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I did all of this with out leaving the comfort of my living room. I also escaped a siren while I was on a sinking ship, but, that's a different story. Before you all think I've gone even crazier than normal, know that the whole time, Stephen Fry was, in fact, cheering me on. Oh, and I was playing LittleBIGPlanet 2. That's probably a little bit important to know, too.
Yes, two years after the original came out, and millions of user levels later, Media Molecule has returned with another project for the little creatures made of fabric and cute: the Sackboys. This time, though, instead of making individual levels, players can do something even better: they can make their own games. The tools for this do take a lot of learning for new comers, but with patience, the possibilities are, literally, endless. For example, I raced rats, and threw my sack-bots like basketballs. I'm 99% sure that that's only scratching the surface of what the Sackboys and Sackgirls can do.
While the controls are still floaty, there is more to the game than that. The controls tend to lag at times, but, curiously, only when not playing online. This has only happened once or twice, and isn't game breaking. In fact, the controls are more than effective, especially when jumping around in a "robobun." In fact, the biggest issue I had with the game is trying to play online. It took 15 minutes for me to get connected because the servers were jammed. Considering that the game was just released, though, I don't expect that to happen every time.
MM has listened to their fans, and it shows. The community isn't the only thing expanded: so are the tools for the game. I mentioned the animal mechs. I didn't mention the gloves that allow you to grab and throw objects, the grapple gun, and the cakinator, a gun/helmet that shoots out cakes that kill enemies and give you platforms to jump on. The Creationator, though, stands out: it's a gun that... well, let's just say it doesn't do what you think it'd do. But, it is useful.
As fun as the gameplay is, both in the game and in the levels, I do have one nagging gripe. I am not a big fan of the story. In the first game, the story was told by characters during gameplay, and never broke you out of the game. This time, the story is bigger, and has cinematics, complete with voice actors speaking to Sackboy, instead of giving text bubbles and murmurs. Those happen in the levels, still, though. To me, the cinematics seem too forced, almost as if MM is trying to keep up with other games. To me, it feels like playing Half-Life 3, and getting to a point where Gordon Freeman is shown speaking, and sounds like Bozo the Clown. At least they didn't give Sackboy a voice. Mr. Pinkerton has no right speaking... Oh! *Ahem*
That aside, LittleBigPlanet 2 isn't exactly a sequel; it's an improvement over something that was an amazing feat in the first place. They've both made an accessible way to make entire games for people to play, and add to the all ready clever and cute single player campaign. It's hard to call LBP2 a game, because it's more like a game creation tool where the creators show you what could be done, and invite you to expand on it. It's great to see developers want to see what people can do, and not be afraid of the directions that could happen. It's even better to see that MM has a sense of humor about it ("Please refrain from taking pictures of your bottom. Or worse... mine"). Kudos, Media Molecule. You've broke the mold again, and made a sequel that is truly an improvement on the original. Considering the bar you set with the first one, that is an amazing feat.
One last note, most of the community levels can be played on LBP2. How's that for service?
Overall:
A-
+ Same Quirky LBP
+ Community Levels are mostly intact
+ Stephen Fry Returns!
+ New Inventions
+ Make Your Own Game
- Story Mode Cinematics break the flow
- Floaty Controls
+ But still better than the original's
- Some Connectivity Issues...
+ ...that most likely aren't permanent
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