What seems to be shaping up us the killer game that the PS3 needed at launch time. LittleBigPlanet from startup Media Molecule is going to freak you out. The first game to truly show what the PS3 can do. You start out with a lovely stuffed rag doll and the rest is just about up to you. Make stuff, collaborate with others to make stuff, solve problems, whatever.
The game has a physics engine that will make you pant and everything is made from real world type materials. Check out the screenshots over at GameSpot.
Oh. What? That was not enough for you. Okay. Well also at the GDC07, Phil Harrison delivered an awesome keynote about what we can expect from the PS3 during this year.
Obviously the primary focus is online. Later this year, PS3 Home will enter the scene. PS3 Home is like a Second Life environment right on the console, but integrated with your games, your mates and your media. From it you can wander around, watch movies and indie clips, listen to music, chat with friends, change clothes etc. in fact, just about anything you can do in a real world.
The clever bit is that Sony will integrate games experience with the virtual world experience: they'll be games within the environment such as pool, snooker or bar games. They'll be trophy rooms to go see your acheivements (or anyone elses) for all suportd PS3 games. Purchased PS3 games will include content items for Home such as clothing and pictures and may even include an online location to go hang out at.
You'll get your own apartment that you can decorate as you wish. You can even spend cash and get a bigger Apt. The whole lot is driven by a Physics engine for that real world feel. You can bring in your own content: imagine putting a memory stick in the drive and loading a picture direct into a picture frame in your apartment. And any vistors can immediately see it.
More? No? Okay. Well one of the things that Sony did well with the PS2 was hardware. For some reason the xbox was never a big add on market. One assumes that was because MS made it just too difficult to get devices tested and supported for the Xbox.
Still No matter: Xbox loss is PS gain. Singstar will be coming to the PS3 very soon and you can perhaps imagine the options: Sing Online, Record your attempts and share them with your mates. Even video your best attempts. Online rating system and review by your (ex)mates Great!
All in All, Sony are playing catchup they way they play all things: they are throwing all their best toys, tricks and tools into PS3 and aiming not just to meet the 360, but to leave it behind like it's sitting still.
Sony call the new experience "Game 3.0". Watch out for it: it may just be the next paradigm shift in gaming!