LittleBigPlanet 3 Reviews
LBP3 reaches new highs for the series by delivering some of the best levels and gameplay yet seen, but also disappoints with a fleeting campaign.
With a string of new tools on offer, creator curators will have a blast exploring all of the possibilities available here – and while you'll certainly need dedication to get the best out of them, the lazy among you will more than get your fill via the output of more industrious players over time.
In some regards, LittleBigPlanet 3 isn't the giant leap forward it could have been. The floaty physics that hampered the core platforming in previous games have not been addressed, and it doesn't feel like a significant technological advancement, even with the raw power of the PS4 on its side. But LittleBigPlanet 3 is bursting at the seams with creative content, and that is merely the framework for the game. It's up to the community to build on it over the coming months and years, and we cannot wait to see how things develop.
It's been almost four long years since the last home console LittleBigPlanet release. Like a fine wine, LBP3 has aged rather well, though it has picked up a few odd notes along the way. It performs exactly like its predecessor, only improved upon. The key word here is addition. You have additional layers to levels – now 16 plus the thin layer! The three additional characters have unique aspects that you cannot really replicate with merely Sackboy and a tool. Sackboy himself did receive new tools, though; an impressive seven, each introducing fresh new ideas that enhance existing levels. But with some zero-day bugs that painfully bring the experience down for some users, some caution must be given to anyone who isn't aware of them, and we hope that Sony can narrow down this issue within an acceptable timeframe. Still, this is a planet worth exploring!
LittleBigPlanet 3 provides a fun and varied campaign and numerous meaningful additions to the series' level editor, but some technical hitches prevent it from being the true gem that it could've been.
A whimsical and charming adventure, LittleBigPlanet 3 makes a few welcome changes to the core game; namely new characters and new powerups four our old knitted chum, Sackboy. With an even more robust set of creation tools, it's a game of limitless possibilities.
LittleBigPlanet 3 may not be perfect on a technical level, but the story and amazing level editing tools are pretty amazing once you get the hang of it. The game has a little bit in it for everyone, and there simply aren't that many games that nail the Play.Create.Share concept as much as LittleBigPlanet.
Could alienate those who favour Play
Not the best game in the series, and definitely not the most refreshing or the most remarkable, but a solid LBP game and platformer nonetheless that everyone should be able to enjoy.
LittleBigPlanet 3 was another good entry into the LBP series. I enjoyed the Adventure Mode even though it was way too short. I also enjoyed the use of new characters to play as, and their cool new abilities, but they are not used often enough, which felt like a big missed opportunity. Even though LBP3 comes with some problems it is still worth trying if you are a fan of the LBP series.
Sony's creativity suite returns, bursting with color, smiles, and cleaner platforming overall.
As with previous instalments, LBP3 can be seen as a game of two halves; the standard platform fare and the online community building. The former is certainly the series' best yet although if that's all you come for you'll probably feel short-changed in gaming time. The latter is as forward-thinking and inventive as ever and fans will relish the new features.
LittleBigPlanet 3 is an impressive game, stuffed with more imagination than ever before, and presented in a manner that makes user creation supremely accessible even as the toolset deepens. Though the Adventure mode is sadly short-lived, and the platform differences are fairly negligible, LBP 3 will surely prove to be a must-have game for PlayStation or series newcomers this winter.
Nevertheless, these new elements have been seamlessly integrated into the recognizable LittleBigPlanet foundation, and as a consequence never feel like the source of drastic change. What they offer instead is rejuvenation: a jolt of exhilaration—of imagination—from a series whose novelty had perhaps begun to wane.
LittleBigPlanet 3 brings a box of new toys and drops them at your feet. Your enjoyment of the game will greatly depend on what you decide (and are able) to do with that assortment of goodies.
With all of the innovations LittleBigPlanet 3 brings with Toggle, Oddsock, and Swoop, it's a shame they aren't allowed to show off their stuff on a regular basis, because they are the best thing to happen to the series in years. It would be nice to see them return in a big way in a potential sequel, but for now hardcore LBP fans should have enough creation options to last them until that point.
LittleBigPlanet 3 boasts more creative capabilities than its predecessors and tutorial levels for teaching the basics to patient newcomers. Adventure mode fails to innovate in the same way, relegating the most interesting additions--playable heroes OddSock, Toggle, and Swoop--to a small handful of levels.
In six months, it's likely we'll be seeing some fantastic user-created content for Little Big Planet 3, and I can't wait to see what the community produces. As the game stands now, it offers a fun but shallow Adventure Mode, bottomless charm, and all the tools you need to make your own fantastic platformer experience -- provided you have the creativity and patience the franchise has always required.
LittleBigPlanet 3 doesn't quite live up to the legacy of previous iterations due to a handful of key drawbacks.
Without these problems, I'd have no hesitation in saying this is the best LittleBigPlanet game to date. The deeper integration of creative elements into the story is a big plus, as is the superior level design, and the new characters are very welcome, even if they're ultimately underused. But in its current state, it's hard to recommend without some serious caveats. Held together by Sellotape rather than superglue, LittleBigPlanet 3 is in constant danger of falling apart.