Media Molecule show Nintendo how to make a platform game
After finally getting my hands on a beta key I quickly downloaded the 900 MB online download and jumped into Media Molecules pre-release of its much anticipated sandbox platformer. I apologise in advance for the grainyness of my screenshots, after hunting for a way to take some half-decent screenshots without rigging a computer into the PS3 I’ve linked to various online videos, at far higher quality than I’m able to take. So bear in mind that the custom levels in the video’s within this post are from people who have been able to spend more time in the game world than I have.
The first thing that struck me was the first-play intro credits (see video below), its a subtle tutorial on customisation, animation and use of the six-axis as you jump and run over sweeping platforms with images of the developers being the game. Before we go any further I must mention Stephen Fry, his fantastic narration and voice-overs really ease your learning and play within the game. I cannot think of a single more perfect person who epitomises the humor, or the British ’soul’ that the game has to it. The voice-overs are done in a similar style to his role as the ‘book’ in ‘The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy’. Just playing with the initial tutorials had me grinning from ear-ear.
Once you’ve done the basic character customisation, of your rather unfortunately named avatar (Sackboy) it’s time to visit your ‘pod’ a customizable selection screen that you can jazz up with collected game items. There’s plenty of choices here. You can jump straight into playing those standard levels that we’ve seen time and time again on demo’s or you can get started with building your own creation. If you’re feeling really adventurous you can jump into the online world and start playing other peoples creations right from the get-go. I really don’t recommend that though. If you’re planning to spend a long time within this world then it’s a place to be savoured and enjoyed like the finest 3 course meal. The perfect appetiser is the intro levels, they give you an idea of just what can be created while teaching you the basic jumping, swinging, grabbing, pushing, and pulling techniques as well as giving you a good overview of the physics and objects within the game. The other advantage of playing these initial levels is to collect items that can then be used within your own game world, It’s an attraction far greater than the normal ’save the princess’ goals of traditional platformers (that’s not to say you couldn’t make one!). By playing the game you get actual in-game ’stuff’ you can keep and use as much as you want. That’s one hell of an incentive to play.
The past week has been an experiment on mobile connectivity for me. I decided to leave the laptop at work while I headed off for a family holiday. Was it possible for a news-feed nut like me to continue to get my news fix, or blog without a fixed connection and often without an Edge or 3G signal.
