Ratchet and Clank are set to make their return later this year in A Crack in Time, the final entry into the three-part series that started with Future and continued with Quest For Booty.   In this title, however, Ratchet is on the search to find Clank who has been abducted by the ancient Zonis race.  Players will finally get to understand the meaning behind the abduction and just how everything works into Dr. Nefarious’ plans.

Of course the base concept behind any Ratchet and Clank game is weapons, tons of weapons, and A Crack in Time doesn’t disappoint.  Although Insomniac has confirmed nearly twenty weapons in the full game, three new ones got shown off and tried out at E3.  The first, called a Sonic Eruptor, is actually a weird animal-like creature that got caught during mating season and emits a loud mating call when pressed that can stun and finish off enemies.  Another weapon called the Plasma Striker is a sniper rifle that when zoomed in can pinpoint weak spots on an enemy and Cryomine Grenades that can freeze enemies when they explode.  One gameplay level we saw showed Ratchet fending off some massive enemies in a rock-like canyon level using these weapons together to freeze enemies, zoom in for their weak spots, and then finish them off with a loud burp.  Hopefully the other various weapons in the game have this same sort of originality and companionship with one another as well.

Ratchet also has a new fancy set of footwear known as hover boots that allow him to whiz around the levels quickly.  Since Insomniac stated that many of the levels will be quite large, being able to move quickly might become useful in the long run.  The hover boots can also be used to fly cross long gaps, bounce off objects and be used in other various sorts of ways as well.  Ratchet will also be able to double jump, and even though Clank is no longer around to lend a helpful hand, Insomniac states that a new Lombax named Alistair will make an appearance to help out once in a while.  Could he be the mysterious character in the teaser? Only time will tell.

Of course, this wouldn’t be a Ratchet and Clank game without the little robot and Clank’s sections truly are some of the most imaginative segments yet in the entire series.  Focused around the title of the game, Clank soon learns the ability to control time and here so uses it to his advantage.  Special time pads are scattered around the levels that can record moments for up to one minute.  For example, one pad can have you record Clank stepping on a switch that raises a platform while the other pad records Clank getting on it when it reaches ground level.  After you are finished recording you simply push play and watch the events commence.  It will definitely be interesting to see how this plays out, and if more levels will utilize more than just two pads at a time.

With the first Ratchet and Clank PS3 title proving that Insomniac still has many tricks up their sleeves, it will be interesting to see how well this time-changing mechanic works in A Crack in Time.  The introduction of a new character in Alistair that helps Ratchet out might lead to a possible co-op portion of the game, but Insomniac may leave future announcements for later.  Expect Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time to hit stores this fall for the Playstation 3.

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About This Author: Josh Schwartzman

Been into gaming for as long as I can remember and have enjoyed every minute of it. I enjoy playing with everyone and anyone online and I am an avid PS3 and Xbox 360 player.

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