Back in 2002 when GTA III was released, I had to drop out of that semester of college. I got so involved in it. I kept telling myself, 'what will one more mission hurt?' A lot, turns out. No game has really gotten me that involved in it that there is nothing I would rather be doing or that everything else stops the second I get involved with it. That is until last night, when I got into the Little Big Planet beta. If I lose my job in the next few weeks. You can blame this game. 
I would like to point out that while I will talk about the game I will refrain from specifics for two reasons. First, this is something that had me like a little boy in christmas as I was discovering just how much was possible in this game, I do not want to ruin that for anyone. Secondly, I was so excited about getting the beta key, I totally ignored the EULA; I will just not give specifics or just talk about features you might have already heard before so I don't run into any problems with SCEA or Media Molecule. It starts innocently enough presenting you with what Little Big Planet is, which while not the most original story ever, but it will do. The intro sequence I believe was quite thoughtful and interesting. When you start the game you don't really have much in your inventory, but as you go through levels you can unlock new things and start building your inventory of Stickers, Decorations and Costumes. This is something you dont even have to think about as soon as you open an orb containing that item it automatically gets added to your library. It's so intuitive even my girlfriend got into it... well once I made a Sackgirl for her. It is a side-scrolling platformer, but you have three lanes. So there is some sense of depth. You can go behind or in front of objects if they are in your given lane. Again, this is something that comes completely natural to people as soon as they play for a few seconds. The use of only one stick for movement also simplifies things a lot, because a lot of people have problem with the two stick controls so this is a game that anybody can really just pickup and play and have fun with it. It has a life system, and it is not individual it is actually a combined tally based on the checkpoint you last went through. You can see how much 'life' you have by looking at the rim of the checkpoint, the white will be depleting slowly and at one point it will actually just be flashing between red and white and sirens will be going off meaning you are close to 'dying'. As you progress through the levels you get to place elements in the environment. Meaning that even though you are not in the 'building' area of Little Big Planet, you are still modifying the world you are in in certain ways. For example, if you put a sticker somewhere, it will indefinetly stay there. I am completely in love with this game, it is fun, it is entertaining, it is endless. Creating games and going through games I can see countless hours spent (not wasted) going thorugh this, specially since my girlfriend has also gotten into it. If they create a website or a service so that you can broadcast your favorite levels and you can just bookmark them online and then play them when you get home. That would be amazing, and the rumors of a PSP version make so much sense, it is really interesting that Sony may have found it's voice in this Media Molecule game. I have stopped playing the Beta. I will not play it again until the whole game is available in retail, trying to get through my other games before that happens. (Missing 3 trophies in Burnout Paradise... that includes the platinum one so I'm almost there.)
I would like to point out that while I will talk about the game I will refrain from specifics for two reasons. First, this is something that had me like a little boy in christmas as I was discovering just how much was possible in this game, I do not want to ruin that for anyone. Secondly, I was so excited about getting the beta key, I totally ignored the EULA; I will just not give specifics or just talk about features you might have already heard before so I don't run into any problems with SCEA or Media Molecule. It starts innocently enough presenting you with what Little Big Planet is, which while not the most original story ever, but it will do. The intro sequence I believe was quite thoughtful and interesting. When you start the game you don't really have much in your inventory, but as you go through levels you can unlock new things and start building your inventory of Stickers, Decorations and Costumes. This is something you dont even have to think about as soon as you open an orb containing that item it automatically gets added to your library. It's so intuitive even my girlfriend got into it... well once I made a Sackgirl for her. It is a side-scrolling platformer, but you have three lanes. So there is some sense of depth. You can go behind or in front of objects if they are in your given lane. Again, this is something that comes completely natural to people as soon as they play for a few seconds. The use of only one stick for movement also simplifies things a lot, because a lot of people have problem with the two stick controls so this is a game that anybody can really just pickup and play and have fun with it. It has a life system, and it is not individual it is actually a combined tally based on the checkpoint you last went through. You can see how much 'life' you have by looking at the rim of the checkpoint, the white will be depleting slowly and at one point it will actually just be flashing between red and white and sirens will be going off meaning you are close to 'dying'. As you progress through the levels you get to place elements in the environment. Meaning that even though you are not in the 'building' area of Little Big Planet, you are still modifying the world you are in in certain ways. For example, if you put a sticker somewhere, it will indefinetly stay there. I am completely in love with this game, it is fun, it is entertaining, it is endless. Creating games and going through games I can see countless hours spent (not wasted) going thorugh this, specially since my girlfriend has also gotten into it. If they create a website or a service so that you can broadcast your favorite levels and you can just bookmark them online and then play them when you get home. That would be amazing, and the rumors of a PSP version make so much sense, it is really interesting that Sony may have found it's voice in this Media Molecule game. I have stopped playing the Beta. I will not play it again until the whole game is available in retail, trying to get through my other games before that happens. (Missing 3 trophies in Burnout Paradise... that includes the platinum one so I'm almost there.)