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Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction - Almost Time To Dust Off Your PS3

SpikedFreakSpikedFreak Registered User regular
edited November 2007 in Games and Technology
Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
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  • Platform: PS3
  • Developer: Insomniac
  • US Release Date: October 23, 2007
  • Demo: Confirmed w/ release date TBA
  • Official Site

Insomniac is bringing the boys back for a PS3 exclusive that the system so desperately needs. They aren't taking to many chances this time around and taking a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" attitude, but they are using the power of the PS3 to create some truely epic looking scenes. The story this time is going to revolve around Ratchet's past and the history of his species, the Lombax, which is something none of the previous games have ever touched on. Insomniac has stated they are also going back to the platforming feel of the first game. I'm a horrible writer so I'm going to leave it up to the experts ...

IGN Hands On
Gamespot Preview
PS3 Fanyboy's newest hands on
IGN Hands On - August 17th

Cliffnotes from IGN Hands On
The folks at Insomniac said that the nature of this title's gameplay will emphasize variety. You'll see a plethora of mini-games and alternative modes of play, like space combat, that break up the usual 3D platforming and shooting sections. Their goal, furthermore, is to probe deeper into the emotional side of things, not only in regards to Ratchet's past, but also in his relationship with Clank. Apparently, strife will erupt between our two heroes, due to Clank's sudden visions of ethereal, semi-robotic creatures known as the Zoni, visible only to him. However, it's unclear as to whether or not this drama between Ratchet and Clank will affect the overall gameplay experience.
Graphics wrote: »
On the more technical side of things, Insomniac is targeting a solid frame rate of 60 fps for this title, though the builds we saw were running between 40 and 60 fps at the time. Regardless, such a high frame rate makes this game quite thrilling to watch, since there is rich graphical detail not only in the character designs, but more noticeably, within the environments. Insomniac seems to be striving for very colorful and vibrant planets, with an equally colorful cast of characters. Each character was planned from the ground up to sport a captivating and enticing silhouette, which should lead to inherently gripping character designs. The developers at Insomniac commented that their experience with Resistance: Fall of Man has given them incredible insight into developing "next-generation" titles, and thus far, it shows.
Weapons wrote: »
However, as many gamers know, Insomniac prides itself on fun and interesting weapons, and we saw quite a few at the press event. Some of the more typical weapons included the Predator Launcher - a rocket launcher with multi-lock capabilities, the Negotiator - a single-shot, highly explosive rocket launcher type weapon, and the Combustor - a futuristic take on an automatic rifle. On the more creative side of things, we also saw the Plasma Beasts, which started as small, docile globs of goo, and transformed into raving slime creatures when an enemy approached, as well as the Buzz Blades, long-range bladed discs that whirl about in a veritable frenzy. But even if those don't satisfy your hunger for insanity: fear not. We were also privileged to see a new weapon called the Death Springs, a group of slinky minions that seek out enemies, of their own slinky-will, and destroy them in a flurry of slow-moving metal. Fantastic.

The weapons will feature a seemingly complex upgrade system, somewhat similar to the License Board in Final Fantasy XII. Using collected metals, you can "unlock" a particular upgrade, which enables you to unlock all the spaces around it on a pre-arranged grid. It is in this way that the power of a weapon spreads out across the grid until you eventually enable brutal, special abilities for each weapon. But don't expect the weapons to be dramatically over-powered; devices like the Goovatron and the Death Springs are not categorized alongside your other arms. They belong to a new item set called Combat Items: rare, over-powered equipment that can only be used on occasion, and they come in short supply.
The next demo we sat down with took place in/on the IRIS Supercomputer. While this name might invoke visions of sprawling networks and neon-lit passages, the majority of the world was actually covered with snow. Although standard combat was a major part of this level, our attention was drawn more to the atypical segments, which included several scenes showcasing Ratchet dressed as a robo-pirate (he even had a peg-leg!). By using this disguise effectively, Ratchet could sneak past his foes and infiltrate their base more quietly than an all-out frontal assault, though such a strategy was still possible. The antics didn't stop with the costume, however, since Ratchet could also participate in a jig-dancing mini-game in order to open up a sealed hatchway. As you can clearly see, the game will be using liberal amounts of humor. We noticed that a lot of work had gone into the "little details" as well, since Insomniac's humor extends into far less obvious mediums than slapstick. If you stand near some of the pirates while in disguise, you can listen in on their conversations as they candidly discuss their various health and dental plans, as well as their 401k options. It's moments such as these that made us smile the most during the demos.

