Is Ratchet And Clank: Crack In Time worth a hoot?

[evil_ash_xero]

I played the demos to this, and thought it was good fun. The game is cheap now too.

I generally hate Western games, but I make exceptions time to time. I'm always halfway leaning towards a U.S. game like this. I used to play the Crash games, but they don't hold up too well. Then I played Jak 3, but the driving bits drug it down. This seems more...pure? The Pixar vibe doesn't hurt either. Though Ratchet's design is...well, it's better than Jak's.

The only thing I wondered is the whole game like the demos? The Ratchet part is fun, but I would preferred more platforming. The Clank part was pretty interesting, so I can't complain about that.

What do you guys think?

[Kaiser]

Definitely worth it, it's leagues above Tools of Destruction for a bunch of reasons.

First, the story is pretty much at it's best when it comes to the Ratchet games, worth for the ending sequence alone.
Second, the boss fights ARE a lot better and they are damn hard starting halfway through the game.
Third, there's lots of platforming and tons of fun gimmicks to use which I won't spoil.
Fourth, there's LOTS of side content including a secret boss fight (won't spoil how to unlock it), from exploring the challenge planets TO THE classic gold screw collecting, but i'm warning you, some of the puzzles in the side stuff, WILL make your brain bleed with all the thinking.

And most importantly, you can't have a ratchet game without captain Qwark which actually plays a nice major role in this game, short to say, his screentime is ALWAYS funny. And yes, the Ryno V is in this game.

[broken harbour]

Absolutely, it's one of the best games on the PS3, period.

The time puzzles are really cool, and the game has a great look as well, it's like your playing a pixar movie.

The game is also huge, easily 20+ hours.

[BrianC]

I still need to get the PS2 games. I recently picked up two of the Spyro games (the original and year of the dragon) for PS1.

[broken harbour]

I still need to get the PS2 games. I recently picked up two of the Spyro games (the original and year of the dragon) for PS1.

If you want to play the PS2 games by the HD versions for PS3.

1st game has some bad controls, series gets good in the sequel and the 3rd is just great.

[BulletMagnet]

I haven't played Crack in Time yet, but I do enjoy the "mainline" Ratchet and Clank series (not so much the more recent "pseudo-spinoff" games), so if you have any affinity for cartoon platformers or the like I'd say they're quite worth checking out.

Personally I'm most interested in the upcoming Into the Nexus, which is supposedly a return to "classic" R+C (and will apparently retail for 30 bucks); that sounds good, but I do still wonder if Insomniac can keep the old formula engaging at this point after making several efforts to abandon it, not to mention whether they plan to make an exception to their "no more 60 FPS releases" pronouncement from some time back (I guess it's not necessary, really, but a not-as-smooth Ratchet game would feel weird to me).

[broken harbour]

Insomniac called A crack In Time a 'Constant 60 FPS game" but it isn't... not by a long shot. It chugs a bit in places, not unplayable, but it definitely hits 30 FPS in some busy sections of the game.

I actually think into the nexus will be pretty good, as the last 2 games that abandoned the 'classic' formula haven't been very good.

[evil_ash_xero]

Thanks for the input guys. I'll go ahead and get it. It's only like 18 dollars.

[BrianC]

I still need to get the PS2 games. I recently picked up two of the Spyro games (the original and year of the dragon) for PS1.

If you want to play the PS2 games by the HD versions for PS3.

1st game has some bad controls, series gets good in the sequel and the 3rd is just great.

I don't have a PS3 yet, but I might do so when or if I get one. But the PS2 games are cheap enough where I wouldn't mind getting those first before getting the HD versions. I plan to get Going Commando first since I heard it's the best one on PS2.

[Vexorg]

Insomniac called A crack In Time a 'Constant 60 FPS game" but it isn't... not by a long shot. It chugs a bit in places, not unplayable, but it definitely hits 30 FPS in some busy sections of the game.

I actually think into the nexus will be pretty good, as the last 2 games that abandoned the 'classic' formula haven't been very good.

Perhaps not coincidentally, it was also their last "60 FPS" game. I recall several articles on the game blogs at the time about their rationale for switching to 30 FPS for future games, because there was just too much going on to maintain the framerate.

As for the game, I never managed to finish it, but enjoyed it reasonably well at the time. I think I liked Future Tools of Destruction a little better though.

[nem]

The only PS3 game I have a Platinum trophy for.

Fantastic game.

[Obiwanshinobi]

The first one isn't as polished, or as technically slick as Jak & Daxter, but I don't know what issue one could possibly have with the controls. Never finished the game, though, so maybe some troubles lie ahead.
All Naughty Dog and Insomniac games of the time appear to have bad animations, but you can call it Pixar for all I care.
Jak X seemed like the only one maintaining rock-steady 60 fps, but autosave glitch was a fly in the ointment.

Last but not least, I found the R&C's "humour" more palatable that J&D's. R&C wouldn't try that hard to be funny all the time. J&D was more playable in my book still, but then maybe by the time I picked up R&C, I'd grown fatigued of this brand of 3D action-adventuring (having just finished J&D1-2-3&X).
If you ask me, THE 3D platformer to be played is Rayman 2: The Great Escape (PC or DC), and THE 3D platformer of PS2 years is I-Ninja (multiplatform, also PC where you can have pretty high resolution).
Nonetheless, kudos to Insomniac for at least trying to make their game 60 fps when Naughty Dog have already given up.

