MGS LittleBigPlanet Review

Our resident LittleBigPlanet expert takes a good look at the MGS download.

Published 03/01/2009 at 14:23.
By Alex C [nofi].

Share |

Related stories (more)
LBP Marvel DLC Incoming [24]
LittleBigPlanet 2: New Features [26]
Heavy Rain Falls In LBP Next Week [25]

Latest Stories (more)
Dead Space 2 Multiplayer Reveal Tomorrow [0]
Firmware 3.42 Causing Problems? [5]
Heroes On The Move Gameplay Video [3]

Here at TSA we don’t cover the downloadable stuff as much as we should, but it’s part of our New Year Resolutions to address that, along with some other cool changes. To start us off, then, we asked our resident LittleBigPlanet expert, AndyTorr, to take a look at the recent Metal Gear Solid download pack from the lovely chaps at Media Molecule. If you’re unware, Andy was the mastermind behind the absolutely wonderful TSA Towers level that we championed, and knows more about switches and stickers than most.

It wasn’t easy, mind. “I change my mind more than my underwear, which isn’t that often, but often enough to make me sound like a wally,” Andy told us. “One example of this was my angry post about Ferrari Challenge, you know, that game on the Playstation 3? But I took it all back a few days later, only to decide I hate it again the very next day. My point being, I don’t usually do write-ups, I don’t do articles and I don’t do reviews, because I will only change my mind the very next day.”

Thankfully Andy relented, breaking tradition and taking one for the team in the name of investigative journalism. And I promised him a pint, which usually does the trick. We soon found out that Andy’s also rather fond of MGS: “If you’re as mentally obsessed with the Metal Gear Solid series as I am, then you will often find yourself with a belt around your arm trying to push anything MGS into your veins.” When he found out Media Molecule were working on an entire game pack based around Solid Snake and co, he got a tad excited. ‘Tad’ being the new word for standing in the middle of the street shouting Shadow Moses over and over again, apparently.

Anyway, one small, but expected delay later, the DLC was officially in the store for everyone to download. “I was surprised how quick it downloaded actually,” said Andy, “considering the amount of content you get.” The first thing he did was dress his Sackboy up in the different costumes available, these being Solid Snake, Meryl, Screaming Mantis and Raiden (and the guard costume you unlock a bit later). “They do cost a little extra bob, but the Mantis outfit is worth the entire price alone. Also, Raiden looks kinda cute.”

Andy goes on: “Now that I was dressed for the part, I began my journey into the new levels. It starts out with some VR training, introducing you to the new Paintinator gun. I didn’t really understand why they gave us a paint ball gun at first, but when you fire your first few rounds you instantly fall in love with the sound it makes. Being a bit of a create whore myself, I also took note of all the new materials being used, and started thinking about how I can use them, new things I can build, bits and bobs I can improve in my own levels.” And there’s more: “when the music hit my ears a whole world of ideas starting popping into my head.”

After you play through the next set of levels it becomes obvious that they are kind of sticking to the Middle East theme from the beginning of MGS4, Andy told me. “Not that this was a bad thing, because the level designs were great.” The effects of chipped stone on the floor, bullet holes scattered on the walls, and the new background they have created all worked well and gave it a brand new feel to the already loved LBP. However, they weren’t really very long. Andy says that from starting the VR training to finishing the 5th level only took him about 20 minutes, and that’s not enough. “Maybe thats just me being a bit tight, but I was expecting quite a bit more for my cash,” he said. “Again, maybe me just being me, but the levels quickly drifted out of anything Metal Gear, and just became something you would find on the community area any other day, with the odd new material shouting ‘look at me, I’m that texture from the Gecko’s right foot!’“.

As things started to go a little bit down hill for Andy, they suddenly hit a vertical drop. On the final level you start in a similar fashion to the last level on the story mode, but instead of the creator being behind the glass, we have Liquid Snake. Which isn’t actually Liquid Snake, because he didn’t have long grey hair and glasses, that is Liquid Ocelot. He leads you to the so called ‘climax’ of the DLC that is REX. “Only it would have been,” said Andy, “if it wasn’t 4 foot tall, and sat on its bum the whole time.” Instead, we get a lazy attempt at a once epic boss battle, which takes no more than a couple of minutes to complete, leaving you feeling empty and a little cheated. Where was the epicness? Where was the fight on his head? “But more to the point,” complains Andy, “where was his little rocket?”

The best part of the DLC for Andy was the handful of new items available for you to abuse in the create mode. “With 3 brand new music tracks, the Paintinator & paint switch, several new materials and a new background, it really has given us creators a lovely breath of fresh Kojima-ridden air,” he said. “Don’t read this thinking that I’m slating the whole thing, thats just the spoilt brat inside me poking his ugly head out and asking for more all the time.” The pack is well worth the cash, and you get a lot for your money. But if you’re not into MGS in a big way, the only thing you will really enjoy is the gun.

If you downloaded the MGS pack, tell us what you think of it in the comments below. Thanks to Andy for his time.

