Author Topic: The Ratchet review and EB impressions thread (Read 5947 times)

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #60 on:** October 30, 2009, 12:36:02 AM »

LOL. Fanboy meltdown over at GAF.

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BioShock would look great in 60, Uncharted 2 will not. That's why I said it depends on the game. You think using your little Internet emoticons will make you look like you have even 1/3 of a brain?

Gotta love when distinguished mentally-challenged fellows think they know something.

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Games like Uncharted 2 are NOT. Imagine UC2 running at that framerate. Would look weird as hell.

AdmiralViscen · « **Reply #61 on:** October 30, 2009, 12:38:11 AM »

I like the Clank minigame with the globes.

Also, the weapon level ups are all boring. I miss Going Commando where a lava stream gun would suddenly start shooting out asteroids and shit.

duckman2000 · « **Reply #62 on:** October 30, 2009, 12:38:14 AM »

Uncharted 2 is pretty much the only game I've played in the past couple of years where I didn't think about framerate at all.

Quote from: AdmiralViscen on October 30, 2009, 12:38:11 AM

I like the Clank minigame with the globes.

Also, the weapon level ups are all boring. I miss Going Commando where a lava stream gun would suddenly start shooting out asteroids and shit.

That's not only a good thing, in my opinion. Back then, I wished that there was a way to freeze the upgrades, as some of the max upgrades felt inferior (like the lava gun, I hated the asteroid stuff) or just plain boring (like the RYNO going from an insane rocket launcher to a white flash and instantly incinerated enemies).

Crushed · « **Reply #63 on:** October 30, 2009, 12:38:18 AM »

I seriously don't understand why a great-looking game that runs at 30fps is suddenly causing all Sony fanboys to think that 60fps is some kind of devil.

duckman2000 · « **Reply #64 on:** October 30, 2009, 12:41:03 AM »

Quote from: Crushed on October 30, 2009, 12:38:18 AM

I seriously don't understand why a great-looking game that runs at 30fps is suddenly causing all Sony fanboys to think that 60fps is some kind of devil.

Eh, really? I haven't read the thread, but I'm going to guess that they are trying to defend the latest move by a Sony-linked studio. Standard fanboy stuff.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #65 on:** October 30, 2009, 12:41:55 AM »

Quote from: duckman2000 on October 30, 2009, 12:38:14 AM

Uncharted 2 is pretty much the only game I've played in the past couple of years where I didn't think about framerate at all.

That's a perfectly fine attitude. I accept GTA running at the frame rate it does because its an open world. There are always trade-offs with a closed box machine. As a primary console gamer I'm fine with that. But that dude is such a fanboy he can't even tolerate the idea that Uncharted 2 or the PS3 could be improved in any way. It has to be perfect in his mind.

duckman2000 · « **Reply #66 on:** October 30, 2009, 12:44:03 AM »

Well, I wouldn't mind if it it ran at a higher framerate and had greater AF either so I definitely don't get the argument that it would look weird, it just never struck me as an issue either way. That game never felt compromised by its platform, which is really fucking rare.

Stoney Mason · « **Reply #67 on:** October 30, 2009, 12:50:02 AM »

Quote from: duckman2000 on October 30, 2009, 12:44:03 AM

Well, I wouldn't mind if it it ran at a higher framerate and had greater AF either so I definitely don't get the argument that it would look weird, it just never struck me as an issue either way. That game never felt compromised by its platform, which is really fucking rare.

To me it's all about compromise and tradeoffs and what fans of a series expect. Uncharted has never been 60fps and nobody expects it to be. There are series however that stake their claim on being 60fps. Forza, Gran Turismo, COD, etc. If those games suddenly stopped being 60 then the established fans of those series would probably be upset because they have grown use to the smoothness that 60 fps games bring to the table. 60 fps games generally look not as great as they could theoretically if they ran at 30 but it's a choice by the dev to concentrate on what they think is important. If COD didn't run at 60 I wouldn't like that series as much.

The problem isn't with Insomniac necessarily outside of the fact maybe that they are changing course in an established series (which is what it is. Devs change their priorities all the time. Get over it.) The problem is with insane fanboys who can't understand basic facts.

cool breeze · « **Reply #68 on:** October 30, 2009, 02:35:05 AM »

Quote from: AdmiralViscen on October 30, 2009, 12:38:11 AM

I like the Clank minigame with the globes.

Also, the weapon level ups are all boring. I miss Going Commando where a lava stream gun would suddenly start shooting out asteroids and shit.

