ratchet and clank
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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.
Sony announces new PS3 bundle for UK
A new Playstation 3 bundle will go on sale in the UK this Friday, featuring two first-party titles along with the 40GB model of the PS3, GamesIndustry.biz reports.The bundle, which will retail for £349.99 GBP, allows consumers to pick two games from a list of first-party titles to accompany the console. The list includes big 2007 titles like Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction, and SingStar (with microphones). With the 40GB PS3 normally priced at £299.99, this deal probably won't incite a voracious demand for the console, but it is a nice way to pick up a few games on the cheap with a new system.Full list of titles available through the offer after the break.
Wal-Mart busts out some obsessed PS3 ads
Who doesn't love Wal-Mart? A lot of people, apparently, but their influence in most things consumer-related is undeniable despite your personal beliefs. This is why we took note of their latest advertisements for the PlayStation 3. They're obsessed. We've got one video above for Heavenly Sword and we've got three more waiting for you after the jump. We know the heart of Wal-Mart is in us all, but by the power of Grayskull, we just can't pass up those deals.
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!
See a few Ratchet & Clank Future mishaps
Despite Ratchet & Clank: Future being one of the very best games currently available on the PS3, it's certainly not without a few quirks. Courtesy of Project Mod Gaming, we're shown a few in particular. Pretty silly video with some decent tunes to back it up.And before anyone says so, yes, it's been a pretty slow news day.
Gamestop shows possible PS2 R&C: Size Matters boxart
After previously updating its site with a page for the rumored PS2 port of the PSP's Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters, Gamestop has just posted what could be the game's boxart.Furthermore, Gamestop has a ship date of Feb. 12 for the semi-budget price of $30. While we previously classified this story as a rumor, it's probably fair to say the probability of this former exclusive PSP title being ported to the PS2.Sure, some PSP owners might be upset that their handheld is losing one of its better exclusive titles, but we're just happy more people will have the opportunity to play this wonderful game.[Via Siliconera]
Miyamoto claims he's never heard of Ratchet & Clank
Remember back when Insomniac's Ryan Schneider created controversy by saying they were "extremely flattered" by Super Mario Galaxy's supposed borrowing of the spherical world design that Insomniac first created with Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando and Up Your Arsenal?Well, Miyamoto has finally found the opportunity to weigh in on Schneider's claim, and apparently, the Mario creator hasn't even heard of the series at all, including the PS3's newly released Tools of Destruction. When asked his thought's on Schneider's comment, Miyamoto said, "I'm sorry, but I have to admit that I've never seen the game in question. Is it a PC game?" Ooooh, burn!Continuing, Miyamoto expressed his surprise by the claim and even said "In terms of the spherical worlds and anti-gravity, we had the original idea as soon as we finished the development of Mario 64 and had been experimenting with it for many years, even on the N64." So there you have it. If Miyamoto is to be believed, and why shouldn't he be, Nintendo didn't borrow anything from Insomniac. Both companies make brilliant games, and we see no reason to think that both couldn't have come up with such a design concept entirely on their own.
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?"
PSP Fanboy Theatre: Volume 43
Warriors of the Lost Empire trailer (12.5MB) Also featured: Alien vs. Predator, Ratchet and Clank, Time Crisis 4, Jack Thompson talks violence and gaming
Ratchet and Clank doesn't break 100K, Sony still happy
Despite being one of Sony's big hitters this fall, Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction didn't hit the 100,000 sales milestone like the series' first three games, having only sold 74,500 in its first two weeks of release in October. However, that hasn't deterred Sony from being pleased with it so far. "SCEA is very happy with the initial sales numbers of Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction," a Sony Computer Entertainment America representative told 1UP. "In a crowded market of mature content, Ratchet is a fun, sophisticated alternative that truly showcases the power of the PS3. Ratchet is the perfect gift for PlayStation fans of all ages and we expect sales to continue to remain strong."However, as 1UP pointed out, Tools of Destruction did sell better than Ratchet: Deadlocked, the series' latest entry that only managed to sell 55,300 copies when it released in October 2005.
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.
It's a wonderful world: the Ratchet & Clank ad
It's a departure from the usual Ratchet & Clank ads, but we're still digging it. Scenes of destruction from the game's opening Metropolis level play with the "What a Wonderful World" tune playing the background. We're not quite sure why the scenes had to be pre-rendered; the in-game graphics are more than capable enough to convey a similarly animated feel. Regardless, it's a beautiful ad that only illustrates further the refocused commitment of the PlayStation advertising team.
