Despite its one-shot side which did not really call for a sequel, LittleBigPlanet was offered a new episode simply bearing the name of LittleBigPlanet 2 and which therefore tries to take advantage of the more or less justified enthusiasm which has formed around its predecessor. A task that involves various demonstrations of new creative possibilities, the announcement of an ever-increasing potential and communication still focused on the adorable Sackboy. A little taste of deja vu which also becomes a certainty from the start of a game in the adventure mode. Still benefiting from a more consistent binder that goes through a real story and a sequence of levels that offers more logic, the already built part of LittleBigPlanet 2 still retains this obligatory passage aspect arranged without great genius. Mandatory because the only way to recover a large number of objects quickly in order to have enough material for the creation phase. The various stages crossed are indeed home to many textures, items, decorations or even mechanisms that you will need to recover as you progress. A relatively simple task despite some barely hidden coins, the interest of the adventure mode being indeed to allow you to collect them with a background of entertainment. A coating which fortunately shelters some variations.
The physics of employment
In addition to the fairly nice script that allows you to progress with a certain goal, namely to eliminate the terrible Negativitron, LittleBigPlanet 2 abandoned the sequence of levers to pull and blocks to push for situations that are much more numerous, if not varied. Demonstrating a globally inventive level-design despite repetitions and sequences of tables that are sometimes too mechanical, the "Adventure" mode manages to surprise with the appearance of vehicles which coincides for some with the integration of shoot'em-oriented passages up. If the mechanical rabbit does not bring much and is content to rely on a principle of managing moon jumps, the other creatures are a little more ingenious without offering original game principles. The puppy can indeed move blocks by barking in very simple puzzles, while the hamster makes a specialty of rushing at top speed into crumbly walls during exhilarating but limited passages. More interestingly, the camel-humped or bee-back shooter phases offer higher challenges with, for the latter, changes of point of view (from horizontal to vertical) which suddenly modify the game experience from smart way. Additions that diversify the action but tend to be repeated, especially in the case of the shoot, which returns in similar forms several times.
Demonstrating a globally inventive level-design despite repetitions and sequences of tables that are sometimes too mechanical, the "Adventure" mode manages to surprise with the appearance of vehicles which coincides for some with the integration of shoot'em-oriented passages up."
In addition to these new phases, Sackboy can now equip himself with tools that give him offensive and/or "support" abilities, such as a grappling hook or a cake cannon. The first allows you to cling to certain objects to reach otherwise inaccessible places and requires very long minutes before being mastered a minimum. Because once again, the inertia of the gameplay of LittleBigPlanet 2 drives you crazy and remains a real obstacle to a pleasant gaming experience. A rest on achievements which really harms levels dedicated to the grappling hook yet well constructed and rhythmed brilliantly. It's the same with the second "weapon" which despite a double utility - eliminating enemies and sticking cakes anywhere - exploited in an inventive way, suffers from a lack of gameplay. The fact of having to move the little hero's head before each shot, without simultaneity, is a heaviness that the player would probably have done without. The fact remains that these few novelties, associated with trays much richer in possibility than in the first opus make the adventure mode certainly a disguised collection of items, but to which the player discovering the series will be more easily sensitive. The major problem being that these innovations actually bring more density to the whole but they do not prevent this part of LittleBigPlanet 2 from being subject to the same gameplay shortcomings as its predecessor. The latter being even more visible, especially in connection with new features that sometimes struggle to take full advantage of the basic game-design. A problem that does not meet the main facet of the game of Media Molecule, namely the mode of creation of levels.
In search of lost time
Great strength of the series, the level editing mode is once again at the heart of the game experience and even manages to be more complete than that of its predecessor. In addition to the now usual modifications of blocks, definition of angles, physical adjustments or even designs of complete mechanisms, the editor of LittleBigPlanet 2 tries this time the adventure of complex AI with the Sackbots. These small characters with a configurable look act as NPCs and can be regulated via a fairly rich cause/consequence system. Aggressive or fearful, fleeing or glued to you, these wooden robots have a circuit board that you can fully define with chains of commands to push the Sackbots to interact together, aim at a specific target or patrol taking into account what is in their field of vision. This principle brings a very interesting extra life in the levels with the establishment of a possible system of enemies to dodge or shoot down according to specific conditions, even a kind of imitation Lemmings or Oddworld: The Oddyssey/Exodus D 'Abe. A creative freedom that is also adorned with the Creatorator, a helmet that gives you the opportunity to throw any object of reasonable size, like the cake toss in adventure mode. Can be used with Sackbots, this object can lead to relatively crazy pitched battles, but also to an original progression system by delving a little into the possibilities offered. Of course, the new means of transport that are puppies, bees and other mechanical creatures are entering with extensive customization, from the way to trigger them to their behavior.
Great strength of the series, the level editing mode is once again at the heart of the game experience and even manages to be more complete than that of its predecessor.
A global richness in the settings which allows a huge choice of possibilities of playful patterns, both in their development and in their concept. Especially with the principle of controllers that give the player the power not to control Sackboy but the object / vehicle on which he is after taking control. Integrated from the ground up in creatures imported from adventure mode, the controller system allows you to assign any button on the PlayStation 3 controller to a function, whether it's moving, shooting, jumping, etc. This addition is the very basis of the "ease" of creating shoot'em up type levels, even Tetris-like, beat'em all or even an ersatz of Puzzle Bobble. Once you are proud of your creation, it is also possible to highlight this or that passage by adjusting the brightness on a specific area as you pass by in favor of a change of camera angle, all underlined by a musical score created by you thanks to the new musical sequencer far from being accessible at first glance. Finally, the general gravity applied to a level can be redefined, which finally makes Sackboy controllable at more than 150% "gravity", which was not a won bet. Once these basics have been acquired and if you have enough self-confidence, you can link your different creations to generate an entire game, cutscenes included. The possibilities are therefore simply impressive and the level sharing platform may well be quickly invaded thanks to the enthusiasm that these new features can arouse. Because if the first episode left doubts about the reaction of the community when it was released, the doubt is no longer relevant with this sequel in the face of the countless creations put online since then. This does not necessarily mean that the number of levels/quality ratio will be higher.
Nevertheless, as in the adventure mode, this set of additions and new possibilities is certainly a plus but simply sticks to it. It is indeed always impossible to integrate its own textures and images, blurred photos taken with the EyeToy excluded, and the precision of the placement with the joystick remains perfectible. Moreover, and even if we are far from a simple add-on, it is not certain that players will go back to the checkout at €60 to find a title that is certainly thorough and mature, but which, with its evaporated surprise effect, will have a back - bitter taste of deja vu. But the biggest barrier of LittleBigPlanet 2 remains the investment required of the player. The latter knows what he is buying, but with his communication based on simplicity and accessibility, Sony's game is likely to cause disappointment to the chain. LittleBigPlanet 2 is complex and requires very long hours of empirical development. It is indeed easy to make a straight line with some of the new jump blocks to reach two poor dueling platforms. It is much less so to generate a rhythmic, interesting and square level. With its innovations that mask a certain basic stagnation, LittleBigPlanet 2 is not a bad title, far from it, but it submits to the same questions as its predecessor, minus the importance of the network. It all depends on what type of player tries it. You just have to keep in mind that this game is only really fun after a period of hard work, focusing only on the adventure mode being a mistake. The Stakhanovists of pop-it will find something to renew the materialization of their imagination, if they are ready to start again on their bases.