Videos
First Trailer
Second Trailer
Gameplay Footage - MUST WATCH
Sixaxis and story overview
Two new videos showing SIXAXIS and new gameplay
PS3Fanboy continues it R&C coverage with two videos of the space shooter portion

Pretty Pictures
Spoilered for your viewing pleaure
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rcf_captured.jpg

Well guys there she is, my first OP. It's not the greatest, but I'm a huge fan of this series and felt my love for it needed to be spread. So please fellow gamers, discuss.

* I used GIS for all pics. If a site isn't playing nice, someone please let me know ASAP
** Replaced a few screenshots to try and save LewieP's eyeballs, and added the second trailer

SpikedFreak on
«13

Posts

  • LewiePLewieP Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Wow, most of those screenshots hurt my eyes. I imagine (and hope) it'd look better in motion.

    Edit: Looks great from a technical standpoint, just the designs.

    LewieP on
  • SpikedFreakSpikedFreak Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    LewieP wrote: »
    Wow, most of those screenshots hurt my eyes. I imagine (and hope) it'd look better in motion.

    Edit: Looks great from a technical standpoint, just the designs.

    I always enjoy what the Insomniac guys do visually with the R&C games, but opinionlol

    SpikedFreak on
  • LewiePLewieP Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    LewieP wrote: »
    Wow, most of those screenshots hurt my eyes. I imagine (and hope) it'd look better in motion.

    Edit: Looks great from a technical standpoint, just the designs.

    I always enjoy what the Insomniac guys do visually with the R&C games, but opinionlol

    it's the 2nd and 3rd ones that really get to me, something about them just grates me...

    Downloading the trailer now, to see how it is in motion

    LewieP on
  • FuruFuru Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Is Qwark back to being a hero again?

    Because man fuck him.

    Furu on
  • SpikedFreakSpikedFreak Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    LewieP wrote: »
    LewieP wrote: »
    Wow, most of those screenshots hurt my eyes. I imagine (and hope) it'd look better in motion.

    Edit: Looks great from a technical standpoint, just the designs.

    I always enjoy what the Insomniac guys do visually with the R&C games, but opinionlol

    it's the 2nd and 3rd ones that really get to me, something about them just grates me...

    Downloading the trailer now, to see how it is in motion

    Yea, those two weren't the greatest, but I wanted to show a little variety in the screen shots
    Furu wrote: »
    Is Qwark back to being a hero again?

    Because man fuck him.

    It looks like he's back to his usual self, but hopefully with the focus being on Ratchet's past there won't be too much on Qwark.

    SpikedFreak on
  • Unco-ordinatedUnco-ordinated NZRegistered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Hot. Hopefully the PAL release won't be too long after that then, especially since Insomniac seem to have mastered the whole 'region free' thing (with all region coding on the one disc).

    Btw, THIS trailer is IMO the most impressive one they've released.

    Unco-ordinated on
    Steam ID - LiquidSolid170 | PSN ID - LiquidSolid
  • Dr.FunkensteinDr.Funkenstein Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Hot. Hopefully the PAL release won't be too long after that then, especially since Insomniac seem to have mastered the whole 'region free' thing (with all region coding on the one disc).

    Btw, THIS trailer is IMO the most impressive one they've released.

    I swear every time I watch this trailer all i think of is Pixar.

    Dr.Funkenstein on
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  • SpikedFreakSpikedFreak Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Hot. Hopefully the PAL release won't be too long after that then, especially since Insomniac seem to have mastered the whole 'region free' thing (with all region coding on the one disc).

    Btw, THIS trailer is IMO the most impressive one they've released.

    I swear every time I watch this trailer all i think of is Pixar.

    At the beginning it does, and towards the end it looks like some crazy action movie Pixar has yet to make

    SpikedFreak on
  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Yay, more Ratchet and Clank!

    Is it just me, or is the lack of buzz for this game a little deafening? Few people seem to care about this game, but (if past Ratchets are any indication) this may very well be the best exclusive game in the PS3's holiday lineup.

    cloudeagle on
    Switch: 3947-4890-9293
  • .la1n.la1n Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Between this and drake's fortune I feel less disappointed in my premature purchase of a PS3. Iv'e also noticed a lack of buzz, that is probably due to the smaller install base of the PS3 - I think as we get close to the holidays there will be more buzz, home will be out by then I imagine and all of the heavy hitters for the holiday season will be out.

    .la1n on
  • The_SpaniardThe_Spaniard It's never lupines Irvine, CaliforniaRegistered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Is it Toy Story yet?

    The_Spaniard on
    Playstation/Origin/GoG: Span_Wolf Xbox/uPlay/Bnet: SpanWolf Nintendo: Span_Wolf SW-7097-4917-9392 Steam: http://steamcommunity.com/id/Span_Wolf/
  • UnbreakableVowUnbreakableVow Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    I don't own a PS3, so I shouldn't care about this, but it really does look too damn good (and R&C2 and 3 rule).

