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Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time Review

Tim — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:40:38 +0000

Let’s say seven years ago you found an amazingly delicious type of candy, as in it looked and tasted like the best thing on Earth ever. Eating it was like dipping your tongue into liquid concentrate of awesome. However, as the years wore on, the sensation became less special, which isn’t a slight on the treat itself because it definitely wasn’t a bad candy, but it just wasn’t special anymore. That’s kind of how it feels to play Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time.

If you’ve played any other Ratchet & Clank game, then you already know what to expect from A Crack in Time, and you’ll definitely already know if you like that sort of game. Almost nothing has changed except the weapon selection, the graphics, and the story, which can be said about every sequel since Going Commando.

The R&C series has always been known for its off-the-wall weapons, with each game packing in 20 or more new, zany creations for the player to use during their quest for intergalactic justice. Knowing that, it was a really big disappointment to find out that A Crack in Time only has five or so fresh weapons to offer, and even those aren’t all that original. Those five are still definitely fun to use, but half the fun of R&C games is discovering how best to use your ever expanding arsenal. Now that A Crack in Time has largely taken that away from the player, the fun side of things falls to other facets of the game.

The gameplay is pretty much unchanged from previous installments of the series. In fact, once you get Clank back (spoiler alert? Maybe?), series veterans will be pulling off old moves like the long jump sans prompting. Though this sounds like a bad thing, you should consider how well the game handled before and how much fun the core gameplay is on its own. There was really nothing much for Insomniac Games to do except tighten it all up, and tightened it up they definitely did.

After playing the other six non-handheld iterations, it’s clear that A Crack in Time is the best handling one of the bunch. The differences are minute, but just know that experienced or not in the series, you’ll definitely notice how fun it is to simply move about in the world. Shooting, jumping, and wrenching all feel excellently refined and streamlined for faster action, especially the tweaked wrench throw and the hoverboots.

In addition to feeling the best, A Crack in Time also looks the best. Tools of Destruction blew people away back in 2007, and somehow this game looks even better. At certain points during the cutscenes, it’s hard not to think that Pixar had a hand in this. Clank looks especially impressive with his brushed metal texturing and lack of discernable aliasing.

The cutscenes may look great but don’t convey much story-wise. No R&C game’s story has thus far held up to the one from Going Commando, but A Crack in Time’s somehow seems especially lackluster. The ending is cheesy and predictable, overused action tropes are strewn about like literary sprinkles, and the impetus for Ratchet’s side of the game just feels so bland, despite how much it really means to him. You’ve gone so long being the only Lombax in the universe and felt fine, and now you’re expected to flip everything and believe that getting your parents back is paramount to everything else? No dice. Finding Clank, though, really made going through the entire story worthwhile and ties up Tools of Destruction quite nicely. It’s also pretty fun to watch the story unfold through the game’s dialogue, despite the extremely hit-or-miss nature of the humor.

The game’s style also feels a little stagnant, like week old bagels left out on the counter. The game is about as linear as it gets, the difficulty is definitely on the easy side even on Hard mode, and smashing boxes for ammo and health just feels so uninspired. In an admirable attempt to remedy the linearity, though, the game turns space into an open world where you can land on various planets to find Zoni, gold bolts, and weapon mods. There are only six or seven of these little planets per sector, which is disappointing since they also offer the only platforming and combat sequences that even approach becoming a challenge. However, since the game is constantly rewarding you with experience, bolts, and upgrades for going out of your way to gather these collectibles, it becomes rather addicting trying to fetch all of these goodies and actually gives reason to use your ship.

Flying through space, unfortunately, is a somewhat sad affair. Space travel is limited to a flat plane, which makes dog fights and exploration much more manageable but also a lot less fun. It ultimately leaves an extremely strong desire to play some Star Fox.

If the space fighting mechanics had been more fleshed out, they could have easily been turned into a nice little online multiplayer distraction. In fact, after Up Your Arsenal’s fantastic multiplayer component, it’s always been disappointing to find out the PS3 R&C iterations never include some sort of competitive or cooperative mode.

However, some unexpectedly awesome fun can be had as Clank in the Great Clock. During these segments, Clank must solve puzzles that involve cloning himself through time pads to press the corresponding buttons needed to open a door. This mechanic (best described as single player co-op) is nothing new for Flash game addicts (Google “Cursor* 10” or “Chronotron”), but it’s fun nonetheless. Unfortunately, as with the rest of the game, there just needs to be more of it, preferably with some increased difficulty as even later puzzles can be solved on your first attempt.

A Crack in Time is definitely a good game. It handles well, looks absolutely stunning, and can offer up plenty of fun. If you’re looking for some new legs on the R&C horse, then you’re out of luck because this is just more of the same. If you’re looking for about 12 hours (more if you’re into maxing out your gear) of high quality Insomniac design, then you’ve come to the right place.

Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack In Time (PS3) Review

Nick Michetti — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:26:44 +0000

Author’s Note: This review was published November 4, 2009 and originally appeared on Bitmob.com. Cli

Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time (Review)

Brendan Griffiths — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:51:06 +0000

Insomniac live up to their name once again by providing another Ratchet and Clank game that’ll keep

You've got gamers!

Stephanie N. Mehta, Assistant managing editor — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:00:15 +0000

The videogame fans in your company are a valuable resource. Here’s how to make sure they stay engaged.

