Like everyone else, I adore the God of War games, both new and old. Sure, I prefer the stronger writing of the Norse saga and the more mature version of Kratos, but there’s plenty to appreciate about the classic entries, too. And with the Norse saga getting extra love via the upcoming God of War Amazon series, I’m happy to see that Santa Monica is going out of its way to ensure the classic games also remain relevant via the upcoming remakes. I’ll gladly play through flashy, visually stunning versions of the original God of War trilogy the second they drop, and frankly, I can’t wait to see the Hydra and Poseidon battles on PlayStation 5 (or, more likely PS6, as development has only just kicked into full gear). However, while I’m happy these remakes are happening, there’s one franchise I’d prefer to see get the remake treatment before God of War: LittleBigPlanet.
The original LittleBigPlanet was unanimously praised by critics (as shown by its jaw-dropping 95 aggregate score on Metacritic) for its play, create, and share formula, which saw players having an endless world of opportunities available to them after the charming story mode was complete. Unfortunately, though, the player-made levels from this 18-year-old classic are no longer accessible, and the same goes for the content created within its two sequels. This is the primary reason I’d rather see it get a remake than the older God of Wars, as the versions of LBP that still exist feel incomplete, though it’s hardly the only reason I’d prioritize it. Not only do I feel like the first three God of War games hold up quite well even by today’s standards (especially 3, given its PS4 remaster), but God of War remains relevant as an IP, with more games undoubtedly on the way. God of War will thrive with or without the planned remakes, but LittleBigPlanet? It’s not looking good, and that’s a genuine shame.
LittleBigPlanet 2, my personal favorite entry in the LBP series, has a 92 on Metacritic, showing how consistently good these games were in their heyday.
LittleBigPlanet’s Future is in Limbo
Sadly, with each passing day, it feels more and more confident that Sackboy is in danger of joining Jak and Daxter and Parappa the Rapper in the PlayStation retirement home. Sure, more games in the style of Sackboy: A Big Adventure could theoretically happen, but the enjoyable game didn’t set any records with its sales numbers and flopped when ported to PC. Additionally, the game of the year-winning Astro Bot exists now, which instantly fills the void Sackboy’s Big Adventure would be leaving if it is indeed a one and done. On top of all that, while I thoroughly enjoyed Sackboy’s Big Adventure — it was one of many, many Platinum Trophies I’ve earned over the years — it wasn’t LittleBigPlanet.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Easy (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)
Sackboy’s Big Adventure lacked the user-generated content LBP was built on, and it’s for that reason I’m not actively playing it years after release like I did with its predecessors. I’m aware that the user-generated content boom ended over a decade ago; there was a time when even the inFamous series had UGC, and while those days are long gone, I don’t buy into the idea that there isn’t room for a game like LittleBigPlanet anymore. The love for player creations in games like Minecraft, The Sims 4, and more suggest as much, as does the niche but passionate community of Media Molecule’s Dreams.
Speaking of Media Molecule, the studio behind the first two LittleBigPlanet games is currently hard at work on a new IP, meaning it is continuing to distance itself from LittleBigPlanet. While it’s understandable that a developer as gifted as MM would want to flex its creative muscles instead of going back to its roots, the LBP brand is in desperate need of a boost. Since LittleBigPlanet needs Media Molecule more than Media Molecule needs it, though, perhaps another studio could take the reigns. Sumo Digital would be a logical choice, as it handled the solid if not quite as good LBP 3 as well as Sackboy’s Big Adventure. Alternatively, Little Nightmares and Reanimal developer Tarsier Studios could be called upon, as it nailed LBP Vita several years ago. Regardless of who handles it, though, I’d love to see LittleBigPlanet revived in some way.
A LittleBigPlanet Remake Could Be The Full Package
While a remake of just the original LBP and all its DLC levels (man, I miss that Metal Gear and Marvel content) would scratch the itch, there’s potential for a God of War Remake Trilogy approach to be taken with the series. This way, all the story modes from the three mainline games could be included in one package, as could the creation tools from across the series. If this were to happen, every level could be brought back, which feels like a necessity for any future entry given the shutdown of LBP’s official servers. While there are fan projects like LittleBigArchive and LittleBigPlanet Union that are keeping the lights on for the series, the millions of incredible levels designed by the community can and should be far more accessible than they currently are.
A hypothetical LittleBigPlanet remake could feature:
- The three story modes from the numbered games.
- All the creation tools from across the three games.
- Millions of player-made levels restored in all their glory.
- New costumes based on PlayStation projects that released after LBP‘s time, like Returnal successor Saros, Marvel’s Wolverine, and more.
- Overhauled visuals as well as new tools built around 3D Audio, adaptive triggers, and haptic feedback.
While Sony’s live-service push has less defenders than ever before after leading to the shutdown of Bluepoint Games, it’s worth noting that a LittleBigPlanet remake being treated as a “platform” could make it work as a live-service project. Maybe it could be called “LittleBigUniverse” or something along those lines, emphasizing how it takes the best from every entry in the series and brings it all together. Just like with the older games, countless costumes could be released standalone for a few dollars each, while a battle pass system of sorts could also be offered. I personally bought A LOT of LittleBigPlanet outfits, because even if I wasn’t a fan of whatever franchise the costumes were pulled from, I could use the pieces for other outfits. I’d imagine many other players spent a few dollars here and there for LittleBigPlanet costumes back in the day that they’re no longer making use of, so surely a remake could be a valid option for Sony if it’s dead set on games that create long-term revenue.
A LittleBigPlanet Remake Feels Like a Pipe Dream, But It’s a Dream I Just Can’t Let Go
Yet as great as a LittleBigPlanet remake would be, there’s little reason to believe it will actually happen. The permanent shutdown of LBP’s servers was painfully swift, as they were taken down due to a hack and never restored, meaning many didn’t get a chance to save their favorite levels. The developer that made LBP’s best entries hasn’t worked on it for well over a decade, and it’s been five years since successor studio Sumo Digital worked on the series. A new mascot exists via Astro Bot, as mentioned earlier, and Shuhei Yoshida, who always vouched for the series, has retired from PlayStation. With all of this working against LBP, it unfortunately feels like the days of Pod hangouts and PopIt building are over. I’ll continue to hang onto the hope that LittleBigPlanet will make a comeback, though, as the franchise was a huge part of my pre-teen life and will forever be special to me because of that.
