Insomniac Games’ Ratchet and Clank series has been one of the biggest franchises on the Sony PlayStation since the original’s release late in 2002. The second most recent entry to the series, Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction for the PlayStation 3, has been referred to as “…the best game of any series on the PlayStation 3 thus far.” Later this year, that game will be topped by the next in an ever-evolving ever-expanding universe. The details are as follows.

To start things off, recently released to the PlayStation network are two new videos showing some of A Crack in Time’s gorgeous graphics and general plot directions — one based upon what players can expect from Ratchet’s adventures, and the other showcasing more of what Clank will be up to. Both make brief references to what could be major plot points — the clock in the center of the galaxy, and Ratchet’s father. Check them out below.

	The first video sets the stage for what to expect in A Crack in Time. Ratchet is still tracking down Clank after the events of Tools of Destruction. Featured prominently is the mysterious General Azimuth. Azimuth is the only other Lombax to be featured in the Ratchet and Clank universe, and he seems to know a good bit about Ratchet and his past. The video also alludes briefly to Clank's location inside of a clock, perhaps setting the stage for a major plot point or a general theme of the game.
The idea of Azimuth knowing Ratchet's father is sure to be a huge plot device. Since the beginning of the series, Ratchet has never encountered any beings like himself throughout the universe. If Azimuth knows about Ratchet's father, he almost certainly knows the fate of Ratchet's family, and possibly even the fate of their entire species. Such material could mean the most well-developed plot in any of the Ratchet and Clank titles yet. Luckily, as the above video showcases well, Insomniac Games hasn't given up on their trademark humor; though the plot may be complex, it will surely be something enjoyable to watch unfold.

The second video starts off being narrated by what seems to be Clank's father. Cutting to in-game footage, the viewer can see part of how Clank's combat will work, and another area showing multi-colored Clanks seemingly set to solve an enviromental puzzle. Delving further, the robot's location is shown to be inside an ancient universal clock, his birthplace and something supposedly created to keep the fabric of the time and space in order. The little guy's destiny, it seems, is to protect the whole of the universe.
In another video released to the PlayStation Blog, Creative Director on Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time Brian Allgeier details some of the space exploration elements being put forth in the new title. No longer will there be just a cutscene for travel between planets (or "levels"), a new system is being implemented to vastly expand the void between areas that are strictly stages. In space, Ratchet will be able to explore unknown spatial territories, land on alien moons (utilizing the popular spherical stage layouts, where smaller worlds can be entirely traversed while still having obvious centripetal gravity), and find and collect various items and creatures in order to expand his abilities. Also mentioned by Brian is the inclusion of "cool secrets" hidden in various locations. These could be power-ups, experience, or may be humorous references to the series in general.

	Around ninety comments into the previously referenced PlayStation Blog post, the Community Relations Manager of Insomniac Games James Stevenson replied to a comment pleading for a demo with the following: "There will be a downloadable demo." So there is the proof! A demo will be forthcoming.

With the new Sony hardware out alongside the 3.0 Firmware for older consoles, Sony has redesigned the basic layout of disc-based PS3 game box art. And, of course, one of their first adaptations of such was for the new A Crack in Time cover. Check it out below.

Insomniac Games' Ratchet and Clank titles are one of the PlayStation console's flagship series. With the enormous praise garnered by the first of the current-gen games, Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time is set to raise the bar for the franchise and all action/platforming games on this generation of consoles. Fans of the Lombax/Robot combo or those unsure of where their action game buddy combo preferences lie should be keeping this game on their radar. Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time is set to be release in America on October 27th, 2009.

[Source: PlayStation.Blog]

Tags: Clank, Crack in Time, Insomniac Games, Ratchet

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 3rd, 2009 at 9:01 am and is filed under News, PlayStation 3. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.