I will be the first to tell you that I’m not into cutesy or platform games. If I’m not running and gunning and dodging bullets or playing strategic games, then they don’t get my attention at all. With that being said, I have to admit right now that this platform game with a cute doll-like creature made of yarn has made me look at other games differently.
When it comes to console platform games for the Playstation, I found out that LittleBigPlanet is one of the highest-noted games of the genre. Sackboy is most notable for being the face of the LittleBigPlanet series. Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a spinoff game for the lovable plush ringleader and is really enjoyable for all ages.
From its simple controls and gameplay to its colorful and detailed visuals, there’s a lot to like, and plenty to do here. At its core, Sackboy: A Big Adventure exemplifies the joy of gaming to the fullest and proves that 3D platformers have more to give.
To begin with, Sackboy is undeniable and irresistible. You have to love him, and I know I do now. Vex, the main villain doesn’t care for the cute hero, and takes things from Craftworld, sending it into disarray. This forces the would-be hero Sackboy to restore what’s been taken, in what is clearly his biggest adventure yet. The premise of the game is simple and straightforward. I quickly found out while I was playing the little dude that everyone in my home wanted to jump in and play as Sackboy.
I started playing with the Keyboard and mouse, but I quickly realized that playing with my controller just makes more sense, and feels better. This game felt amazing to play. It reacts properly to each movement and nothing feels floaty. The rumble in my controller felt great when I was playing so it made me actually want to go further in the game.
There appear to be five worlds across several biomes to explore. Most levels rate you based on accruing a certain number of points based on orbs you collect. Sometimes you’ll just have to collect keys and other times it’s a boss fight. One of the earliest surprises is that there are music levels like it’s Rayman Legends.
Once you’ve reached the final level of a world, you’ll face off against Vex in a boss fight. At the end of a level, the game will tally up all the things you’ve collected, and the points you’ve earned. You are then given a trophy to hold while it takes your picture in celebration. All I will say is explore everything that you can. Some stuff is extremely hard to find and I found this to be a morale boost when you get everything.
Now what I liked was finding out there are multiple costumes to dress up your Sackboy to your liking. Some of the costumes I unlocked were the Yeti, Red Riding Hood, and even Uncharted.
The best part is that you can mix ‘n’ match all the costumes to make him resemble what you want. I am very attached to being a pirate. The game features a co-op for both online and off. Unfortunately, I never had a chance to test this part of the game out.
With the updated NVIDIA GameReady drivers, the game runs like a dream with everything set to the max and all the video settings on ultra. I was able to get around 120fps in most areas. Some people were saying they had stuttering issues. I didn’t have an issue with anything for this game. It’s a gorgeous and smooth game in 1440p, and the high framerate really does wonders.
While it is very much a stylized game, the way the colors, material, and textures all come together make it so pretty to see in motion. Sackboy: A Big Adventure is simply a wonderful 3D platformer that will delight people of all ages for dozens of hours, and now I am looking into other platform games to see what I have been missing out on.
This review was written based on a digital review copy of Sackboy: A Big Adventure for PC provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment.