PS3 Fanboy review: Ratchet and Clank Future
Ratchet and Clank's debut on the PS3 is one of the most anticipated games on Sony's fledgling console. Though it's arriving only a year after Insomniac released the best launch title on the PS3 (Resistance: Fall of Man), Ratchet and Clank: Future Tools of Destruction oozes so much polish and love that you would have thought it had been under development for years.Going with the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" philosophy, Ratchet and Clank doesn't necessarily try to reinvent the franchise in its leap to HD. It merely takes everything that defines an R&C title and refines it to diamond-like perfection. Sporting some of the most fantastic graphics on any next-gen platform yet, Insomniac once again proves that they know the tech of the PS3 inside and out. But, they don't forget the important bit parts of what makes a game a Ratchet and Clank game: tight platforming, inventive weapons, and surprising amounts of genuinely humorous dialog.Part of what makes Ratchet and Clank so great is its fast-paced and satisfying gameplay. Sporting a ridiculous amount of weapons and gadgets, there is so much variety to just combat alone that you will never be without some new way to blast, incinerate, or transmogrify your enemies. Beyond just shooting monsters to tiny pieces, the game also features some of the most satisfying platforming gameplay in years. It is easily the best platforming action in a next-gen game so far (although the competition has been sparse).%Gallery-3204%
NY Times sings praises for Ratchet & Clank
What? The mainstream media has a glowing review of a PS3 game? Yes, it's true. Insomniac's Ratchet & Clank Future is garnering the attention of many traditionally non-gaming news sources, such as the prestigious NY Times. Once again, the illustrious Pixar comparison is made for Ratchet's latest outing -- the game is visually compared to the likes of pre-rendered Hollywood blockbusters, like Monsters Inc. and Toy Story.This is important for Sony. The New York Times notes that this can be exactly what Sony needs to convince consumers about the true power of the PS3. "Ratchet, however, will surely become a showcase game for Sony because, given current technology, it seems unlikely that any game for either the 360 or the Wii will be able to match Ratchet's overall visual quality." Such praise from a mainstream news source will go a long way to alleviate Sony's ailing public image."The biggest problem with Ratchet is that at times it is so lushly compelling that you find yourself just staring at the screen, as if it were a movie, rather than actually playing the game. And that, of course, is not a bad problem at all."[Thanks, Will!]
Penny Arcade takes on Ratchet and Clank
Did you catch today's Penny Arcade strip? Well, hope you did -- it's a fun one, just for Ratchet & Clank fans. Check it out.Of course, as is usual for the Penny Arcade duo, they have a blog entry detailing their experiences with the game. "The new Ratchet & Clank is a marvel, further proof that Insomniac is the surest thing that platform has going for it. You'll travel to lush, hitch-free worlds where the brutal load times found in other Playstation titles are nowhere to be found. It's something everyone with the system will be playing, and it's executed at a level that should generate jealousy in the non-owner."We'd have to agree. Check out PS3 Fanboy's review of the game next Tuesday (right before it "officially" ships to stores!).
Ratchet and Clank comes bundled with annoying (but fixable) glitch
Some eager Ratchet and Clank fans were in for a surprise when they picked up their copies from their outlet of preference yesterday. It seems that a glitch is affecting the setup process of the game on some machines which makes the hard drive appear full. The game copies some files over to the hard drive before it starts but if it thinks the hard disc is full then it will refuse to boot. The glitch seems to happen randomly but is easily fixed.If this happens to you then you will simply need to add or remove around 500megs worth of content. Once that's done the game should load fine. Still, it's a bit of an inconvenience and we expect there will be a good number of gamers who perhaps don't venture online for gaming news and will assume that their copy of the game is bust. Hopefully the number of people affected will be nice and low. If you come across this glitch then let us know.
Insomniac divulges some Ratchet development stories
Insomniac just delivered their second high-profile PS3 title, Ratchet and Clank: Tools of Destruction -- it's been getting pretty rave reviews across the board, so MTV sought out an interview with the dev team to unearth how and why Insomniac kicks so much ass. So to speak. After gushing over the awesomeness that is the Groovitron, Insomniac mentioned their ambitious claim: "We've bandied the Pixar name around a lot, in terms of our visual goals," and many say they have achieved these goals.To boast the increase in graphics on the PS3, Insomniac divulged that on the PS2, Ratchet had 112 joints in his entire polygonal body -- the PS3 has given Ratchet 90 joints in his face alone. But of course, graphics aren't everything: "My game-designer side wants to say graphics don't matter and it's all about what the player is doing. But the other side is that it really immerses you in a world. ... Our burden is to create a world that is very convincing. So the fact that we can improve the visuals and the graphics adds to that."The online options were dropped for this title not because Insomniac couldn't have done it (just look at Resistance), but "we were kind of disappointed to find that less than 5 percent of players actually played it who actually played the game for both Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal and Deadlocked." If any reviewers detracted points for lack of online, well, there's always a reason. There's plenty of details in the full story, so check it out if you want to learn about how graphical detail was approached and the possibility of future titles.
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.
Firmware 1.94 adds DualShock rumble support
Ratchet & Clank Future (available in retail stores soon) is the first retail PS3 game to support rumble out of the box. The game includes firmware update 1.94 on the disc and will allow players with DualShock 3 controllers to experience the incredible innovation of rumble.The firmware is, as of writing, not yet available for download. DualShock 3 controllers will be available in Japan in November and in America next year.[Via Joystiq]
Win a Ratchet & Clank Future fan pack!
If you're lucky enough, you'll be able to play Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction on your PS3 this week. To celebrate Ratchet's jump into the next generation, we're giving away tons of swag, including a giant movie-styled poster, t-shirts and various pieces of concept art. We're giving away prizes to three readers ... so how do you sign up?To enter, simply go through our gallery and tell us which picture's your favorite. The comment must be left before October 25th, 5PM EST. You may enter only once. Three (3) winners will be selected in a random drawing. Three (3) winners will receive a Ratchet & Clank Future movie-styled poster, a limited edition piece of Ratchet & Clank Future concept art, and a Ratchet & Clank Future t-shirt (No ARV). Click here for complete Official Rules. You must be a US resident, age 18 or older to enter.%Gallery-3204%
