Ratchet Booty coming to Blu-ray [Eurogamer]

Also making a rated appearance at ESRB.org is Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty, the PlayStation 3 game that can't seem to keep its existence a secret. Surely, the title must be announced at E3 next week.

Finally, in other exciting news, Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium has been rated for a Wii release, meaning its Virtual Console appearance could be just months to a year away.

If you can cast your minds alllll the way back to March, you'll remember a leaked SCEE release schedule alerted us to the existence of a new Ratchet & Clank game, Ratchet: Quest for Booty, which would most likely be made available on the PlayStation Network. The game - still yet to be announced by Sony, mind - is now a step closer to release after being rated by the USK, Germany's ratings and classification board. Now that we know the Germans see it as a game fit for twelve year-olds, all we need to know is...well, everything else, really.

Booty found, another Ratchet game for the PS3 [Siliconera]

Secret Agent Clank bonus: pre-order figurine [PlayStation.Blog]

As you can see, according to the list, April is a big month. These releases may be bundled together to help promote the PlayStation Store revamp, also rumored to hit on April 15. So what is all this stuff?

The Lair pack(s) shown in the leaked list may what finally brings analog stick control to the PlayStation 3 game. When we inquired with Sony about the patch on hand at GDC, we were met with silence.

Ratchet Quest For Booty is most likely either Insomniac's downloadable content for Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction or a PlayStation Network release. Considering the Space Pirate presence in Tools of Destruction, it would certainly makes sense as DLC. When we asked Insomniac about their plans for PSN game, they simply (and wryly) responded "We're very busy."

The Last Guy, we know almost nothing about, other than that Sony Computer Entertainment Japan filed for the that trademark last year.

Take this all as rumor for now, but keep an eye on the PlayStation Store updates to see if this pans out to be true.

[Image Credit]

Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters PS2 Multiplayer Details [PlayStation Blog]

So a new IP is coming from Insomniac in the semi far to far future? Sounds good to us.

Insomniac's Ted Price Talks 'Ratchet' Sales Surprises, New IPs [MTVmultiplayer]

And, between my heavy pants of hyperventilation at meeting the brains behind the PSP's best game to date, I was able to sputter out a few questions regarding the direction of the franchise and what sweet features we could expect in the new game.

"Why Clank?" I asked. When Ratchet has been the star of so many successful games before, what's the motive behind firing the star?

Fan demand, she answered, without a pause. "People love the character...beyond that, Ratchet has stuff on PS3..." And it supports what appears to be a new strategy for Insomniac/High Impact Games. Ratchet will push the technical boundaries through big explosions and epic landscapes on the PS3, while Clank will represent the PSP platform with a few less gallons of napalm and a touch more stealth. (Whether or not this platform distinction will continue beyond this title is uncertain. Though, we're guessing if Clank is successful in his solo career, he ain't rejoining the boy band.)

The new PSP style is a tough balance to find, as the last thing developers ever wanted is for Clank to "feel like secondary version of Ratchet." And at the same time, Clank's trademark puzzle-oriented levels could wear on the player over an entire campaign. Spy gadgets are the compromise here between bazookas and bowie knives—boomerang bow ties, for instance—and "Clank Phu" melee compliment Clank's mini bots.

What's this new protagonist mean for porting your old guns from Size Matters to Secret Agent Clank? Not happening, it appears, though small playable Ratchet levels will feature some of your favorite guns of old.

Then again, many of you aren't reading this article to hear about stinky old gun ports anyway. You want to sync your PSPs with your PS3s, unlock new content, be treated as "special" for spending so much money as a company-loyal consumer. But if these cross-platform features exist, Mathieson is playing coy. All she'd offer was the code most of us have heard about from Tools of Destruction that will unlock goodies for PSP owners.

So as for exploiting hot possibilities like the PSP's Wi-Fi connection for a little bow tie boomerang backup on the PS3...it appears to be just another sticky dream for the time being.

UPDATE: A special thanks to Stephen Totilo for tactfully pointing out the game's real title...that I'd incorrectly pasted no less than four times.

Now the plot thickens! While we've heard nothing official from Sony or Insomniac regarding the title, GameSpot has updated their page with box art. And even the ESRB has jumped on board by adding the title to their database.

While Size Matters may have induced my most heartbreaking gaming moment of 2007, it also gave me the best experience on the PSP this year. And the experience was complete enough to imagine it on a full-blown console.

I'm just curious—the PSP version of Size Matters used a larger Ratchet to make up for screen size. Will Insomniac tweak the perspective? The PS2's beefier processing power should certainly support a wider level view and a smaller protagonist, so I'm guessing that they will. As for the brilliant "size matters" pun, that part might not translate so well.

Gamestop [via siliconera]

In that particular mindset, we'd like to know your worst gaming moment of 2007—when a bad glitch that had no right to be in a sold copy of a game ruined the experience for you (funny glitches are also acceptable, but frowned upon by our emo side). My personal worst glitch was during Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters (PSP). Some sort of bug occurred about 2/3 through the game while saving, corrupting my progress file. It translated to several lost hours, especially since I'm a gun upgrade whore, and was a big enough blow that I put down the game for good. I tried once to rekindle the magic, but alas, it was gone. And I loved that game.

