Tweet
Just finished Quest for Booty. Easily some of the best moments ever in the series' long history. It's a solid little package that may seem steep at $15 for anyone who's unfamiliar with the franchise, but I can assure any of you established Ratchet fans that it's well worth the price of admission.
If you enjoyed Tools of Destruction, you're in for a big treat. The controls are tightened up, they feel great. The lighting engine's got a noticeable overhaul which adds a lot more atmosphere to an already fantastic looking game. On top of that there are a ton of little improvements to character models (Ratchet's new model looks fantastic compared to the old one, and Talwyn animates much better since she's around for 90% of the ride), textures and animation that come together extremely well. I was very impressed the moment I loaded up the game. It's beautiful.
The soundtrack is also greatly improved. I hadn't been too impressed with the scoring of Resistance or Tools of Destruction, but this time there's a noticeable improvement. Though the whole game is pirate-themed and it's rather short, there's a strong amount of variety this time, something Insomniac's last two games have lacked in their musical composition. The only downside is that the selection of weapons re-used from Tools of Destruction is a little lacking, but there's a much greater emphasis on platforming rather than shooting in this one so it's not too devastating. The upgrade system is still mostly intact, allowing you a couple of level-ups on each weapon over the course of the 2-3 hour game.
Unsurprisingly, Quest for Booty is hilarious. Rusty Pete was one of my favourite new characters from Tools, and he plays a major part in the story this time. He and Ratchet both have some great dialogue, though this is a much more light-hearted game than the last one, so there aren't as many dramatic or touching moments that you might be used to from that. I heard some complaints earlier that the story wasn't advanced too far, but considering it's a PSN side-story, it does a considerable amount of progression in anticipation of the next title in the Ratchet & Clank Future saga, which arrives in Fall of 2009. It's not a traditional epic Ratchet & Clank adventure, but it's a nice little breath of fresh air as a sidestory.
And the best part? The cliffhanger ending is a HUGE fanservice to long-standing fans of the series. I can't stop smiling about it. I wish I could spoil it!
I highly recommend this if you're a fan of Ratchet & Clank. If you've never tried it before, I can't suggest it since it picks up right where Tools of Destruction left off, but if you haven't picked that up yet you're dumb and should do so now.
Comment