Videogame Review: "Little Big Planet

I first heard about "Little Big Planet" from my friend back at home. He bought it while he was at school in New York and told me that I needed to try it out. I finally bought myself a Play Station 3 in January, but I didn't think too much about the game until I played it over Spring Break. It's a lot of fun and it has a great concept. The game play is unique and the controls are easy to use. In "Little Big Planet," you take control of your "Sack Boy" (or "Sack Girl" to be politically correct), a unique character which you can customize. You can change the type of material he is made out of (denim, zebra or lion fur, etc.) and the outfit he wears, which can range from a poncho and sombrero to a hipster look, or even zombie attire (don't worry, it's just a costume).

The game is set on planet Earth, sort of. You begin the game from your "Pod," a type of home-base which you can customize with stickers and other decorations. From your Pod, you look over Earth and select a game-story level, or connect to the Play Station Network and play a user-created level. The story mode is simple: get from start to finish and collect point bubbles as you go. Throughout each level, you can collect new items, materials, stickers, and outfits for your Sack Boy.

The game-play in "Little Big Planet" is a lot more fun that I thought it would be. I was expecting a Play Station version of Super Mario with fun costumes, and instead the masterminds behind the game presented the gamer with fun, three-dimensional level designs. They require the player to jump, grab, push, pull, and swing their way through each level, all while looking for switches to activate doors and prize bubbles which contain more fun costumes and accessories for your Sack Boy.

The level creator is another reason why this game is worth its weight (not literally, as it weighs only about eight ounces). After playing through the game and collecting different objects, materials, shapes, and tools, players can create their own level ideas. I've spent several hours messing around with this feature, creating rockets, bombs, pits and other fun stuff for my me and my roommates to try.

The best aspect of this game is probably the online content, which allows the player to connect to the Play Station Network (it's free!) and play with other players around the world. Users can upload their own level creations to the network for other people to download, play, and rate. Users can also post any created items that are used in their levels as prizes so that others can try new things as well. Through the Play Station Store, users can purchase additional content, such as costumes, level designs, and even a Metal Gear Solid Upgrade pack with new costumes, levels, and audio tracks.

All in all, "Little Big Planet" for PS3 is worth getting. Sure, the story mode is rather short and the game can seem repetitive, but if you have a solid internet connection, the online content more than makes up for any lack of developer-created levels. Plus, there are trophies to boost your e-ego among your friends. "Little Big Planet" utilizes the PS3 to its fullest and is an incredible game for any type of gamer.