First Look: Little Big Planet

Having been excited about this for months it was perhaps a little strange that not only did I not rush out and buy it I actually didn't even play it for ages after it arrived.

However I finally got around to slotting the disc into the slot (Aren't trays just so last-gen?) and giving it a whirl. Having cast an eye over the last few games I completed there's a lot gritty action so Little Big Planet comes as a breath of fresh air. From the minute Stephen Frys dulcet tones ease you into the tutorial to the brilliantly realised combination of graphics and physics that make the Little Big Planet itself what it is it's fantastic fun.

It's very easy to get in to and start playing. Obviously the main draw of the Story mode is to collect all the pieces you need for creating stuff. But even for someone like me whose not interested in creation (although I was fascinated to see what other people had made) it's a compelling draw to try and find all the stuff and 100% a level. (Sadly I've only managed this on the opening level despite some replays). It's also full of imagination and charm and it's a lot of fun to play.. Sackboy is a bit loose but he's made of sack, What do you expect? He's also got a consistant physical weight and you're soon wondering why 2d platformers went away in the first place (of course the reason being that ones that are this much fun to play are few and far between.. This is the best one since Super Mario World in my opinion.) It has a similar sort of inventiveness and character.

The crux of the matter for me though is that the Story mode is a delight. To give you an idea one set of levels features a Tim Burton-esque gothic wedding and the grooms gone runabout. Beats the usual fire, ice, desert levels does it not? There's a moment a few levels in where you presented with a jetpack and there's a puzzle where you have to lift weights into a large bucket to open a door...At once you're reminded of Half Life 2 and the seminal Thrust and you think ... why can't all games be this much fun?