Sony’s Ratchet & Clank games have been a huge hit
for the company’s systems, with several great entries on the PS2 and a solid PSP
version released a few months ago. Now the franchise is gearing up to debut on
the PS3, and Insomniac is doing its best to make this entry the ultimate
next-gen action game for everyone of any age (and if its well-received launch
FPS Resistance: Fall of Man is any indication, that’s something it is fully
capable of handling). Ratchet & Clank Future will be bigger in every way, with
more crazy weapons, bigger and more detailed environments, breakdancing
centipedes and wobbling Jell-O. All these elements should make this an action
game for everyone to check out this fall.
Each entry to the Ratchet & Clank franchise has
presented more quirky weapons and Ratchet & Clank Future won’t be an exception.
The coolest new weapon would have to be the Grooveatron, which is essentially a
disco ball that you chuck into a group of enemies. Once deployed, the
Grooveatron plays “Stayin’ Alive” by the BeeGees and your enemies immediately
break out into a dance, making them easy pickings.
Another great weapon is the Tornado Launcher.
This will shoot up a tornado that will tear through your foes, knocking them
around and picking up debris. You’ll be able to control the path of the tornado
using the SIXAXIS motion controls, all while still guiding Ratchet around with
the left thumbstick. It’s a tough move to pull off, but pretty handy once you
get the hang of it.
The environments are poised to be bigger than
those featured in any previous Ratchet & Clank title, and they’re teeming with
activity. The level showcased had a spread out city with giant clockwork gears
rotating in the background and rails that you could grind on to get from one
point to another. Boss battles will also be quite huge, as evidenced by one
during the preview event which had you fighting on the ground and upside down on
the ceiling in order to defeat him.
Graphically, the game already looks great, with
excellent fur-mapping and superbly animated characters. The character models
express emotions realistically and have fully animated faces, adding some
realism to the game’s cartoon aesthetic.
Ratchet & Clank Future is becoming a worthy entry
in the series, and if the preview build was any indication, should be the best
entry ever in the critically and commercially acclaimed series.
