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The simple fact that all of the Media Molecule levels were built with the same level editor is what drives you on. To get over Mt Daunting will prove to be a tough task, as you learn how to throw in items, decorate and create objects, fiddle with physics, test out and finally save your own slice of LBP masterpiece you will feel a great sense of achievement, more so than the simple digital Trophies offered up in this or other games.
Materials used to create the level come from those collected earlier, or imported through the PlayStation Eye camera, and it is as this point that you realise Media Molecule have given us a big box of blocks, not a LEGO Death Star to put together by the numbers. Brilliant.
Eventually you will get the itch to try out some user generated content – and if it hadn’t happened by now, it is here that you will finally ‘get’ LBP. Launching a user generated level, or simply hitting the ‘quick play’ button will throw Sackguy into the sometimes scary imagination of those that inhabit the PlayStation Network.
Here you will find levels akin to the single player game. Jump in and play them yourself or join in and compete, or cooperated with other Sackfolk and then comment on the level just played.
Each level gets moderated by Sony, rated and described by the community, making finding and playing similar levels easy.
Online also features a unique and friendly follow-me system. As players get together to play online, they will either replay levels or leave to find other levels to play. You may follow other players, who then become leaders, from one level to the next or back to their POD, to see where they will head next.
Levels vary from homage to horrible, some contain no challenge whatsoever, sometimes being more art than game, but it is a quick jump to find favourites and not a big inconvenience if you stumble onto a level of weirdness difficult to cope with.
Sony have copped some flak for taking down levels from the servers, but as a representative mentioned to me, we are in the murky and litigious world of content hosting here. Material that is either lewd or infringing other companies copyright has no place in this carefully screened world that Media Molecule have created.
There is plenty of good clean fun to be had on LBP, and despite the floaty controls, daunting learning curve for level creation, occasional game freeze and hit miss dodgy user created content, this is an online experience that creates unique emotions when experienced. It took me a while, but now I get it.
Sony could take a leaf from Media Molecules community design book and apply it to the forthcoming PlayStation Home, this is an enjoyable box of bricks to be shared with PlayStation owners everywhere.
8.5 Popits out of 10
