• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Ratchet & Clank Full Frontal Assault |OT| The Skinemax of MOBAs

Why was it necessary to have "phases"? I'm not even a big fan of this style of gameplay, and that seems like an odd design choice which could limit depth.
 

Mesoian

Member
Why was it necessary to have "phases"? I'm not even a big fan of this style of gameplay, and that seems like an odd design choice which could limit depth.

If I had to guess, it would be due to the fact that, without complete control of the board at all times, the RTS nature of the game falls through when taken through the eyes of a 3rd person shooter. If you had the ability to summon mobs at any time, there would be little to no personal interaction due to the bolt collection you get from killing enemy waves. When you take that and stack the idea of weapon collecting and resource deprivation, there would be no way to manage it all from a strictly one hero unit position. And the moment you move away from the that 1 hero unit position, the game is immediately not rachet and clank.

The game is already super fast pace with the phases, all the phases do is change the objective of the moment. As for limiting depth, I'd think the wellspring is pretty much limited in order to keep games limited to time. The ideal scope for a match seems to be 15-20 minutes. Any longer and things get nuts, with possible herzog zwei stalemate implications.
 

jstevenson

Sailor Stevenson
If I had to guess, it would be due to the fact that, without complete control of the board at all times, the RTS nature of the game falls through when taken through the eyes of a 3rd person shooter. If you had the ability to summon mobs at any time, there would be little to no personal interaction due to the bolt collection you get from killing enemy waves. When you take that and stack the idea of weapon collecting and resource deprivation, there would be no way to manage it all from a strictly one hero unit position. And the moment you move away from the that 1 hero unit position, the game is immediately not rachet and clank.

The game is already super fast pace with the phases, all the phases do is change the objective of the moment. As for limiting depth, I'd think the wellspring is pretty much limited in order to keep games limited to time. The ideal scope for a match seems to be 15-20 minutes. Any longer and things get nuts, with possible herzog zwei stalemate implications.

we've done even more since the beta to wipe out the stalemate possibility.
 

8byte

Banned
Can't wait to pick up my copy @ Open tomorrow (Best Buy). I'll still probably get a digital copy whenever it hits the PS Store. Stinks that Sony isn't doing a midnight release like they did for All-Stars.
 

Mesoian

Member
Can't wait to pick up my copy @ Open tomorrow (Best Buy). I'll still probably get a digital copy whenever it hits the PS Store. Stinks that Sony isn't doing a midnight release like they did for All-Stars.

In the grand scheme of things, It's just lower priority for Sony.

I'm super jazzed about this game, but I think it's gonna take some serious word of mouth to get this game the traction it deserves. I hope Insomniac sent giantbomb a copy.

Edit: I didn't know what Skinemax was before now. That was amazing.
 

8byte

Banned
In the grand scheme of things, It's just lower priority for Sony.

I'm super jazzed about this game, but I think it's gonna take some serious word of mouth to get this game the traction it deserves. I hope Insomniac sent giantbomb a copy.

Edit: I didn't know what Skinemax was before now. That was amazing.

Thanks, haha. I spent a long time just trying to name the OT.

I just can't imagine it's that hard to release something digitally at a certain time. Seems silly to NOT do it.
 

Imbarkus

As Sartre noted in his contemplation on Hell in No Exit, the true horror is other members.
Is this getting a physical, disk-based release in Europe?
 

Imbarkus

As Sartre noted in his contemplation on Hell in No Exit, the true horror is other members.
yup. It's called Q-Force there. It releases over the next few days ending with UK on Friday.

Already out in Germany, actually, since last week.

Thanks mate. Time to import again.

Fuck this digital North America thing.
 
I'd like to support this just to promote crossbuy, but I'm not sure if I'm into the rts/strategy side of it. never been a big fan of it personally.
 

jstevenson

Sailor Stevenson
I'd like to support this just to promote crossbuy, but I'm not sure if I'm into the rts/strategy side of it. never been a big fan of it personally.

it's an action game, fast pace, lots of shooting, just with, what I think, is a killer strategy layer built into it that adds a lot of depth.

download the trial tomorrow. If you like it, pay the 20 bucks and unlock!
 

8byte

Banned
I believe NA is getting a disc release as well this time

Correct me if I'm wrong, jstevenson. Or uh, anybody.

You are correct! Disc based release tomorrow!

I'd like to support this just to promote crossbuy, but I'm not sure if I'm into the rts/strategy side of it. never been a big fan of it personally.

It's not really heavy on RTS/Strategy. Unless you're trying to be ultra competitive, you won't have a problem. It's really straight forward. Think of it as MOBA "lite" (hence the "Skinemax of MOBAs"). Try the demo, see if you dig it!
 

Lombax

Banned
Claiming this one if that is cool:
TG1CO.jpg


Also a question because I do not own a ps3 or vita [yet]. Will I be able to buy the Vita version from the console itself or can i only access the shop from the ps3 proper?

Thanks.
 

8byte

Banned

Sounds like, per usual, he doesn't understand the mechanics, had to rush his review, and wasn't pleased with his situation. Also: Since when was a 3rd person MOBA/Towerdefense hybrid a "trend"? loleurogamer


Claiming this one if that is cool:
TG1CO.jpg


Also a question because I do not own a ps3 or vita [yet]. Will I be able to buy the Vita version from the console itself or can i only access the shop from the ps3 proper?

Thanks.

You will be able to get the Vita version from the console when it releases in January (target date).

Edit: Added some reviews to the OP, will update as necessary.
 
Amazon just shipped my copy today. Haven't played a Ratchet game in ages but seeing him in All Stars made me want to. Picked up the Ratchet HD collection well during this weekend's sales for $15.
 