So what about your worst glitch of 2007? Hit the comments and let us hear it. Then we'll cry together, trash our distant relatives and feel better about ourselves, as is tradition during the holidays.

AOL is giving away a 40GB Playstation 3 with a copy of Ratchet and Clank Future and a wireless Sixaxis controller to customers who sign a two-year contract for AOL Broadband Wireless Plus.

The 24-month contract also requires you to sign up for AOL Talk call plan (not sure what that is) and runs £19.99 a month. Once you stick around for 24 months you can keep your PS3 forever. The only catch, besides the ironclad two-year contract, is that you have to pay a deliver charge of £14.99 for the console, controller and game. Not a bad Christmas present, especially since it comes with Ratchet and Clank.

Judging by the price and location of the source, I suspect this is a UK only deal.

AOL Broadband now offering a free Sony PlayStation 3 [Think Broadband]

Level Up Blog: Make or Break

It's been great to have a network that can facilitate the map-pack downloads, demos and trailers for both Resistance: Fall of Man and Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction. The number of users on PSN has been rising steadily and we absolutely plan to support them with more new content coming soon.

D+Pad Nov 2007 [via maxconsole]

"Ultimately we're trying to create more emotional intimacy," he said. "That's one of the things that movies do really well with the close-up, where you can really see the emotions on the character's face. But in games, so often you're just seeing the action from a wide shot behind the character you're controlling and you don't have that emotional connection. So that's what we're going for."

This is exactly what has always drawn me to the R&C universe. The rich characterization of the previous games have combined with the technology of the PS3 (Ratchet has over 90 joints in his face alone) and an excellent story about a lone Lombax exploring his roots to create a truly engrossing interactive experience. Hit up the link for the full article, which includes Ted Price discussing the joys of poking fun at pop culture in the series and the importance of the title to the PlayStation 3 lineup. A good read, even if they did get the release date wrong.

A New Video Game Hopes Expressive Characters Lead to Emotional Attachment [New York Times]

We'll be honest; the overblown, semi-pretentious nature of Lionhead's Fable 2 production diaries endear their clips a bit closer to our hearts than Insomniac's more straightforward Ratchet & Clank chronicles. But we do love this story about a typically ludicrous game bug that developers had to iron out in Future. Specifically, if you threw the wrench and then jumped, Ratchet's head would spin in 360 degrees, gaining momentum with subsequent wrench/jumps until it created a wagon-wheel effect. Hit the clip about a minute in to hear the story.

So hit the jump for our Frankenreview; this week we did something special and only included reviewers that had "game" or some amalgamation of such in the title. That's for you, Insomniac. Live it up.

GameZone
The new Ratchet & Clank title, Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, is every bit as compelling visually as the high-end Hollywood animated features. Take anything from Dreamworks or Pixar, and compare them and you will find that ToD is a visual feast that rivals them. The major difference is, of course, that when you watch one of those films, that is all you are doing ...you are an integral part of the event.
GameDaily
The voice work is up to Insomniac's usual standards, filled with personality and hardly any dead spots...The dialogue is still hilarious, even with the random chatter that plays in the background. On top of this, the music works on a rhythm all its own. The tempo changes constantly depending on what's happening on-screen. What sounds easygoing at first soon bursts with romping energy. It's a terrific soundtrack, one with great unpredictability.
GamingAge
Whether it is a (optionally) motion control-enabled tornado launcher, a kick ass electric whip, or viscous little plasma beast capsules, nearly all the weapons are fun to use and required to be utilized throughout the game.... This is by far Insomniac's best selection of weapons and gadgets yet, although I have to say they are probably a little too good. By spending a few extra minutes exploring the stages and collecting raritanium and bolts, weapons can be upgraded to ridiculously powerful levels, even early on in the game.

GamerNode
Just about every minigame utilizes the Sixaxis controls (unless you count Clank's couple of solo runs). I know what you're thinking: "Sixaxis controls! Oh no!" but in all honesty, they're done well in this game. Nothing really takes you out of the flow; you do things such as control Ratchet as you halo jump from a ship or glide through the air, slide a ball around a circuit to hack electronics a la Bioshock, and cut holes in walls, and all in the midst of gameplay.

GameAlmighty
Whereas earlier installments of the Ratchet and Clank series offered a range of single player and online multiplayer modes, Tools of Destruction hones in on its solo experience with just a story-driven campaign. Dropping multiplayer negatively impacts the game's long-term value; however, focusing purely on the campaign has resulted in a level of quality that easily surpasses any previous iteration.
Yes everyone, it looks like Ratchet & Clank Future is every bit as good as we'd hoped.

The Eye of Judgment (PS3)
Battle to the death with cards and a camera.

Zack & Wiki Quest for Barbaros' Treasure (Wii)
The great game with a terrible name!

