homefires
I'm about to be so annoying when the remake of this comes out.
2008
It's impossible for me to rate this objectively since the series was so integral to my childhood.
I don't care about being objective though. This shit goes hard. The aesthetic is wholly unique and endlessly charming, the customization options are endless, the level creation and sharing were revolutionary, and the soundtrack goes so hard. It has 4 player multiplayer! Any flaws that the game has are completely outshone by everything it does right.
However with the online servers dead, this is a shadow of its former self. You can't publish any levels you make, and while levels that were already published are available in the PS4 version of LBP3, they often run poorly and look slightly off.
It's hard to recommend anyone to go back to it or any other entries in the series because of what it's lacking in modern times. People certainly aren't wrong to complain about the floaty controls. I'm personally not a fan of the lives system considering the difficulty spike it introduces when playing with multiple players. The difficulty of the story mode is a bit too high considering the game's tone and intended audience. I would still easily recommend this to anyone that is interested in this era of gaming, but in the end it's part of a series that is conceptually and (mostly) literally stuck on the PS3.
I don't care about being objective though. This shit goes hard. The aesthetic is wholly unique and endlessly charming, the customization options are endless, the level creation and sharing were revolutionary, and the soundtrack goes so hard. It has 4 player multiplayer! Any flaws that the game has are completely outshone by everything it does right.
However with the online servers dead, this is a shadow of its former self. You can't publish any levels you make, and while levels that were already published are available in the PS4 version of LBP3, they often run poorly and look slightly off.
It's hard to recommend anyone to go back to it or any other entries in the series because of what it's lacking in modern times. People certainly aren't wrong to complain about the floaty controls. I'm personally not a fan of the lives system considering the difficulty spike it introduces when playing with multiple players. The difficulty of the story mode is a bit too high considering the game's tone and intended audience. I would still easily recommend this to anyone that is interested in this era of gaming, but in the end it's part of a series that is conceptually and (mostly) literally stuck on the PS3.
2011
The first game is really good but this game completely obliterates it. It's probably the best example ever of a sequel that transcends its predecessor. Every aspect of the original is improved, and any complaints you could make were addressed.
I'm not ashamed to say that this was basically the only game I played for years when it came out. I wish it still existed in its entirety, but with the servers being down it's hardly the same thing anymore. Still very much worth returning to though, even if its just for the campaign or to fiddle around in the level editor.
I'm not ashamed to say that this was basically the only game I played for years when it came out. I wish it still existed in its entirety, but with the servers being down it's hardly the same thing anymore. Still very much worth returning to though, even if its just for the campaign or to fiddle around in the level editor.
2014
Has some decent ideas! The bird and dog characters are cool additions that feel fun to control. That's about the only nice thing I can say about this game.
I don't really blame it for "killing the series", in my eyes it was already on its last legs when Media Molecule passed it off to another company to develop. It could've turned out fine given more time maybe, but things rarely turn out that way. Not really a surprise but still a big disappointment.
It really sucks that this is the only way to play community levels from 1 and 2.
I don't really blame it for "killing the series", in my eyes it was already on its last legs when Media Molecule passed it off to another company to develop. It could've turned out fine given more time maybe, but things rarely turn out that way. Not really a surprise but still a big disappointment.
It really sucks that this is the only way to play community levels from 1 and 2.
At risk of sounding like a gaming loser, PLEASE play the original if possible. The 3D remake destroys the charm of this game, almost entirely. The pixel art and original soundtrack are some of the best aspects of this game.
When people shit on the gameplay of this game I start wondering if I played the same game as them. It's very fun and dynamic! A huge step up from MGS in my opinion.
Also yeah the story of this game made me question my identity and core beliefs when I played it for the first time. Any game that can manage that is something special.
Also yeah the story of this game made me question my identity and core beliefs when I played it for the first time. Any game that can manage that is something special.
2019
I'm sick of "roguelikes", when are we going to get "outerwildslikes"? I want to explore another complex solar system and solve civilization spanning mysteries again, but I can't erase the experience of playing this for the first time from my mind.
My favorite game ever, I think.
My favorite game ever, I think.
