LittleBigPlanet 2 First Hands-On

Earlier today at Sony's press conference, Media Molecule's Alex Evans took the stage to show off the breadth of creation options available in the highly anticipated LittleBigPlanet sequel. We saw block races, a top-down bumper car game, a 2D platform brawler, and more. I got a chance to try out the games showed off at the press conference, plus got a few details on some of the tools you'll have at your disposal when creating your very own video game masterpiece.

First off I got to check out a real-time strategy game where you command a circular tank. The ship must defend itself from incoming fire from opposing vessels by firing back. Strangely you also have the option to herd cows on screen with your vehicle and help them safely cross a street on the map in a Frogger-esque sequence. It's strange, but it works.

In a retro space shooter, Sackboy rode atop a small vessel as he traversed at high speed through a neon outer space background and shot enemies for points. I was then shown Rocket Arena, a simple 2D competitive brawler that gives players access to the Creatinator, a hat Sackboy can put on that is programmed to shoot objects of any type at your command. Anything from rockets to farm animals can be shot at your opponent. The sky's the limit on what you can do.

Next up I got to try Super Block Race, which places players underneath a line of blocks marked with button symbols from the PlayStation controller. You have to hit the button on your controller that corresponds with the block directly over your head. Correct button presses keep the blocks moving and you can compete with up to four players to see who can rack up the most points. A simple, but fun game that would make excellent practice for players who typically have trouble with Quick Time Events. Finally, I got to play Crashy Bashy, a bumper car type game that requires you to knock your opponents to the edge of an electrified ring for a good old fashioned shock.

What's most interesting about the games shown is that they were part of Media Molecule's Community Game Jam, an event for top level creators. These community members visited Media Molecule's studio and were shown developer-created levels from the sequel, and were then tasked to create their own using the new tool set. The catch? The games had to be created in 24 hours. Community members selected for this honor were recipients of a Sackie award, a high honor in the LBP community, so they were able to complete the challenge.

One of the new awesome creation tools available to these community members is the ability to create Sackbots. They can be any size you wish, big or small, plus you can change specific proportions and change their costumes. I had a giant Mozart Sackboy in my demo with an oversized skull. If you apply AI logic, you can set the bot to follow you around, be hostile toward your playable character, or follow an AI path of your choosing. Or you can make the Sackbot dance in your own music video by simply recording motions you perform manually that can later be looped. Though seemingly complicated, menu navigation was pretty straightforward and easy to use. I'm ready to get started on my Lady Gaga video.

Finally, in a major act of cuteness, I was shown a tiny Sackboy following a regular sized Sackboy and all I could think about is the possibility of an LBP version of BioShock with a Little Sister following a Big Daddy, and you serve as her protector. Anyone up for the challenge?

LittleBigPlanet 2 is aiming for a November release date. More details from the show floor coming soon.