Painkiller: Overdose (PC)
Once a mod, now a for real game.

Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction (PS3)
Ratchet and Clank return with another outrageous weapons arsenal.

Clive Barker's Jericho (PC, X360, PS3)
Control a team of psychic soldiers against legions of the undead.

Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation (X360)
Fighting planes are fun!

Mega Man ZX Advent (DS)
Mega Man returns!

Conan (X360, PS3)
The legendary barbarian graces the 360 with his twitching muscles.

Battlestar Galactica (X360, PC)
Downloadable game based on the uber popular TV series.

Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties (PC)
Age of Empires III spreads it's reach to the Asian Dynasties.

Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles (PSP)
All new revamped Castlevania action!

One of the strongest aspects of Ratchet and Clank, has to be the quality of the visuals, and we wanted to showcase this in the TV ad, meaning it'll be made up entirely of actual gameplay footage.

So will R&C Tools capture the hearts of the consumer public? I'm not sure. But it's most certainly one of the most beautiful games I've ever laid eyes on, with a graphical style and platforming experience that has no parallel in the "next gen" marketplace today. Here's hoping it moves a few units, because people should be playing it. Seriously, for their own good.

Sony pumps £1m into Ratchet TV campaign [mcv]

Officially, it's still October 30. But I'm expecting a very happy birthday to me next Tuesday. Woo!

Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction Coming Soon(er) [PlayStation.blog]

Here's the deal: while Sony won't officially support an imported Japanese DualShock 3, games like Ratchet & Clank Future will. The game was listed as DualShock 3 ready in the official "List Of PS3 Games That Support The DualShock 3" without requiring a software update, but I wanted to be sure.

The game—the first to support the new controller sans software update—ships on October 30, with the DualShock 3 hitting Japanese retailers on November 11, so there's still a potential delay in getting to enjoy Ratchet & Clank Future as it was intended. The worse news is that actually finding an importer with one in stock is going to prove more difficult.

We're going to be in touch with everyone who has a game shipping before the American and European release dates of the DS3, just to satisfy our curiosity.

The game was rumored to be in development at High Impact Games—creator of Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters for the PSP—earlier this year. While we don't have any official screens of the game yet, we expect it will be on the TGS show floor and hope to get some hands-on time with it.

According to our current favorite Gamestop employee tipster, the demo consists of the first level of the game, just like the one due to hit the PlayStation Store next month. However, according to Insomniac reps, the code represents an older build of the game and the online demo is expected to be more "polished." Thanks for the heads up, BJ!

See you in the future!

Ratchet & Clank PSN Demo on October 4 [IGN]

By: Michael McWhertor

The Ratchet & Clank series from Insomniac Games is largely expected, for better or worse, to be great with every entry. And it's not a system-selling, headline-grabbing, fanboy-insult war fodder kind of great; it's the polished, consistent, carefully constructed kind of great that seems to deliver without worry or pretention, a product of the hard working developers helming the property.

After four PlayStation 2 games—Ratchet & Clank, Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando, Rachet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal and Ratchet: Deadlocked—plus a solid portable release, Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters from High Impact Games, each delivering solid gameplay and avoiding sequel burnout, the first PLAYSTATION 3 entry has big shoes to fill.

Does Tools of Destruction deliver more of the same? And in the good more of the same way? Ye... well, it's still too early to pass final judgment, but based on what we've played at E3 and at SCEA's recent media day, it's looking like another proud member in the Insomniac Games action platforming family.

Ratchet & Clank Future improves upon the formula of guiding a fuzzy Lombax and his mechanical sidekick Clank wielding wacky gadgets and an extraordinary arsenal of weapons by focusing on, according to creative director Brian Allgeier, four key elements: mystery, adventure, spectacle and variety. The mystery portion of that evolutionary recipe involves a number of key plot drivers. Foremost, we'll explore the origins of Ratchet, learning more about his fictional species. Also, we'll unravel the secrets of the mystical Zonie, an alien race that only Clank can see and hear. Finally, we'll interact with a number of secondary characters, including a "sultry heroine" name Talwyn.

Appearances from flowery characters like Cronk and Zephyr, Captain Slag and Rusty Pete, and series super zero Captain Qwark will also play a part in the game's mystery, adding comic relief to the heavy narrative of a furry mammal whacking things with a wrench.

The adventure factor is fairly self-explanatory. We'll follow Ratchet and Clank through an journey through an all-new region of the universe, dispatching all manner of space pirates and mechanical terrors along the way. A new galaxy to explore provides all-new settings for our heroes world-saving feats.

Spectacle-wise, it's one of the best looking games on the PS3 to date, blending semi-realistic visual effects with a fantastical world populated by vest-wearing robo-pirates, deadly fish controlled exoskeletons, and massive prehistoric era beasts. Oh, and there are huge explosions. And things are shiny.

