Insufficient control mechanics, strict conditions and a disjoined focus make this paint-puzzler something that has limited appeal
Format: PS3 (version played), Xbox 360, Wii, PC, Mac Dev: EA Bright Light Pub: EA
Out: 19/11/10 Players: 1
EA’s Create is a bit of an oddity. It rests somewhere between arts and crafts set and puzzle solving. Using its expensive array of objects, effects and craft tools, you’re invited to let your imagination run free in this dedicated create-em-up. Though it provides a place for expression, there may not be enough ‘game’ here to satisfy.
Creation is its selling point, so thankfully there’s plenty to dip into. Though it takes more than a few tricks from LittleBigPlanet, the two games offer different levels of depth. Here the focus is primary visual – no custom level creation. There are several pre-designed environments and backgrounds, and you are in effect dressing them up. So in themed 3D environments, such as a carnival or space, you use the game’s 200+ items to edit as you see fit.
The tools themselves are predominately visual, you have brushes, stickers, background effects and decorations for each theme. Objects and contraptions are present, but they’re not as advanced as LBP’s and really only exist for use in the challenges – which I’ll get to soon. You can paint the backgrounds freehand, while level objects are restricted to texture swapping. Unlocking Free Create, the game’s blank canvas level, offers some very basic environment sculpting.
You access all of the options from intuitive radial menus, much like ModNation Racers. However, the glaring omission of undo/redo buttons means you’re left circling through menus or manually erasing items bit by bit. On the subject of control, I found painting smooth using Move on PS3, as you can move the cursor just as you would a brush. Placing objects is easier in some cases, but you need steady hands for subtle adjustments and if anything you’ll be doing more menu hopping.
One of the difficulties of playing from a fixed camera angle is you can’t edit areas of the 3D world as readily as you would wish. I wanted to place bunting along an inward curving building and, even when zoomed in, found it beyond the cursor’s ability. For a game that wants you to let your imagination flow this is naturally disappointing. Despite these shortcomings, you should enjoy experimenting with Create if you’re inherently curious. Then, there is the puzzle elements, which dictates just how much of Create’s range you’ll get to experience.
In every level you get a set of challenges to complete. Although the objectives maybe different, all of them essentially involve getting one object or another from A to B, getting them over gaps, through hoops and so on. You’ll often want to do this with as few objects as possible. You aren’t told when you have all the objects necessary to complete challenges, which leads to time wasted trying to solve them with the objects you do have.
The aim behind Create is appealing, but ultimately the execution is poor. The controls don’t offer the fundamentals they should and the vast majority of its creative content is locked behind solving its repetitive challenges – something which is completely separate from the game’s aesthetic incentive. Yet nothing shows how confused this tool is more than the fact you can view other users’ creations, but can’t download or remix them. So not even befitting of the title LittleBigPlanet Lite. Nevertheless, the artistic may still enjoy what this limited design suite has to offer.
Aaron Lee
Tags: create, ea, playstation move, puzzle, ugc
