Sackboy and his little sack friends definitely made an impact on the Playstation 3 last year with their lovable 2.5D platforming adventure. That same lovable planet that is big and little at the same time has now invaded the PSP, and thankfully is neither a port nor a watered-down version of the console hit, but rather a LBP adventure developed exclusively for the PSP. But can this cotton threaded and cardboard structured wonderland sew together enough appreciation from gamers? We think so.
The underlying premise of LittleBigPlanet remains, to the point that there kind of is no premise. It enters the world of imagination as you control Sackboy, a walking hacky-sack of sorts, as he travels across this planet and in some of the wackiest and interesting levels you’ve ever seen. Each level has certain objectives which range from retrieving stolen eggs and chasing monkeys, to fighting dragons and flying magic carpets. The magic created by the PS3 version is definitely here, and it’s safe to say that some of the awe-inspiring levels and ideas here even top that of the original LBP and place some unrivaled variety on a simplistic design.
The way in which you navigate the levels, clear obstacles and solve puzzles remains the same. Jumping, pushing, grabbing and swinging your way through the levels is easy, and thanks to the layout of the PSP and simple in-game controls it’s a joy to play which leaves absolutely no frustration. The mechanics work in the same way as well, and that’s due to the fantastic physics which fuel the gameplay and, more importantly, the platforming. All the cool features like the jet-packs and vehicles are there which just goes to show that everything has been included here.
The level creator, which has become a defining characteristic of the LittleBigPlanet IP, is incredibly deep and user-friendly which allows players to create their own adventures with ease. The content quantity has definitely not been toned down, and there are literally hundreds of pieces and prize bubbles to collect throughout story mode in order to build your levels with. These levels, once again, can be shared online with the LBP community, which in turn, results in an endless amount of game time with LittleBigPlanet PSP.
The original LittleBigPlanet was commended for its innovative multiplayer which allowed up to 4 players to simultaneously play the game together. The multiplayer was so tightly woven (another shameless cotton joke) and it required 4 players to complete certain objectives. However, in LittleBigPlanet PSP, you’re on your own. The lack of a multiplayer component came down to the size of the game and the limitations of the PSP itself, but don’t let that distract you as the story mode is phenomenal and the crazy cardboard characters you interact with have more personality than most of your real friends.
Visually, LBP PSP manages to do the same thing that its big brother did. It astonishes with beautiful graphics in the most charming and simplistic of ways. The animations of Sackboy, the surrounding environments and settings are incredibly fluid, and every detail has been put into this game to make it look as good as it plays.
LittleBigPlanet PSP is not just a landmark title for the PSP, but it’s one of the most important titles of 2009. Everything great about the LBP world has been brought to the PSP in stylish fashion. The PSP’s hardware and UMD space limitations do hurt it in the multiplayer department, however no one can deny the brilliant visuals, gameplay and attraction of such an ambitious title. Sackboy is finally home.
[starreviewmulti id=2 tpl=20]