2011
Playing this at an impressionable young age made me permanently more annoying
2007
People act like this one isn't worth returning to just because it doesn't have a funny british eyeball in it. Those people are wrong.
The puzzles are really fun and good actually! A solid expansion to what was already one of my favorite co-op experiences. It's not even close to being as memorable to Portal or Portal 2's single player, but it doesn't need to be. Still has some funny writing too.
2002
All of the core elements that make this series great were already there in the first installment. Fun and unique weapons, goofy writing, incredible music, atmospheric locations...
It's a bit hard to return to though. The lack of lock-on in particular makes the combat feel very clunky in comparison to later entries. I have a special place in my heart for it though.
It's a bit hard to return to though. The lack of lock-on in particular makes the combat feel very clunky in comparison to later entries. I have a special place in my heart for it though.
I first played this game when I was like 6. The back of the box said "Kickin' @$$" and my parents got mad at me when I read it out loud. They let me play it anyways though and I respect them for that.
Anyways I can't really judge this fairly but I still have a blast returning to it. It has my favorite gameplay of the original trilogy but also my least favorite story. It's not as charmingly edgy as the first but it's not as compelling as the third.
Anyways I can't really judge this fairly but I still have a blast returning to it. It has my favorite gameplay of the original trilogy but also my least favorite story. It's not as charmingly edgy as the first but it's not as compelling as the third.
The more linear levels really do drag this one down. The guns, music, and visuals are still great though.
2019
Probably one of the most mechanically perfect games I can think of. At first it might feel like your success is entirely up to fate, but as you improve you realize how much impact every small decision has. Climbing Ascension levels only deepens this level of connection with the mechanics of each character and of the game as a whole.
Probably one of a small handful of games that I could play endlessly, given I was trapped on a deserted island or something.
Probably one of a small handful of games that I could play endlessly, given I was trapped on a deserted island or something.
2004
It's hard to write about this game without getting too personal. I think that the type of person that will be drawn to the game's aimless exploration will also resonate with it the most. For the protagonist, the dream world is an escape. Video games can fill the same role. My relationship with my favorite hobby is always changing, but in my worst moments it's hard to treat them as anything other than a place to hide.
As you explore the game, the more that it becomes a physical location in your mind. Dreams connect to dreams, loops lead back to the nexus, and you start to push out deeper and deeper as you become more familiar with the space. I feel like I could chose any specific location in this game and make my way there by memory. I genuinely find more fulfillment here than I do in most open world games.
The different locations you visit are surreal and have no consistent logic, but the real world is constantly seeping through the cracks. No matter where she runs to, Madotsuki can't escape the reality of who she is and what she's experienced. As the player we don't really know anything about her character or what she's been through, but I found a lot of emotional resonance with the world anyways. Just enough detail is left out to force your own imagination to fill in the cracks, which made my lasting connection to the game inevitable. I don't think there's any "correct" interpretation of the story, the emotions and concepts conveyed are enough to create a memorable experience.
I do wonder how it would've turned out if development on it had continued, but I also don't blame the creator for abandoning it. If they had any kind of personal emotional investment in the themes presented in the game, I imagine working on it only became more exhausting over time. I hope they're doing okay.
As you explore the game, the more that it becomes a physical location in your mind. Dreams connect to dreams, loops lead back to the nexus, and you start to push out deeper and deeper as you become more familiar with the space. I feel like I could chose any specific location in this game and make my way there by memory. I genuinely find more fulfillment here than I do in most open world games.
The different locations you visit are surreal and have no consistent logic, but the real world is constantly seeping through the cracks. No matter where she runs to, Madotsuki can't escape the reality of who she is and what she's experienced. As the player we don't really know anything about her character or what she's been through, but I found a lot of emotional resonance with the world anyways. Just enough detail is left out to force your own imagination to fill in the cracks, which made my lasting connection to the game inevitable. I don't think there's any "correct" interpretation of the story, the emotions and concepts conveyed are enough to create a memorable experience.
I do wonder how it would've turned out if development on it had continued, but I also don't blame the creator for abandoning it. If they had any kind of personal emotional investment in the themes presented in the game, I imagine working on it only became more exhausting over time. I hope they're doing okay.