After five years, Ratchet and Clank have solidified themselves as two of the most recognizable characters on Sony consoles.
With this being their first appearance on the PlayStation 3 and the word ‘future’ thrown into the mix, you might think their newest adventure would mark a complete reinvention of the franchise.
Insomniac sees it another way, however. Instead of fixing what isn’t (yet) broken, the game developer has brought the series’ classic gameplay to a system in desperate need of quality exclusive titles.
What they’ve come up with is one of the best PS3 games so far.
Those who are familiar with the franchise will know what to expect from “Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction” — platforming with a ton of firepower and wacky gadgets.
Gameplay is fast and furious, but noticeably easier than previous installments. However, the difficulty picks up towards the end and beating the game unlocks a more challenging mode. Hardcore fans will definitely want to play through more than once.
The only bump on the road is the space shooting levels, which are still a waste of time and not nearly as engaging as the main gameplay.
With the power of the PS3 behind them, the artists at Insomniac were able to make one of the most beautiful-looking games available. The levels are huge, vibrant, detailed and full of life.
The controls are slicker than the Greased-Up Deaf Guy and now feature SIXAXIS functionality.
Part way through the game, Clank grows robo-wings that allow him to fly Ratchet around certain levels. This works really well and makes “Lair” look like a total chump. Not that it didn’t already.
Other SIXAXIS usages include steering tornado projectiles, hacking doors via a marble-rolling mini-game, guiding a laser cutter to break through walls and dancing a pirate-jig.
These work fine, but with the exception of flying, they feel tacked on and unnecessary. The mini-games in general really don’t serve much purpose beyond distracting you from the main gameplay.
Also, the story really doesn’t go anywhere. Sure, you have a big showdown with Emperor Percival Tachyon, but by the end it feels like Insomniac was only setting up a sequel rather than fleshing out a strong plot.
Considering the package as a whole though, these are really minor complaints.
“Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction’s” charming universe, gorgeous graphics and wicked gameplay make it one of the best holiday titles of the year.
This is why you bought a PS3.
WHAM! Rating: |
9.0 out of 10 |
ESRB Rating: |
E 10+ (Everyone 10+) |
Official Web Site: |
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