By Ted Price, CEO, Insomniac Games

If you employ videogamers, and based on statistics you probably do, it’s important to remember that gamers often respond to different motivators than non-gamers.

For those of you who have been in the business world far longer than I have, I apologize if the following seems too “been there, done that.” These are the things I’ve found most relevant after years of working with hardcore gamers (and being one myself).

Focus on short term goals

Gamers are goal-seekers. We’re conditioned to strive for that next rank, to solve the tough puzzle. Because of this we’ll respond positively to short-term goals that result in a reward. And that reward doesn’t have to be monetary. Most of the time gamers are simply looking for peer recognition.

Use career “pathing”

Similarly, gamers are used to understanding the path to success. We understand that we must start as a level 1 apprentice before we can become a level 60 wizard. We also realize we may never reach that goal. But in games, one always knows that there is a path to that ultimate destination. Therefore gamers need to know where one can go within the company and the necessary steps to getting there.

Be flexible and allow employees to try out new roles

Gamers are used to trying out multiple roles. It’s one of the best aspects of games in general. One day you can be a racecar driver, the next you can be a warrior. Real life doesn’t always work that way. But providing the opportunity for employees to try out different jobs can be a huge motivator for gamers.

Encourage and reward trial and error

Gamers are trained to succeed through trial and error. Whether that’s the right way to run a business is debatable. But any business can benefit if its employees are encouraged to try new approaches to old problems. And positive reinforcement for taking risks gets gamers jazzed.

Don’t patronize us

Gamers are jaded. You can probably say this about anyone who’s grown up with the Internet. We have well-tuned b.s. meters.

In fact I’d even go as far as calling a lot of gamers anti-establishment. Why? Today’s games use corporations and governments as villains as frequently as demons. This kind of role-playing encourages distrust of corporate America. And for those of you who run companies, that means you (and me). So always give gamers the straight scoop.

Build a diverse social environment

Today’s gamers are used to interacting with others who have different interests and skills. Why not mimic this in the work environment? At Insomniac Games we’ve found that when we mix the seating arrangements so that programmers are seated with artists, writers are with animators and so on, we experience a blossoming of creativity. For some it takes a little getting used to. But for gamers it’s what we know.

Embrace new forms of communication

Gamers are a communicative group. And because efficient communication is an important part of most multiplayer games, we’re used to communicating very quickly via several voice-based and text-based systems.

Gamers also use social networking tools to communicate with each other outside of the games as we’re trading strategies, managing our clans, etc. Email is out. Wikis, instant messaging, SMS texting, blogging, Twitter, and forum posts are in.

Provide learning opportunities

Most of today’s games have a difficulty ramp requiring gamers to improve our skills as the games progress. These skills can be physical (for example, controlling drift as you race your car around a track) or cognitive (solving logic puzzles.) Gamers are used to having opportunities to improve their skills. Work should be no different!

Encourage collaboration

In multiplayer and cooperative videogames, gamers often have to work together to solve challenges. And while collaboration is usually an essential part of any well-run company, most gamers are primed to be very effective collaborators because of our in-game experiences.

Keep it fresh

If a game gets boring, gamers will quickly drop it. Does this mean we have a collective case of ADD? Not necessarily – we’re just used to having options. Companies that want to keep gamers happy should work hard to eliminate workplace stagnation and promote constant evolution of their processes.

Price is the founder, president and CEO of Insomniac Games, an independent video game developer based in Burbank, Calif.

Exclusive Assassin's Creed II Review in P3Zine Issue 33

jamesrawnson — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:34:36 +0000

Click on the cover to download this issue of P3Zine for free. You can download the new issue of P3Zi

Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack In Time (PS3)

texcap — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:44:37 +0000

My first exposure to Ratchet & Clank was with Up Your Arsenal on the PS2. I remember wanting to try the series thanks to the (extremely) positive buzz it had been receiving and due to its concept as an action-adventure platformer with lovable characters, an entertaining story, and an arsenal of crazy weapons that could be upgraded along with other RPG elements. So, one day, after a Statistics class I was taking I thought I’d reward myself for one reason or another and picked it up. And after firing up the game I quickly found that it was all I was hoping it would be, and more. Enjoyed it so much, in fact, that I turned right around and played it all over again just to experience the New Game+ features and its many bonuses, as well as tracking down the original title, and Going Commando so that I could see what else I had missed. Since, I’ve waited with child-like excitement for any announcement Insomniac Games has about the R&C series, I’ve played each of the games (many multiple times) and the series somehow manages to just get better and better.

