Trilogies, coincidentally enough, are usually easily categorised as one of three varieties.<\/p>\n
The first is the where each episode is meticulously planned, the story carefully thought out, and a strict resistance against further milking the resolved franchise enforced; we’ll call this the ‘Sands of Time’ category.<\/p>\n
The second is where a trilogy does well for itself, but greedy developers\/directors\/artists not content with hitting the jackpot thrice decide to push the story beyond the limits of brevity and common sense simply to line their equally expanding pockets; we’ll call this the ‘Star Wars Episode 1, 2 & 3’ category.<\/p>\n
Finally, sandwiching the tasty filler of ‘Quest for Booty’ between itself and the hearty ‘Tools of Destruction’, ‘A Crack in Time’ completes a trilogy that features the best bits of both of the aforementioned types; we call this the ‘Ratchet and Clank Future’ category, and we’re pleased to say that it’s a winning formula which not only wraps up an outstanding series, but leaves the Ratchet and Clank saga with a world of possibilities as to where to go next.<\/p>\n
The story of ‘A Crack in Time’ picks up right where ‘Quest for Booty’ left off, finding the hero Ratchet separated from his sidekick Clank and the fate of the known universe somewhat uncertain. Fortunately everyone’s favourite anti-hero from the series, Captain Quark, is here to rescue uninformed gamers by catching up on the back story in a short cinematic prior to playing. Not only does this clip bring players up to speed, its humour and styling immediately set the tone for the rest of the adventure, and best of all this all happens while the game is installing. Brilliant.<\/p>\n
We can’t reveal much more of the story without adding a massive SPOILER ALERT at the top of this review, but the prospect of time travel, quirky alien races, hysterically maniacal villains, disco dancing monsters, cross-dressing nurses, and a surprising ending should be more than enough to reason to find out for oneself.<\/p>\n
We are happy to reveal pretty much everything else though, starting with the gameplay mechanics. ‘A Crack in Time’ could be branded as mainly a third-person platformer, though there’s enough gun-wielding and puzzle-solving to satisfy a variety of tastes. Ratchet uses his faithful Omniwrench to execute a couple of melee attacks, but the star of the show has to be the fantastic upgradeable arsenal our furry hero is outfitted with.<\/p>\n
Not content with simple rocket launchers and grenades, this all-you-can-kill buffet of weaponry includes toys like the Buzz Blades, which mimic what would happen if a bunch of circular saws went haywire all at once; the Tesla Spikes, electrified stakes that can set traps for foes or form a protective barrier around Ratchet; the Dynamo of Doom, a giant ball of energy that fries enemies while being guided around using the Sixaxis controls; or even the Rift Inducer 5000, a gadget which summons an irate inter-dimensional beast to feast on those foolish enough to pass near it.<\/p>\n
Expanding on an already impressive array of weapons is the Constructo line, featuring a Blaster pistol, a Bomb Glove, and a Shotgun. While seemingly tame at first, each of these can be modded to alter a variety of attributes. Not hitting enough enemies at once? Set your Blaster fire to bounce off targets. Want to double the pain you dish out? Upgrade your Shotgun to some double-barrel action.<\/p>\n
The options to mix and match are extensive, and coupled with the fact that each mod has to be unlocked through finding hidden Constructo packages throughout the game, and you’re left with some great incentive to do some serious exploring.<\/p>\n
As if all this wasn’t enough, every weapon is automatically upgraded as it’s used, resulting in increased damage, range and ammo capacity amongst other things. The desired goal though is to get a weapon to Level 5 where a whole new effect is unlocked: the Negotiator rocket launcher now sprays 3 rockets of fiery death instead of one, and the Dynamo of Doom now sucks hapless baddies into its sphere before electrocuting them.<\/p>\n
Still want more? Really? Well good, because Ratchet also has a bunch of gadgets at his disposal, including the trusty Swingshot to traverse large gaps, as well as the wicked new Hoverboots which allow our furry protagonist to speed around at a blistering pace, as well as ride special ramps and rails. There are a couple more to discover too: another tastily awesome carrot in front of the donkey to keep players going.<\/p>\n
This upgrade\/collection mentality (The Diablo Factor*) has always been a strong point for developer Insomniac, and it’s put to use brilliantly in ‘A Crack in Time’. The urge to collect bolts (the currency in the game) is a good incentive as they allow players to buy new weapons and armour, and couple this with the search for Constructo Mods and the mysterious Zoni creatures (which upgrade Ratchet’s spaceship), as well as the blueprints to the ultimate Ryno V weapon, and you’ve got plenty to keep every type of gamer coming back for more.<\/p>\n