I started off feeling the same way about the weapons, but a few of them do change (not radically like in older games) at Lvl 5. It still was pretty weak. I remember upgrading the burping gun and it just went from a orange/red beast to a blue one.

maxy · « **Reply #69 on:** October 30, 2009, 05:35:12 AM »

Quote from: Joe Molotov® EDGE™ on October 30, 2009, 12:20:48 AM

Quote from: pilonv1 on October 29, 2009, 09:16:08 PM
Quote from: Sho Nuff on October 28, 2009, 10:07:38 PM
I thought the first one on PS3 looked amazing, but I'm a sucker for 60fps.

sorry that boat has sailed

http://www.insomniacgames.com/blogcast/blog/mike_acton/1503082

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a drop in framerate is interestingly seen by some players as a reward for creating or forcing a complex setup in which a lot of things must happen on the screen at once. As in, “Damn! Did you see that? That was crazy!”

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There is virtually no advantage in sales or reviews of a 60 fps game versus a 30 fps game.

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Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time will probably be Insomniac’s last 60fps game.

PS3

There is a mission in Gay Tony that is just suited for people that write crap like that,hopefully someone takes Insomniac on that ride.

AdmiralViscen · « **Reply #70 on:** October 30, 2009, 10:15:47 AM »

Quote from: duckman2000 on October 30, 2009, 12:38:14 AM

Uncharted 2 is pretty much the only game I've played in the past couple of years where I didn't think about framerate at all.

Quote from: AdmiralViscen on October 30, 2009, 12:38:11 AM
I like the Clank minigame with the globes.

Also, the weapon level ups are all boring. I miss Going Commando where a lava stream gun would suddenly start shooting out asteroids and shit.

That's not only a good thing, in my opinion. Back then, I wished that there was a way to freeze the upgrades, as some of the max upgrades felt inferior (like the lava gun, I hated the asteroid stuff) or just plain boring (like the RYNO going from an insane rocket launcher to a white flash and instantly incinerated enemies).

Actually yea, I preferred the lava stream too lol. But at least it wasn't just MORE RANGE, MORE DAMAGE!

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I started off feeling the same way about the weapons, but a few of them do change (not radically like in older games) at Lvl 5. It still was pretty weak. I remember upgrading the burping gun and it just went from a orange/red beast to a blue one.

The burping gun is a perfect example. It's one thing if your lame pistol and your little grenade thrower have simple upgrades (especially since they get pretty cool mods that give me the drastic changes I want). But you can't come up with something cool for the burp thing? How about it spews out chunks of goo that stick to the ground and blow up or something, or slow down enemies?

cool breeze · « **Reply #71 on:** October 30, 2009, 12:34:42 PM »

I was actually expecting the ability to belch for a long time instead of just one blast. It's kinda funny that the weapons with the most potential are the ones that don't change. Even the new Ryno doesn't change at all.

duckman2000 · « **Reply #72 on:** October 30, 2009, 12:36:56 PM »

Oh, they don't change at all? I didn't know that. I think I'm getting the game in the mail today.

edit: lulz, no. Fucking Gamefly is so shit.

cool breeze · « **Reply #73 on:** October 30, 2009, 12:44:39 PM »

Some of them change. Like the rocket launcher becomes a triple rocket launcher, the buzz blades become exploding buzz blades, the sniper rifle becomes an armor piercing sniper rifle, etc. Nothing radical where one gun becomes something else. And some don't change at all.

The best path would have been the ability to customize all your guns, and as you level up the weapon, you unlock upgraded parts that way. Then you can choose how you want them to fire. As it is, the pistol, shotgun and grenade can be changed into different weapons. For example, the options for the pistol are:

ammo type: regular shots, laser or giant bursts
shooting style: regular, charge shot, rapid fire
added effect: fire, explosive, stun

Things like that. But only those three weapons in the game can be customized.

Kestastrophe · « **Reply #74 on:** October 30, 2009, 02:58:32 PM »

I wanted to try out the demo on PSN and I see there are two 2.4GB demos for the game. I queued them up and started the download then went to the gym. Over two hours later and one of the demos is at 3%. SCRATCH MY FUCKING HEAD. I would have loved to try out the game, but two 2.4 GB demos? By comparison, the entire mammoth game of Borderlands is only a 3GB install on my 360

cool breeze · « **Reply #75 on:** October 30, 2009, 03:01:19 PM »

PS3 demos are getting huge these days. Before I deleted the MAG beta, it was 5 or 6+ gigs. Ratchet demo was 2.5+ gigs and GoW3 is 2.5+ gigs. I'm glad my internet isn't too shabby and these things download in about 20-30 minutes, but it's pretty ridiculous. Install times are also 5-10 minutes.

