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'Spider-Man' and 'God of War' highlight Sony's E3 PS4 sale
Sony might not officially have a physical presence at E3 this year, but that isn't stopping it from holding its PlayStation Days of Play sale. Not only is there a limited edition, 1TB PS4 in steel black ($300) and a discount on the jet black PS4 Pro ($350), but you can get $20 off a PS Plus 12-Month membership and $30 off an annual PS Now subscription.
How 'Ratchet and Clank' preserves history by starting over
If you could go back and redo anything you've created, would you? The team at Insomniac Games was able to do that and give the original Ratchet and Clank from 2002 a complete overhaul. But it isn't a "definitive edition" like we've seen with Uncharted or Gears of War. Insomniac isn't taking a page from Resident Evil's book and just rereleasing the original game, warts and all, on a new console, either. Creative Director Chad Dezern says doing a quick-and-dirty nostalgia grab like that didn't jibe with what the team ultimately wanted to do. "It's about trying to make a game that's great on its own merits and not just because you remember what it was like the first time you played," he says.
'Song of the Deep' is GameStop's first published game
GameStop is making its debut as a gaming publisher with Song of the Deep. Created alongside none other than Insomniac Games, the studio behind acclaimed titles such as Ratchet & Clank, this 2D platformer promises an action-packed journey -- and there are stunning visuals to boot. Song of the Deep's story wraps around a girl's search for her missing father, through an underwater adventure that will require you to explore and use discovery skills to accomplish your goal.
'Ratchet & Clank' hits PS4 on April 12th
The PlayStation 4 version of Ratchet & Clank, a mega-remaster of Insomniac's PlayStation 2 game, lands on Sony's new console on April 12th. That's just before the Ratchet & Clank movie hits theaters on April 29th. Ratchet & Clank on PS4 is more than a simple visual upgrade: It's a completely new game based on the PS2 version, with an expanded story, more planets to explore, new weapons, fresh controls and other goodies.
A sheep steals the show in the new 'Ratchet & Clank' movie trailer
Look at that sheep. Just look at it. Adorable, confused and fluffy -- a trifecta of cute cuddliness. Ratchet and Clank each come close, but it's really no contest. Sorry, guys. Ratchet & Clank is set to invade the silver screen on April 29, 2016, and today in a new trailer, we get a closer look at the movie's sense of humor. Unsurprisingly (or for the cynics among us, very surprisingly), it feels a lot like the Ratchet & Clank games -- silly, action-packed and full of wild alien creatures. The film stars series veterans James Arnold Taylor as Ratchet and David Kaye as Clank, alongside Paul Giamatti, Rosario Dawson, John Goodman and Sylvester Stallone. In related news, the remastered and expanded PlayStation 4 version of Ratchet & Clank is due in spring 2016, alongside the film's release.
'Ratchet & Clank' for the PS4 looks like more than a remake
When Sony and Insomniac Games teased that there would be a "re-imagining" of Ratchet & Clank for the PlayStation 4, that raised at least a few questions. Would there be a genuinely new story? New mechanics? Or would it be yet another remaster? Apparently, you can rest easy. Insomniac has offered its first look at the action series' reboot, and it's definitely not just a visual upgrade. While it's undoubtedly prettier (see above), you'll also get "modern controls" and a heaping of new content that includes an expanded story, several new planets, refreshed gameplay segments, and a weapon collection that's largely built from scratch. Your muscle memory from the original game isn't going to help here, folks.
Ratchet & Clank headline another PSP-3000 bundle; you're simply thrilled
Look, we know how much you love Ratchet & Clank-oriented PSP SKUs, don't try and hide your desire. This latest PSP-3000 bundle to feature the respectively furry / mechanical duo includes a black PSP and Everyday Shooter in addition to Ratchet & Clank Size Matters, instead of the silver PSP and echochrome featured in that other bundle. These are all very important distinctions, we assure you. A 1GB Memory Stick Duo card and the ever-desireable National Treasure 2 are included as well. The new bundle hits on December 15 for the same old $199 pricetag. We're still waiting on that $169 standalone PSP-3000 with bated, Skype-ready breath. [Via PSP Fanboy]
Insomniac's Dezern and McCabe talk new North Carolina digs
Insomniac's push eastward was one of last week's most intriguing items of interest, despite a lack of details concerning what exactly the Ratchet & Clank developer has in store for its new Raleigh, NC studio. However, while we don't know exactly what the Burbank, California-based developer has up its sleeves, we figured if anyone had the scoop it would be current Insomniac art director Chad Dezern and gameplay guru Shaun McCabe, both of whom will be given reigns over the company's eastern arm once it opens in January.We recently spoke with both execs about the new studio, and we couldn't help but kick off the interview by asking the one nagging question on our mind: Why North Carolina?"We wanted to expand Insomniac's capabilities while retaining the small team culture in Burbank. Opening up an office in The Triangle lets us do that while also offering an alternative for talented people who want to stay on the East Coast," Dezern answered. "Plus, Shaun and I are from the South and we missed the distant strumming of the banjo."
