Ratchet & Clank Future Review
Oct 26, 2007
When ace Sony developer Insomniac released the shooter Resistance: Fall of Man as their debut PS3 title, we were a little disappointed. Not because Resistance wasn't good - our 4.5/5 score argues that it was great - but because we really wanted to see Insomniac's classic platforming series Ratchet and Clank powered by the PS3.
After slightly less than a year-long wait, we've got our wish. The title of this episode (Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, continuing a general gaming trend that suggests game names might soon be at least a paragraph long) is the only awkward thing about this otherwise supremely polished, playable and fun game.
The story is a pretty typical 'save the universe' deal that serves to send Ratchet and robotic sidekick Clank to various locations all across the universe. The plot arc is more serious than other games in the series and the humor not quite as clever, with more general jokes that don't elicit the laughs we got out of Up Your Arsenal and Going Commando. It's quite informative, though. Revelations abound about Ratchet's species, Clank's unknown powers and history, and a lot more Captain Quark, which is a nice surprise.
Future's intergalactic tale takes a definite backseat to the look and feel of the game, however, and in that respect this is an amazing success. Not only is this the best-looking PS3 game to date, it's also a stunning culmination of the design sense that has powered the series since the first chapter five years ago. Insomniac has always pushed PlayStation hardware further than just about anyone else; here their hardware magic is manifested in incredible draw distances, a sense of detail pushed into hyperdrive and characters that are more expressive than those in most animated films. That goes for everything, from the little quivering blobs left in the wreckage of some enemies to furry protagonist Ratchet.
There's so much going on, in fact, that it's almost painful to look at for the first few minutes. As recently as a year ago, even the best platforming games showed a notable difference in quality between elements in the foreground and background. That meant that you always knew what to pay attention to, because the active monsters, buildings and vehicles looked just a bit better than those making up the background. Now, with everything rendered in equal HD detail, the sensation of dropping into Ratchet's world is disorienting. In the best way, of course - this is what we've wanted from the HD generation all along, and it's absolutely beautiful.
Insomniac has given Ratchet's arsenal a major overhaul, but the collection of guns and gear is just as massive as always. Nearly every weapon becomes more powerful with use and can go through a second round of upgrades on repeat playthroughs. In addition to bolts used to buy guns and armor, there's the new collectable Raritanium, which can be spent on a branching series of upgrades for each weapon. With guns that shoot blades or plant dormant plasma beasts waiting to attack enemies that wander near, there's just as much wild combat as in previous episodes.
One addition is SixAxis functionality. You'll tilt the controller to guide Ratchet in moments of free-fall by using Clank's new Robo-Wings and to hack some doors in a new mini-game. All those elements are programmed with seamless ease; the only time the SixAxis feels clunky is while guiding whirlwinds launched from the new Tornado Gun. That's unfortunate - the gun is a major new entry and we just didn't enjoy using it often because of the inability to control the tornados with any precision.
We're amused that a few elements from previous games make a comeback. Some are a little dated; the need to grind rails in some levels feels like a throwback to the 'extreme sports' tendencies that plagued gaming years ago. But Ratchet and Clank has a definite kitchen sink mentality - there's an absurd amount of ideas, content and gear crammed into this game. The saving grace is that most of it feels effortless and natural, so that when you're running up vertical ramps, creating gelatinous green launching pads to reach a plateau in order to burrow through a small opening and explore as Clank, the whole process feels exactly right.
Not that Tools of Destruction is for everyone. The gameplay is more action-driven than based on platforming and puzzles; the few brain-teasers slotted into levels here and there will tax only the most inexperienced gamer. It's not a very hardcore game.
Lack of a hardcore sensibility isn't any sort of bad deal, however. Insomniac excels at creating massive, enveloping game worlds that don't require complicated maps to explore properly. The main pathway is always clear, and during almost every step of Future, you'll be able to blaze merrily along as the distribution of enemies and objects turns your eye in the proper direction. There are some side paths and diversions, most of which reward you with extra items and upgrade options, but they're hardly necessary.
Our only major complaint is that Tools of Destruction offers no multiplayer option. This is odd, since Insomniac was always at the forefront of getting PlayStation2 players online with previous entries in the series. Given the beauty and weaponry on display here, we'd love to have modes that brought friends into the same battlefield.
Online play is an easy oversight to overlook, though. The single-player game is as tight as any platformer around, and the presentation is so far beyond what we've seen before that you simply can't afford to pass it up. The future is bright, indeed.