Number 29: Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando, Insomniac 2003
Intro:
The title screen and the opening movie set up Ratchet and Clank as sort of lazy and bored, and suddenly they are shot into action by Megacorp and Ratchet is sent to accomplish missions. The fonts, frames, and other graphics establish the game as a high-tech futuristic title, as opposed to a kid's adventure game like Spyro.
Getting Going:
It seems like the player is expected to have gone through the manual, since jumping, climbing ladders, and swinging the wrench are not explained. Everything else is explained by a voice over and a text box at the bottom of the screen, including how to skip the message in the future. The player is given two very useful weapons right from the start, allowing players of the first Ratchet and Clank to get right into the action. Controls are the same as in the previous game, and are easy to use and learn.
Fun:
The smooth and cartoony animations aren't as excessive as Jak and Daxter, but they are fun to watch and appropriate to the speed and force of the action. Insomniac's character and enemy design are wonderful, and everything moves very well. The action is rarely overwhelming, and only a little boring if you backtrack through areas where there are no longer enemies. Constantly be awarded with bolts is nice, and health was well placed. A little rumble with weapons and combat would have made the experience a little more physical. Space dogfights are a lot of fun, despite my being very out of practice.
Visuals:
Fantastic. Insomniac knows where to put those triangles. Level design was both aestheticly and viscerally pleasing. The surroundings do a good job of implying a greater space when the player is restricted to the limited playable area.
Intelligence:
Enemies aren't terribly smart, and if they run away it often seems scripted. They're simple AI makes sense in a game where you may find yourself swamped by foes, and smart enemies would get incredibly confusing (especially with a difficult camera).
Immersion:
The seemless environments are very organic and engaging, so I'm never stuck wondering "what now?" in the middle of play. The hyperdrive loading screens are a wee bit longer than I would have liked, but changing the camera angle a couple times and watching the space ship fly by is much more enjoyable and keeps the player in the game more than the word "loading." I could play this game non-stop for hours and lose all sense of time.
Cameras:
The camera is a little frustrating. The camera is pretty much under the user's control, which makes going around corners a slightly tricky proposition. A centering button is good for compensating once in a while, but more often than not the camera was at a less-than-advantageous point-of-view. At one point, it sunk behind a wall, but for the most part the camera just moves along with obstructions to keep the player's view clear. The space fighting was a little annoying, since I knew my ship was getting hit by I couldn't see where the shots were coming from.
Controls:
Very easy and intuitive. Pausing the game while the player selects weapons is a very good thing, and the interface is a very interesting approach to allowing the player to use tons of different weapons without having a whole keyboard to assign each one to and keeping from cluttering the controller with buttons to scroll through the weapons one by one.
Ideas:
This is pretty much a continuation of Ratchet and Clank, and little changes for Up Your Arsenal. The multitude of weapons is good for the diverse situations the player has to fight in, and leveling up health and weapons is great incentive for players to spend their ammo instead of conserving it. Space combat was a lot of fun, if a little confusing and twitchy.
Memory:
A fun, colorful adventure that will eat the entire afternoon, if you let it. Great for any age or skill level. Creative enemy and environment design. A step up from its already classic predecessor. Simple premise and motivation.
The title screen and the opening movie set up Ratchet and Clank as sort of lazy and bored, and suddenly they are shot into action by Megacorp and Ratchet is sent to accomplish missions. The fonts, frames, and other graphics establish the game as a high-tech futuristic title, as opposed to a kid's adventure game like Spyro.
Getting Going:
It seems like the player is expected to have gone through the manual, since jumping, climbing ladders, and swinging the wrench are not explained. Everything else is explained by a voice over and a text box at the bottom of the screen, including how to skip the message in the future. The player is given two very useful weapons right from the start, allowing players of the first Ratchet and Clank to get right into the action. Controls are the same as in the previous game, and are easy to use and learn.
Fun:
The smooth and cartoony animations aren't as excessive as Jak and Daxter, but they are fun to watch and appropriate to the speed and force of the action. Insomniac's character and enemy design are wonderful, and everything moves very well. The action is rarely overwhelming, and only a little boring if you backtrack through areas where there are no longer enemies. Constantly be awarded with bolts is nice, and health was well placed. A little rumble with weapons and combat would have made the experience a little more physical. Space dogfights are a lot of fun, despite my being very out of practice.
Visuals:
Fantastic. Insomniac knows where to put those triangles. Level design was both aestheticly and viscerally pleasing. The surroundings do a good job of implying a greater space when the player is restricted to the limited playable area.
Intelligence:
Enemies aren't terribly smart, and if they run away it often seems scripted. They're simple AI makes sense in a game where you may find yourself swamped by foes, and smart enemies would get incredibly confusing (especially with a difficult camera).
Immersion:
The seemless environments are very organic and engaging, so I'm never stuck wondering "what now?" in the middle of play. The hyperdrive loading screens are a wee bit longer than I would have liked, but changing the camera angle a couple times and watching the space ship fly by is much more enjoyable and keeps the player in the game more than the word "loading." I could play this game non-stop for hours and lose all sense of time.
Cameras:
The camera is a little frustrating. The camera is pretty much under the user's control, which makes going around corners a slightly tricky proposition. A centering button is good for compensating once in a while, but more often than not the camera was at a less-than-advantageous point-of-view. At one point, it sunk behind a wall, but for the most part the camera just moves along with obstructions to keep the player's view clear. The space fighting was a little annoying, since I knew my ship was getting hit by I couldn't see where the shots were coming from.
Controls:
Very easy and intuitive. Pausing the game while the player selects weapons is a very good thing, and the interface is a very interesting approach to allowing the player to use tons of different weapons without having a whole keyboard to assign each one to and keeping from cluttering the controller with buttons to scroll through the weapons one by one.
Ideas:
This is pretty much a continuation of Ratchet and Clank, and little changes for Up Your Arsenal. The multitude of weapons is good for the diverse situations the player has to fight in, and leveling up health and weapons is great incentive for players to spend their ammo instead of conserving it. Space combat was a lot of fun, if a little confusing and twitchy.
Memory:
A fun, colorful adventure that will eat the entire afternoon, if you let it. Great for any age or skill level. Creative enemy and environment design. A step up from its already classic predecessor. Simple premise and motivation.