Well, in addition to spending some time outdoors with my wife this weekend on one of our first warm/sunny days in quite some time, I was finally able to unwrap my own shiny copy of Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time (PS3) and happily spent a good 4-5 hours over the next couple evenings (thanks daylights savings time!) immersed in Insomniac’s fantastic little world and Rachet & Clanks newest adventure. The visuals have been compared to the quality of a Pixar film and I can’t disagree – its stunning work. Similiarly the whole crew on R&C deserves credit for th way they’ve brought the storyline through Tools of Destruction and Quest for Booty to fruition. It’s been an awful lot of fun and I’m hoping that this will prove a memorable conclusion to it – so far so good! The game play is as fun as ever in the Ratchet portions of the game (for this adventure the two are split for a good portion of the game) and I love the addition of the hover boots for jetting around in addition to all the frantic jumping and shooting as Ratchet nimbly takes it to the bad guys. Additionally, the guns are…uh…a blast and every bit as entertaining as they’ve been in the past (I think my favorite so far are the sniper rifle, the groovitron, and of course, Mr. Zurkon!). I don’t want to give too many story bits away but I’ve also enjoyed getting to know General Alister Azimuth (a Lombax survivor introduced in this game) and look forward to the inevitable twist and turns with his reveal as a Lombax survivor with a past connected to Ratchet. I’ve already encountered a couple, and a whopper of a reveal, and I’m sure there are a few turns left to take. What’s more, I also find that I’m loving the Clank portions of the game, because while Clank drips “cool” his game play portions in past games haven’t been as entertaining for me as the regular game play but this time I’m actually looking forward to the time I get to play as Clank thanks to his time manipulation abilities and the great time puzzles that allow you stretch your brain a little. The space travel is a pleasant surprise and traveling the galaxy in search of Zoni and other rewards is satisfying as all get out. There’s a ton to do in the game and in all honesty I haven’t even begun the exhaustive search for all the goodies it holds. Oh, and have I mentioned that Dr. freakin’ Nefarious is back yet!?

So, you can imagine that I’ll be playing this for a good while to come, juggling between it and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3; and also a fantastic game) for the foreseeable future. There have been allusions that with the conclusion of this 3 game-spanning storyline that this may be the last Ratchet & Clank game, and that the finale will give fans something to chew on in that regard, but I’m truly hoping this isn’t the last we’ll see of Ratchet & Clank and that there’s a bit of tongue-in-cheek at the idea because it just keeps getting better and better.

Daily News Round-up

jamesrawnson — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:45:27 +0000

Warhammer Online developers Mythic have announced that there will be an unlimited trial coming soon

Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time REVIEW

consolecreatures — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:59:55 +0000

The Ratchet and Clank series has been around the Playstation brand for about 8 years now, and through that time we’ve seen the 3D platforming genre dwindle from abundance to a few remaining mainstays that each solidified a strong brand recognition and fan base by consistently releasing quality titles. Insomniac games has done a good job of maintaining the interest in Ratchet and Clank over the years with it’s unique gameplay, creative weaponry, and quality story telling. In 2007, the franchise rebooted with the “Future” trilogy for PS3 starting with the somewhat overlooked Tools of Destruction, and now the trilogy rounds itself out with it’s final chapter in this revealing story arc with A Crack in Time. We see what’s new, what stays the same and if Insomniac was able to pull off yet another Ratchet and Clank classic for the Playstation platform.

The Pros

Everything that has made the Ratchet and Clank franchise successful game after game is well maintained here with “A Crack in Time”. You’ve got Ratchet roaming the different environments with his animated arsenal up against larges waves of enemies. This provides for a number action packed sequences and epic battles you’ve come to love and remember over the years with R&C games. This only gets more intense and interesting with the now standard ability for Ratchet to upgrade and purchase new weapons (including some favorites and new additions).

What’s new for Ratchet is firstly the inclusion of hover boots that heightens the level of speed and subsequent need for accuracy in specific platforming sections for Ratchet where the hover boots are needed. Secondly is the inclusion of space travel as you are now able to navigate through space in real time with your trusty ship between planets, being able to pick up side missions on the way, engage in the occasional space battle, and land on various moons to pass through their respective platforming sequences in order to pick up resources sometimes necessary to progress. Each of these side planets provide a different perspective when you play through them opposed to the planets where main objectives are completed. With no load times between space travel and subsequent landing, rather than being fully immersed in a detailed and unique environment, you essentially walk on the spherical surface of the different colored planets where the platforming challenge is layed out while still being able to view the happenings in the outer space around Ratchet and the planet itself.

As the story goes in this third PS3 title, Ratchet and Clank have been initially separated and while Ratchet sets off to reunite with his friend, Clank is on a path of self discovery introducing the player to refreshing new gameplay for the franchise. The Clank gameplay brings challenging time manipulation elements presenting puzzles that involve creating multiple versions of Clank that must be programmed to work together (along with the live version of Clank) to get through specified sections of the level. This element is reminiscent of games like Portal and Braid and is well represented in “A Crack in Time” providing thought provoking challenges that give you a significant sense of accomplishment once solved.

The mixture of all these elements new and old, contribute to an overall well paced game. With the significant number of different styles of play, the game does a good job of implementing each regularly to keep the gameplay fresh and interesting. This also culminates in an exceptional production value for a game that could rival any Pixar movie seeing a theatrical release. Every level is vibrant and active with a high level of detail representing their unique personality differentiated by their respective setting. The story itself feels serial enough to serve loyal fans but not too complicated to turn off newcomers (with the help of a video recap at the beginning of the game) but rather inspire them to go back and play “Tools of Destruction” and “Quest for Booty”.

The Cons

One thing I wished had a bit more depth to it was the space travel sequences for Ratchet. The spaceship controls feel restrictive without a full 360 degrees of motion, while the space battles and side missions that are available to you feel a bit too simple leading you to not even bother unless you really have to or you are a completest of some sorts. Secondly, it’s becoming a recurring factor that Captain Qwark seems to always wear out his welcome in Ratchet and Clank games to a point where the humour he represents just gets old.

