LittleBigPlanet has been one of the most beloved games on the PlayStation platform and with the introduction of the PlayStation 4, the time has come to bring the franchise to the next level. LittleBigPlanet 3 brings Sackboy and a few of his closest friends to an all new adventure specifically designed for the new PS4. While the game doesn’t really venture too far from the tried-and-true LittleBigPlanet formula of platforming, those that loved this franchise will surely find something to love about this game. However, if you aren’t a LBP fan, this game will do little to convince you that you need to start playing. It doesn’t mean that this is a bad game by any means, it just means that you are either going to love this game or hate this game and you probably already know which way you’ll fall.

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LittleBigPlanet 3 is a solid exploration-based platformer with a whimsical feel. If you played an LBP game, you pretty much know what you are in for, but that doesn’t make this title any less fun to play. The world of LBP 3 is separated into several different levels all connected via a hub. As you might expect, you take the reigns as Sackboy, but this time around there are a whole cast of sock puppets namely Oddsock, Toggle, and Swoop that are playable in some form or another. While it would have been great to be able to play as any character you wish at any time, you can only play as Oddsock, Toggle, and Swoop in the levels that they were unlocked in. While it makes sense since each character has strengths and weaknesses, that are highlighted in those levels, being able to play as a character other than Sackboy, was intriguing while it lasted. The restrictions placed on character selection is also a bit of a misdirection as far as marketing is concerned. All the commercials for the game made it seem like you could play four player co-op with all four playable characters, but the truth of the matter is; you can’t.

The level design in LBP 3 is very basic, but it works well in context. In each level, you will be tasked with collecting marbles that are distributed across the level and if you collect enough marbles by the time you get to the end of the level, you will unlock the level guardian and move on. However, if you move past collecting marbles and search the level a little more closely, you’ll find a ton of hidden content which includes costumes, stickers, and even mini-games. Sure, there is plenty of content to keep you occupied and score chasing, however there is so much more to find, explore and collect that you’ll be encouraged to play the levels more than just one time or for just one purpose.

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LittleBigPlanet 3 is a solid single player game, but this game is really meant to be played with friends. There are even certain areas in the game that you can’t access without the help of friends, so though you can play solo, you’ll be missing out on a fair amount of content. Besides, all the challenges and puzzle platforming makes for a great time and sharing that experience just heightens the experience. It is certainly worth the time to bring a friend, so we recommend you coordinate this purchase with others. You can always find random players on the matchmaking service, which works just fine, but since you never know if your new friends will be cooperative, it is best to know your fellow sackmates.

From a presentation perspective, LBP 3 is stunning. The hub world and all the sub-levels are bright and detailed. The PlayStation 4 does a nice job at making this the best looking game in the series. In addition, all the NPCs are voiced for the first time in series history which is greatly appreciated. There wasn’t anything wrong with the sound effects that the franchise used before, but having a voice actor give a performance brings the presentation to a new level. The sound design and music are spot on and perfectly complements the visual elements which round out an excellent overall presentation. If you are looking for a beautiful game on the PS4, LBP 3 has to be a strong contender.

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No LittleBigPlanet game would be complete without a strong set of level creation tools and tons of user-generated content and LBP 3 delivers both in spades. The user creation tools are just as strong as ever, and in some ways even improved. There are several tutorials in the creation tools that encourages players to experiment, play and design while learning how to use a tool. Rather than read a manual or try to recreate what an audio blurb told you to do, you learn by playing the game in a specific way. It is incredibly intuitive and it allows every player willing to invest the time, to learn even the most advanced and complicated tools. This new set of tools makes you want to create a new level or play with the game’s mechanics and you’ll rarely feel lost of confused. It is a nice improvement on the old formula and it was an improvement that you never even knew you needed until you see how it was handled this time around.

While most of LBP 3 is excellent, there are a few ugly corners that need to be corrected. We encountered a number of glitches with respawning which hindered our progress through the game in certain spots. Sometimes we would spawn in an incorrect location, other times we wouldn’t respawn at all. This would prompt us to exit out of the game and restart the game. Having to completely leave the game to come back into the game to play was quite distracting and took away from an otherwise excellent game. While rare, we even lost some progress to respawn bug which is a pretty big no-no for a “finished” game.

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If you can put those issues aside, LittleBigPlanet 3 is a great game. There is a lot of charm, an engaging whimsical world to explore and a virtual sandbox to create the level of your dreams. This game is definitely better played with friends, but even if you don’t have three other interested friends, there is still plenty of fun to be had with a solo experience. You can knock the game for not being as original as it could have been, but in all honesty, it doesn’t matter. This is a true LittleBigPlanet experience with just enough of an upgrade to get you to fall in love all over again. If you are a fan of LBP, you probably already own this game, but if you are on the fence, feel free to reach out and give this one a try, you’ll be glad you did.

This review is based on a retail copy of the PlayStation 4 version of LittleBigPlanet 3 developed by Media Molecule published by Sony Computer Entertainment

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Tried and True Platforming | LittleBigPlanet 3 Review
Overall Score8
Positives
  • Excellent Presentation
  • Solid Platforming
  • Just Plain Fun
Negatives
  • Limited Use of the Additional Characters
  • Some Respawning Glitches
8Overall Score
Reader Rating: (0 Votes)
0.0

About The Author

Joe Marchese is the founder / Editor in Chief of New Gamer Nation. He has been a gamer for his whole life but has been focusing on his passion to deliver the industry's new to New Gamer Nation. He is an expert of video game culture and has been featured on Fox News Online. Don't be shy to reach out and let him know what you think!