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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.
Secret Agent Clank figure with GameStop pre-order
Secret Agent Clank figurines are currently available for those who pre-order the game at GameStop. A post by Sony America producer Frank Simon on the PlayStation Blog says that the toy will be available with pre-order -- dramatic pause -- "while supplies last." We've been told the figure is bendable, but not posable.Secret Agent Clank won't be saving the galaxy until June 17, but a demo is currently available on the PSN.
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.
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 delayed one week
It looks like Ratchet & Clank didn't show up three hours early to get through spaceport security and will be delayed a week. The boys were expected on Oct. 23, but according to the PlayStation Blog they'll be arriving Oct. 30. Not only has the game been delayed, but the demo expected Oct. 4 on PSN will now show up on Oct. 11. If you can't wait for the demo, remember that you can always pick it up at GameStop with a pre-order of Ratchet & Clank Future.R&C Future is definitely a game we're looking forward to. Not only because the series has always been solid, but because we like pretty colors and we're getting a little sick of the brown motif in games. A week extra isn't so bad compared to other PS3 delays we've seen.[Via Gamespot]
TGS07: Ratchet & Clank Future Japanese trailer and Sixaxis control video
Above you'll find the Japanese trailer for Ratchet & Clank Future, and after the break we've got a video showing a little bit how the Sixaxis is implemented in the game. If Ratchet looks a little weird to you (notice the dark eyebrows and eye difference), it's because the Japanese actually have a different Ratchet. Not only that, but they have a different story going on. Localization is funny like that. If you'd like to know more, PS3 Fanboy has a great interview with Insomniac's Ryan Schneider as he explains the different Ratchets. He says, "In Japan ... they will write their own backstory and they have their own sensibilities. We actively support and encourage that and they're great in identifying what works in that market. Of course, we don't complain because we're one of the few successful Western franchises there period." Although the Japanese Ratchet won't be unlockable in the US version, the Japanese language mode will.
TGS07: Secret Agent Clank hands-on
Sony revealed a brand new game at its pre-TGS media event. Unfortunately, it was a game we all knew was coming: Secret Agent Clank, a new PSP continuation of the popular Ratchet & Clank series. First accidentally leaked on the musician's resume, and then accidentally confirmed to PSP Fanboy by a developer, the existence of Secret Agent Clank was ironically not very secret at all.The brief hands-on time we had with the game highlighted gameplay that strays far from what series fans have become accustomed to. The first part had Clank jumping through laser grids while pressing buttons in a music-based rhythm game that very closely resembles PaRappa the Rapper. The next area showed platforming as Clank, sans Ratchet. Finally, we encountered a boss where we finally got to play as Captain Quark. Like another green-plad video game character, he uses a vacuum gun to suck trash and projectiles and throw it back to the enemy.The visuals were on par with the previous Ratchet & Clank title from High Impact Games. The game still has a long way to go, and will not be present at Tokyo Game Show this year.
Ratchet and Clank video dump with pretty colors
Taking a break from playing the awesomeness of BioShock, it's time to take a quick look at another game that's got us getting excited: Ratchet and Clank: Tools of Destruction. Slated for October 23 in North America (but remember it's not region locked), the game has come a long way since we saw it at E3. Why are we so excited about this particular installment in the series we've come to know and love over the years? Well, Christopher Nicholls, animation director for Insomniac Games, hits it out of the park in the video above saying, "This generation is like how many million colors of gray can you have? How realistic -- with lots stubble and [how] miserable can you make all the characters? I think that's OK, but thing with Ratchet, it's a total breath of fresh air. It's back to old-school, is it fun?"We've dumped a ton of Ratchet and Clank videos after the break. Is it worth getting a PS3 for? That's in the eye of the beholder and if you've hit your limit with the brown palette. When one can look at a game and the first thing that happens is a smile creeps in because there's color beyond brown and gray -- from a series that has been consistently solid -- it's at least worth thinking that the PS3 is finally getting some traction.