Snuflupagulus · « **Reply #76 on:** October 30, 2009, 07:34:36 PM »

If you survived the N64 days, framerates schmamerates. All I want is locked and vsynced; not to have gyrations like Infamous (looking at water is 60, everything else...alot less) or the tearing in the original Uncharted. If it's 15, 30, 60, don't care. Keep it locked, keep it synced. All I ask.

This is one of the better Ratchet games, even if they took the route of Resistance 2 and made the weapons less memorable. Haven't finished so maybe my disco ball is coming later? Just got the hoverboots, not a whole lot of Clank so far.

Quote from: Crushed on October 30, 2009, 12:38:18 AM

I seriously don't understand why a great-looking game that runs at 30fps is suddenly causing all Sony fanboys to think that 60fps is some kind of devil.

The only concession I'll give to their belated rationalization is that God of War games would probably play differently at 30, but not create the ocular trauma they do at 60. GoW games are like watching a 2 year-old attempt origami. Riiiipppppp!!!

duckman2000 · « **Reply #77 on:** October 30, 2009, 07:38:32 PM »

In their defense, the reworked rift inducer is probably the coolest "new" weapon in a Ratchet game since the Agents of Doom back in the day.

duckman2000 · « **Reply #78 on:** October 31, 2009, 03:30:38 AM »

Finally got around to playing the demo, and it was alright. I love the new "toon" shading, effects seem to have generally been improved and Insomniac still does robots better than anyone, but the mission itself was just alright. Didn't help that it finished with a dull "use the fixed canon to shoot down slow moving ships" segment.

AdmiralViscen · « **Reply #79 on:** October 31, 2009, 10:16:03 AM »

The toon shading sometimes sucks - it makes big enemies and characters like Qwark look like shit in cutscenes.

I'm probably 4 hours in and I've only had one fixed gun segment, and it was in the battle arena place. I've been to 5 or 6 planets as Ratchet I think. Haven't tried the demo.

AdmiralViscen · « **Reply #80 on:** October 31, 2009, 11:51:14 AM »

I just had a glitch in a mission where I had to kill 5 dudes to progress. One of the guys was completely invisible, I had to just blindly throw grenades and other area-effect weapons until he died.

duckman2000 · « **Reply #81 on:** October 31, 2009, 04:02:04 PM »

Yeah, the toon look is a bit hit and miss, but it's been mostly a positive so far; works really well with more earthy colors. There's also a serious difference in overall visual quality between the Ratchet and the Clank portions, with the former generally looking real good. Liking the game so far.

Junpei the Tracer! · « **Reply #82 on:** October 31, 2009, 08:16:50 PM »

I didn't know the Magus Sisters were in this game.

Good stuff so far though.

duckman2000 · « **Reply #83 on:** October 31, 2009, 11:47:16 PM »

Eh, now at the demo level. Not looking forward to this. Also not looking forward to another "space exploration." Whoever compared this to the Zelda TWW sailing bit is an idiot. On the upside, the new Hard mode does feel a bit more challenging, but only in terms of straight up damage tolerance and dealing. And the time puzzles are already pretty challenging, good stuff.

fistfulofmetal · « **Reply #84 on:** October 31, 2009, 11:57:53 PM »

i think my game is glitches. i'm on the second Clank subconscious training level and it won't let me do the action it's telling me to do. I follow the steps it says and it appears to begin the animation but then immediately ends it. i know i'm doing what it's telling me to do, so i dunno wtf is going on.

duckman2000 · « **Reply #85 on:** November 01, 2009, 03:08:41 AM »

I think I screwed up by being stingy with my bolts. I'm on the Axiom City boss, and I'm getting murdered in the last stage. Either I chose the wrong weapons to focus on, or Hard difficulty can eat shit and die.

fistfulofmetal · « **Reply #86 on:** November 01, 2009, 09:00:34 PM »

just beat it. great game. would play again

9/10

Third · « **Reply #87 on:** November 02, 2009, 08:37:29 AM »

Still waiting for my copy. Release date is nov 6 :'(

duckman2000 · « **Reply #88 on:** November 02, 2009, 09:09:26 AM »

Stupid shit game bugged out on me, on the (first?) Valkyrie fight. I got the ship bar down to zero, but it got stuck there. Tried to fire at the ship, or hail it, but nothing worked. Tried reloading the save and going through the fight again, and the same shit happens. And that's my only save for the last 3 hours.

duckman2000 · « **Reply #89 on:** November 03, 2009, 10:57:35 AM »

Do the puzzles change in difficulty depending on the difficulty setting? I've only had to skip one, and that was mostly because I couldn't be bothered to even try solving that puzzle.

