Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
Score: 100% ESRB: Everyone 10+ Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment America Developer: Insomniac Games Media: Blu-ray/1 Players: 1 Genre: Platformer (3D)/ Action/ Adventure
Graphics & Sound: According to a stat I just made up with little to no research (I'm in a lazy mood), the Ratchet & Clank series is the highest rated series on our site. The original came out strong and, except for Deadlocked, managed to improve with each sequel. After a short jump to the PSP, the gear-head Lombax and his tiny metal counterpart have finally made their next-gen debut and, once again, improved on an already amazing experience. It all starts with the visuals - which are nothing short of great. The series' trademark style is back and received a nice HD makeover. Everything has a familiar feel while also benefiting from a few extra polygons, sharper texture work and an expanded set of animations. There is always something going on in each level, whether it be hundreds of ships zooming though the skies or little worker robots going about their business (until you whack 'em with the wrench just because you can). All of that is before you begin to delve into Ratchet's arsenal of weaponry and get yourself into some pretty intense fire fights - then the fireworks really kick off. Best of all, everything happens without a single hit to the framerate. Music is, once again, fantastic. Every level has its own theme that manages to set the tone for that particular area while also blending into the style of past games. All of the dialogue is top-notch and voiced to perfection. Punch lines have perfect timing and, although the game doesn't get as joke heavy as past games, there are still plenty of laughs and if you listen closely, you'll hear (and see) dozens of references to past games. During the prison level you'll hear names of past enemies called out over the intercom, while in another, you'll see cut scenes from past games playing on a series of monitors.
Gameplay: One of the main reasons for series' continued success is that is doesn't muck with the formula too much. Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction is no different. Rather then setting out to reinvent the wheel, the game is more about refinement, creating a much smoother wheel and perhaps the greatest wheel Insomniac has ever produced. One of the things to hit you from the start is that the game actually tells more of a story than previous games. This isn't to say that you'll sit through hours of cut scenes, but compared to other games Tools of Destruction answers a bunch of questions and fills in Ratchet's background. Time is taken to explain things with a little more depth. Another thing about the plot is that it is a little more serious than previous games. Although the game hasn't sidetracked into a "mature" game, it doesn't have as many "wacky" characters as in previous games. Still, the series' signature style of humor is still present (how could it not be when Captain Quark is around) with numerous laugh out loud moments. Although you don't get anyone as memorable as Britney Gears or Al, you still get other characters like two robots whose constant bickering is, at times, oddly reminiscent of the bickering between Microsoft and Sony. For the most part, the game plays exactly like the original, though with a few refinements. Levels are laid out in the same overlapping, open-exploration manner. Each planet you visit has its own main mission as well a few missions that are unlocked as the story progresses. In a sense, the game unfolds a bit like Nintendo's Metroid series in that there is always something new to discover as long as you have the right tools. Of course, Tools of Destruction has something over Nintendo's franchise when it comes to level design. Though you'll revisit areas multiple times, there is little in the way of backtracking. Tools of Destruction also brings back the combat arena, which is a great way to level up weapons and collect bolts. However, unlike the last time we saw the Arena, it has been scaled back a bit and doesn't play as prominent a role. You are forced to visit it twice, but after that, you have a choice of visiting it or leaving it alone. Clank's puzzle areas also return and like everything else, it has been polished to the point that it could be its own game.
Difficulty: As with previous games, Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction can really be picked up and played by anyone, regardless of skill. There's a definite challenge, but it's the sort of fun that will have you coming back. Every time you die, you'll find yourself asking, "What can I do differently?" rather than yelling, cussing and threatening the well-being of the developers, their families and friends. If you can't complete an area, you can replay areas or compete in the Arena to earn bolts and experience. Destroying enemies with a particular weapon will level it up as well as earning Nanotech points that will increase your health. All Nanotech and weapons upgrades you attain are yours to keep, even if you die right after receiving the upgrade. You can also save up bolts to purchase armor, giving you even more protection.
Game Mechanics: Most of the time, the advantage goes more towards enemies (they do have numbers), but this can be negated through smart use of weapons, bringing us to one of the game's most enjoyable elements -- the strategy in selecting weapons. Selecting which weapons to use plays a much bigger role than in previous games. Some weapons work better on certain enemies than others, requiring you to think about everything in your arsenal rather than just relying on what's in your Quick Select cycle (which has actually been expanded to include just about every weapon in your arsenal). The weapons found in Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction are a mix of revamps from previous games and brand new weapons. Weapons like the Shard Reaper (which is a sort of shotgun) and Fusion Grenades work similar to their counterparts in past games. These are joined by weapons like the Razor Claws, which let Ratchet get in touch with his inner Wolverine, and perhaps the game's most powerful weapon, the Nano-Swarmers, which generates a cloud of little insects that attack enemies. This weapon will quickly become a staple during battles, especially during the numerous large-scale ones. In addition to improving through use, weapons can be further upgraded using a hex-based upgrade system. This system allows you to enhance your weapon further by giving it new, secondary abilities, as well as increasing its ammo load and the number of bolts enemies drop when killed by the weapon. Devices are another addition to the game, which are one-shot devices like the Transmorpher (which turns enemies into penguins) or Groovitron Ball, which makes enemies dance. Of all of the things Tools of Destruction does well, the thing I was most impressed with was the SIXAXIS integration. Without question, Tools of Destruction is one of the first games to use Sony's motion-based controller in a way that it makes sense and works well. One of the better uses involves the Tornado Launcher weapon. After deploying a tornado, you can then guide it by twisting and turning the controller. This mechanic also comes into play during the game's hacking sequences, which mimics one of those old-style games where you have to guide the ball through a maze by tilting the maze. There's very little else to say about Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction other than the PS3 finally has another AAA title in its library. Unless you absolutely abhor the series, there is no reason you shouldn't pick it up.
-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker
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