. The fate of the universe rests in balance.Grab your crontroller and get going.
Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time begins where Quest for Booty left off. Quest for Booty, in case you missed it, is the downloadable/in stores now adventure that follows Ratchet after the events of Tools of Destruction. If you're worried about being lost, fear not: in one of its many small strokes of genius, Insomniac created a charming cutscene that plays during the very start of the game which inform all the important plot points you need to know. The cutscene takes the form of a celebrity interview with Captain Qwark and it's a great way to start things off.
Once Qwark finishes recounting his "harrowing deeds" to the camera, players are soon thrown right into the adventure. Unlike most of the other Ratchet & Clank games, the two comrades will spend most of the game apart. Ratchet is on a quest to find Clank, who was abducted by the mysterious Zoni creatures at the end of Tools of Destruction, and Clank is in the middle of his own set of challenges in an extremely intriguing environment. I don't want to give much more away, as Clank's dilema and the locales he traverses are some of Crack in Time's finest, but Ratchet is definately the star of the show.
Ratchet & Clank future: A Crack in Time offers players an incredibly enjoyable mix of platforming, puzzle-solving and 3rd person shooting . Although I'm happy Insomniac put the emphasis on the gunplay, the platforming and puzzle-based sections are equally enjoyable. Overall, Crack in Time is super-fun to play and an extremely well-polished game, so no matter what you find yourself doing, you'll likely have a good time doing it.
Ratchet, the last Lombax in existence (Or is he?!) once again travels through the galaxy with his trusty Omniwrench in hand. The wrench is used for his melee attacks and manipulating certain items in the environment, like turning gears or breaking crates. Ratchet can also use his wrench as a type of laser tether to grab onto things and pull them closer or rip the shield out of the hands on an unsuspecting Agorian. Ratchet will also come across a number of handy gadgets that are mapped to the arrow keys on the crontroller. Once found, these gadgets can be used at any time (though are required for certain moons and palnets).
However dedicated Ratchet fans know that one of the key components to a good Ratchet game is the stunning arsenal. Insomniac prides itself on making cool, creative weapons, and that's exactly what you'll find in Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time. Although there are obviously some repeats from previous games, there are a few notable additions to the line-up. One of the first that comes to mind is the Sonic Erupter, which is essentially a small alien creature attached to a gun. Pulling the trigger coaxes the creature into making its mating call, which equates to a massive, screen-clearing shockwave. This gun requires a fair amount of skill to use, as a meter on the top of the screen pulses with the breath of the alien. Pull the trigger when the meter is full and the resulting shockwave will be all the more deadly.
Another cool weapon to consider is the Tesla Spikes, which are small rods that can be placed anywhere on the ground. As you level them up, you can throw more out onto the field at once and create devastating electrical currents that will zap nearby enemies. This weapon helped me realize how fun it is to mix and match weapons during combat. First, I would summon a Mr. Zurkon onto the field to give me backup (Mr. Zurkon is a small robot that helps you out with a laser gun and some serious attitude). Then, put down some Tesla Spikes in a square pattern around Ratchet to protect him from charging enemies. After that, take out the Dynamo of Doom and send a few massive spheres of energy rolling towards the opposition. Absolutely priceless.
Of course, players that prefer a more straight-forward approach can always just equip one weapon and favor it over everything else (I have always been particularly fond of the hilariously named "Negotiator" rocket launcher). But having the ability to switch a weapon just by holding down Triangle and moving the analog stick is still great. And from your inventory menu, you can customize how these "weapon rings" are set up so all your favorites instruments of death are readily available.
When Ratchet's not exploring the story planet levels, there are plenty of other things to keep players busy . Most importantly, you can now freely explore space in your trusty ship. Thankfully, the awkwardly executed, on-rails shooter segments from Tools of Destruction are gone and replaced with much more enjoyable free missions.