Here’s The Deal

The problem in sticking with a winning formula with little or no change is that every installment done with this in mind provides a significant chance that the game will be good, but never great as time passes by. With the addition of a number of varying gameplay elements including the new time-based Clank gameplay, Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time breaks through the monotony and creates the best R&C so far (at least for the PS3). Yet, A Crack in Time still maintains the high graphical benchmarks set in previous PS3 installments and continues to provide an enjoyable story, ending the Future trilogy with an emphatic and satisfying exclamation. 8.7/10 Sean C.

To εβδομαδιαίο update του PS Store

xollothnews — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 04:02:00 +0000

To εβδομαδιαίο update του PS Store – Gameover.gr

Γεμάτη περιεχόμενo κι αυτή η εβδομάδα για το PlayStation Store, με τα πέντε διαθέσιμα demos να κλέβουν την παράσταση. Οι ειδικές προσφορές θα συνεχιστούν μέχρι και τις 5 Νοεμβρίου, όπου λήγουν, ενώ οι φίλοι του αγαπημένου ντουέτου, Ratchet & Clank, μπορούν να απολαύσουν τα δύο νέα demos του A Crack in Time.[next]

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Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time-review

xollothnews — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:54:15 +0000

Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time – Gameover.gr

Ποιος θα το φανταζόταν πως επτά χρόνια μετά την κυκλοφορία του πρώτου Ratchet & Clank στο τότε νεαρό PlayStation 2, το δημιούργημα της Insomniac θα αποτελούσε πλέον ένα από τα πιο σημαντικά AAA franchises της βιομηχανίας. Κι όμως, η εμμονή της Insomniac στη λεπτομέρεια και η θέληση της να προσφέρει αυτό που ακριβώς ζητούν οι φίλοι των παιχνιδιών της, οδήγησε στη δημιουργία μίας σειράς ορόσημο για τις κονσόλες PlayStation, όπως ακριβώς είχε πράξει επί εποχές PSone, με τον εξίσου αγαπημένο Spyro the Dragon.[next]

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Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time Review

numbthumb — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:16:03 +0000

Insomniac Games has managed to deliver a great deal of quality to the Playstation 3, and oddly they do so relatively under the radar. Resistance is clearly a big title to Sony, and they promote the heck out of it, luckily it’s also a quality series. But I’d argue that Ratchet & Clank is a far superior franchise, which makes me wonder why it never seems to get the hype it deserves. But lack of expectation can do wonders for a game when you find one you don’t expect to be good. That happened with Tools of Destruction for me; I expected little and was pleasantly surprised. This go around I expected to be impressed, and l must say I wasn’t let down.

A Crack in Time continues Ratchets quest to find Clank who was taken by the Zoni race near the end of Tool’s of Destruction and ultimately leads to a showdown with Dr. Nefarious. It’s pretty standard narrative for R&C, but that isn’t a bad thing. The comedic writing and mature undertones are all carried well by superb voice over work, even when it gets on the cheesy side there’s still enough chuckle worthy moments.

As much as this series has its staples for plotting, it’s probably better known for its weaponry. There are sixteen in total if you spend enough time getting the bolts required, and they offer an absurd amount fun without any of them feeling too similar. The most impressive thing with the arsenal though is the ease with which you can shift from one to the other while still seeing the effects of the last fired weapon. As the game gets more chaotic, and it will, you’ll find yourself switching back and forth which will leave all sorts of eye candy on screen.

One of the other addictive aspects of the combat is just simply leveling up your guns. Sometimes the improvements form level to level feel extremely subtle, other times you practically feel the kick from the new power. The incentive to use different weapons is something that not a lot of games do, and it’s not really required here either but it makes the game infinitely more enjoyable to have each weapon maxed.

R&C is also well known for its platforming, and this was also my biggest issue with the game. Invisible barriers hamper the experience at moments, a fidgety camera during rail sections becomes annoying, and it gets even worse during hover boot sections of the game, especially one segment near the end. The side worlds of the game have a distinct Mario Galaxy feel to a lot of them, which isn’t bad. But some of the worlds have sections that prove to be too much trial and error and too little skill I found. There are some really wonderful spots, but too often it just doesn’t feel as smooth as one would want, though if anyone hated the ample amounts of rail sections in Tool’s, you’ll find less here for sure.

One of the best steps in my view from the previous games is the broader feel from start to finish. The different planets and moons you travel off a lot of things to see and help extend the experience in terms of hours played if you explore it all. The item collection gets a little old, but it’s balanced by incentive to level up weapons to make them more powerful. Something that was crucial toward the end of the game while I was playing on Hard. The arena is also back, and it feels more challenging that before, which is great.

The puzzles in the game are fairly simple, and shouldn’t give anyone too much trouble. But there’s paced well and never so heavy handed as to get in the way of fun. While playing as Clank these tasks are also separated by little cannon shooting sequences that last only a couple minutes but work well as a minimal distraction. Insomniac knows how to pace a game, and that’s something most people will see. Nothing ever feels cumbersome or overlong, and because of that all of these different game elements work in perfect harmony.

There are some other grievances with the game, however. The boss battles lack any sense of challenge. Strife, shoot, hop, or just stand still is often all you need to do. When juxtaposed against the hectic arena battles toward the end of the championships the bosses just feel lame. Even the final boss is just a test of patience since it takes the longest, but there’s no evolution in strategy required.

