The Mess-Hall Blog

OK, I’m a bit behind with this one, but thanks to Daz I’m beginning to catch up.

Creator – First impressions are “what the hell am I supposed to do?”, then the lovely Stephen Fry explains all I need to know with extremely helpful walk throughs for each stage of creating a user LBP level.
You cant do the much without watching the tutorials first, which got right on my wick to start with as I just wanted to point, click, create. But knowledge is power as they say.
The possibilities are limited to begin with – 1 lighting effect – a green star, a handful of materials and very few objects. So rather than just jump in and create stuff you are left with the choice of creating rubbish levels that are boring, or spend a bit of time in the game and earn your objects and materials and lighting effects etc.
My initial worries that my created levels would be crap were confirmed when the best I could do paled in comparison to some of the community levels on offer. So I’m currently digging my way through the story mode, picking up as many items as I can possibly see to increase my inventory.

So, in effect this review is incomplete as I am a fraction of the way through the game and I have no home made levels for anyone to see (any that are worth shit anyway).

Expect a thorough review at a later date.

Nevertheless, the physics behind all the in game puzzle are stupendous. Every different level you encounter new things to play with and usually those things are collectable, like the rotating fans, or new material, or mechanical stuff like cars or springs.

I’m finding myself enjoy a platformer. That may not sound like the most spaced out idea, but for me it is. For the past few years I’ve played racing games (Rollcage, Stuntman, Driver, Toca, GT, Dirt, Wipeout to name a few) or fighting games (Tekken, Rival Schools, Soul Caliber (and Blade), Street Fighter) and more recently I’ve been getting into FPS (Warhawk, GTA4, BFBC, KZ2), I honestly thought I’d never enjoy playing a platform again after completing James Pond on the Amiga, as it seemed like they are all just the same… walk, jump, switch, push, pull, walk, jump, switch, zzzzzzzzzzzzz. And to some extent, LBP does the same. But the variety of puzzles is astounding, even within the few levels of the story mode I’ve been through, god knows how many thousands of other ideas are waiting for me with other peoples home made content.

Graphics 9/10…so far its the same “whacky” googly eyed freaks that are popping up time and time again. If there was a different kind of freak or the “Whackyness” was somewhat different, then it would be a 10. But its slightly repetitive.

Sound 8/10…I am getting bored of the same tunes, but maybe cos I’m not that deep into the game yet. Sound effects are very cool though, and very responsive.

Playability 9/10…was hooked from the get go.

Lastability 7/10..I am missing my other games already, but thats just cos I’m a greedy wanker.

Overall 9/10.

It would be a 10/10 IF …
…you could put your own music into the game (yes I know copyright and all that shit)
…you could input your own images from your hardrive rather than just the PS3 Webcam. Big shame that one to me, as i wanted to plaster walls with images that I’ve either created or drawn.

Best thing about the game? – While a level loads, you stand in your “pod” and control sack boys arms. How fucking cute does that look when he’s on the Analogue sticks?
Ahhh.

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