I think the official street date is still tuesday but Gamestop called me today to let me know my reserve copy was in. I've been playing it a few hours now (past the first 2 worlds, one midevil and one African Savanah) and I can say from the creative credits that form the first level (the names/faces of the designers pop up as you go through it) to the cheeky British Narator who is genuinely funny to the incredibly bright and lively levels and characters Little Big Planet is without a doubt the best game of the year.
I have been excited about this game since hearing about it originally but I have to say I heavily underestimated how fun it would be, especially for playing with others (my wife in this case). While most platform games either go with the player ones turn then player twos turn model (ala the Mario games up to Mario 64) or the one person does more or less everything that matters while the other is a semi assistant (ala Mario Galaxy) LBP genuinely gets between 2 and 4 people totally involved.
There are points where you have something with wheels, say a skateboard, and you have to race to the end of the level. It is a lot like the louge, everyone piles on as one person tries to push it to get momentum going (the whole games is heavily laden with awesome realistic physics never before seen in a 2D platformer) and then jump on. You can then control the board by all standing in the front to get more forward momentum then switching to the back to raise the board for a jump. The first few times its chaos (fun chaos), if you really figure out how to work together though its poetry in motion.
The characters are way more personable then anything I've ever seen in a game. You have at least two dozen emotional states you can have your character represent from terror to elation to anger to sadness and everything in between. These states are all accessible through a handful of button presses so they're VERY easy to change on the go. You can manipulate every aspect of your characters movement seamlessly from their body position to the way they wave their arms, again easily and on the go. A lot of that doesn't have a HUGE impact on the game, but it gives the characters overwhelming personality and makes them a lot more then just a avatar you watch run around without change or real humanity for 12 hours. It's strange that sack boy seems infinitely more human then Mario or Link, who are actually humans, ever did.
There is a great unlockable system as well. A lot of levels have over 70 unlockables within them between scenery stickers, level templates, clothing items and body parts. Some are obvious and easy to get to, some are cleverly hidden behind fun and interesting puzzles. As a quick puzzle example there is a basket in the sky hanging from a chain, then there is a jetpack, a drawbridge and a stack of circular blocks. I'm not going to spoil the answer for anyone, but the moment of realization when you figure out the puzzle is great fun. This game is full of little moments like that. It's the first time I've really enjoyed in game puzzles since symphony of the Night and the first Tomb Raider 10 years ago. It really is amazing how far LBP stretches the limits of what can be done in a 2D game.
Even more fun a lot of the puzzles require multiple people working together to solve. You'll have sea saws where 3 people must jump at the same time to launch the last sackboy to get an unlockable or places where multiple sackboys must use reflexes/items to defeat a boss. It's the best 4 person cooperative fun I've come across in any action game. This game is clearly not meant to be played alone only, its vastly superior with friends either in house or online (though online won't start til the official street date of tuesday I believe). I had some friends over just for the purpose of trying the 4 player system out and its great chaotic fun especially in the later more complex levels.
Customizing your sack boy is really easy and fun as well. There is a limited selection of costumes at first but very quickly you unlock dozens and dozens of options plus you can make your own with either screen captures or the eye toy. It is very easy to make just about any character you can imagine with everything from elizabethan garb to a bunny outfit to pirate garb. All the body parts animate perfectly and look great. There is never a worry about looking the same as everyone else in 4 player games, there are just so many options it will be very hard for two sackboys to coincidentally look alike.
Finally making your own backgrounds, costumes and all the rest with the eye toy (I have the PS2 one myself) is seamless and easy, within the 2nd level you find the tools to do so. You can take pictures in game or through the eyetoy and make just about anything you can imagine then share it in levels you create. It is by far the easiest level editor I have ever come across and I'm positive within the first week there will be endless varieties of objects and levels for use. I thought the beta levels I saw in videos were aberrations, too hard for the average person to make. After playing I find I totally understand how they made those levels, its so straightforward I think just about anyone is capable of being a great LBP creator with some practice and creativity. The limits are not the tools, but the imagination.
Anyone who is on the fence about the game, I highly highly recommend getting it. I can't think of the last game I've played that I seriously thought everyone will like. I mean MGS4 was great, but I didn't expect everyone to think so, same with Final Fantasy 7, Mario 64 and a ton of other classic games. This game though, is an instant classic that I think just about anyone under the sun will immediately understand and love, its just superb in every way.
PSN ID: ChosenOne feel free to add me