And the last one is sort of a strange qualm to have with the game. It’s pretty, there’s lots going on at all times and it makes for some good imagery, but I couldn’t help but feel underwhelmed by the graphical oomph of this game compared to my initial reaction with Tools of Destruction. If there were any improvements, I missed them. And some of the top-down side planet missions actually don’t look great. Still, this is minor, and I was probably just expecting more.

Ratchet & Clank continue to impress, and while some of the story becomes too easy to predict as the series goes on, it never stops being fun. There’s a lot of content here, and a great challenge mode to accompany the array of offerings of the initial play through once you’re done. If you’re a fan of the series you won’t be let down, and if you’re unfamiliar you can definitely do a lot worse than picking up A Crack in Time.

The Story: It’s become a lot of the same, but there’s an exuberant charisma that shines through the characters that often makes it impossible not to at least smirk. It plays like a cartoon, and usually acts like one too, but I’d be remiss not to respect some of the more mature themes it deals with. 8/10

The Combat: Ridiculous fun from start to finish derived from a boatload of weapons that never fail to give you at least one or two favorites. There’s a good amount of different enemies too, but the bosses battles are a big let down – and by the time you make it to the end there’s little in the way of careful planning need. 9/10

The Universe: It’s big, and there’s a lot to see. Some of it is far more interesting than the rest, but the main mission planets are all realized in the quality you’d expect. An intuitive system also helps negotiate where to go, and what you’re missing if you’re going for collectibles. 8/10

The Presentation: It’s a fine looking game, better than most. The battles can get huge and I never saw a single hitch no matter what was happening on screen. Music is serviceable but voice work shines. 8/10

The Length: You can probably finish in 10 hours if you follow only the story, but it’s hard not to get caught up with leveling guns or searching out upgrades for your ship and customizable weapons. The arena alone can take up a lot of time, and it’s a blast. All told you could plunk down close to 20 hours and not get bored. Well worth it if you’re looking to buy. 9/10

SCORE: 84%

Daily News Round-up

jamesrawnson — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:48:28 +0000

The new Age of Conan Update ‘Nights of Lost Souls’ has gone live, bringing with it new s

news from games

xollothnews — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:20:45 +0000

Το PS3 θα συνεχίσει να αποκαλύπτεται για τα επόμενα 2-3 χρόνια

Το PS3 θα συνεχίσει να αποκαλύπτεται για τα επόμενα 2-3 χρόνια | byteme

Ο James Stevenson, senior community manager της Insomniac Games που ετοιμάζεται πυρετωδώς για την κυκλοφορία στις 6 Νοεμβρίου του Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time, δήλωσε σε συνέντευξή του ότι το PlayStation 3 έχει ακόμη μακρύ τεχνολογικό μέλλον και πως οι δημιουργοί παιχνιδιών θα χρειαστούν ακόμη δύο με τρία χρόνια για να μπορούν να εκμεταλλευτούν πλήρως τις δυνατότητές του.[next]

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τις 24 Νοεμβρίου 2009 κυκλοφορεί το βιβλίο «Halo Evolutions: Essential Tales of the Halo Universe», μία συλλογή από ιστορίες βασισμένες στο σύμπαν του Halo, γραμμένες από γνωστούς συγγραφείς από τον χώρο της επιστημονικής φαντασίας, αλλά και από σεναριογράφους της 343 Industries, του τμήματος της Microsoft που είναι υπεύθυνο για τα παιχνίδια Halo.[next]

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Τρόπο για να καταπολεμηθεί η πειρατεία στις εφαρμογές για iPhone και iPod Touch αναζητεί η Apple, Μετά την περίπτωση του Tap-Fu, μία ακόμη εταιρεία, η Fishlabs, αναφέρει υψηλά ποσοστά παράνομων αντίτυπων του παιχνιδιού της, Rally Master Pro 3D. Η πειρατεία στο παιχνίδι την πρώτη ημέρα διάθεσής του έφτασε το 95% και ο CEO, Michael Shade, δήλωσε πως η πίστη για το μέλλον του App Store χάνεται[next]

Το 3D Dot Game Heroes έρχεται στη Δύση;!;

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Στο Twitter του SonyPlayStation με μεγάααλα γράμματα αναφέρεται πως το 3D Dot Game Heroes θα πάει στην Αμερική – πράγμα που σημαίνει ότι θα φτάσει και στην Ευρώπη. Δεν έχει γίνει ακόμη γνωστό ποια εταιρεία θα αναλάβει το localization και την διανομή του τίτλου, αλλά σίγουρα δεν θα είναι η SCE.[next]

Mass Effect 2: Ημερομηνία κυκλοφορίας

GameWorld – Mass Effect 2: Ημερομηνία κυκλοφορίας

Σύμφωνα με την Bioware, το Mass Effect 2 θα κυκλοφορήσει στις 29 Ιανουαρίου 2010, για PC και Xbox 360. Πέραν αυτού, όσοι προπαραγγείλουν το παιχνίδι θα έχουν ως όφελος ορισμένα extras, για την προτίμησή που θα δείξουν. Τα επιπλέον αυτά οφέλη θα τους σταλούν μέσω ειδικών serial numbers, ώστε να μπορέσουν να κατεβάσουν τα συγκεκριμένα updates μέσω Internet και Xbox Live αντίστοιχα. Στη Βόρεια Αμερική, οι χρήστες θα λάβουν το Terminus Armor (προσφέρει μεγαλύτερη ταχύτητα και ασπίδες) και το όπλο M-490 Blackstorm. Για όλες τις υπόλοιπες χώρες του κόσμου, οι χρήστες που θα προπαραγγείλουν το παιχνίδι θα λάβουν ως bonus την πανοπλία “Inferno Armor”, η οποία θα ελέγχει την κατάσταση του πεδίου της μάχης, ενώ θα σας προσφέρει επιπλέον ταχύτητα και δύναμη πυρός.[next]

