Joystiq impressions: Ratchet & Clank Future (PS3)
by Andrew Yoon 
{ Jul 16th 2007 at 2:30AM }
As innovative and new as the graphics may appear, the gameplay feels identical to previous iterations of the Ratchet series. Of course, that's not a bad thing -- the franchise has rightfully earned its legions of fans. However, we couldn't help but feel as though we've played Tools of Destruction before. It feels more cinematic than before, but we were running, gunning, and swinging our wrench as though nothing had changed. Some may point to the new Groove-a-tron weapon, a colorful new weapon in Ratchet's arsenal. But, there are no significant gameplay ramifications: enemies will simply dance, instead of attack Ratchet. There's also a free-fall sequence, where the player must tilt the Sixaxis controller to navigate Ratchet past flying cars. But, these tilt controls do little to add a feeling of innovation to the series.
The polish of the game's presentation is certainly commendable, but we were puzzled by the lack of an adequate targeting system. The on-rails platforming, a series trademark, had us bored. Jumping left or right to avoid oncoming trains was tedious, at best. The utter simplicity of the sequence had us feeling like we were simply going through the motions. We're also disappointed to know that Insomniac has opted to remove a crucial component of the franchise in this latest rendition: multiplayer is gone.
Tools of Destruction might not end up being a bad game, but it did very little to convince us otherwise. We're sure that hardcore Ratchet fans will love it for its story, which will focus on the mysterious origins of its star. Although playing it safe might work for Insomniac and its fans, it's pretty obvious to us that team spent a lot more time focused on its graphics technology than what really matters: gameplay. As it is now, Tools of Destruction is an uninspired experience, one that feels like a backwards step for the series.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Car2oon @ Jul 16th 2007 2:53AM
Okay, where's the crack? Where is it? Because you MUST have smoked some to leave this game with THAT kind of impression.
My anticipation builds just from LOOKING at this game. The platforming bores you? I guess all of the shooters at the show really left a mark, huh? Honestly, I couldn't be more excited for the first next-generation platformer on the PS3. More of the same or not, I cannot wait to play.
soundrave @ Jul 16th 2007 2:58AM
should we impressed by this game? not me actually..
of course.. the elements of next gen stuff are still here - lots of things going on screen, shader effects and all...
but the thing is, it still looks... and probably plays the same as its previous installments. i played until the 3rd in the series, after that, it all feels too familiar...
well, just my opinion... need to play this game before give the final judgement.
Poisoned Al @ Jul 16th 2007 2:57AM
Aw that's too bad if the game play isn't up to much. This was the only PS3 game that made me drool at all the pretty! It was nice to be reminded that the PS3 could use more then just grey and brown (*cough*Killzone*cough*). Pity.
Lp47 @ Jul 16th 2007 3:08AM
If the graphics are good the gameplays bad, if the gameplays good the graphics are bad. We like ratchet the way it is, also with the bonus of pixar looking graphics, it only makes the ratchet experience better.
Kev @ Jul 16th 2007 3:10AM
Pixar like graphics? I guess someone hasn't watched a Pixar movie in the last 5 years.
BPM @ Jul 16th 2007 3:13AM
Ya know, a game doesn't HAVE to be innovative to be fun. And innovation isn't necessarily fun, either.
Even if Tools of Destruction is more of the same, is that a bad thing? Although I've never played a Ratchet & Clank game, the impression I've gotten from the series is that it's a solid platformer series.
But, this is coming from a guy who has enjoyed nearly all of the classic series Megaman games, from the first all the way up to Megaman & Bass.
Ludwig Kietzmann @ Jul 16th 2007 3:39AM
I agree there, BPM, but at the same time, I think there needs to be at least some effort to evolve the franchise. I think a good word Andrew used here is "identical." If it weren't for the updated graphics, I probably wouldn't be able to tell which entry into the series this was. And it's not just the series' trademark gameplay that's starting to get overly familiar -- jumping between rails to avoid obstacles is some seriously decrepit hat.
sheppy @ Jul 16th 2007 9:34AM
Yo, BPM. Off-topic but still interested in the PSP?
