Software:Sackboy: A Big Adventure

Short description: 2020 video game

Sackboy: A Big Adventure
Developer(s)	Sumo Digital
Publisher(s)	Sony Interactive Entertainment
Writer(s)	Mark Llabres Hill Dean Wilkinson
Series	LittleBigPlanet
Engine	Unreal Engine 4
Platform(s)	PlayStation 4 PlayStation 5 Windows
Release	PlayStation 4 WW: 12 November 2020 PlayStation 5 NA/OC: 12 November 2020 WW: 19 November 2020 Windows WW: 27 October 2022
Genre(s)	Platform
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a 2020 platform game developed by Sumo Digital and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. A spin-off of the LittleBigPlanet series, it follows Sackboy, and features 3D platforming as opposed to 2.5D in previous entries. It was released for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 in November 2020 and Windows in October 2022.

Gameplay

Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a platform game. Unlike previous LittleBigPlanet entries with 2.5D platforming, it features a range of perspectives and 3D movement. Players control Sackboy on world maps which give access to a multitude of platforming levels and bonus content. As Sackboy completes each stage new ones unlock allowing him to progress further. All levels contain collectable objects called Dreamer Orbs which must be collected en-masse to progress to the end of the game.

Sackboy’s move set is greatly expanded from previous entries and players can now slap at will, roll around, nosedive, pick-up objects and flutter jump, to name a few. Moves can be chained together to create combos that allow skilled players to travel greater distances. Each level in the game employs a series of interactable objects that require at least one of Sackboy’s moves to progress. Sackboy also has access to multiple stages where he can use new powerups. The Grappling Hook, now called the Clawstring, returns from LittleBigPlanet 2, allowing Sackboy to grab onto object from afar, the Whirltool is a boomerang-like device that can be thrown to defeat enemies and break objects and finally the Plasma Pumps allow Sackboy to hover in the air and fire energy blasts.

Content creation

The game does not feature any Create Mode akin to LittleBigPlanet entries, only making certain nods to it through collectables. Players can still customize their Sackboy via ZomZom’s Shop. ZomZom is a travelling haberdasher that returns after his appearance in LittleBigPlanet 3. In his shop players can buy new costumes, try on collected outfits and even paint costume pieces. Costumes created by the player can be saved and are then available to choose when a level is entered.

Multiplayer

The game is fully playable in both local and online multiplayer allowing up to 4 players to experience the game together. There are stages in each world that require multiple players to enter and are specifically designed so players must work together to progress. The game originally did not ship with online functionality. The feature was added in a patch a month later on 17 December 2020.

Plot

In Craftworld, in the village of Loom, the Sackpeople are enjoying their lives when the villain Vex (Richard E. Grant) rips through the sky and begins to suck everything up with his machines in order to enslave the Sackpeople to make his Topsy-Turver machine to take over Craftworld with his evil Uproar. Sackboy manages to avoid being enslaved and steals the plans to the Topsy-Turver, escaping into a rocket. He uses the plans to travel all around Craftworld with the help of an elder sackperson, Scarlet (Dawn French) and tries to prevent Vex from getting the final materials he needs to finish the Topsy-Turver and take over the world, solving many of the issues Vex caused and gathering Dreamer Orbs along the way.

Later on the journey, Vex ambushes Sackboy and steals the latter's Dreamer Orbs, revealing that he manipulated him into gathering them to fuel the Topsy-Turver. Encouraged by Scarlet, Sackboy ventures to the center of Craftworld, where Vex intends to replace the Tree of Imagination with his machine. There he confronts Vex again and rendezvous with Scarlet who reveals a plan to destroy the machine when Vex suddenly knocks her unconscious. Venturing into the Topsy-Turver, Sackboy confronts Vex once more, defeating him and destroying the machine. Afterwards, Scarlet knights Sackboy as a Knitted Knight as peace is restored in Loom and Craftworld.

Development and release

Sackboy: A Big Adventure was developed by Sumo Digital who previously developed LittleBigPlanet 3, and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It is the most recent installment in the LittleBigPlanet series.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure was announced at the PlayStation 5 reveal event on 11 June 2020. The game was released for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 in North America and Oceania on 12 November 2020 and most other regions on 19 November 2020. A Windows version was released on 27 October 2022.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score Aggregator Score Metacritic PS4: 83/100 PS5: 79/100 PC: 81/100 Review scores Publication Score Destructoid 8/10 Easy Allies 8.0/10 EGM Eurogamer Recommended Game Informer 8/10 GameRevolution 8/10 GameSpot 7/10 GamesRadar+ Hardcore Gamer 4/5 IGN 8/10 Push Square Shacknews 7/10 VG247 VideoGamer.com 8/10

Sackboy: A Big Adventure received "generally favorable" reviews across all platforms according to review aggregator Metacritic.

Awards

Year	Award	Category	Result	Ref
2021	British Academy Games Awards	British Game	Won
		Family Game	Won
		Multiplayer Game	Nominated
		Music	Nominated
	24th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards	Family Game of the Year	Nominated
		Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design	Nominated
2022	British Academy Children's Awards	Game	Won