Sony unleashes Ratchet: Deadlocked

Since its debut in 2002, and each November since, the Ratchet & Clank series has proven itself to be one of the more popular action platformers for the PlayStation 2. Ratchet & Clank, 2003's Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando, and 2004's Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal have all received positive reviews.

Like clockwork, Sony Computer Entertainment America today announced a new game in the franchise, Ratchet: Deadlocked. The game is being developed by Insomniac Games exclusively for the PlayStation 2 and will hit stores this fall.

In Deadlocked, furry creature Ratchet and his pal robot, Clank, are abducted by Gleeman Vox, a media executive who runs a sports reality show. The spectacle is similar to Stephen King's The Running Man, in that it pits captured warriors against foes in underground combat, much to the delight of a national audience. Vox uses Ratchet's skills to drive up the show's ratings by throwing challenge after challenge at him, and Ratchet has no choice but to fight or die.

The game will have a sports feel to it, with competitions occurring in various arenas, complete with audiences and commentators. As Ratchet progresses through the ranks, he'll be awarded with different types of weapons and armor, which have thousands of possible customization options.

Ratchet: Deadlocked will be mission-based, and gamers can play the story mode alone or cooperatively with a friend. Deadlocked also features the first instance of squad-based combat in the series, letting Ratchet command a team of bots, each with unique powers, into battle.

GameSpot will have more on Ratchet: Deadlocked as information is released.