    UnbreakableVow on
  • FyreWulffFyreWulff YouRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    edited August 2007
    LewieP wrote: »
    Wow, most of those screenshots hurt my eyes. I imagine (and hope) it'd look better in motion.

    Edit: Looks great from a technical standpoint, just the designs.

    I get what you mean. He and the other stuff looks great on it's own, but it's all kinda blending together. He doesn't 'pop' out of the background.

    FyreWulff on
  • bloodyroarxxbloodyroarxx Casa GrandeRegistered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Seriously why hasn't Insomniac made a feature length Ratchet and Clank movie, they could use this engine and do direct to DVD and it would sell boatloads. This game has more style than most of the other CG movies out there.

    bloodyroarxx on
  • SpikedFreakSpikedFreak Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    .la1n wrote: »
    Between this and drake's fortune I feel less disappointed in my premature purchase of a PS3. Iv'e also noticed a lack of buzz, that is probably due to the smaller install base of the PS3 - I think as we get close to the holidays there will be more buzz, home will be out by then I imagine and all of the heavy hitters for the holiday season will be out.

    Uncharted is another game that I think deserves a lot more buzz.

    Also to add to the thread, PS3 fanboy just posted a new hands on and it is much more positive then their E3 impression.

    PS3 Fanboy hands on

    SpikedFreak on
  • schmadsschmads Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    So far, this is the only game being released any time soon that makes me want a PS3. I'm not knocking anything else, no criticism, it's just that the old R&C was just soooo good, and I want more! God it looks so great... just what I would want out of it. Sure, it's a platformer, but it's a really spectacularly polished and fun platformer! I'm also a bit surprised by the lack of super-hype, though it probably is because there just aren't 100M PS3's out there right now. This game should help, though.

    schmads on
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  • anableanable North TexasRegistered User regular
    edited August 2007
    I always thought that R&C had the best video game commercials. But I haven't owned a Sony system since PSX so I've never played any in the series.

    anable on
  • RaughnRaughn Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    In regards to the lack of hype, there is only so much to go around. I mean, look at this fall. It's absurd.

    With GTAIV's departure, R&C Future is my October game. It beat the Orange Box because I think I will need a break from the first-person perspective after BioShock and Halo 3.

    This will also be my first R&C game. The series always intrigued me, but I never got around to it. This looks like a nice place to start.

    Raughn on
  • SpikedFreakSpikedFreak Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Don't be scared to pick up any of the PS2 games, you can get them dirt cheap now-a-days

    SpikedFreak on
  • UnbreakableVowUnbreakableVow Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Start with Going Commando though. Skip the first.

    UnbreakableVow on
  • Houk the NamebringerHouk the Namebringer Nipples The EchidnaRegistered User regular
    edited August 2007
    man i love these games, and i absolutely adore insomniac. this is one of the big reasons im so sad i cant afford a ps3 =(

    Houk the Namebringer on
  • ToyDToyD Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Damnit, if any game is going to get me to buy a PS3 this is it. $600 is a lot of cash to fork over for just one game though... Dang.

    ToyD on
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  • SpikedFreakSpikedFreak Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Start with Going Commando though. Skip the first.

    I'm a huge fan of all the games, but I have to agree. The original isn't horrible, it's just Going Commando and Up Your Arsenal are so freaking awesome they make it look boring in comparison.

    SpikedFreak on
  • SpikedFreakSpikedFreak Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    I'll probably get some form of punishment for bumping my own thread, but it's going to be worth it.

    http://ps3.ign.com/articles/820/820231p1.html

    Demo is sitting in a gamestop near you right now 8-) . Also since I resisted bumping before, the demo will be on PSN October 4th.

    SpikedFreak on
  • NarianNarian Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Damn I want this so bad. But the fact that I am missing one key piece of equipment, a PS3, makes me so sad.

    Narian on
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  • Ah_PookAh_Pook Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    this is the game that makes me want a ps3

    not enough to actually buy one but still

    Ah_Pook on
  • SpikedFreakSpikedFreak Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    http://www.ps3fanboy.com/2007/09/14/weapons-upgrades-in-ratchet-and-clank-future/

    Weapons upgrade like previous R&C games, but there is now a sphere-grid like system for more enhancements.

    SpikedFreak on
  • wateyadwateyad Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Start with Going Commando though. Skip the first.

    What, no. The second one may have done just about everything else way better but the first had by far the best level design. It's like the first one was a shooty platformer and the others are platformy shooters.

    wateyad on
  • XagarathXagarath Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    wateyad wrote: »
    Start with Going Commando though. Skip the first.

    What, no. The second one may have done just about everything else way better but the first had by far the best level design. It's like the first one was a shooty platformer and the others are platformy shooters.

    Problem is that the platformy bits of the first were really, really dull.
    Start with the second.

