Summary
- 🎮 Name of the gameSackboy: A Big Adventure
- 📅 Launch dateNovember 12, 2020
- 🏢 Developer: Sumo Digital
- 📌 Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
- 🖥️ Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC
- ⚔️ Genre: 3D Platform, Adventure
- 🌍 ContextSpinoff of the saga LittleBigPlanet, focused exclusively on action and platforming, leaving aside the emphasis on level creation.
History and narrative
Sackboy's story is simple to understand, more of a children's story and not his main focus. Sackboy must save the Artisan World from Vex, a villain who kidnaps the inhabitants to create his evil device, the “Topsy Turver”. The plot serves more to give context to the adventure than to deepen narrative. So don't expect anything amazing, you basically have to go through five worlds or zones, collect dreamer spheres and defeat Vex to save the world. The characters, despite appearing a lot and not having that much dialogue, are charismatic and have their visual charm. None of them really stand out on a narrative level, nor can I say that I've become attached to any of them because I haven't, but the game doesn't pretend to be either.
Gameplay
The main focus of the game, and where I feel they lacked more ambition. The game adopts a 3D platforming style and some 2.5D levels, which makes it more varied. Its main mechanics are jumping, rolling, melee attacks, grabs and some unique power-ups (like the boomerang or the propulsor boots), which are very fun to use. One of the problems I felt most were its controls: they are responsive, but sometimes they don't feel well adapted. For example, Sackboy's jump isn't very reliable; sometimes you feel like you're not going to make it to the other side and he does, other times he should make it and he doesn't. Sometimes you'll have to fall into the void. Sometimes you will fall into the void because of this. In more complex maps there are some jumps where you have to grab onto some platform or rotating object, and on more than one occasion, no matter how hard you press the right button, it won't grab it and you'll fall. This happened to me in one level in particular, and it was not that I was wrong, but that I had this problem particularly in that grip with that rotating object.
The adventure and gameplay are much slower; our character is not very fast and that can generate a sense of imbalance compared to other games of the genre, which are usually more dynamic. Each level has its essence and seeks to offer you a different experience, which is appreciated as you advance, giving you a good experience. The levels with famous songs stand out more. It has an intuitive and accessible learning curve for beginners, but with optional challenges that test more experienced players.
Overall it's okay, but for some reason the gameplay doesn't grab you as much as other games in the genre. Collecting dreamer spheres gets a bit heavy and they're not that fun: there are some that are easy to see, some that aren't, and some that have an entertaining method, but collecting each one just feels like a checklist. As I mentioned, the biggest problem is its controls, which aren't as good as they should be and can feel a bit
rough.
Graphics and visual design
It has a great graphic quality, with detailed textures and a “handmade” finish that features materials such as felt, cardboard and fabric. What I highlight most about this game is its art style: colorful, cartoonish, very creative, and you can tell it has a great personality, which makes it unique in its style. The designs of Sackboy with his costumes, our friends in the adventure make it fun and more than once will bring out your inner child with a smile. Even the enemies I consider cute, and Vex has a very attractive design for a game for children. Completely, the game in the visual section awakens our inner child.
Perhaps some maps could be improved; sometimes they feel very flat or without much to see or explore. You might miss details more because of a fixed camera problem than because you don't really know how to explore. It can be compared on an artistic level with other titles of its genre, only with a more handcrafted style.
Sound and music
The soundtrack is very varied and well set. Although it has original themes, there are also famous songs adapted to the style of the game, which are mixed with the atmosphere. For example, songs by Bruno Mars or David Bowie while you are passing obstacles is amazing, and makes you want to sing and dance while you advance in the mission.
The sound effects sound very handcrafted, of course, because that's how it should be in Artisan World. Every hit, item collection or interaction with the world is done very well. The voice acting is fine, it gives more life to the characters being cartoonish and charming, however, they are very limited.
Difficulty and accessibility
The difficulty of the game itself is easy. Compared to other games of its genre and other PlayStation titles, it's one of the easiest I've played. It's very much aimed at a child audience, although it does have a difficulty change in its final levels that is not aligned with what you've been playing. I mean, from one moment to the next you're walking flat and at the end there's a huge hill. It feels like that. It can be frustrating for certain audiences. In my case, I already have experience in these games, but I still feel the abrupt change and it could have been handled in a more progressive way.
With respect to accessibility, the game includes options such as text settings, simplified controls and local and online cooperative modes, so it meets the expected standards.
Additional content
The campaign can take about 10 hours, although it depends on skill and how much you explore to get the dreamer's spheres, which are mandatory to advance. Its replayability is high, as it offers many challenges, multiplayer and collectibles. Overall it has more to do, although the quality may make you hesitate to try it or not. As a good platformer, it has extra levels and challenges against the clock, which can take time to master.
It has DLCs, but they are mostly cosmetic, with costumes from other games. Personally, not so attractive as to buy them separately.
Technical Aspects
In the PS5 version it runs at a stable 60 fps, with almost instantaneous loading times. On PC it depends on the hardware, but it is well optimized. A well achieved and improved performance over the PS4 version. I have not presented bugs or glitches that affected my experience, and I do not remember having had a notorious one, so it seems to me that it is a very solid game with excellent optimization.
Value for money
Sackboy had a launch price of 60 dollars. I, in my case, acquired it thanks to PS Plus; otherwise, it was not so attractive for me to buy it. I think it's a worthwhile game, but only on sale. I don't think it's worth the full price, since from what I've seen in the stats, it's a game with a very high abandonment rate, which may indicate that you don't like it and have spent a lot on it. So I wouldn't pay more than $20. Maybe it's worth more if you take advantage of the multiplayer with friends.
Trophies / Achievements
- Platinum obtained: No
- Percentage of trophies obtained: 22%
- Estimated time: 20 - 30 hours
- Platinum difficulty6 out of 10. The game is easy, but its platinum is not so easy seeing what had to be done I did not dare to the challenge. The challenges against the clock can be very frustrating and that in itself is what makes it more difficult to platinum so also few try it.
Conclusion
Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a good game, entertaining, with a charming style, creative levels that shine especially in multiplayer. It doesn't innovate too much in narrative or mechanics, it offers a fun multiplayer experience. Some may see it too simple or not at the same level of other games and the truth is that they are right, I see the game more as one of those games that are for a while, but it is not to stick to the TV for hours, you play for an hour and that's it. I feel it could have been more ambitious and I think that was the reason why Sackboy didn't end up consolidating as a Play Station reference.
My final rating for Sackboy A Big Aventure is:
3.7/5.0
