Loved
Good Old Gameplay: As essentially an extension of Tools of Destruction, Quest for Booty retains the same solid gameplay we've come to expect from the series, easy and intuitive from the get-go.

New Mechanics: The new tether ability of Ratchet's Omniwrench adds a fun new gameplay element to the mix, and the ability to pick things up and hurl them with the tool makes for some rather entertaining platforming puzzles.

Super Fuzzy Graphics: Quest for Booty uses the same graphics engine as Tools of Destruction, which means it is also one of the best looking games on the system, with graphics approaching CGI cartoon quality.

The Big Reveal: I won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't already heard. I'll just say that the revelation at the end of the game regarding Ratchet's whereabouts may have elicited a tiny, girlish squeal. Don't go looking it up on the internet, just find out for yourself first hand.

Hated
A Little Short For A Lombax: Four hours just doesn't feel like enough time to spend in the Ratchet & Clank universe. I hate to say it, but I almost wish they'd just make me wait for the next game. I know the game is only $15, but for $15 I could go pick up a copy of one of the earlier, longer adventures and replay that instead.

Lack Of Variety: You won't find any side games in Quest for Booty. Just standard R&C gameplay with a few new mechanics thrown in and countless pirates to kill. There are a few monsters to kill and some entertaining bosses, but for the most part it's prates, pirates, and more pirates.

A good game should leave you wanting more, but it also needs to give you a sense of fulfillment to counterbalance that want. While I thoroughly enjoyed the four hours I spent playing Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty, I feel like all I accomplished was trading one cliffhanger ending for another cliffhanger ending. Instead of being its own game, it feels more like a really long teaser trailer for the next title in the series.

Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty is an enjoyable but far-too-brief look at what's next in one of gaming's greatest platform franchises.

Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty, developed by Insomniac, published by Sony Computer Entertainment and released Aug. 21 on the PlayStation Network. Retails for $15.00. Played through entire game on normal difficulty.

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Ratchet & Clank Continue the Quest in Fall 2009 [1Up]

Quest for Booty will take about four hours to play through, we're told, and doesn't require that you own the retail game Ratchet & Clank Future, although it does continue the storyline.

The game will include new wrench mechanics, light and dark illumination and pirate-themed puzzles. The game will also include four locations: Planet Merdegraw: Pirate Fleet, Hoolefar Island, Morrow Caverns and Darkwater Cove and a bunch of pirate enemies including Skull Walkers, Hot Heads, Giant Vipers (Pythors) and Undead Robotic Pirates.

I'm not sure what to make of this stand-alone download for $15, but it's an interesting way to release a smallish game and I kind of like the idea that they're not forcing gamers to go buy the original title to play it.

Set Course for Booty this August [PlayStation Blog]