Ratchet & Clank Updated Preview

The platforming genre has seen its fair share of duos throughout the years. Some, such as Mario and Luigi, Sonic and Tails, and Banjo and Kazooie, have managed to earn a place in gamers' consciousness, while others, like Bubba and Stix and Mohawk and Headphone Jack, haven't quite made the cut. The latest pair of heroes aiming for success is Insomniac's Ratchet and Clank, a furry alien and his robotic ally. We first got a look at the pair and their game earlier this year and have been keeping an eye on its development as the months have passed. We recently got our hands on previewable build of the game that has allowed us to check out some more of the game, and we're pleased to report that it's coming together nicely.

Ratchet. Alien? Dog? Alien dog? We may never know.

For those who aren't familiar with the game's story, Ratchet & Clank follows the comic platforming misadventures of Ratchet, a budding mechanic, and Clank, a robot who's on the lam from an evil race of aliens on the prowl for all things mechanical. When the pair meets, they both see that they have something to offer each other, and, in the great tradition of opportunism, they decide to work together. The unlikely pair's adventures will span a galaxy and feature plot twists and interpersonal conflict aplenty.

Folks here probably don't take too kindly to surprise visitors.

While the story is pretty much in line with what you'd expect out of a platformer, Ratchet & Clank's gameplay is a marked change from the norms of the genre. On the surface, Ratchet & Clank's gameplay has all the trappings of a platformer. You'll find platforms to jump off, boxes to smash, items to collect, huge areas to explore, and an eclectic mix of enemies to dispatch. However, that's really just one facet of the game. A major aspect of the gameplay revolves around buying gadgets, ranging from weapons to useful equipment that will let Ratchet and Clank access new areas and solve puzzles. In truth, the game is less a Mario-style platformer and more a Zelda-style action RPG. As in Link's classic adventures, you'll collect currency--in this case bolts--that you can use to purchase the aforementioned items from stores or characters you encounter in the game. As you build your gadget collection, the duo's repertoire of moves and abilities will grow. Exploring the worlds you find yourself in will reward you with infobots, small robots who provide story exposition and information on how to find new worlds in the game. The game's structure is surprisingly open-ended and offers you quite a bit of freedom in determining how to make it through a world. For example, you may find more than one infobot on a world, which gives you the option of going to one of two worlds. How you decide to tackle them is entirely up to you. If you'd like to try to plow through them, you're more than welcome to, but if you're a bit more cautious, you can also take your time and stock up on bolts and gadgets.