Comments

Please note that all comments are the opinion and responsibility of the individual author and not TheSixthAxis. You must read and agree to our terms before reading and commenting on this site. User comments are not always moderated by TheSixthAxis.

1 2 Next »

CaptainMurdo | 03/01/2009 14:38
Team TSA: Writer
2358 TSA Points | Member since: Sep 2008

I quite liked the new levels and expect a lot more, hopefully a few free ones though. However, some of the levels were a bit “tame” and I still haven’t completed them.
theshockwave | 03/01/2009 14:38
Member
2806 TSA Points | Member since: Nov 2008

I really want this but haven’t had the time to buy it. What with Burnout and all…
joeybamboo | 03/01/2009 14:41
Member
154 TSA Points | Member since: Nov 2008

i thought the download pack was great. managed to ace all levels, n collected all prize bubble. but hes right on the fact that its waaaaaay to short. expected more.
stefhutch20 | 03/01/2009 14:57
Member
377 TSA Points | Member since: Forever

I really liked this DLC. Sure, it only took 30 minutes to complete the first time through, but I lost a couple more hours to it getting all the trophies. Sorry if I’m alone in thinking this, but I’m a firm believer that the MM levels are always better than the user-created stuff (even though some of the user-created stuff is quite good). All in all, I really enjoyed playing it and it was well worth the money. Here’s to many more MM level packs!
SteveTheSkorie | 03/01/2009 14:57
Team TSA: Writer
1521 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008

Personally, I didn’t really like it.
The pace of Metal Gear Solid just doesn’t work in Little Big Planet.
Im looking at you ANNOYING SEARCHLIGHT!
Also, having to stand and try and shoot the tanks over and over again while you wait for the little thing to deplete and you jump around and try to dodge the plasma things was just annoying. I did like how they used the paintinator to manipulate the environment and spin the electricity things, but when you were just shooting tanks and turrets, it slowed down the pace and just got boring and repetetive.
I do look foreward to what the community levels will do with it!
And the level design was fantastic with the chipped tiles and stuff!
But yeah.
Oh well!
I think it was pretty good overall for what it gave you, but I’d like to see funner levels packaged with the next pack. And I love the costumes!
djhsecondnature | 03/01/2009 16:46
Kicking It
1699 TSA Points | Member since: Forever

I loved all of the MGS pack, including the boss battle.
LFC-FANATIC | 03/01/2009 16:55
Member
204 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2008

Ye it was ok at best, but far too short. The best thing in it was the paintinator
- djhsecondnature | 03/01/2009 16:57
  Kicking It
  1699 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
  
  Well how long were you expecting?
  - LFC-FANATIC | 03/01/2009 21:41
    Member
    204 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2008
    
    Well more than half an hour for over £4
  - djhsecondnature | 03/01/2009 22:57
    Kicking It
    1699 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
    
    Well perhaps play them again? I’ve easily spent at least 4 or 5 hours on the levels.
  - cc_star | 06/01/2009 16:31
    Team TSA: Writer
    12628 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
    
    Don’t forget virtual items cost around that much… 4 quid for something playable is great value in comparison
Rascal | 03/01/2009 17:12
Member
79 TSA Points | Member since: Sep 2008

“I was surprised how quick it downloaded actually, said Andy”

I think Andy will find the download was actually already installed in the last update, buying the pack just unlocks it. Similar to Everybody’s golf.

The same appears to apply for all the other DLC costumes, since they all ‘download’ instantly. Makes you wonder how much other stuff is on the disk.

Maybe you could ask someone at Mm :)
- andytorr | 03/01/2009 17:39
  Member
  2181 TSA Points | Member since: Sep 2008
  
  I didn’t know that. :)
- Rovient | 03/01/2009 17:51
  Member
  0 TSA Points | Member since: Jan 2009
  
  Don’t forget, that all content must be downloaded to ALL users in a patch, incase you encounter any of these costume or level pieces. Or else the game would try to load the bits and none of them would be there! That’s why the download appears to be so small.
Spotter5 | 03/01/2009 18:25
Member
1309 TSA Points | Member since: Forever

I really liked the pack. and i’m not a fan of MGS.. Paint gun is ace.. and i really like the new materials for creating my own levels :)
tantalus_blank | 03/01/2009 18:32
Member
1052 TSA Points | Member since: Nov 2008

A single screaming mantis costume is worth a fiver but “3 brand new music tracks, the Paintinator & paint switch, several new materials and a new background” (plus the soldier costume) leaves you feeling a little cheated?

The levels were way higher quality than any of the user generated stuff and to be honest I would have been perfectly happy with paying for the goodies without the levels

Ok that probably sounded a little arsey but I’m just glad they’re adding depth by expanding the create mode rather than just changing what sackboy is wearing
- LiquescentShadow | 04/01/2009 05:16
  Member
  1623 TSA Points | Member since: Dec 2008
  
  “I would have been perfectly happy with paying for the goodies without the levels”
  
  Are you slightly crazy? Or maybe just a bit more willing to spend money on overpriced things that aren’t real?