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17 Νοεμβρίου το God of War Collection στην Αμερική

Στις 17 Νοεμβρίου το God of War Collection στην Αμερική | Game 2.0 blog

H Sony ανακοίνωσε ότι το God of War Collection θα κυκλοφορήσει στις 17 Νοεμβρίου για το PS3 στην Αμερική, οπότε ετοιμαστείτε να το τσιμπήσετε online. To God of War Collection περιλαμβάνει τα δύο πρώτα παιχνίδια God of War σε Blu-ray, με γραφικά υψηλής ανάλυσης και Trophies, καθώς και το E3 demo του God of War III.[next]

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την Παρασκευή διαθέσιμο το τέταρτο επεισόδιο του Tales of Monkey Island

Από την Παρασκευή διαθέσιμο το τέταρτο επεισόδιο του Tales of Monkey Island | Game 2.0 blog

Η Τelltale ανακοίνωσε ότι το τέταρτο επεισόδιο του Tales of Monkey Island, ονόματι The Trial and Execution of Guybrush Threepwood, θα είναι διαθέσιμο από την Παρασκευή. Σε αυτό το επεισόδιο, ο Guybrush Threepwood προδίδεται από τον Morgan LeFlay και επιστρέφει στο νησί FLotsam ενάντια στην θέλησή του για να δικαστεί από τους πειρατές.[next]

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Capture the Sister mode του Bioshock 2

Ιδού το Capture the Sister mode του Bioshock 2 | Game 2.0 blog

Μετά το εκπληκτικό single player trailer του Bioshock 2, ήρθε η ώρα να πάρουμε άλλη μια γεύση και από το multiplayer του παιχνιδιού. Στο παρακάτω βίντεο μπορείτε να δείτε δράση από το Capture the Sister mode, όπου κερδίζει ο παίκτης που θα πιάσει τις περισσότερες Little Sisters.[next]

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Avatar Awards στο Left 4 Dead 2

Avatar Awards στο Left 4 Dead 2 | Game 2.0 blog

Η Valve ανακοίνωσε ότι το πολυαναμενόμενο Left 4 Dead 2 περιλαμβάνει εννέα Avatar Awards, τα οποία μπορούμε να ξεκλειδώσουμε εκπληρώνοντας διάφορα πράγματα στο παιχνίδι.[next]

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Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time - Now Available

consolecreatures — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:27:58 +0000

The Ratchet and Clank Future trilogy comes full circle as the third installment is released today with “A Crack in Time” exclusively for the PS3. With Tools of Destruction (now a Greatest Hits) and the the PSN exclusive Quest For Booty (currently on sale for $10) as the precursor, the latest installment closes out the current storyline while further providing the details on each Ratchet and Clank’s respective origins. Long regarded as the PlayStation’s main franchise also known for it’s innovation in the traditional platforming genre, Insomniac games introduces us to new space-travel gameplay elements and even more weapons options in the “A Crack in Time” while maintaining that signature smart, witty writing that speaks to all demographics. Be sure to check back right here in the next couple days for the full review. Sean C.

Official release below:

FOSTER City, Calif., October 27, 2009 – Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.(SCEA) announced today the release of Ratchet & Clank® Future: A Crack in Time available exclusively for the PlayStation®3 (PS3™) computer entertainment system. Created by independent developer Insomniac Games and powered by its fourth-generation PS3 technology, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time, continues to bring the experience of playing a CG-animated movie to the PS3 system with rich, vibrant visuals brought to life by a heartfelt storyline and the franchise’s signature humor. With fun, accessible gameplay appealing for both hardcore and casual gamers alike, Ratchet & Clank: Future: A Crack in Time builds upon the Ratchet & Clank Future series with more over-the-top action, an even larger arsenal of outrageous and customizable weapons, and all-new Clank and space gameplay.

Told from the perspective of both Ratchet and his robotic sidekick, Clank, Ratchet & Clank: Future: A Crack in Time answers many of fans’ most-asked questions as it concludes the story arc from Ratchet & Clank® Future: Tools of Destruction and Ratchet & Clank® Future: Quest for Booty. As Ratchet and Clank attempt to reunite to and save the universe, both will finally uncover the hidden truth behind their origins and discover their ultimate destinies.

“We’re excited to finally answer the questions that fans have had about Ratchet and Clank’s origins ever since we began the Ratchet & Clank Future series on the PS3,” said Brian Allgeier, creative director, Insomniac Games. “We wanted to give something back to our dedicated fan base, so we developed the story with them in mind, bringing back some old favorite characters, such as Dr. Nefarious, one of the franchise’s most beloved villians, as well as introducing new characters that reveal more about Ratchet and Clank’s pasts.”

While Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time’s epic story will satisfy the curiosity of longtime fans, the gameplay has been designed to appeal to a wide audience with a mixture of skill-based puzzles and “purely fun” gameplay that delivers an entertaining experience for fans of all ages. From lush forest terrain to a snow-covered landscape, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time draws players into a vast, diverse universe where they will take on the roles of both Ratchet and Clank — experiencing new gameplay and abilities with each character. With Ratchet’s new hoverboots, players will be able to blast to new heights and travel at rapid speeds to distant locations around each planet. When playing as Clank, player’s minds will be put to the test with all-new time-based gameplay that includes innovative puzzles that can only be solved by using timed recordings of Clank to get through the level.

The franchise’s traditional space gameplay also has been completely re-designed with the addition of space exploration. Players will now have freedom to travel freely through the game’s space sectors where they can fly through asteroid belts, explore new planets and moons, engage in sidequests and space battles, and discover hidden items and collectables. In addition to all-new space gameplay, the series’ trademark weapon arsenal is back and bigger than ever with new over-the-top weapons including the Sonic Eruptor, Spiral of Death and Tesla Spikes, along with classics such as the Buzz Blades and Negotiator. Constructo Mods also have been added to the weapons line-up, which allow players to take the basic Constructo weapons and turn them into super weapons they can really call their own.

“Insomniac Games continues to raise the bar with Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time utilizing fourth generation PS3 technology to deliver a rich and vibrant universe that brings the experience of playing a CG-animated movie to PS3 fans, said Scott A. Steinberg, Vice President, Product Marketing, SCEA. “With a heartfelt storyline, sophisticated humor and series renowned arsenal of new and classic weapons, including the fan-submitted ‘Spiral of Death’, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time offers fun and accessible gameplay that fans of all ages will enjoy.”

Daily News Round-up

jamesrawnson — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:01:26 +0000

We take a look at what the new upcoming 3.3 patch for World of Warcraft will offer in terms of impro

Insomniac: PS3 won't be maxed out for 2-3 years

James Love — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:16:07 +0000

Speaking to CVG senior community manager for Insomniac James Stevenson has said it could be another

Daily News Round-up

jamesrawnson — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:47:38 +0000

The highly anticipated Modern Warfare 2 will feature Valves free Steamworks technology, which featur

Ratchet and clank gets release date

xkillermonkeyx — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:19:39 +0000

Insomniac Games have confirmed on their twitter the release date for the latest Ratchet and Clank in the R&C series Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time.

The date for release has been confirmed as November 4th for PAL territories except the UK which gets it a couple of days later on 6th November.

RCF: A Crack in Time PAL territory release dates confirmed: Nov 4 (PAL terr. except UK), Nov. 6 (UK).

Ratchet and Clank currently has a meta rating of 83 which isnt to bad, to check out current review summaries just keep on reading.

PSM3 Magazine UK

Massive, rewarding, funny – all you’d expect, plus some cute new twists. [Nov 2009, p.66]

IGN

Being a huge fan of Tools of Destruction, I had a sneaking suspicion that I would love Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time. I was right. Insomniac has created a visually appealing game with enough personality to match its good looks.

GameTrailers

If A Crack in Time is indeed the final Ratchet & Clank game, then the series has been finished the right way – with a solid game that doesn’t stray from what fans love while giving them plenty of service in the process. And in this way, it’s also guilty of playing it a bit safe, but when expectations are that high, and are met, it’s a sure sign of a quality game.

Everyeye.it

Nice sequel for the Ratchet & Clank Series. Free roaming elements and puzzle solving sessions upgrade the main formula and results in a nice twist to the original structure.

Meristation

Insomniac closes the plot of the Future sub-saga with a tittle where most of the time, Ratchet is without Clank, and Clank without Ratchet. Nice visuals, incredibly fun as usual and packed with an arsenal of mass destruction that never disappoints, the only complaints about the game come from the few additions added to the gameplay mechanics -although Clank and his puzzles add a brief and fresh touch-, the same technical aspect we have been watching in PS3 since Tools of Destruction, and the lack of a multiplayer what would have totally fit here.

Eurogamer

It’s not that A Crack in Time is all fur coat and no knickers. The problem is, it’s all fur coat and the same knickers it’s been wearing for seven years. Time for a change.

Resistance 3?

Marissa — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 05:11:56 +0000

There has been no word from Insomniac regarding the third installment of Resistance but this billboard had shown up in Shreveport, Louisiana. It’s a prop being used in a movie shoot for “Battle: Los Angeles”. more interesting is the billboard itself. It showcases the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty which obviously leads to the conclusion that Resistance 3 will take place in New York City. I can see myself enjoying a massive chimera fight in Times Square. The movie isn’t set to release until 2011 so we can assume that will be around the time of the Resistance 3 launch. No word from Sony or Insomniac…yet.

Rumordrive: ¿Resistance 3?

Hell Øverlord — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 19:21:16 +0000

Resistance 3 WTF

He aquí el letrero que fue visto por un usuario del foro NeoGaf, al parecer el anuncio fue encontrado cerca de un set para la realización de películas en Shreveport.

Todo parece indicar que en ese lugar se está rodando una película llamada Battle: Los Angeles la cual está siendo producida por Columbia pictures que como muchos deben saber es parte de Sony.

La gente de Kotaku envío un mail a Insomniac para ver si les pueden proveer de información acerca de lo que podría ser la tercera entrega de la serie exclusiva del PS3.