    Xagarath on
  • SpikedFreakSpikedFreak Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    We're close kids.

    http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/19/future-comes-one-week-early-for-ratchet-and-clank/
    Like the comically violent effects of the series's trademark weapons, some fantastic news comes flying in from the Official PlayStation Blog regarding Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction. Due to manufacturer's expediency, the game started arriving in stores early and instead of getting angry and Hulk smashing everything, Sony's given retailers the green light to start selling the game next week. However, it's not yet known what stores will be selling it before the "official" October 30th release date.

    This situation currently remains YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary) given there's no list of stores, public anyway, who've received a slice of the Future early. However, expect fellow gamers to post tales of receipt on every forum they post on, which while annoying should aid you in your quest. Good morning, and good luck.

    SpikedFreak on
  • Unco-ordinatedUnco-ordinated NZRegistered User regular
    edited October 2007
    I got a PS3 on thursday, set up a US PSN account and downloaded the demo. I, surprisingly, loved it. I was only going to rent it beforehand but now, day one purchase. Now I just have to wait for the PAL release... :x

    Unco-ordinated on
    Steam ID - LiquidSolid170 | PSN ID - LiquidSolid
  • Zealous OneZealous One Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Man, this was one of my favorite series on the PS2, but no PS3 = sad times.

    I pretty much agree that you're not missing too much if you don't play through 1. It's still plenty of fun, but the gameplay got refined a bit after the first game, and it wasn't until 2 that all the "level-up" features (health, weapons, etc.) that became a big part of the game were implemented.

    As a side-note, was Deadlocked worth playing through? I kept hearing mixed things and never ended up playing it in the end, and I've yet to hear a word about it here.

    Zealous One on
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  • aesiraesir __BANNED USERS regular
    edited October 2007
    i enjoyed deadlocked. Not as good as others, but still quite fun and very much worth a rental at the least.

    aesir on
  • Lord YodLord Yod Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    As a side-note, was Deadlocked worth playing through? I kept hearing mixed things and never ended up playing it in the end, and I've yet to hear a word about it here.

    Most R&C fans like the series because it's a colorful platformer with guns. In my experience most people that liked GC and UYA, didn't like DL so much. Deadlocked turned the franchise into a shooter with some platformy bits.

    My personal opinion is that it's by far the best one, in terms of simple enjoyment I got out of it. I've played them all, and hunkering down to defeat Deadlocked on the highest difficulty was exhilarating - you literally cannot survive the beginning levels if you get hit at all. Plus it really nailed the lock-strafe mode, essentially turning it into a third-person shooter.

    TL;DR - Deadlocked is a shooter, not a platformer.

    I'm personally less than thrilled that the series is going back to the platforming focus, because I really loved the challenging shooter elements. However, the sheer technical advances are amazing - the Ratchet model in Deadlocked had 110 joints in his body. In TOD, he has 90 in his face alone. (And they did some amazing things with his fur)

    Lord Yod on
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  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    edited October 2007
    I couldn't play through Deadlock/Gladiator, for the resons mentioned. Had they kept the character interaction and humour from the rest of the serious it could have worked, but as is it felt more like an arena shooter made with the R&C assets (and I hated the vehicle parts). And this coming from someone who finished all the arena challenges in previous games and played them on the +New Game difficulty. :|

    Glal on
  • CheesechickCheesechick Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    I liked Deadlocked too. Not as much as 1-3 (anyone who says you should skip 1 and start with 2 is a liar, by the way) but I still really liked it. I am, however, very glad that they're returning to its platformy roots.

    Cheesechick on
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  • fearofsocietyfearofsociety Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    I prefer this series when it's a platformer. It's great to see things return to those roots and I'll be finally buying a PS3 specifically for this game. It looks amazing.

    I keep hearing rumors this is in some stores as early as this weekend? Has anybody managed to find a store with it in stock?

    fearofsociety on
    Baby, why you make me hit you...
  • AzioAzio Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    This is pretty much the first game to come out that makes me wish I had a PS3.

    Azio on
  • SpikedFreakSpikedFreak Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    I prefer this series when it's a platformer. It's great to see things return to those roots and I'll be finally buying a PS3 specifically for this game. It looks amazing.

    I keep hearing rumors this is in some stores as early as this weekend? Has anybody managed to find a store with it in stock?

    I have not and I sit by my phone praying for EB to call. Now that it's the week I've lost hope till Monday afternoon :(

    SpikedFreak on
  • MiserableMirthMiserableMirth Registered User regular
    edited October 2007
    Wow. Just wow.

    Also, controlling the tornado with the sixaxis and being able to move Ratchet at the same time is a really fucking cool mechanic. Bravo Insomniac, bravo.

    MiserableMirth on
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