Insomniac considering new IPs, Ratchet sells a million
In an interview with MTV's Multiplayer, Insomniac Games president Ted Price discusses development at the company going into the PS3 era. He says that Ratchet and Clank Future was the "best production experience" after the "hell" of putting together Resistance, elaborating that working with the new PS3 tech and a genre the company hadn't worked in for 10 years was tough. Price confesses that Ratchet recently hit the million sold mark globally, but says the game has a "long tail." He also allays fears that Insomniac will become a Ratchet and Resistance mill, "We'll continue to produce new IP, there's no question about that." As for Resistance 2, players can expect deeper storytelling this time around and a better connection with ... boy, what was his name again?Actually, the last part of the interview is all about Resistance 2. Price reiterates that the 60 player arenas are going to happen and they've been playing them internally, along with the eight-player co-op. Looks like it's going to be showdown between Killzone 2 and Resistance at the end of '08 on PS3.MTV Multiplayer and Ted Price: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters set for March PS2 release
As was rumored in December of last year, the pint-sized version of Ratchet & Clank is set to make the leap from the PlayStation Portable to the PlayStation Not Very Portable But Considerably More Lucrative. Though ongoing publisher trends suggests the journey to the PS2 is less of a leap and more of a thoughtless sleep rollover, Size Matters' transition had yet to be confirmed outside of a retailer listing. Shacknews now reports that a recent PlayStation Underground e-mail confirmed the impending port, noting a March 2008 release. Though Sony hasn't officially announced it yet, it seems only prudent to place the game in as many hands as possible. Perhaps they'll even get Miyamoto to play this one.
Best of the Rest: Alexander's Picks of 2007
Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword (PC) Please, make the addiction stop! Civilization IV: Warlords, the first expansion for Civ IV, made my "Best of the Rest" last year and Beyond the Sword tops this year's list. The funny thing is I'm not a Civ fanboy, nor am I even that great of a player (Full Disclosure: I still play on Noble level), but Civ IV is a game I can come back to over and over again. Beyond the Sword added much-needed mechanics for culture-prone and passive-aggressive players, with enhancements in espionage and other concepts "beyond the sword." Oh, and just to keep last year's tradition going: Firaxis (2K, Take-Two), please get the rights to Alpha Centauri back from EA and give us a sequel!
NYTimes names Mass Effect game of the year
A little lesbianism goes a long way as the New York Times names Mass Effect its game of the year for 2007. The NYT bestowed Mass Effect with the honor for its "focus on character development, personal growth and moral tension, all fueled by a graphics system created to evoke emotional empathy." Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction was honored for being the shining star on the PS3 and BioShock was named the "best newcomer." There's also digs at Halo 3 and Super Mario Galaxy for being "unambitious representations of the state of the art."Speaking of unambitious, for the second time in less than a month the New York Times copyeditors took a nap (albeit a minor one) on a video game-related story, which is slowly becoming inappropriate in covering an $18 billion-plus industry. There's no telling when reporter Seth Schiesel submitted his copy for this piece, but E3 2008 was already confirmed for the Los Angeles Convention Center last Tuesday, so the article's suggestion that "the solution for [E3] next year can be summed up in one word (or is that two?): Las Vegas" is just about 1,000 New York minutes behind the times.
Rumor: Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters expanding to PS2
The blending of the PS2 and PSP continues as PSP's Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters appears to be marked for PS2 release early next year. A GameStop listing says the game is expected Feb. 12, '08 for $30, but consider this a placeholder for now.Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters would join a solid list of games that made the jump from PSP to the PS2. Most famously at this point are the ports of GTA: Vice City Stories and GTA: Liberty City Stories, both of which ended up on the PS2 at the delicious consumer-friendly price of $20. We wouldn't mind seeing God of War: Chains of Olympus make the PS2 leap by holiday '08 -- but let's just get the thing out on PSP first.
Miyamoto: 'Ratchet & Clank' who? Lombax what?
Coy or truly confused, Nintendo's maestro has disputed Insomniac's cry for attention, firmly denying that Super Mario Galaxy's spherical worlds were torn out of a page from the Sony developer's Ratchet & Clank book. Miyamoto claims he and the gang were working to disprove the 'games are flat' theory back on N64, when Insomniac was merely taking its first baby steps into the industry (and, Ludwig, years before Sonic Adventure 2 pulled off 'the rounded level' – FYI). "I'm sorry but I have to admit that I've never seen the game in question," Miyamoto told Official Nintendo Magazine UK when questioned about Ratchet & Clank, "Is it a PC game?"