¿Que les parece? ¿Se quedarón con ganas de otro Resistance?

Vía Kotaku

Ratchet & Clank Collector's Edition Euro-Bound

evolveteam — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 03:32:07 +0000

Sleek packaging, an art book and a free voucher for a downloadable level is all thats necessary to make a collector’s item worth purchasing. PAL owners will have their options once Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time is released this October. Sadly, Insomniac Games will release this exclusive Collector’s Edition in Europe only. We thought this franchise was one of the bigger U.S. Sony exclusives. What’s good with that?

Δύο demos για το νέο Ratchet & Clank

xollothnews — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 09:46:59 +0000

Δύο demos για το νέο Ratchet & Clank – Gameover.gr

Την πρόθεσή της να προσφέρει δύο και όχι ένα demo του Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time αποκάλυψε η Insomniac. Ο λόγος της συγκεκριμένης επιλογής είναι ότι το αρχικό αρχείο ήταν υπερβολικά μεγάλο και έτσι η εταιρία επέλεξε να το μοιράσει στα δύο, με το κάθε ένα από αυτά να αφορά έναν από τους δύο πρωταγωνιστές.[next]

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Resisting Resistance

pookiablo — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:31:39 +0000

It’s been a while since I last posted! I’ve been busy doing…well not very much to be honest.

The Resistance series for Playstation 3 has been taking up most of my time lately. In true illogical form I decided to play the second game before the first one, which has only served to make the story more confusing and the first game seem less fun (mainly because the sequel is fucking awesome). I’ve never been a huge fan of Sony consoles but I’ve got a soft spot for the Playstation 3. It seems that Sony really did put a tremendous effort into making the console a winner in the current video game generation. Ironically, despite it’s superior technology, the PS3 continues to lag in 3rd place, although the recent release of the new PS3 Slim model has helped to remedy Sony’s flagging sales. Nevertheless, too much time has been spent gaming away in the living room.

While playing through Resistance 2, I did notice a few things, which simply do not make any sense whatsoever. First of all, Nathan Hale is meant to be this badass Sentinel, who possesses superhuman strength, has the power of regeneration and increased stamina. Yet for some reason, he’s a complete and utter pussy. 3 or 4 hits and he’s down. In the meanwhile, your SRPA team buddies, by which I mean the standard human soldiers who you often come across when battling your way through the game, seem to be capable of taking humongous armies, absorbing incredible amounts of enemy fire whilst doing so. I do love a challenging game but be reasonable and make it so that it actually makes sense!

Nathan Hale - Utter Pussy

Furthermore, the whole alternate timeline thing is interesting but there do seem to be a few issues with this. It’s 1950s America and while I can understand that an alien-like invasion would likely prompt a vast amount of technological advances, surely it wouldn’t be quite as rapid as actually portrayed in the game. We’re talking about massive miltary bases, complete with networked computer systems, electronic panels on doors, sophisticated gun batteries. At the same time, when you’re actually in the outer environments such as Idaho and Chicago, you see America more or less as it was during the 1950s – Funky old cadillacs, primitive TV and radio appliances, the whole general 50s vibe. It just seems like a weird mixture of modern day technology with 1950s scenery.

What doesn’t help is that the first game does look very World War II-esque. Your uniform, the quaint cities such as York, all serve to make it seem like World War II gone wrong (not that it necessarily was going right in the first place). In this game, you seem to be a lot tougher, having perhaps swapped roles with your AI-controlled allies between the two games, as it seems that all they have to do is look at a Chimera in the first game and they’ll drop over and die.

So, why am I still playing these games despite the fact that I’m banging on about all the flaws? Because they’re addictive and above all they’re pretty epic too. Resistance 2 really does show off the power of the PS3 console. The graphics are pretty outstanding, but what’s even more impressive is the amount of units found on screen at one given time. On the Chicago level, just after the Madison Avenue checkpoint, you find yourself fighting alongside perhaps 20-40 AI team mates against a near unstoppable horde of enemy Chimera. It’s intense and firefights are pretty frantic to say the least but it’s just plain awesome. That particular battle must have taken me at least 25 minutes to finish and many deaths along the way added to this overall time. Most interesting of all though, is that the PS3 just chugs along and you literally cannot witness any slowdown whatsoever. Well done Insomniac games, you’ve done well!

If you find yourself with a reasonable amount of free time like myself, why not give ‘em a go. They’re pretty cheap nowadays and they’ll take a good 20 hours of your life away as you work your way through them both to take the fight back to the Chimera.

Anyways, I’m off to watch a movie. Until the next time amigos.

Ένα δυσκολότερο Ratchet & Clank

xollothnews — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 08:14:51 +0000

Ένα δυσκολότερο Ratchet & Clank – Gameover.gr

Η Insomniac συνεχίζοντας την καλή παράδοση, ανακοίνωσε ότι το επερχόμενο Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time θα τρέχει στα 60 καρέ ανά δευτερόλεπτο με την ανάλυση να βρίσκεται ρυθμισμένη στα 720p, όπως ακριβώς συνέβαινε και με τους δύο προκατόχους του, που κυκλοφόρησαν αποκλειστικά στο PlayStation 3[next]

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Ratchet & Clank: A Crack In Time Weapons Trailer

Will Swarbrick — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 19:24:20 +0000

A new trailer, straight from PAX, has been released showing off the weapons to be found in Ratchet