The game's variety comes in the form of its copious weapons and accessories cache, clever mini-games—for instance, there's at least one Space Channel 5-esque pirate jig dancing game—and innovative tools that make smart, optional use of the SIXAXIS controller. Ratchet & Clank Future also breaks up the platforming and shooting with a series of space shooter levels.

Chad Dezern, the game's art director explained, in loving detail, the visual philosophy behind Insomniac's development. Avoiding the trappings of too-brown next-gen graphics but careful not to tread into cliche, Skittles inspired platformer color schemes, Tools of Destruction's concept artwork showed the bright, saturated "color scripting" that lends the series a unique style. We were shown pages of artwork, from enemy silhouettes to ambient avian wildlife, from one level's shiny metal shaders to another's moss covered rocks. Most of this stuff you wouldn't notice how well crafted it was unless you spent the time to focus the game's camera in on a distant boulder in prehistoric Sargasso or a polished floor vent in Kerchu City. But when these elements are all on screen amid the rest of the action, it goes a long, long way to presenting a complete visual package.

What most gamers are going to be interested in, sans pixel-pushing beauty, is the variety of the game's weapons and its unusual gadgets. One of the most popular, and sure to get the most press, is the Groovitron. Similar to the King of Pop's screen clearing powers from Michael Jackson's Moonwalker, the Groovitron forces enemies within range to shake their booties, even as you take a giant wrench to their metal skulls. Perfect in a pinch.

Even the aforementioned fish who ride in oversized mechs will get down to the Groovitron's sounds, even if they're already defeated and flopping about on the floor. Poor little guys.

The rest of the notable weapons and tools include, but are clearly not limited to:
Death Springs - Toss these deadly Slinky-like toys into a crowded space and watch everything die.
Mr. Zurkon - This agenda-spewing hoverbot companion will take out anything in its path, up until it runs out of ammo. A cheat will allow you to replace Zurkon with James the Galactic Defender, the in-game recreation of real-life paralysis victim James Westerbrook.
Plasma Beasts - These living mines will look like piles of green slime until someone you want dead approaches. Their true form is a hideous mound of good that kills without prejudice.
Tornado Launcher - It launches tornadoes. Duh. These can be guided with SIXAXIS tilt control upon deployment.
Gelanator - If something is just out of reach when you double-jump, drop some gelatonium then use it as a springboard. Of limited supply.

Of course, there are less gimmicky guns and gadgets, like the Negotiator rocket launcher, the Buzz Blade shooter, the Incinerator flamethrower, the Pirate Holo-Disguise and Clank's new Robo-wings. These standbys will come in handy more often than some of the more flamboyant, harder to find showcase weapons.

Not only are there 23 items to enjoy, keeping the action fresh, your weapons can be upgraded by visiting non-player characters in various worlds. Using a hex-based upgrade system, you'll modify your attacks with collected bolts and "Raritanium" to give them faster firing speeds, greater damage, bigger attack radii and even a few secret unlockable mods. If Ratchet & Clank Future is lacking in anything, it's certainly not depth.

One bit of trivia I managed to eke out of Anthony "Moo" Yu, Gameplay Lead at Insomniac was one of the bizarre weapons that didn't make the final cut. Apparently, the team has been trying to find a way to work in the "Rainbow Afronator" for some time. Unfortunately, outside applying a rainbow-colored afro wig to every enemy in the area, the details have yet to be worked out. Insomniac puts a great deal of emphasis on balancing weapons, reason enough for their preliminary list of 100 weapons to be pared down to just under two dozen.

As revealed earlier yesterday, Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction will hit store shelves on October 23rd. While the game looks relatively complete, minus some difficulty tweaks needed in the space shooter levels and some frame rate optimization, the game is currently looking like a no-brainer purchase. You literally will not need a brain to aid you in the decision.

With the series about to celebrate its fifth anniversary, just weeks after the release of the PLAYSTATION 3 sequel, it may feel like familiar territory to some. Those who have skipped out on any of the previous releases or are looking to add some welcome variety to the PS3 libraries will almost certainly want to pick it up.

We've secured ten new screens of the game in our gallery below. If anyone has any questions about Rachet & Clank Future simply pose them in the comments. I'll do my best to answer them.

Full Moon Show [Insomniac Games]

Insomniac CEO Ted "I'm So Nice" Price says of the initiative "The 'R&D' page on the Insomniac website is meant to share knowledge with fellow studios about PS3 development while giving our fans a detailed look into how we make our games. This page will also help explain our production philosophies."

Insomniac explains that its goal is to document "our current research and development in hopes of supporting the PS3 development community and enhancing overall development for its core technologies such as the CELL processor and RSX." It's also a kind of behind the scenes look at past, present and future development, built just for computer nerds.

What does it all mean? Better looking PLAYSTATION 3 games, we hope. Maybe, just maybe, some developers will even discover the secret to unlocking a consistent frame rate in their PS3 titles. I'm looking at you, everyone who's not Team Ninja or Insomniac.

Insomniac R&D [Insomniac Games]

Just to keep expectations low, we'll just say, that we consider a Ratchet & Clank Future demo is an inevitability and that it won't be released in the past.