Today's danciest video: Merry Xmas 2K7
It's a little early for Christmas, but it's always the right time for dancing video game characters! Jan3D has put together a super-short video as an early holiday gift to his/her fellow gamers. And to think that you weren't planning on getting him/her anything.Not much else to say here. Just be prepared to see Big Daddy, Nariko, Mario, Master Chief, Ratchet, and NiGHTS like you've never seen them before -- in sync.
SCEA is 'very happy' with Ratchet & Clank sales
Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction may have the second lowest first month sales of any game in the series with 74,500, but that hasn't stopped Sony from staying positive. "SCEA is very happy with the initial sales numbers of Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction," said a SCEA to 1UP. "In a crowded market of mature content, Ratchet is a fun, sophisticated alternative that truly showcases the power of the PS3."Of course, its sunny disposition with regards to Ratchet isn't completely unfounded, there are, after all, many fewer PS3s on the market than PS2s. Also, ignore the imaginary 100,000 in first month sales barrier that 1UP is trying to conjure up, Heavenly Sword smashed that jazz back in September.
PSP's Secret Agent Clank will connect to PS3 in 'secret' way
They'll see each other from across the room, the PSP and PS3 will both hum almost imperceptibly, the Wi-Fi will crackle and suddenly ... they'll connect. Secret Agent Clank meets Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction and it's love at first interface. ... Now what is it exactly that they do?The thing is, the connectivity between the portable and not-at-all portable Ratchet and Clank titles is, much like love, a mystery. In fact, MTV goes so far as to say that the two will connect "in some secret, undisclosed way." Ah well, guess we'll just have to wait for the love affair to begin when Secret Agent Clank hits in 2008. If it will ease the waiting, you can learn more about the game in PSP Fanboy's interview with the dev team.[Via PSPF]
Metareview: Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
May the furries rejoice, the continuing adventures of a Lombax and his robot blows up the PS3 with Rachet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction. Apparently everything old about Ratchet & Clank is still old, but it's gussied up and makes excellent use of the PS3 as something other than a movie player. Ratchet & Clank looks to be a boon for games on the system, even if it does amount to what Game Informer deems perfectly as "comfort food." GameTap (100/100): "It's rare that a game critic feels the way I do about this game, but in all honesty, I find it really difficult to find something that's not to like. The controls feel great. The graphics look great. The score sounds great. The weapon selection alone make me want to play the game over and over again, just to test out all the cool offered. And that's that's what happens when a smart development team has spent a long time imagining a game like this. It's obvious they've accomplished feats here that they've probably been wanting to do for a long time." Game Informer (93/100): "You know how we always say that it's not enough to make a prettier version of a last-generation title – that you really need to offer us something that wasn't possible five years ago? Well, leave it to Insomniac to make me a liar. Because, in all reality, Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction sticks extremely close to the formula that made the series one of the PS2's best. There's not much here I haven't seen before. But I don't care, and neither will you, because this is an adventure packed to the brim with vivid characters, amazing gameplay, and heartfelt humor. In a way, it's the ultimate in video game comfort food – a familiar old favorite for those times when you're hungry for nothing but an expertly crafted good time." Gamespot (75/100): "Try as it might, Tools of Destruction doesn't achieve the same level of greatness as its predecessors. It's too easy, the story falls flat, and the "throw everything in including the kitchen sink" style of gameplay takes too much of the focus off the tight platforming and fun combat. That said, the gorgeous visuals and generally fun gameplay are enough to make Tools of Destruction worthwhile for the series' fans and newcomers alike."
Ratchet & Clank Future glitch may halt play
It looks like the early release of Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction is not without consequence. Shacknews reports that some American PlayStation 3 owners may encounter a glitch which prevents them from playing Insomniac's latest platformer. Unlike the sudden loss of your arms or a critical lack of money, however, you can entirely blame someone in the quality assurance department for this predicament*.Insomniac community manager James Stevenson describes the issue, which presents itself during the game's setup, as such: "With specific amounts of free space on your drive, you may see a screen that tells you have insufficient space to create game data even though there is plenty of free space on your drive." He remains decidedly non-specific regarding said "specific amounts," but at least the man provides a workaround. If you encounter the problem, "either delete or add about 500MB of data to your hard drive and the problem will go away." You'll know you've won when you can actually play the game. *Excluding the unlikely circumstance of an insane QA manager capturing you and lopping off your arms. We've heard stories.
PS3's 1.94 firmware adds support for DualShock 3
If you want to experience rumble with your PS3 games as soon as possible, you're going to have to go on a quest of sorts. First, time travel into next month (or wait a couple of weeks) and import a DualShock 3 from Japan. Next, you're going to need the PS3's new firmware, 1.94, but sadly, it isn't available for download yet. But don't be deterred. Shacknews is reporting that if you pick up Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction (the first retail game with built-in rumble support) you'll be able to find 1.94 right there on the disc. Imagine the convenience. Now, unless you have obsessive compulsive disorder, we have no idea why you'd need the firmware weeks before the controller's even out. But at least we know a certain former Double Dare host is going to sleep well tonight.
