Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time (PS3) review

“Have I ever told you about my son? Remarkable boy. Quite smart! He was born in a robot factory in the Solana Galaxy, but to precise, he was created much farther away. My son’s name is XJ-0461, but the universe knows him as Clank.” -Orvus

The story begins with Clank being examined by Dr. Nefarious, as he is trying to unlock the secret to the Orvus Chamber in order to rewrite history. The plan backfires, Clank wakes up, and Nefarious retreats. He finds himself in the Great Clock, located at the exact center of the universe (give or take 50 feet). He later finds a robot caretaker named Sigmund who guides him through the Great Clock as he begins to learn about his origins.

Meanwhile, after finding out where Clank was taken in Quest for Booty, Ratchet travels to the Breegus Sector to look for information on his whereabouts. Later on, while fighting against Lord Vorselon, he figures out there is another living Lombax named Alister Azimuth.

Alister Azimuth

After finding Azimuth and learning he was Ratchet’s father’s best friend, they team up to find Clank and find a way to foil Dr. Nefarious’s evil plot that could destroy the universe.

The story takes a much different approach in the narrative as it tells two separate stories that connect by end. Without giving away anything, it is great to find out more about Ratchet and Clank’s origins. Gexup even described the story as "worthy of an Academy Award if it were a movie."

As well as that, Dr. Nefarious is just as diabolical and hilarious as before. And Azimuth is a very tragic character, and once the player finds out why, they will start to feel sorry for him as well grow into him as he serves as a fatherly figure to Ratchet. I really miss Talwyn, Cronk, and Zephyr, though. Talwyn was such a loveable and caring character, despite getting kidnapped a lot, and the latter two robots are only heard in the end credits, but I can't complain too much.

Gameplay

The gameplay once again remains similar to its predecessor where it is a 3D platformer with shooting and RPG elements. Ratchet can buy weapons and armor with bolts, the main currency. He can upgrade his health and weapons with experience points after defeating enemies. Once you gain enough experience points, Ratchet’s health bar will increase, and the weapon he is using will change its appearance and become more powerful at the maximum level.

The Sonic Eruptor

One new weapon is the Sonic Eruptor, which is a frog-like Xenogote attached to a gun that can burp. Now that's awesome! Some of the devices like the Groovitron and Mr. Zurkon have now turned into weapons and can be upgraded to the maximum level.

In addition to weapons, new to series are the Constructo Weapons in which you can modify them in terms of appearances. Throughout the game, there are Constructo mods that you can collect to further modify the Constructo weapons. Unfortunately, there are only three Constructro weapons and the rest you can’t modify.

While the traditional Swingshot and Kinetic Tether from Quest For Booty are carried over, a new gadget called the Hoverboots is introduced, which allows Ratchet to get around faster. Also new to the series is a gadget quick-select in which you can equip a gadget at the touch of the D-Pad, similar to how you switch weapon mods in the Jak and Daxter series.

For the first time, you can fly around in space like a sandbox game. There, you can access small planets, reminiscent of the spherical worlds from Going Commando, and collect Constructo Mods, Gold Bolts, RYNO V Holo-Plans, and Zoni, by jumping through various platforms. Zoni are the most important collectible in the game, as collecting a certain number of them will unlock upgrades for Aphelion, Ratchet’s ship, which are important in progressing through the game. You can also interact with various characters and take part in small side-quests to earn bolts.

The gladiator battles make a return, but they’re not quite as exciting as they were in the previous games, but they’re still fun to play through regardless. You can win prizes like weapons, Zoni, Constructo mods, and Gold Bolts by completing challenges and winning each championship. In the Agorian Battleplex, there is an arcade-style, top-down shooter called My Blaster Runs Hot, which can be played by 1 or 2 players, where you shoot down waves of robots. It doesn’t contribute to the story, but it’s a fun mini-game.

Clank’s gameplay has changed big time. He is now equipped with the Chrono-Scepter, which can be used as a melee weapon like Ratchet’s wrench as well as repairing broken objects. His gameplay is more puzzle-oriented, as he goes inside rooms where he can make recordings of himself and play them back in order to perform a task. There are also time-fixing mini-games where he has to get rid of the time anomalies in certain planets. This is quite a step-up from the usual Clank gameplay from previous installments and it feels quite refreshing.

Graphics and Level Design

I think the game is even more stunning than Tools of Destruction and Quest for Booty. The level designs are vibrant and the cutscenes are a joy to watch. The beginning immediately pulls you in with its stunning imagery. In addition, when you purchase a weapon, you are given an animated cutscene that explains what the weapon does which are very amusing to watch.

Audio

The audio, especially the score is a big improvement over the previous Future titles. I really enjoyed Joey D’Auria’s performance as Azimuth, and Armin Shimerman as Dr. Nefarious is just as entertaining. One big surprise is the casting of Charles Martinet, notable as the voice of Mario, as Orvus, who is really fun to listen to.

Replacing David Bergeaud, Insomniac Games hired Boris Salchow as the composer. Salchow manages to bring a film-like and emotional feel to the series, while keeping it epic and whimsical. In addition, you can listen to the radio while flying in space and platforming in the small planets. Doesn’t that instantly remind you of listening to the radio in the Grand Theft Auto series? It took me a while to fully appreciate the score because Bergeaud didn't compose it, until I finally got to hear a lot of it on YouTube and multiple playthroughs of the game. Also, listen to the “My Blaster Runs Hot” trailer. You’re in for quite a treat.

Conclusion

Does it need more saying? Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time is a masterpiece. First of all, the gameplay felt really fresh and new while still keeping itself faithful to the series' formula. As well as that, the combat and boss fights were really exciting and satisfying as heck. My one downfall is that the weapon selection is not as great as Up Your Arsenal. Clank’s gameplay is also top-notch thanks to the new features that completely changed him. There is also a ton of replayability, with the most number of collectables in the series, Skill Points, and PSN Trophies. I even made a checklist of all things required to complete the game 100%, along with previous games in the series.

Lastly, the story is phenomenal. The developers did a really great job drawing the player in with its engaging narrative, loveable characters, and hilarious comedy. On top of that, at the time Insomniac Games intended to end the series here, they did a darn good job providing a satisfying conclusion, even if some things were left open for future installments.

I mentioned in my 12 Favorite Games of All Time list that it is my favorite game in the series. Well, with everything I just said in this review, I pretty much summed up why. Go get this game, it is well worth the money.

Fun fact: During the end credits, move the left and right analog sticks. I only recently discovered this.