Friday 20 Nov 2009

Gamers have been spoilt for choice this year, with a number of AAA titles being released on to store shelves over the past few months. Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time definitely earns itself a place in this selection, being a fun, well-polished and oft-times challenging adventure game that boasts serious production value.

Now I can’t claim to be an expert in the Ratchet & Clank series, this being my first exploration into the world of the popular Lombax and robot pair, however, it is a title that I have been keeping my eye on since the game was first unveiled earlier this year. It was something about the tongue-in-cheek humour of the protagonists that caught my attention and the inevitability of intriguing time puzzles, given the subtitle of the game, and creative weapons that promised to both challenge and amuse me.

The well-polished cut-scenes drew me in from the get-go, creating a high expectation for the rest of the game that fortunately never once let me down. The story is both well-imagined and entertaining, and will see you traveling between a variety of different worlds making the gameplay varied and negating any chances of repetition. While you may start out playing as Clank in The Great Clock, you will soon find yourselves in the shoes of Ratchet (in the company of a hilariously crafted Captain Qwark) as he explores a foreign planet, before heading in to space to save the Fungoids, teaming up with an unexpected new friend and ultimately setting out to rescue Clank, and the rest of the universe of course.

Not only are the environments beautifully realized, but each is so different that gameplay is varied and never becomes boring. As you progress in the game you will be presented with different missions, some optional and others mandatory. It’s always crystal clear what you should be doing next, even though you will find yourself time warping between different galaxies in your trusty spaceship and taking the scenery in as you explore the different worlds. However, you can always access your area map to check which direction you should be headed in or consult your mission log.

The game kicks off with Captain Qwark giving a humourous retelling of what has befallen Clank. Before long the cowardly hero joins Ratchet on his quest to discover the whereabouts of Clank and rescue him from the evil Dr Nefarious, who falls into the nemesis role of the game, and pulls it off quite convincingly I might add, right down to the maniacal laugh, twitching eye and ‘take over the world’ speech.

Both Ratchet and Clank are quite deft at defending themselves, and good thing too because the developers are never shy at throwing a bunch of enemies your way, giving you the chance to ‘let the stallions out of the stable.’ While both characters can punch enemies and jump, each also has their own unique abilities that again ensures that repetition never creeps into the gameplay. Ratchet is armed with a wrench that he can throw and he also packs a pretty lethal arsenal of weaponry that you can upgrade along the way, but more about that later. Being the multi-talented Lombax that he is, Ratchet is also kitted out with a pair of speedy hoverboots, anti-gravity boots as well as a swingshot which enables him to swing between platforms.

Clank on the other hand soon learns how to manipulate time, slowing it down to navigate his way across deadly platforms and using time pads to record up to four Holographic recordings of himself to solve puzzles and progress in the game. The time puzzles are challenging but definitely add a different and enjoyable spice to the game – and you are given the option to skip them should you choose or to receive a hint to help you solve them. However, if you do persevere it’s a rewarding feeling to see the four differently coloured Clanks negotiating the puzzle, activating switches and scampering to different platforms. Clank is helped along his way by Sigmund, somewhat of a robotic sidekick (quite ironic actually) who incidentally is voiced by Nolan North of Uncharted 2 fame.

Although Qwark is something of a side-kick too, his running commentary as you progress coupled with his slick sense of humour adds a little something extra to the game. I couldn’t help but to roar with laughter on a couple of occasions, for instance when he comments “The key to surviving is to avoid phrases like ‘it’s too quiet in here’ or ‘everything’s going to be all right.’” Classic comedy that carries through to the other characters you meet along the way, and even to the enemies you face who can be heard trying to lull you into a false sense of security with phrases like “We come in peace,” and “Why can’t we be friends.”

Collecting bolts along the way is vital if you want to purchase new and interesting weapons as well as armour and ammo. I say interesting not only because of their bizarre over-the-top names, such as Dynamo of Doom, but also because of the funny, short GrummelNet preview that plays to show you what each gun can do. To truly immerse yourself in Crack in Time (and to survive!), you must try out as many weapons as possible - for me this was one of the most enjoyable parts of the game and it also enables you to level up the weapons.

The weapons are as creative as their names are humourous, but no less deadly. My personal favourite was Mr Zurkon who likes to insult those unworthy of fighting it, which is basically everyone you meet along the way. His comical quips such as ‘Mr Zurkon does not come in peace’ or ‘Yoohoo, I have come to kill you’ up the comical ante, as does the Groovitron Glove which is a funk-inducing weapon that mesmerizes enemies within range of its harmonic orb, making them breakdance. The weapons are varied so you can also make use of your sniping skills thanks to the Plasma Striker, upgrade your standard pistol with any Constructo mods you discover along the way, blast enemies with the mating call of the Sonic Eruptor and even suck enemies into a different dimension thanks to the rift generator, to mention but a few.

You will also want to keep an eye out for hidden golden bolts which increase your bolts tally. However, you will hardly need an excuse to wander around the areas, searching for extra bolts hidden in the foliage and crashing the large piles of crates (and even camo crates) which also surrender bolts, all the while enjoying the beautifully designed areas and making sure you don’t miss out on anything. Of course smashing crates is also important because they will yield ammo and health – two things which you won’t survive long without.

The variety of enemies also ensures that you will never grow tired of saving the universe. Add cleverly thought out puzzles, challenging boss battles and a huge variety of gameplay to the mix, and you have an outstanding title on your hands. One minute you will be engaging in dog-fights in deep space, the next avoiding swarms of piranha-like insects, battling it out gladiator-style in an arena and then on to saving a planet from imminent destruction – all in a day’s work for Ratchet and Clank.

You will also want to explore the many side missions that the game has to offer, whether it be capturing Zoni to upgrade your ship or defeating a batch of enemies to collect extra ammo, the side missions are just as captivating and fun as the rest of the game. It would be amiss of me not to mention the stunning platforming that the game offers, especially on the side missions on the different planets. It has distinct Super Mario Galaxy like qualities in the way in which you can circle the worlds, also reflected in the way the world tilts in every which direction when Ratchet pulls on his anti-gravity boots.

Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time is a masterfully created inter-galactic adventure. The game is very accessible to newcomers to the series, like myself, but will no doubt also appeal to returning adventurers. Quality oozes from everything the game has to offer, and this polish combined with colourful characters, outstanding graphics, time-bending puzzles and a creative storyline all make it a fun and highly recommended journey to take.

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Contributor:	Lisa

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