Updated: Heavenly Sword And Ratchet & Clank Future Demos Coming Soon [Game Informer]

To: Michael McWhertor
From: Mark Wilson
Date: July 13, 2007
Re: Awesome-off

Michael.

It is just not humanly possible that you thought Ratchet & Clank was more awesome than I did. Let's call it a limit of your genetic code - a chromosomal thing - nothing personal. My flesh, from ribosome to stray hair, has been built to fully appreciate this little weapon called the disco ball. Did you notice it creating a a Bollywood musical with full choreography and proper staging?

Did you notice that there are enemies that are big robots, controlled by fish? These fish flop on the ground when the robots are destroyed, but even these suffocating fish dance when that glorious jukebox from the heavens does its thing. It's awesome, indeed. Really awesome.

Yours in awesome,
Mark

***

To: Mark Wilson
From: Michael McWhertor
Date: July 13, 2007
Re: Burn, Bollywood, Burn

Mark.

Glad to see you're on board with the red-lining levels of awesome that Insomniac seems to have achieved with the game. Yes, of course I noticed the choreographed dancing. It reminded me of the arcade version of Michael Jackson's Moonwalker. Bittersweet, those memories.

On topic, I'm afraid that you're neglecting Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction's intrinsic appeal to the gut. While you may be more concerned with a "whole body" general feeling of awesomeness, I trust my gut. My gut says "Ratchet & Clank is awesome." I suppose some of the gaming press who got hands on time with the game at E3 are using their "brains" to go through a list of features, technical and visual achievements, and blah blah blah. E3 was dull enough as it was, we don't need a bunch of bullet points listing this and that. What are we? Press release processors?

Sure, the game has giant robots, fish controlling robots and other types of robots, but there's a very human side to how awesome R&CF will be. Maybe we should focus on that? Your cold, calculating, quantitative awesome-checking is kind of a drag.

I guess what I'm getting at is that Ratchet & Clank Future is as much of a game as it is a Turing Test. Supposing that, I have concluded that you are a robot and you must be destroyed with an oversized wrench.

Cheers,
Michael

***

To: Michael McWhertor
From: Mark Wilson
Date: July 14, 2007
Re: 1001011000111001101101100111010110010011010010

...computing response...Michael, your attacks on my body are uncalled for. But I laugh nonetheless, as your accusations are just a red herring for substance. And I challenge you to name ONE INSTANCE where a press release has used the word "awesome." Scratch that.

Your mighty "gut" is hardly a quantifiable measurement of love. Because when you love something, as with Ratchet & Clank, you appreciate every little nuance of it. As my eyes devoured the "Toy Story" quality graphics for which we've long been...longing, I appreciated the millions of little nuances Insomniac fit into the background. For some reason there is a meteor shower going on at all times over the horizon. Most games would scoff at superfluous falling rocks from space, but not Tools of Destruction! They run a victory lap around my heart [read: not gut] by wasting resources with small touches that few see outside of Hollywood.

I have concluded that your "gut" reaction is nothing more than a need for a good burping, and I believe a "booya!" is in order to quantify how my arguments are kicking your "butt."

Shutting down,
Mark

***

To: Mark Wilson
From: Michael McWhertor
Date: July 16, 2007
Re: W.I.L.S.O.N. Mk XXVI

Mark,

"Booya"? My suspicions that you've been replaced by the Wilson 9000 are confirmed. No human being would want something like that in print. And "Toy Story graphics?" Did you harvest this quote while assimilating some analysts, you silicon abomination?

While we can't agree necessarily on how precisely awesome Ratchet & Clank Future is, we can agree that the attention to detail makes one further appreciate the amount of work that the team has put into the game. Seeing an appropriate amount of bloom lighting was not only a rarity at E3, it made the environments feel surprisingly real, combining retro styling with futuristic wonder. Even when absurdly rail sliding away from whatever cartoonish explosion I can't even remember escaping from because I was doing my best not to vomit a rainbow, with a bazillion things going on in the background, I felt as if I were just pleasantly existing in some thrill ride of a world.

Did we talk about the draw distances that seem to go on for days?

Maybe we're thinking about this too hard (a Kotaku first!). Ratchet & Clank Future is the "blue sky in games" answer to just about every question we've been asking this generation's action games. Sure, Clank may be bald, but Ratchet's got hair.

And that's awesome.

Say, did you know about the "RPG lite" upgrades in the game?

Sincerely (you probably don't understand, machine man),
Michael

***

To: Michael McWhertor
From: Mark Wilson
Date: July 16, 2007
Re: *I* will work more hours to purchase one.

Michael, Michael, Michael.

I wish I knew your middle name to chastise you further. The beauty of the "Toy Story graphics" line is that be you analyst, PR pundit, fanboy or jaded videogame writer with a tad too much facial hair, you've been eagerly waiting for this perfectly crafted description to come to fruition. Your haircut may be too cool for "Toy Story" propaganda, but you, certainly, are not.

