PS3 Fanboy

Media Molecule's Alex Evans announced at an E3 press briefing that British comedian/actor Stephen Fry has been chosen as the narrator for LittleBigPlanet. Fry is most famous in the United States as a reader for audio books such as the Harry Potter series and Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, though he appeared in movies such as V for Vendetta and MirrorMask. We really didn't think anything could make game sound any better, but we think this news just did!

Don't be surprised to see LittleBigPlanet score big time when we make our "Game of the Show" awards later this week. Best described as a social game creation experience, LittleBigPlanet left us pleasantly surprised with its charming personality and incredibly intuitive design mechanics.

At GDC, the team at Media Molecule wanted to showcase the "play" element of the game. The cooperative physics-based platforming had everyone talking at the show. For E3, the team has prepared a "creation" demo for us to partake in.

Up to four players (either online or off) can join in on a creation session. Making a level and its elements happens within the game's regular environment, allowing all participants to play whilst designing the level. For example, while one developer was creating a staircase, I decided to drag Chris Grant's stunned avatar, as it flailed around helplessly. Adorable? Yes. Afterwards, we saw a few blocks being created, and we were able to play with them from the moment they appeared in the game world. The instant gratification, we're reminded, allows level designers to fully understand what works and what doesn't from the moment it's made.