[evil_ash_xero]

OK, I thought I'd chime in, since I started the thread and all.

Overall, I like it. It's fun, and turned up to "hard", is decently challenging. Good puzzles too.

Things I don't like...well, the story, while amusing, gets on my nerves with it's ambition. I just really don't care about that dude you run around with, and your family and all that crap. I just sort of hate stories in platformers, I guess. Well, kind of Pixar wannabe stories.

The other thing is that when the cinemas end, they try to keep this story going, by having characters talking to you all the time. This is a pet peev. I turned off the voices, and am enjoying it much more now.

Only other problem is that I don't like the Ratchet's design. He looks....well, he reminds me of a cheap American cartoon design. Bucky O'Hare and all that. Kind of takes me back.

But I do like it. Just thought I would break down what I didn't like.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Complaining about cheap American cartoon designs in R&C or J&D is like complaining about tank controls in Resident Evil. Your money, your decision.
For the same reason I don't even really complain about animations and stories in those games anymore. Just learned to take them with benefit of the inventory.
On a side note, neither Rayman 2: The Great Escape, nor I-Ninja are American. Just saying. The latter being by Argonaut of the original Starfox fame if that helps.

[evil_ash_xero]

Complaining about cheap American cartoon designs in R&C or J&D is like complaining about tank controls in Resident Evil. Your money, your decision.
For the same reason I don't even really complain about animations and stories in those games anymore. Just learned to take them with benefit of the inventory.
On a side note, neither Rayman 2: The Great Escape, nor I-Ninja are American. Just saying. The latter being by Argonaut of the original Starfox fame if that helps.

It's my money, but I can still say "this design is bland". But yeah, I'm glad I bought it, I like it. I just don't like a lot of the designs, although I like a lot of the general aesthetic. I've always thought American/British game designs for anthropomorphic characters was weak. Bubsy or Gex anyone? Let us not even talk about Jak's(he is kind of an animal, isn't he? hmmm) design. Well, Earthworm Jim looked cool. I think they just don't hire very good artists at these game companies. I see WAY better designs in comics.

Never played I-Ninja or Rayman 2. Rayman Origins had a very appealing art style, to me. And he had one of the most oddball designs ever, but they made it look good in that game.

[BulletMagnet]

Rayman Origins had a very appealing art style, to me. And he had one of the most oddball designs ever, but they made it look good in that game.

If you liked Origins' look definitely try the demo for Legends, IMO it's a sizable improvement in that department.

[evil_ash_xero]

Rayman Origins had a very appealing art style, to me. And he had one of the most oddball designs ever, but they made it look good in that game.

If you liked Origins' look definitely try the demo for Legends, IMO it's a sizable improvement in that department.

Yeah, it looks really good. However, those Murfy stages are lame, and the music stages are no replacement for the treasure chases.

[BrianC]

Yeah, it looks really good. However, those Murfy stages are lame.

At least you actually control Rayman during them in the single player for the 360 and PS3 versions. I only played the demos for Wii U (in store kiosk) and 360, though.

[BulletMagnet]

In case anyone's interested, I picked up Into the Nexus earlier today, and...yeah, 30 FPS. A bit of a shame, since what I've seen so far of the game contains probably my favorite art direction of the series: it's got the same overall look but somehow has more general panache, at least to my eyes anyways. The control scheme has also been changed around a bit (shooting is now exclusively on R1, circle is for gadgets), and locking onto enemies is a bit different too...I'll hafta actually read the manual at some point, heh. In any event, despite its shortcomings, for 30 bucks (not to mention a voucher for Quest for Booty) I honestly can't complain too much about it, if only because I'm glad to see another "pure" R+C game make it out the door; heck, most any "mainstream" game that takes a stand against the angrybrown empire is worth supporting in my book.

[broken harbour]

Picked up Into the Nexus today, about 3 hours in, damn it's good.

I don't mind the 30fps either, at least it's relatively constant 30fps, not the 20-60fps that A Crack in Time was, at least it's consistent. I have to agree with Bulletmagnet on the art direction, just fantastic. The music really stands out this time too.

Damn this game looks good, it almost looks next gen. Except for the 30 fps part.

[AntiFritz]

The game is also huge, easily 20+ hours.

Unlike some of the newer ones which I hear are like 5 hours long.

[broken harbour]

The game is also huge, easily 20+ hours.

Unlike some of the newer ones which I hear are like 5 hours long.

Finished Into the nexus today, it's about 8-10 hours to finish it, not long, but respectable for $30.

Won't dethrone A Crack in Time as the best in the series, but it's excellent, especially the opening and closing sequences.

[BrianC]

I read some reviews about the HD Ratchet and Clank collection and I'm not sure if I'll go for it. I heard that it has some graphics glitches and blurry textures. I did hear some of this, but not all, was fixed in a patch, though.

[broken harbour]

I thought the games looked great upres'd, I didn't notice any glitches.