Though, yes, R&C Future is an answer to everything we've wondered about next-gen action and the PS3...and it's delivered more than this jaded writer thought possible.

As for the "RPG lite" elements - I think you may be blaspheming the new skill tree weapon upgrades. Taking a cue from Diablo II, guns find themselves at a fork in the road and must specialize accordingly. It's the age old debate of 'should I be Sylvester Stallone or Bruce Willis?' packaged cleanly into Penguin Gun form. But since you can max out both directions of each branch, one can be Stallone AND Willis, better known as totally-incredible-i-just-peed-a-bit-don't-judge-me-AWESOME.

Is that what you were referring to? Or was it the space combat that Insomniac didn't deem you awesome enough to witness? (Note: I know your comment had nothing to do with the space combat and was just being an a-hole.)

Sincerelyer,
Mark

***

To: Mark Wilson
From: Michael McWhertor
Date: July 17, 2007
Re: Diet of Doubletree Guest Suites

Okay, Mark. No one's reading at this point. We'll just have to agree to disagree on who's better at accurately gauging how awesome Ratchet & Clank Future is. I'll instead agree with myself that I am more suited to judge the game's inherent greatness, despite having never actually played a game in the series before. Yes, it's true. Some dude whose name was lost near the bottom of this Pabst Blue Ribbon had to tell me what a jump pad was. Regardless of my "fresh perspective" on the series, I feel genuinely qualified to pass judgment on the game's totally rad graphics, sexy animation and sugar sweet controls.

Invoking the name of Diablo II was a bold move, but I admire your balls. They must have great heft. Hopefully, given your testicular fortitude, our readers have been convinced.

Basically, any PLAYSTATION 3 owner who doesn't get this game is banned. From life.

Good night,
Michael

P.S. It's "Ward." Yes, I know.

Final Judgment: AWESOME.

***

New E3-era screenshots of the game are in our gallery below. They'll wash away that icky reading sensation.

(Sincere apologies to Messrs. Croal and Totilo for trivializing their format.)

Based on my single visit to Insomniac Games, I can confirm that it is indeed an awesome place to work, solely judged on the high availability of delicious snacks. That's why I'm awarding them the first annual Kotaku award "Best Company At Which To Snack In America." Congratulations, Insomniac. Michael McWhertor

Insomniac Games among Top 10 for 3rd Straight Year in 50 "Best Companies to Work for in America" rankings.

"Once Again, Ratchet & Clank® and Resistance: Fall of Man Creators Remain First & Only Videogames Company Honored"

BURBANK, Calif. (FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE): Independent console videogames developer Insomniac Games has once again distinguished itself as being among the best studios to work for in the games industry. For the third straight year, Insomniac retained its unique distinction of being the first and only videogames company named to the "50 Best Small & Medium Sized Companies to Work for in America" list.

The rankings were announced before an estimated audience of 15,000 at the Society for Human Resource Management's (SHRM) 59th Annual Conference & Exposition in Las Vegas. Despite a 20-plus percent increase in applicants since last year — and a combined 50 percent increase since 2005 — Insomniac ranked 8th in the small companies category. Insomniac Games is the only company in the history of the small business category to earn a Top 10 ranking for three-straight years, remains the first and only videogames developer included on the list, and is the only company in the "TV, Film and Video" category to be recognized this year. In addition, Insomniac is Southern California's lone representative to the small business list.

"Last year was among the most challenging in Insomniac's history as we prepared to release Resistance: Fall of Man™ worldwide with the launch of PLAYSTATION®3," said Ted Price, Insomniac Games' founder and CEO. "Yet we delivered a top-rated and top-selling game — on time — while retaining our Top 10 ranking as one of the best small companies to work for in America. Therefore, it's especially gratifying to demonstrate again that it's possible in the games industry to achieve excellent results while maintaining a collaborative and stimulating workplace culture."

SHRM, the world's largest human resources management organization, recognizes the top 25 small and top 25 medium companies in America that have used smart people management strategies to develop successful organizations with highly productive and satisfied workforces. The results were primarily based on a randomly distributed employee opinion survey that measures several categories such as workplace environment, management's responsiveness to employee feedback, and adherence to company philosophy. In addition, further assessments of company programs, practices and workplace culture were factored into judging.

Insomniac Games remains the only North American videogames developer to be honored in any ranking compiled by the Great Places to Work Institute ® (GPTW). The organization is perhaps best known for producing Fortune magazine's annual "100 Best Companies to Work for®" list, which ranks companies with more than 1,000 employees. Two videogames publishers have made GPTW's "100 Best Companies to Work for in America" list since it was first published in 1984.

Insomniac Games is best known for creating the multi-million unit selling Ratchet & Clank® and Spyro the Dragon® franchises for the PlayStation® game console and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. The company is responsible for the top-selling Resistance: Fall of Man, exclusively for PLAYSTATION®3 and is currently developing Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction™ for exclusive release on PLAYSTATION 3 this fall. Insomniac, with 150 employees, continues to seek new employees in a variety of production-related positions.