BPM @ Jul 16th 2007 1:39PM
Yeah, I am. Unfortunately, now's a bad time. Had an unexpected expense occur, so I'm a bit short on extra cash.
sheppy @ Jul 16th 2007 2:34PM
No problem, so long as I get it close to the September launch of the Daxter pack, I'm good. Catch me on AIM (sheppyboy2000) and I'll give you my email. Not giving out my email here, though. Already had a couple handitards try and phish my password out of me for AIM ever since I posted my username here. Can only imagine the havok that could happen from posting my email.
Jason @ Jul 16th 2007 3:15AM
i'm shocked....
6 comments, but yet no "OMFG!!! JOYSTIQ IS BIASED!!!! DIE JOYSTIQ!!!" comments....
bravo
--j
Poisoned Al @ Jul 16th 2007 3:21AM
Oh it's early/late. Most of the fanboys are in bed or getting ready for school.
E.J. @ Jul 16th 2007 5:20AM
Well, the article is written by Andrew Yoon, the lead for both PS3Fanboy AND PSPFanboy blogs.
To call this article "biased" against Sony would be rather foolish.
manic @ Jul 16th 2007 3:17AM
This is quite stupid.
Obviously the gameplay will be the same as other Ratchet and Clank games.
What else are you expecting, gameplay similar from Metal Gear Solid 4?
trev @ Jul 16th 2007 3:19AM
I, for one, like the gameplay established in the earlier games of this series and am glad it's going back to stuff like that. Deadlocked's levels were too short and Up Your Arsenal felt like it was bogged down with too many different things (vehicle levels, race levels, etc.) I remember playing through the original four times. Consecutively. It was just that good. So to hear I get an amazing looking game that plays all the way I like and none of the way that bugged me: Awesome. Multiplayer never struck me as that good, so the removal there of doesn't really concern me.
Then again, I'm the kind of person that thinks Halo 1 is currently the best in the series, pending the final Halo 3 evaluation. Less crap, well tuned.
Skippy @ Jul 16th 2007 3:24AM
@ Jason
That's because it's close to 3:30 in the damn morning. It's way past bedtime for all the whiney 13-year-olds. For the other (older) whiners, well, soda and pixie stixs only take you but so far. We're just too tired to cry bias now; wait till morning :)
jsil @ Jul 16th 2007 3:40AM
I kind of see where the reviewer is coming from. The gameplay does look the same as the previous ratchet and clank games but most franchise series really don't change much. Games such as Halo 3 and DMC4 are all probably going to have very similar gameplay from the previous versions.
jsil @ Jul 16th 2007 1:59PM
I kind of see where the reviewer is coming from. The gameplay does look the same as the previous ratchet and clank games but most franchise series really don't change much. Games such as Halo 3 and DMC4 are all probably going to have very similar gameplay from the previous versions.
Aex @ Jul 16th 2007 3:58AM
Is it just because the game is on the Playstation 3 that causes this sort of scrutiny? Did New Super Mario Bros. get the same sort of scrutiny when it released? Or does it get a pass because it is Mario? Sold extremely well?
Some games don't change the formula outside small new additions and some tweaking. From what was said here, Ratchet and Clank seems to be one of those games. Is it a case of unrealistic expectations? Or is the opinion unbiased and valid?
I don't know, I haven't played it yet :p
Michael @ Jul 16th 2007 4:27AM
Definitely agree there 'bud. There is still a sort of stigma against the PS3, and whilst it's not the best console (nor is there simply a 'best' console), it's games and the console itself should not looked down upon, where as Nintendo's moves are percieved as 'fun', 'innovative' and 'ground breaking'.
I for one, am a huge fan of Ratchet and Clank ever since the first itteration. It's wonderfully crafted blend of action, humour and fun makes it an enjoyable experience for anyone of any age, and maybe just because it doesn't differ to that, why is it a bad game of all a sudden? I say, bring on Ratchet and his Pixar-like looks, however it plays, I can be assured it'll be fun.
ymmv @ Jul 16th 2007 4:24AM
What's wrong with a standard platformer. There aren't any whatsoever on the PS3 and when the first of its kind is as polished as Ratchet & Clank Future, I can only be thrilled. Another thing, Andrew Yoon has only seen one level. He should have known that the R&C series has a lot of variation so there'll be plenty of other things to do. It seems to me that Andrew just doesn't like action-platformers that much.
