch of creation tools that they throw at you. I had no idea there was a solo campaign so to speak. I honestly wouldn’t have bought it but it came free with the PSPGo. Since I’ve played this version, it actually tempts me to pick up the PS3 versions some time in the future. Not a bad game at all. At least nothing of what I was expecting. Way to go LBP!