LittleBigPlanet Vita

Two handheld platformers in one month? What's going on?? With Nintendo's flagship character recently jumping back into the handheld scene with New Super Mario Bros. 2, it's only natural that Sony would not only want a platformer that can stand up to the moustached one, but also a game that would make gamers say "I need a Vita, NOW".
So how does Sackboy's on-the-go outing stand up to the classic might of the mushroom kingdom? Is it worth a buy? Read on and find out!

STORY
LittleBigPlanet Vita builds upon the improved story features of the 2nd console game. Sackboy is transported to the world of Carnivalia, where a mysterious and malevolent force known only as the Puppeteer is sucking all of the Happiness and Joy from the world. Using his minions, the creepy Hollows, he tears parts of the world apart as revenge for the world booing his performances.

It's actually kind of an enthralling story, with the mystery surrounding the Puppeteer being one of the driving forces for wanting to continue the story. The character's are entertaining, particularly the Wannabe action star Shawn Brawn and the redneck daredevil, The Unbelievable Otis.

PRESENTATION
Despite being on a much smaller screen than it's console counterparts, LBPV is near indistinguishable from it's older siblings (visually, at least). The same craftwork visual style applies here, and the graphics are surprisingly smooth and detailed. The worlds all have their own unique vibe and interesting visual flair; from the action-movie inspired Jackpot City, to the junkyard themepark.

Keeping with the unique visual styles, the main characters (the creator curators) are all interesting and fun to interact with. The uber macho combination of Popeye and Snake Plisken that is Shawn Brawn, the insane sentient crash test dummy known as The Unbelievable Otis, the overzealous ringmaster Colonel Flounder; these are all interesting characters that I truly enjoyed spending time with.

The music, as ever, is varied, and perfectly suits each level it's on. The action movie score of the Jackpot City levels, the generic rock guitar in the junkyard rollercoasters and the circus music style of La Marionetta; they all add to the personality of this game.
Add to that, the pitch perfect voice acting that really sell the characters and the world itself.

I have no issues with the presentation in this game. Sure, alot of people may call it childish... But I think this is a breath of fresh air, in a gaming landscape filled with greyish brown shooters and by-the-books RPGs.

GAMEPLAY
Now this is where LittleBigPlanet Vita really sets itself apart from the rest of it's franchise. It's mainly because of it's change in platform, but before I get to that, I'm going to cover the basics.

The platforming feels as good as ever. If the floaty jumping put you off previous games, then it won't change your mind here. That said, I still find it easy enough to make precision jumps. The swinging and speed attack elements do their bit to keep you on your toes, while the puzzle sections keep your mind sharp without being frustration.

Now, with the move to Vita, LBP gains some new mechanics. While features introduced in LBP2, such as the creatinator and the grabinator, are still prevalent, alot of the game's focus is on the magic of "Touch".
Using the system's front and rear touch pads, blocks can be pushed in the background and foreground, respectively. They also allow you to move certain blocks, and pull mechanisms to use them as catapults. The uses are so varied and so well implemented that it never feels like the mechanic was JUST shoehorned in there. It works well, and doesn't detract from the main experience.

Other features, such as tilt, play into manipulating certain objects (swings) or vehicles (like a rolling ball).

So the core mechanics work as well as the older brothers of the LBP family, while also introducing system specific mechanics that aren't just shoehorned in. They make sense in the context of the game, and they're actually fun to use.

But, as I said earlier, if the floaty platforming mechanics are enough to turn you off the LittleBigPlanet games, then this will be no different.

REPLAYABILITY
Much like the previous LBP titles, there is potentially unlimited replay value here. Not only are there a multitude of costumes, stickers and decorations to unlock, but there are also the huge amounts of Player Created Content that will soon flood the servers. And if that doesn't do it for you, then there's the diverse, easy to use, difficult to master, level creation kit. The world is your sandbox. It's up to you to make it fun.

OVERVIEW
LittleBigPlanet Vita may just be the DEFINITIVE version of LittleBigPlanet, if only because it has the tightest controls out of the main games. On top of that, it inventively uses the unique ways to play without detracting from the main experience. The game oozes with personality, much like it's predecessors, and this game is honestly pure fun in the palm of your hand.
While he may not have the world renown of the Mario Bros, Sackboy is carving a name for himself in the Platforming arena, and I for one welcome the innovative, creative, personality driven games that continue being made around this lovable sack person.

In short, if you love LBP, and you don't have a Vita, it's time to get one, I think. If you have a Vita, LBPV is a must have for any self respecting game catalogue.

The next review will be Borderlands 2. Will it succeed where it's first installation failed in my eyes? We'll find out. See you next time!