LittleBigPlanet

In essence, LittleBigPlanet is a game of two halves. On one side you have the riveting platforming story mode and on the other side there's the hugely customisable level creating system. Of course you can't have one without the other, as the story is the tool used for collecting materials and decorations and the design-a-level system is where you put your collection and imagination into play. I should emphasise the word imagination, as LittleBigPlanet asks you - how far can your imagination stretch?

Leaping his way into gaming icon status is Sackboy, or Sackgirl if you wish (Sackboy in drag is more fitting though). The button-eyed, knitted doll acts as a core model for your fashion stylist skills. Just about everything on Sackboy can be customised to fit in with your rag doll desires, from clothing, colour and accessories, all the way to facial features and expressions. You'll spend a lot of time playing with your Sackboy (coughs). My wide grinned Sackboy ran through several levels dressed as a pirate with bunny ears and a skull painted face, if that's not enough to scare the feint hearted then what is? Dressing your Sackboy is merely the start of the customisation on offer, but before you can delve into recreating your favourite film or game franchise with your own imaginative levels, you need to kit up and study.

The short lived story spans across 8 different worlds, each with 3 to 4 separate levels plus bonus mini games. The locations vary from the African Savannah to exotic Gardens and a trip into a Tim Burton style gothic world. Although it's unfair to compare it to traditional Mario games, the simple controls and level execution have a striking resemblance to that of the plumber's adventures. The aim is to get through the levels avoiding life threatening obstacles, while collecting items for your customising pleasure.

Amongst the various and creative obstacles you'll run away from a giant bulldozer, avoid ghosts, swing across angry giant crocodiles, pull or push blocks to use as platforms and, as usual, you'll frequently jump over spike and poisonous gas pits. It starts off fairly easy, but by the time you get to the third world and death frequently becomes you, the realisation hits home that this amazing experience is still actually only a game.

The 3 layered platforms (with a back, middle and front) make manoeuvring around objects occasionally awkward. If you're not on the same layer as the platform you're aiming to jump on you'll fall behind it, sometimes to your death, which naturally is enough to frustrate the most tolerant gamer. Checkpoints are spread nicely enough, but lives are extremely limited, meaning if you do make too many wrong moves you have to restart the whole level. Luckily, all materials and clothing collected don't need to be picked up again.