Review
Release Date: 10.23.2007
Platform:
PlayStation 3Developer:
Insomniac GamesPublisher:
Sony Computer Entertainment AmericaReviewed by
Mikey Dowling on 11.14.2007
| Review Rating: 10/10 | User Rating: 8.5/10 |
The
Ratchet and Clank series has always been about a multitude of guns, big explosions, and — after the first installment — innuendo-filled subtitles. With the newest installment of the series,
Insomniac has moved Ratchet and Clank to the next-gen with the first PlayStation 3 appearance of the lombax/robot duo in
Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction. Although the innuendo is left behind (unless you take “tools” to mean…well, you know), everything that makes the series great has remained intact, while improving on just the right things to make this the best
Ratchet and Clank experience to date.
Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction opens with an alien invasion led by an Emperor Tachyon (whose first name is mocked too well to spoil here) who is the last of a race called the Cragmites, who were thought to have been wiped out of existence by the lombaxes. Naturally this leads Ratchet and Clank on a multi-galaxy trip to find where the lombaxes have gone, and to prevent the return of the dreaded Cragmites. Toss in another set of beings known as the Zonis who seem to have a tie to Clank, and things get rather interesting.
The game maintains the formula from the previous installments in the series by having you find and buy new weapons of mass destruction along with gadgets that can be used in a variety of ways against your enemies. While the gadgets aren’t always the most useful, some serve humorous purposes like the Grovitron Ball that has enemies burst into dance, giving you free hits on them, or the Transmorpher that will change your enemies into defenseless penguins. All of the actual weapons in the game can once again be leveled up and upgraded, making them more powerful and of more use (especially later on in the game).
Insomniac has also implemented SixAxis control and unlike their first PS3 endeavor,
Warhawk, the controls are implemented well and are quite responsive. Whether you’re using a laser to cut a wall or to glide around a level, or while in the process of a halo jump, you never feel like tossing the controller due to motion mishaps.
Ratchet and Clank Future: TOD, while being of the best playing games for the PlayStation 3, it is also one of the best looking. The draw distances are amazing with vast open levels that feel truly alive. While you can’t go anywhere you want (you are still stopped by invisible walls) the game offers big enough areas that you’ll find yourself hard pressed to really complain as you search every nook and cranny for those gold bolts, and holo-plans for the game’s ultimate weapon. The framerate never seems to be bogged down, even while explosions are happening all around you and particle effects fill the screen. Also, the segments that have you controlling your ship in an almost
Star Fox-esque way are a wonder to look at (as well as a joy to play).
If you’ve been on the fence on whether or not to buy a PS3 due to its rather lackluster library (seeing how most of the stellar games are either ports, or have been ported to the 360 with enhancements, who can blame you?), this is the game that should change your mind.
Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction takes the, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” mentality, but tosses in amazing visuals to accompany it. For an action-platformer, you’d be hard pressed to find anything better. Toss in the skill point system (basically achievements-like goals) that will have you revisiting levels to find absolutely everything, an unlocked challenge mode that is essentially a New Game + with a multiplier (the more enemies you kill, the higher the multiplier goes, the more bolts/raritarium you receive, until you’re hit and the multiplier resets), pirates (!), and an ending that is both satisfying and leaves you wanting more, and you've got yourself a reason to own a PlayStation 3.