About Insomniac Games Insomniac Games is a wholly independent console videogames developer that has released award-winning hits for the PlayStation® game console, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and PLAYSTATION®3 for 13 years. The company created the first three Spyro the Dragon® games, the Ratchet & Clank® franchise and Resistance: Fall of Man™, which have combined to sell more than 25 million units worldwide. Insomniac Games is currently developing Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction™, which will release this fall, exclusively for PLAYSTATION 3.

In addition to making blockbuster videogames, Insomniac is known for ranking among the top four "Best Small Companies to Work for in America" in 2005 and 2006 and among the Top 10 for 2007, according to the Great Places to Work Institute and Society for Human Resources Management. More information can be found at http://www.insomniacgames.com/ or by listening to Insomniac's "Full Moon Show" podcast, available on iTunes and the studio's website.

Insomniac Games second PS3 title is looking really nice, and it's Ratchet and Clank, which is twice as nice. Brian Crecente

[Screens via British Gaming Blog]

As we reported yesterday, Sony has officially dropped the price of the Playstation Pportable Core Pack today.

The PSP will now sell for $169.99. And in a very smart move, SCEA also dropped the price of two of the better PSP games, adding both Daxter and Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror to the PSP Greatest Hits collection, making them both about $20 each. That, is three good reasons to buy a PSP.

"We have always been passionate about making great entertainment accessible to everyone, and the new price for PSP, as well as the continued growth of the 'Greatest Hits' library, reflect our ongoing commitment to supporting and expanding the PSP community," said Jack Tretton, president and CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "We are pleased that we are able to engineer savings for the consumer at this stage of PSP's lifecycle, allowing more individuals to experience PSP for the first time. In particular, we have recently seen a steady rise in the number of teens adopting PSP as their primary handheld entertainment system, and we expect the new price will accelerate that trend."

The press release goes on to say that gamers should expect new titles from the God of War, Ratchet & Clank, SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs and Syphon Filter franchises.

"Ready At Dawn couldn't be more pleased with our success bringing Daxter to the PSP platform last year, and now we have another opportunity to blow away expectations of what a developer can accomplish on a portable when Kratos hits the 'small screen' in God of War," said Didier Malenfant, co-founder and president, Ready At Dawn Studios. "PSP is an ideal platform for us to work on because we have a high level of freedom to be creative, and we can deliver gameplay experiences that rival ones you'd get from a computer entertainment system."

The press release goes on to point out that SWAT, Monster Hunter Freedom 2, Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles and Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology are all headed to the PSP this year.

It all sounds good... until they hit my sore subject: Media.

"SCEA also continues to evaluate expanding PSP's entertainment options as more and more PSP owners use their system for watching movies, playing music, and viewing photos. SCEA remains committed to driving the development and distribution of entertainment content for PSP.

OMG, how can they still be evaluating a major function of their handheld more than two years after it launched? How! HOW! I actually sort of went off on the PSP development guy that was at the Sony Blogger Congress at GDC this year when he said something like this.

I can't remember exactly what I said, but it was something like: You guys keep saying the same thing, when the hell is it going to actually happen?

No answer, really.

The other big question is when is the PSP 2.0 coming out. Come on Sony, there's nothing wrong with releasing improved models shortly after you release the original. Just look at Nintendo, they screwed all of those DS fat owners over and no one seemed to care. Brian Crecente

Wow, this looks friggin amazing, let's hope it lives up to what are now astronomical expectations, but has R&C ever failed to deliver? And seriously, is there a disco ball weapon in the game? That would kick so much ass. Brian Crecente

Don't have a T-Mobile HotSpot account? Well, for the first six months (after the first log-in) PSP users can enjoy the service gratis, then decide if they want to keep it going at a "special rate."

I have an account and use it quite frequently for work when I'm away from home, but don't see myself busting out my PSP during my next Hyatt stay. More details are in the release after the jump. Michael McWhertor

Sony Computer Entertainment America Offers PSP(R)(PlayStation(R)Portable) Users T-Mobile(R) Hotspot Access

Online Gaming and Internet Access at T-Mobile HotSpots Now Available to PSP Owners as Part of Latest PSP System Firmware Update

FOSTER CITY, Calif., March 29 — Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) today announced a new firmware upgrade for the PSP(R)(PlayStation(R)Portable) system, version 3.30, enabling PSP users to play compatible games online, surf the Web, and download podcasts at more than 7,000 T-Mobile(R) HotSpot locations, including select Starbucks coffee shops, Borders bookstores, Hyatt Hotels, and more than 70 major airports across the United States.

This limited time promotional offer includes six months of Wi-Fi network access to T-Mobile HotSpot starting at the initial log-in on the T-Mobile HotSpot network for PSP owners who have downloaded the firmware update. Once the six-month period is complete, T-Mobile will offer PSP owners an option to purchase a subscription at a special rate. Details of the post offer will be available directly from T-Mobile. PSP owners must log-in to the T-Mobile HotSpot Network by March 28, 2008, to access the
six-month promotional period.