Think I'm nearing the end of the game, the game has definitely grown on me. Love the Valkyrie warriors and their diva battle walk.

Junpei the Tracer! · « **Reply #90 on:** November 03, 2009, 11:22:19 AM »

Using the Magnet Launcher on the Valkyries is great especially if their in flight. Beat the game, really nice stuff.

duckman2000 · « **Reply #91 on:** November 03, 2009, 11:45:36 AM »

I think the only real failure of the new toon look is the Captain Quark thing that Viscen mentioned, although maybe it makes the Clank sections feel a bit too plain. Generally, I think it's a real good change as most of the environments go for that dusty look.

Also, playing this makes me wonder how in the hell they managed to make the creatures in Resistance look so plain and boring. The Ratchet games always had great looking creatures, and this one is the best of the lot. If they could get the "realism" stick out of their asses and just transplant some of these designs into an FPS setting, I could probably get excited about another Resistance.

AdmiralViscen · « **Reply #92 on:** November 03, 2009, 06:00:02 PM »

Word.

I'm becoming less enamored with the game now that I realize that there are only like 8 planets across 4 solar systems. Bummer.

duckman2000 · « **Reply #93 on:** November 04, 2009, 02:01:41 PM »

Finished the game last night, pretty happy with it even if it felt like they are running a bit dry on environments. Overall, I'd put it somewhere between Going Commando and Up Your Arsenal. Rift Inducer kicks plenty of ass.

Also, the game stood the typical test of a good Ratchet game, in that I started up a second run immediately after finishing it. Not looking forward to the planet cleansing mini-games, though.

duckman2000 · « **Reply #94 on:** November 04, 2009, 02:18:14 PM »

Quote from: Borys on November 04, 2009, 02:10:32 PM

Resistance is a gritty and mature franchise what with humans dying to Chimera and all that. Ratchet games are basically kids games like Viva Pinata, Mario, Spyro etc. Making their flagship FPS less gritty and more kiddy would be suicide methinks.

A nice medium would be better, and would put their real talents to good use. There were hints of it in Resistance, with creatures like the Widowmaker, but something like the Hydra in the new Ratchet is more brutal than the shit they put in their Resistance games. Insomniac held back when developing the Resistance games, and it was to the detriment of the games. At its core, a Ratchet game has more in common with Halo than it does Spyro or Mario, so it's not awfully hard to imagine a middle point between Ratchet and Call of Duty with Aliens.

cool breeze · « **Reply #95 on:** November 04, 2009, 06:08:40 PM »

Basically make Resistance 3 Timesplitters 4

duckman2000 · « **Reply #96 on:** November 04, 2009, 09:33:55 PM »

I don't know if they would need to go that far, but yeah. I'd preferred it if they erred on the side of the excessively fantastic.

AdmiralViscen · « **Reply #97 on:** November 06, 2009, 07:46:16 PM »

The last boss sucks my balls.

duckman2000 · « **Reply #98 on:** November 06, 2009, 08:07:56 PM »

Can't say I liked any of the bosses here. Least of all the Valkyrie shit, so damned boring.

AdmiralViscen · « **Reply #99 on:** November 06, 2009, 08:11:15 PM »

Yea, this is another mixed bag of a Ratchet game. By the end of it I think I liked ToD more.

cool breeze · « **Reply #100 on:** November 06, 2009, 08:23:31 PM »

The bosses were really dull, and the a lot of the game felt like it was less than previous games (planets, arena, weapons, etc) but I still think it is probably the best one because I don't have anything I really dislike about it.

duckman2000 · « **Reply #101 on:** November 06, 2009, 08:33:09 PM »

It's well designed, but I'm not sure if I'm liking this whole origins take on Ratchet, and Clank. Going Commando had the best premise; use crazy weapons and hop from planet to planet to save the universe from a furry menace. I like the sphere world stuff here, though.

cool breeze · « **Reply #102 on:** November 06, 2009, 08:41:48 PM »

I actually think they should remove most of the story and structure to the game and almost, maybe, give it a bit of a loot game vibe to it. If they want to interject comedy, do it on a smaller mission to mission scale. I liked the idea of progression in the game involving upgrading a part of your ship to pass an obstacle, but the game ruins that by making you still complete the story.

