

Every object, level and character is made up of real-world materials, much how you might imagine Etsy if it was an actual, physical place. So Sackboy: A Big Adventure feels great to play, then, but what elevates the game to the next level is how its craftwork presentation is stitched together to create an amazing foundation that makes everything click. Sackboy had a nasty habit of feeling overly floaty and ungainly before, but developer Sumo Digital has wisely ditched the old design for something that feels faithful, yet fundamentally works far better. The jumping mechanics have thankfully been overhauled in Sackboy: A Big Adventure, allowing for some seriously satisfying platforming compared to previous franchise entries.

Nothing feels redundant, and it allows the developer to add new situations to tackle in each level. These actions let you interact with the world in a variety of ways, whether that’s hanging on to a sponge roller as it spins round, or breaking boxes to reveal bubbles you can collect. Sackboy’s main repertoire involves slapping, rolling, grabbing, performing a flutter jump and slamming to the ground. Looking pretty’s one thing, but you’ll need to master all of Sackboy’s abilities if you’re to conquer the game’s many challenges.

They also appear in the game’s cutscenes, which can make for hilarious viewing. From a Tudor to a devilish rock god, Sackboy’s outfits are adorable, and you can even create your own fashionista combinations, should you choose. Each level is packed full of kooky characters to meet and impish enemies to overcome, and there are also hidden costume pieces to discover that let you customize Sackboy in all sorts of creative ways. In your bid to takedown Vex, you’ll have to guide Sackboy through a generous amount of playful worlds, collecting countless Dream Orbs as you go that unlock new areas. Collect the most bubbles to top the leaderboard.(Image credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment)