"This new offer enables SCEA to take portable gaming and entertainment to a new level of mobility and convenience for PSP owners," said Peter Dille, senior vice president of marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "With T-Mobile's service, we're making it possible for the PSP community to connect in new ways and access the online content they want in more places than ever before. More and more PSP users are going online to challenge each other in multi-player games, and we can now make it more convenient to access online gaming as well as the Internet, showcasing the rich feature set that PSP has to offer."

Joe Sims, vice president and general manager, broadband products and services, T-Mobile USA, said, "Through SCEA's offer to PSP owners, T-Mobile HotSpot is expanding the ways customers can stay connected. Now the millions of loyal PSP users in the United States will be able to go online at thousands of T-Mobile HotSpot locations across the country that they may already frequent daily."

PSP users can now enter a T-Mobile HotSpot location and access compatible online games via the PSP's Wi-Fi functionality. Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters, the highly acclaimed newest chapter in the popular franchise, is the first title to take advantage of this new online access, enabling PSP owners to tackle the title's various multi-player options whenever they're at a T- Mobile HotSpot. Additional software titles supporting access to T-Mobile HotSpot locations will be released later this year.

Additionally, this new capability makes it easier than ever to access the PSP system's multimedia features beyond online gaming. PSP owners can take a break from the controls and watch a streaming video or download a podcast while drinking lattes at Starbucks, check out online reviews of the latest book releases while browsing at Borders, or access online city guides for restaurant and nightlife recommendations when passing through the airport or a Hyatt hotel.

Additional Firmware 3.30 Upgrades
The firmware 3.30 update is now available and includes the addition of T- Mobile HotSpot access as well as the following upgrades.
— Full-resolution video — PSP users can now view videos saved on a Memory Stick Duo in full resolution (720x480).
— Thumbnail support — Thumbnail files for video and RSS content can now be displayed.

PSP system firmware updates can be wirelessly downloaded directly to a PSP system using a Wi-Fi connection; downloaded to a PC from http://www.us.playstation.com/psp and transferred to a PSP system through a USB cable; or installed using upcoming UMD(TM) software.

About PSP (PlayStation Portable) handheld entertainment system
PSP is the first truly integrated handheld entertainment system designed to handle multiple applications - music, video, photo, Internet, live and recorded TV, and wireless connectivity, with games as its key feature. PSP system features an unmatched library of entertainment content, totaling more than 200 games and nearly 450 feature films, TV programs, and videos from major studios and record labels, as well as downloadable content from the Internet.

About Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.
Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation(R) and PS one(R) game console, the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system, and the PSP(R) (PlayStation(R)Portable) system, and the ground-breaking PLAYSTATION(R)3 (PS3(TM)) computer entertainment system.

Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. markets the PlayStation family of products and develops, publishes, markets, and distributes software for the PS one game console, the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and the PSP system for the North American market. Based in Foster City, Calif. Sony Computer Entertainment America, Inc. serves as headquarters for all North American operations and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment
Inc.

About T-Mobile USA
Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile USA, Inc. is a member of the T-Mobile International group, one of the world's leading companies in mobile communications, and the mobile telecommunications subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom AG. At the end of December 2006, more than 106 million mobile customers were served by companies of the Deutsche Telekom group — 25 million by T-Mobile USA — all via a common technology platform based on GSM, the world's most successful digital wireless standard. T-Mobile's innovative wireless products and services help empower people to connect effortlessly to those who matter most. Multiple independent research studies continue to rank T-Mobile highest, in numerous regions throughout the U.S., in wireless call quality and wireless customer care. For more information, please visit the company's Web site at http://www.t-mobile.com. T-Mobile(R) is a federally registered trademark.

NOTE: "PlayStation", "PLAYSTATION", "PSP" "PS one" are registered trademarks and "PS3" is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Visit us on the Web at http://www.us.playstation.com.

The lovable Ewok-like Luke Smith reports that the next Ratchet & Clank Title will send Ratchet to the future. The title: Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction. Get it? Tools?

"The name Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction works on many levels. It signals a new era for the franchise, ties into the game's story, and includes one of our signature subtitle double entendres." — Brian Allgeier, design director, Insomniac Games.

The upcoming EGM will offer insight into what the tools will be up to. Brian Crecente

Next Ratchet & Clank Gets Name [1up]

But how does the experience translate to the PSP in Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters? (And doesn't the title imply it sucks?) Hit the jump for the Frankenreview: the review that sums up all the reviews, along with our 3D bar graph so you can save your reading energy for cock and fanboy jokes.

1up
"...why doesn't it feel like a Ratchet game?...Perhaps it's for technical reasons: the camera, for instance, which seems to have the hardest time doing its...Or maybe it's the awkward controls, which alter their configuration — sometimes strafing, sometimes turning... Maybe it's the level design, which fails to take either of these technical issues into...Or it could be the fairly uninspired weapon and gadget design...