And bring back multiplayer, preferably co-op.

AdmiralViscen · « **Reply #103 on:** November 06, 2009, 08:48:53 PM »

Why was this called the last Ratchet game? The ending is a set-up if I've ever seen one.

duckman2000 · « **Reply #104 on:** November 06, 2009, 08:50:36 PM »

I was just about to post something about that. Definitive conclusion my ass, it's a new adventure set up right there.

Junpei the Tracer! · « **Reply #105 on:** November 06, 2009, 10:20:13 PM »

Quote from: swaggaz on November 06, 2009, 08:23:31 PM

The bosses were really dull, and the a lot of the game felt like it was less than previous games (planets, arena, weapons, etc) but I still think it is probably the best one because I don't have anything I really dislike about it.

I thought bosses were fine but that Nefarious one stood out.

AdmiralViscen · « **Reply #106 on:** November 07, 2009, 09:53:36 AM »

is there really no way to warp to ship? Why does this game have way fewer taxi cabs and warps than any other Ratchet? Why is this stupid planet I'm on the only one that seems to have a checkpoint that persists when you reset the game? Why is it also the only planet where all the enemies and puzzles are reactivated and is turning a quick romp for a holo plan into a half hour ordeal? And now I can't just press start and just go back to space, I have to finish the whole fucking second half of it? Fuck this game.

Also why doesn't the game pause when you hit the home button.

duckman2000 · « **Reply #107 on:** November 07, 2009, 10:44:21 AM »

Yeah well, at least you didn't run into a corrupt save, forcing you to replay the planet cleaning chapter, with puzzles, and the first valkyrie fight.

Honestly though, I think my disappointment has more to do with Uncharted 2 than it does with the game itself. Looking at what Naughty Dog managed to churn in the same time frame, I want to see Insomniac do the same. I know the studios aren't in the exact same position; Naughty Dog is first party proper and only has one franchise to deal with, but it's still disappointing.

AdmiralViscen · « **Reply #108 on:** November 07, 2009, 10:48:26 AM »

Yes it is.

I did manage to crawl through that stage and get my last couple of Zoni and RYNO parts. So I go to Vorselon's ship and apparently I have to just fight the exact same room of the exact same enemies, twice, with no extra ammo in order to continue. So fuck that.

I thought this was among the best Ratchet games int he first half but then they run out of planets and just turn to pathetic repetition.

Also my PS3 battery died and for some reason you can't recharge from 0 using a laptop's USB port. So I plugged it into the PS3 for a like 10 minutes, but when I unplug it it still just keeps blinking. How do people use this as their go-to console?

Third · « **Reply #109 on:** November 07, 2009, 10:55:25 AM »

My copy stil hastn't arrived. Fuck, I wanted to play this today since I'm not going out this weekend. $:-\$

duckman2000 · « **Reply #110 on:** November 07, 2009, 11:00:39 AM »

Quote from: AdmiralViscen on November 07, 2009, 10:48:26 AM

Also my PS3 battery died and for some reason you can't recharge from 0 using a laptop's USB port. So I plugged it into the PS3 for a like 10 minutes, but when I unplug it it still just keeps blinking. How do people use this as their go-to console?

Batteries last a long time in the BD remote.

AdmiralViscen · « **Reply #111 on:** November 07, 2009, 11:16:17 AM »

Quote from: duckman2000 on November 07, 2009, 11:00:39 AM

Quote from: AdmiralViscen on November 07, 2009, 10:48:26 AM
Also my PS3 battery died and for some reason you can't recharge from 0 using a laptop's USB port. So I plugged it into the PS3 for a like 10 minutes, but when I unplug it it still just keeps blinking. How do people use this as their go-to console?

Batteries last a long time in the BD remote.

true

duckman2000 · « **Reply #112 on:** November 07, 2009, 11:32:26 AM »

As for the repetition, I think that's just inevitable at this point. TOD was definitely the better game in that regard, but in fairness to this game, each environments seem to have a lot more paths. Not sure if that's what I want from a Ratchet, though. New sci-fi franchise, please.

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Author Topic: The Ratchet review and EB impressions thread (Read 5947 times)