Borkachev on 09 January 2008
Really this is just a source engine with a library of objects and user friendly interface.
And that's exactly what's going to make all the difference. That's what makes it so revolutionary. To say that "it would be better on PC" is to miss the point. What makes LBP so unique and appealing is that it's not on PC, it's on a console. It does the kind of things you used to only be able to do on PC from the comfort of your couch, and it's all wrapped up in an easy-to-use, accessible, fun package. Game mods have traditionally been the domain of hardcore nerds hunched in front of computer monitors, because they were technically demanding and they were primarily used in games (FPSs) that appeal to that demographic. But just about everyone has the same creative gene those modders do, the desire to tinker and invent and play. LBP turns that ability into something everyone can do, makes it into a cooperative, social experience, and drapes it over the foundation of a simple, charming platformer that can appeal to anyone.
If anyone's still doubting the gameplay potential -- are you fans of Zelda or other adventure/puzzle games? LBP has the ability to do those same kinds of puzzles, with a cooperative element added in. Imagine obstacles where you have to balance platforms, for instance, using your bodies and objects in the environment in order to proceed. And things could be much more sophisticated if they add in switches/flags (variables triggered by certain conditions that cause new events to happen), so that you could do something like cooperatively push a block through a maze to reach a goal in order to unlock a door. I have a feeling they'll be including things like this, and if they do, it'll open up the potential for just about any kind of puzzle that can be done in 2D.
Like i said. Despite likely coming out later, Spore is the game that this game likely got a lot of it's ideas from... and honestly at the end of the day this game isn't much different then a huge number of programs that have been on the computer for a while now.
What? Besides a very superficial resemblance in character/object customization, LBP and Spore have almost nothing in common. As for it being similar to other PC programs, again, that's the point -- see the beginning of this post.