Hands-on: Ratchet & Clank Future
First off, does Ratchet look this good? The answer is clear: yes. But, is that enough to make the upcoming PS3-exclusive Ratchet & Clank Future worthwhile? Not necessarily.As innovative and new as the graphics may appear, the gameplay feels identical to previous iterations of the Ratchet series. Of course, that's not a bad thing -- the franchise has rightfully earned its legions of fans. However, we couldn't help but feel as though we've played Tools of Destruction before. It feels more cinematic than before, but we were running, gunning, and swinging our wrench as though nothing had changed. Some may point to the new Groove-a-tron weapon, a colorful new weapon in Ratchet's arsenal. But, there are no significant gameplay ramifications: enemies will simply dance, instead of attack Ratchet. There's also a free-fall sequence, where the player must tilt the Sixaxis controller to navigate Ratchet past flying cars. But, these tilt controls do little to add a feeling of innovation to the series.The polish of the game's presentation is certainly commendable, but we were puzzled by the lack of an adequate targeting system. The on-rails platforming, a series trademark, had us bored. Jumping left or right to avoid oncoming trains was tedious, at best. The utter simplicity of the sequence had us feeling like we were simply going through the motions. We're also disappointed to know that Insomniac has opted to remove a crucial component of the franchise in this latest rendition: multiplayer is gone.Tools of Destruction might not end up being a bad game, but it did very little to convince us otherwise. We're sure that hardcore Ratchet fans will love it for its story, which will focus on the mysterious origins of its star. Although playing it safe might work for Insomniac and its fans, it's pretty obvious to us that team spent a lot more time focused on its graphics technology than what really matters: gameplay. As it is now, Tools of Destruction is an uninspired experience, one that feels like a backwards step for the series.%Gallery-3204%
Joystiq impressions: Ratchet & Clank Future (PS3)
First off, does Ratchet look this good? The answer is clear: yes. But, is that enough to make the upcoming PS3-exclusive Ratchet & Clank Future worthwhile? Not necessarily.As innovative and new as the graphics may appear, the gameplay feels identical to previous iterations of the Ratchet series. Of course, that's not a bad thing -- the franchise has rightfully earned its legions of fans. However, we couldn't help but feel as though we've played Tools of Destruction before. It feels more cinematic than before, but we were running, gunning, and swinging our wrench as though nothing had changed. Some may point to the new Groove-a-tron weapon, a colorful new weapon in Ratchet's arsenal. But, there are no significant gameplay ramifications: enemies will simply dance, instead of attack Ratchet. There's also a free-fall sequence, where the player must tilt the Sixaxis controller to navigate Ratchet past flying cars. But, these tilt controls do little to add a feeling of innovation to the series.The polish of the game's presentation is certainly commendable, but we were puzzled by the lack of an adequate targeting system. The on-rails platforming, a series trademark, had us bored. Jumping left or right to avoid oncoming trains was tedious, at best. The utter simplicity of the sequence had us feeling like we were simply going through the motions. We're also disappointed to know that Insomniac has opted to remove a crucial component of the franchise in this latest rendition: multiplayer is gone.Tools of Destruction might not end up being a bad game, but it did very little to convince us otherwise. We're sure that hardcore Ratchet fans will love it for its story, which will focus on the mysterious origins of its star. Although playing it safe might work for Insomniac and its fans, it's pretty obvious to us that team spent a lot more time focused on its graphics technology than what really matters: gameplay. As it is now, Tools of Destruction is an uninspired experience, one that feels like a backwards step for the series.%Gallery-3182%
Japanese Ratchet ad is like totally kawaii
There's something adorable about the Japanese Ratchet. He's so much more energetic ... and, well, squeaky. But don't let his cute demeanor deceive you: he's still the same killing machine he always was. In this new Japanese ad for Size Matters (also known as Ratchet & Clank Gekitotsu! Dodeka Ginga no MiriMiri Gundan), Ratchet appears to encourage school boys to destroy their schools with WMDs. Oh, how adorable.
Ratchet & Clank interactive strategy guide
Did you ever get stuck in Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters? Well, have no fear! Sony has just released an interactive guide for the entire game, and we have it right here. There's over 60 pages of inside info for your perusal: not only on how to beat the game, but find its elusive secrets as well.Download for PC (18.1MB)Download for Mac (25.1MB)*Note: Please do NOT direct-link these files! Thanks.
Insomniac speaks about Ratchet
An interview has surfaced regarding the new Ratchet & Clank title as well as a brief discussion about a sequel to Resistance: Fall of Man over at PSU. Not Phantasy Star Universe, which is the only thing I ever see when looking at that acronym. Damn it, they really need to buckle and make a fantastic Phantasy Star V. Come on! Anyway, we'll summarize the good points of the review below. Development on Tools of Destruction started shortly after the last title, Deadlocked, shipped. So it's been under the knife for a while. The engine used to create R&C:ToD is based on the Resistance engine, but has been so enhanced that it really can't be called the same. A villain from Ratchet's past has emerged and wants him dead! The story takes place after the other games, so no worries... there's no prequel here. When asked about the wacky new weaponry, Insomniac said "we have some more outlandish types like the Tornado Launcher that sucks up enemies and whips them around - it's also controllable by the sixaxis motion sensor in the controller. There's the Plasma Beasts, which are slimy goo-like monsters that spring up and tackle enemies that are in range. And we've got the Groovitron, a disco ball grenade weapon that when thrown out causes the enemies to hypnotically dance to a groovin beat." The PS3 has the power to move mountains, once you give it enough time and understand what you're doing. The Tornado Launcher weapon couldn't have been created on any other system (well, maybe the Wii... but it wouldn't look that good). Resolution and frame rate are up in the air, still. Online? Co-op? They can't say. Release date? Fall. More Resistance? It's a mystery, but the silence is so deafening! Okay, that's it. If you want to read the whole interview, help yourself, but we didn't really leave that much out. Still worth a look![Via digg]
Metareview: Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters
Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters just came out on PSP and a lot of gamers have high hopes for the title given the history of the series. We here at PSP Fanboy love Ratchet & Clank, but what about everyone else? It seems like most critics agreed with us, but let's see why: IGN (90/100) "It's packed with fantastic single-player content, has a strong multiplayer element, boasts a great visual and thematic presentation, and excels with razor-sharp gameplay mechanics." Yahoo! (100/100) "For the last two titles, the developers of Ratchet & Clank have done a wonderful job building full-featured multiplayer support into their games. Size Matters is arguably the best attemt to date. Although it only supports four players at a time, the maps and modes are meticulously build to wring the most out of multiplayer matches." 1UP (70/100) "If you're looking for a game that matches the quality of the previous games in the Ratchet franchise...well, keep looking." Not sure what game 1UP was playing, but they're the only one to even give the game anything close to that score, so if you're a fan I think you need to check out Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters.
Play Ratchet on custom firmware
Like many PSP owners, I like the added functionality of Dark_Alex's custom firmware. What I didn't like though was how Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters didn't work on my PSP because of it. Luckily, the fine folks at DCEmu have come up with a solution. Let me run you through it step by step, so you too can get Ratchet swinging his wrench on your custom firmware.