Navigating through the world has also been improved with the addition of some free-roaming space exploration being added into the mix. ‘Tools of Destruction’ featured some rail shooting action as Ratchet flew between planets, but now the galaxy is free to explore as the player decides where to go next. Several sectors make up the galaxy, and each sector features a couple of planets as well as some mini missions and a handful of smaller moons, and it’s here that the expansive nature of ‘A Crack in Time’ really starts to shine.<\/p>\n
Those wishing to stick to the main story can do so if they wish, but more obsessive-compulsive players can stop off at a host of moons to collect extra upgrades or just harvest some bolts. These moons are 3D spheres which have different puzzles or tasks to complete, and each one offers something different to the inquisitive gamer. These additions are simple but show just how much time (cue drum roll) Insomniac put into the game.<\/p>\n
Ratchet’s levels are great fun to play, and planets range from icy wastelands to tropical jungles, crowded spaceports and dusty industrial complexes. Each world is bursting with colour and originality, and we found ourselves eagerly jetting off to new sectors to see what our progress had unlocked next.<\/p>\n
Gamers familiar with the series will be right at home with Ratchet’s levels, but the real gem of ‘A Crack in Time’ has to be Clank’s awesome stages. Again, we don’t want to blow the storyline, but we can say that Clank is stranded in a unique place where time itself can be manipulated at will. These levels offer some interesting platform gameplay, but the best addition is Clank’s ability to record multiple instances of himself.<\/p>\n
For example, a room may feature a switch to open a door, but as Clank is alone he can’t stand on the switch and exit the room at the same time. The solution? A holo-pad on the floor allows the player to record a version of Clank going to stand on the switch, and another pad allows for the playback of that version while Clank exits the room. While this sounds simple, imagine what happens when there are multiple switches, jumping puzzles and time manipulation thrown into the mix: it gets pretty hectic planning how to control 6 Clanks at once, and these brain-teasing puzzles are one of the game’s best new additions by far. (Ed. Braid anyone?)<\/p>\n
Another highlight is the humour found in all the R&C titles, and ‘A Crack in Time’ is no exception. The jokes are clever and the characters as hilarious as ever, and the cheeky weapon instruction videos and comical cutscenes show just how much polish went into even this seemingly unimportant aspect of the game.<\/p>\n
On the tech side, we find very little fault on the visuals. The framerate is super smooth even in hectic combat, and every level is unique and entertaining without looking like it was made in a generic level editor. The scale of some of them is also truly impressive; these reminded us of the fond memories of firing up ‘Tools of Destruction’ for the first time and marvelling at the gorgeous scenes before us.<\/p>\n
Audio is also top notch, with the usual standard of voice acting and sound effects we’ve come to expect from the series. There are also a few radio stations to choose from as Ratchet flies through the cosmos, and these feature a few genres of music as well as some very funny radio ads from Rusty Pete the Pirate as well as some other old (but lovable) characters.<\/p>\n
This may all sound like a fanboy review, and in a way it is: we’re all huge supporters of the R&C series here at MyGaming and it’s difficult to contain our excitement when a game of such polish is placed before us for review. If we had to find any faults they would be that Clank’s excellent levels could have been longer, and the overall difficulty could have been a tad tougher, but that’s just playing devil’s advocate so we don’t sound like we’ve been bribed.<\/p>\n
Combining crazy gunplay with a massive array of weapons, a varied menu of worlds to explore, an absolute ton of extras (collecting bolts, finding Zoni, searching for Gold Bolts, collecting the Ryno V schematics, upgrading weapons, a Challenge Mode after first completion… need we continue?), a storyline that it actually intriguing and original, a great dose of humour, and a surprise ending with not one but… uh… let’s just say there’s more than one boss fight, you really should make time (groan) for one of the best games of 2009.<\/p>\n
Discuss Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time<\/a> in the forums<\/p>\n\n\t\t