Byakuya769 @ Jul 16th 2007 5:06AM
hmm, does ever iteration of the zelda franchise get this scrutiny? They've all pretty much taken the framework from Ocarina of Time and barely changed... or does Nintendo get a pass?
Jinfash @ Jul 16th 2007 5:50AM
un-friggin-believable!
joystiq are you that desperate for attention? do you want people to know you and quote as the only outlet dissing this generally applaud game? you know sometimes you make it too damn hard to defend you guys and not call you biased >_>;
DoggySpew @ Jul 16th 2007 5:51AM
My thought: Don't fix things that ain't broke. Ratchet and Clank allways been a good platformer, and good platformgames are hard to come by these days.
So the major inovation is that the graphics look GREAT. Combined with gameplay that allways have worked, would make this a great game.
Innovation is overrated.
Phranctoast @ Jul 16th 2007 6:43AM
I wish you could rate this story. It would be so dull no one would be able to read it.
RogerKint @ Jul 16th 2007 7:04AM
Its alright saying "If it aint broke dont fix it". But look at all the games that had its legions of fans but have been improved by new gameplay additions. Especially this generation.
Rainbow Six Vegas basically saved the series while pleasing fans of the first ones (Ive played since RS1 on ps1/PC)
DiRT has sold really well. Although the main rally system remains on the whole unchanged, all the other racing stuff is a nice way to break up the gameplay.
Oblivions fast travel and combat system. Hardcore fans say what you want, it made the game instantly enjoyable.
The Hitman games, the Splinter Cell games. Even Metal Gear 3. Every one of them has put in new ways to kill, which means different ways to play the game.
Unreal Tournament with vehicles, although not my favorite addition of the series, it certainly gave it a different challenge.
So dont type "If it aint broke, dont fix it" as if you are happy with the same old stuff for $60. Chances are, you are just a dissapointed fan with your hands over your ears.
Vainglory @ Jul 16th 2007 7:12AM
It is a valid complaint, I suppose. Remember Crash Bandicoot? Character-based 3D platformer? Great game, tons of fun... but *every* iteration was the same damn thing until it got to the next generation and nobody gave a damn. And that sucks.
Now take a counter example: Jak and Daxter. The gameplay evolved with the narrative. This was *awesome*. I hope Ratchet & Clank end up like the latter and not the former, but I'm bitter and cynical and old.
Evan @ Jul 16th 2007 2:22PM
"Jak and Daxter. The gameplay evolved with the narrative. This was *awesome*."
Jak and Daxter didn't evolve, it degraded into "X-treme" phoney coolness. The latest Jak game is to the The Precursor Legacy like what Loonatics is to Looney Tunes - a marketing ploy to appeal to an "extreme" demographic at the expense of the original's charm and gameplay.
Ian Von Porter @ Jul 16th 2007 7:51AM
Hey.. I have an idea.. lets turn Mario into a f*ckin FPS.. he will go around in a BFG and shoot goombas.. BOOM HEAD SHOT.. cause, ya know, it would be REVO-F*CKIN-LUTIONARY ... to make morons like Andrew Yoon happy.
BPM @ Jul 16th 2007 1:40PM
I welcome a Mario FPS. He's done just about everything else so far (Well, there's no Mario dating sim yet... And probably for a good reason).
Cluckyx @ Jul 16th 2007 8:10AM
Well, it appears the fanboys are waking up so I'll make this post brief.
Vainglory's Ratchet and Clank/Crash Bandicoot comparison hit the nail on the head. It really is the same thing every time.
If you're driven into fits of joy because it's a game you recognise with better graphics, great! I hope you enjoy playing it. But personally, I'd rather just route around a bargain bin and find the old Crash Bandicoot games for the Playstation for something like $7 then spend the rest on beer.
