Creativity has come to the forefront this generation and if you’re disappointed in the LittleBigPlanet 2 delay, take solace in what appears to be a colorful, entertaining puzzle/action game called Create. EA’s Bright Light Studios has prepared this one for use with the PlayStation Move and it combines puzzle-solving with some in-depth customization options, thereby providing the player with plenty of open-ended longevity. Between all the cosmetic options (including the option to build your very own miniature house) and the multiple design possibilities, you can really make Create your very own game from the get-go. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of this title is the ability to find different solutions for any given challenge. In other words, your own personal ingenuity may come up with a certain solution another player didn’t utilize and that's very appealing.
This game boasts 14 total levels, each with 10 different challenges, which means that before you even start toying around with other modes and possibilities, there are a ton of puzzles to conquer. Each level consists of an open sandbox area ripe for exploration, which you’ll want to do as nosing about can net you new decorations, outfits or other items to be used as you see fit. If you so desire, you can make plenty of stuff on your own and then, if you feel others would appreciate and applaud your efforts, you can share your creations online. In looking at some gameplay footage and compiling the details and information, it’s ill-advised to say this is a LBP rip-off because while player-controlled imagination is a big part of the experience, the focus appears to be quite different. Create is more for the puzzle-solvers out there.
The challenges will be diverse but the goal will usually be the same- you have to find a way to get one inanimate object from one point to another, utilizing the environment and other tools to make the improbable voyage possible. Basically, the puzzle starts on a strategic note: you will see the object that requires transportation, get a look at the obstacles in its path, and check your inventory of items and tools. You’ll spot those pits where the object will disappear forever, or walls that can’t be bypassed without a special tool of some kind, and you’ll formulate a plan of attack. Different items in your inventory have different effects, but remember that the placement of those tools will affect the entire level; i.e., if you’ve got a turbine fan, you can use it to blow objects attached to balloons across gaps. You can place and rotate each helpful item however you see fit and yes, if you are using Move, this will require actual moving and rotating action from your hand. Sounds like completing complex puzzles will be quite fulfilling.
The four different types of puzzles in Create are as follows: the standard puzzle mode that has you placing a variety of objects into particular places, the object challenge, pick-up party (place objects in sequence), score-tacular (open-ended puzzle with few limitations) and contraption-o-matic, which can be called the “efficiency challenge,” in that you have to finish the puzzle with as few parts as possible. As far as we know, no puzzle/challenge in the game has only one solution, so feel free to flex that creative muscle. You also might want to retry some challenges that offer new objects you could’ve nabbed but missed; obviously, with more tools in your inventory, the more options you have. Create really looks like a winner for puzzle fans and should be on store shelves this week for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii and PC.