Insomniac delivers a Ratchet game that goes back to the roots

I have long been a fan of the Ratchet and Clank games since their birth on the PS2 and when I knew a Ratchet game was coming to the PS3 I knew I would have to pick it up....when I got a PS3.  So 400 dollars and quick run to Gamestop later I finally have a copy of Ratchet and his robotic friend for my PS3 to play in HD glory.

A brief look at the Ratchet series will explain why fans of the series, like me, are so happy its going back to its roots.  The first game in the series delievered a wonderful platformer with a cartoony look and wide array of quirky weapons.  The second game fine-tuned this and added features  and game modes galore.  By the third game Insomniac added online multiplayer and it had a more shooter-centric overall feel.  Sadly the 4th game was essentially a third person shooter that looked like a ratchet and clank game.  It was fun but it seemed that Ratchet strayed from his roots so much that it was no longer a fun platformer with quirky humor.  A PSP game also came out later that had the platformer  roots which was a nice delve for a portable game.

Nevertheless, Tools of Destruction has stayed away from the multiplayer side and, while the guns are still a huge part of the game (as they always were), guns are not the only part of ToD.  The return to the fun weapons like a tornado cannon or a gun that transforms enemies to penguins is back and the platforming is better than ever.  And even better the grind boots and ship missions are back!  Since it is a platformer theres running, jumping, puzzle-solving, and shooting to be had over the whole experience.  The game is bigger and better than ever, except the multiplayer which doesn't make a return.

The replay value is still tremendous because there is a return of omega-weapons which allows you to buy upgraded versions of your weapons on your second, third, or any time after your first play-through of the game.  There is also rareitanium which allows you to upgrade specific aspects of your weapons throughout the game as well.  The return of gold bolts and skill points also give goals for the player and theres all sorts of special things to unlock.

The gameplay itself, as I already said, involves running, jumping, bolt-collecting, and shooting.  The puzzles are fun and don't offer much challenge but are still fun to get through.  One even involves moving a ball in a circuit board with the SIX AXIS controller by tilting it.  Theres puzzles involving green goo that allows Ratchet to jump to new heights.  And its always challenging to figure out how to get a gold bolt.  The shooting is fun with the return of some old favorites like the lancer, a basic automatic gun, and a shotgun-style gun.  All the weapons have creative and funny names so its hard to remember them all.  Theres gadgets that can transform the enemy to penguins or steal health away from enemies.  Theres a flame thrower and a gun that fires blades.  Seriously there are a ton of guns in the game and your bound to find something you'll like.  The weapons and health upgrade as you shot them or get hit giving the game a rpg aspect.

The cartoony and quirky graphics of the previous games are back and shinier than ever.  Each world looks spectacular and not because of the detail but because of the colorful and cartoony look.  Some people may be turned off because the game doesn't go for intense detail but it still looks good in a quirky way and the characters look better than ever with each hair on Ratchet's face given its own detail.  Needless to say, if you thought the previous games looked good you will no doubt think this one will in all its HD glory.

The environments are so amazing and work so perfectly with the background music that enhances Ratchet's quirky adventure.  The cartoony and comic style weapon sounds are back along with the superb voice acting.  Theres comic relief just as with any Ratchet game and the story telling is, again, one of the greatest aspects of Ratchet and Clank.  The story itself isn't the greatest as it essentially starts with a bad guy going after Ratchet and on the journey Ratchet meets new people and defeats the villian with some surpirses along the way.  But the way the game goes about telling the story is creative, fun to watch, and at times down right hilarious.  The story even sets itself up for a sequal, which the R&C games haven't done before.  The sequal, or expansion, Quest for Booty was released in mid-2008 for those interested.

If your a fan of the series you've probably already bought this if you have a PS3, but if your not I'll encourgage you to give it a try as you can find it for about 30 bucks used at Gamestop.  Its a fun adventure and at a relatively cheap price its certainly worth it despite its age.  No matter what your age is your bound to enjoy this experience!