Michael @ Jul 16th 2007 9:01AM
That's slightly different however, Naughty Dog sold off Crash Bandicoot and CTR was their last game in the series. Then I believe it was Universal, or someone that took the helms and from there, it began a sad decline in fun and quality.
Ratchet and Clank however, is being developed by the same people who started it, Insomniac, and with that, they know how to treat and craft this series, to make it the same amount of fun. The parallels between the Crash example and Ratchet are flawed, unfortunately. Obviously, we shouldn't take Yoon's word as anything authoriative, but going into any games nowadays with the expectation that it should revolutionise now only the series, but the very landscape of gaming itself, is doing yourself a huge dis-favour.
Jake @ Jul 16th 2007 8:30AM
I mean, what did you expect. This is a very established franchise that is probably difficult to evolve without changing its core, which would be a bad idea. They have a formula that works and are just cashing in on it. If you are a big fan of the series, you will buy this game regardless. If it is familiar, you'll probably like it. Everyone wins.
Hardcore @ Jul 16th 2007 8:33AM
Cause god knows the endless iterations of Mario Kart, Zelda, Mario Party, Mario etc are so innovative.....but guess what, they're fun....just like Ratchet and Clank.
PS. Joystiq is the biased
daniel @ Jul 16th 2007 8:45AM
being similar to the first 3 games can only be a good thing, the free fall sequences have been done before though, i hope they bring back the space combat levels and of course the clank levels its nice to have the extra variety
SuperMario21 @ Jul 16th 2007 9:15AM
@Hardcore
Oh please, do not write about Joystiq being bias towards Nintendo. They have a right to their opinions. I think I understand where Andrew is coming from. It does look like every other Racket and Clank game except for better graphics. That isn't a bad thing but he just stated the fact of the matter. He probably wanted an evolutionary game like the difference between Resident Evil 4 from the other Resident Evil games.
And I don't know how any can be mad about what a critic reviews about a game their have not played. So people take the impression for what it was, an opinion!! Shoot I play Mario games and they have been different almost every time except for New Super Mario Bros...man that games was lame!!
Hardcore @ Jul 16th 2007 10:45AM
Get the sand out of your vagina. From the way I phrased it - it's obvious I wasn't being serious.
But now I will ask how exactly is Mario Kart different? I've played and enjoyed them all but they're all the same. Way to stand up there though and defend Joystiq against them having any perceived bias against Nintendo Mr SuperMario21.
sheppy @ Jul 16th 2007 9:24AM
Well, it's official. The only way platformers will remain relevant is if you're using a cursor to aim and attack... sorry, sorry for the jab but still.
I mean, here we have someone getting to play the sequel to one of the best series to hit PS2, and he complains about how it's all the same. Plays just like the originals. Well, which one? After all, the first was good but it focused more on the platforming elements and didn't really capitalize on the variety of tasks (I believe jetboard racing is the only minigame). Second one introduced evolving weapons and even an experience based health increasing system. Also a ton of minigames were added to break up the platforming. The third was focusing more on the weapons, not so much platforming. This one also featured a huge amount of minigames and gameplay modes. This was where it became more action based. Deadlocked didn't have levels so much as arenas. Short tasks you played and handled and the platforming was practically nonexistant. So if Tools Of Destruction plays like the original, which one? Can we get an answer there instead of "der, this plays like a PS2 game so it sucks."
It's like, nowadays, you need to add a fucking cover system to impress journalists. Otherwise they chant "more of the same" completely oblivious to the fact that maybe that's the point. Here we are, approaching year 2 of the latest gen, and still without a platformer worth mentioning outside of licensing accompanied with spitting noises. This christmas, we get two.
BPM @ Jul 16th 2007 1:44PM
I had just noticed something...
The writer is Andrew Yoon. If THE Sony fanboy has a problem with the game... I think that might be a bad thing.
Digi Smalls @ Jul 16th 2007 3:57PM
um sheppy,
i've heard plenty of the same criticisms from you and others about Halo3 or other xbox sequels. plenty of times.
yes cover systems are good because they are an evolution in gameplay. no one is claiming they are a revolution, well maybe the developers of Kill.Switch, but still.
people want to see familiar core gameplay, but they want to see it EVOLVE. *especially* across generations.
.
JodyAnthony @ Jul 16th 2007 9:36AM
the game looks FANTASTIC, thats for sure.
I never played any of the R&C games. From what I hear, I need to get off my ass and start.
sheppy @ Jul 16th 2007 9:50AM
Yes, yes you do. I'm currently working my way through the original 4 to get hyped right now. It's amazing how many drastic leaps this series made.
OrganicShadow @ Jul 16th 2007 10:19AM
I think it's a bit silly to try and declare evolution of a series "right" and if-it-aint-broke-dont-fix-it "wrong", and vice versa. Obviously some series have benefited from using the same formula and others have evolved quite nicely.
The opposite can also be said. Some games change the formula for the worse, and eventually lose their fanbase, and others get mundane and boring by pretty much repeating the previous games and not offering anything new or different.
R&C, regardless of how the core gameplay is the same in each game, AT LEAST offers something NEW each iteration. The second one offered unique weapons and more interesting "missions". The third had the racing levels, etc. as mentioned before, and the "fourth" game offered the multiplayer so many fans had been begging for, and actually did pretty well as a shooter IMO.
So is the PS3 R&C going to offer us something new? Something to make all of us loyal R&C fans both happy about new things and glad that the core hasn't changed? I believe from what we have seen in countless previews that it already has.
-Even better texture/level streaming
-More cool weapons
-More comedy and clever situations
-SIXAXIS tilt support with cool gadgets
-Bosses that can be fought multiple ways
-Better Clank levels/gameplay
That in itself is enough to make a R&C fan want to play, and on top of the core R&C stuff is more than enough to temp a newbie to the R&C series.
Tony @ Jul 16th 2007 11:26AM
I love platformers, but after what, five of the things on PS2?, I'm kind of burned out on this series. If it's more of the same stuff, I don't know that I would personally rush out to buy it. I would give it a chance, though.
I am glad to hear it seems to be going back to its less "complex" roots. I felt the first two were definitely the best.
It's definitely looking good, though. Technically speaking, I don't think it's doing anything amazing, but its art style really helps it out. It's definitely a far better realization of it than the PS2 was capable of... and I always thought those were some pretty great looking games.
I only own a 360 though... I hope they can get some decent platform games going soon. The system is almost devoid of them.
JodyAnthony @ Jul 16th 2007 11:31AM
but you can play the xbox version of Psychonauts on it. The greatest platformer of all time.
Tony @ Jul 16th 2007 12:00PM
Personally, I prefer Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy as far as BC games go.
mccomber @ Jul 16th 2007 11:35AM
As long as it's fun and works, it doesn't matter if it's more of the same. I'm sure it will add a few new things to the mix, but lets face it, if it wasn't a recognizable R&C experience, we'd have fans upset about them screwing up an established series. Afterall, Deadlocked deviated from the R&C formula, and what was the reaction?
Make it more like the old games!
TacoAssassin @ Jul 16th 2007 11:54AM
I don't care what your fancy blogging opinion of this game is!!! The fact of the matter is that they have spent the last decade working on a play style for Ratchet and Clank and they finally figured out the best way to make it work. So however much I follow your opinions here at Joystiq, I'm going to have to come out and say that your a fickle unhappy platforming hater!!!
sheppy @ Jul 16th 2007 2:38PM
If THE Sony fanboy Andrew Yoon could write one article in the past twelve days that didn't sound like a snobbish record store clerk who's become jaded against all music except the hardest of the hardcore obscure bands, then I might believe there is a problem. But he played the first level. Anyone playing any Ratchet & Clank can tell you, that's like judging Mario games on his fashion sense.
Evan @ Jul 16th 2007 2:38PM
This is the 7th Ratchet and Clank game in less than 7 years (including portable versions). As much as I love platformers, Ratchet and Clank is getting tiresome.
There are many platformers that I'd prefer over yet another Ratchet game... like returning Spyro to Imsomniac. Or giving Tail Concerto a much deserved sequel. Or revive Klonoa. Almost anything would feel more fresh than a 7th Ratchet game.