Mesoian

Member

I don't disagree with the future aims of where Rachet and Clank needs to be, and I do believe that we should get full single player focused titles that resemble the original games. But at the same time, it feels like the review gets lost in explaining what he wishes it was, not what it really is. I remember a lot of similar reviews with Deadlocked, people lamenting that it wasn't another strictly single player platformer and instead was an offline multiplayer deathmatch hub (unless you were one of the 100 people who actually owned the PS2 network adaptor).

There's plenty of room for games like these that break the mold from what the major titled games were. If they keep making that same game over and over, people would complain that they're milking a formula to death.

I dunno, with games like this especially, complaints that the giant mobs take too long to kill make little sense since they're supposed to be difficult, and it's made a lot quicker if you have the right tools and weaponry.

Maybe it's not contextualized, I'll find out tonight when I dive into the campaign, but it feels like people's expectations are misaligned, and that's causing a lot of disappointment.
 
I don't disagree with the future aims of where Rachet and Clank needs to be, and I do believe that we should get full single player focused titles that resemble the original games. But at the same time, it feels like the review gets lost in explaining what he wishes it was, not what it really is. I remember a lot of similar reviews with Deadlocked, people lamenting that it wasn't another strictly single player platformer and instead was an offline multiplayer deathmatch hub (unless you were one of the 100 people who actually owned the PS2 network adaptor).

There's plenty of room for games like these that break the mold from what the major titled games were. If they keep making that same game over and over, people would complain that they're milking a formula to death.

I dunno, with games like this especially, complaints that the giant mobs take too long to kill make little sense since they're supposed to be difficult, and it's made a lot quicker if you have the right tools and weaponry.

Maybe it's not contextualized, I'll find out tonight when I dive into the campaign, but it feels like people's expectations are misaligned, and that's causing a lot of disappointment.

You're right, and I agree overall, but I think the concern has not just been the change in the way Ratchet is presented but the overall quality control. I mean the general consensus with All 4 One was not that it was a problem that it broke the mold, but rather that it wasn't up to series high bar of quality. It pains me to say it - Resistance 1, 3, and Tools of Destruction are some of my fave games of the gen - but Insomniac's QC on it's major series can waiver significantly between entries, and it's really something they need to get on top of. It doesn't seem to be helping by issuing smaller digestible entries.

We'll see though - if this does well, I'd be happy to pick it up.
 

jstevenson

Sailor Stevenson
You're right, and I agree overall, but I think the concern has not just been the change in the way Ratchet is presented but the overall quality control. I mean the general consensus with All 4 One was not that it was a problem that it broke the mold, but rather that it wasn't up to series high bar of quality. It pains me to say it - Resistance 1, 3, and Tools of Destruction are some of my fave games of the gen - but Insomniac's QC on it's major series can waiver significantly between entries, and it's really something they need to get on top of. It doesn't seem to be helping by issuing smaller digestible entries.

We'll see though - if this does well, I'd be happy to pick it up.

Personally I think A41 is super high-quality, but maybe it was such a departure from Ratchet. I thought the production values were there for sure and the game was fun, though I understand the problems some people had.

Regardless, I don't think it was a quality control issue as much as it was a first-time four-player co-op game thing. If we made another one like that, the learnings from game one would be immense.

Regardless, I think RFOM/2/3 and TOD/Q4B/ACIT/FFA all show our trademark qualities and are great games. Even if you decide to cast A41 into a "low quality bin" it's not a trend beyond it being our most recent full-priced release.
 
Personally I think A41 is super high-quality, but maybe it was such a departure from Ratchet. I thought the production values were there for sure and the game was fun, though I understand the problems some people had.

Regardless, I don't think it was a quality control issue as much as it was a first-time four-player co-op game thing. If we made another one like that, the learnings from game one would be immense.

Regardless, I think RFOM/2/3 and TOD/Q4B/ACIT/FFA all show our trademark qualities and are great games. Even if you decide to cast A41 into a "low quality bin" it's not a trend beyond it being our most recent full-priced release.

James, no one with half a brain would accuse an Insomniac title of being "low quality." Even Resistance 2, which I definitely feel is the weakest insomniac title released this gen, was still a pretty good game. It's just that the "high bar of quality," which was the phrase I used, that you guys have set for yourselves doesn't always get met with all your releases, which as a huge insomniac fan is disappointing because it just fuels detractors and makes it less likely people will have the chance to "get" what makes the company and it's games so special.

As I say, I have no idea how this one's going to play until I try it, and I'm super stoked to have more ratchet to play. I'm just disappointed to see some early reviews from sources that I trust aren't feelin' it, and concerned that their comments speak towards a potentially larger trend with the series, and developer, as a whole.
 

krae_man

Member
Personally I think A41 is super high-quality, but maybe it was such a departure from Ratchet. I thought the production values were there for sure and the game was fun, though I understand the problems some people had.

Regardless, I don't think it was a quality control issue as much as it was a first-time four-player co-op game thing. If we made another one like that, the learnings from game one would be immense.

Regardless, I think RFOM/2/3 and TOD/Q4B/ACIT/FFA all show our trademark qualities and are great games. Even if you decide to cast A41 into a "low quality bin" it's not a trend beyond it being our most recent full-priced release.


Come on man, you shipped a broken game that needed a day one patch that didn't even fix all the bugs. You can't call that high quality.

Edit: Regarding the Eurogamer review. I agree with the "bolts and ammo are too limiting" point. I'd get an inch further from my base and get a few hundred more bolts only to have to return and defend my base again.
 
yup. It's called Q-Force there. It releases over the next few days ending with UK on Friday.

Already out in Germany, actually, since last week.


What?? Looked on amazon.de every now and then and never saw the game on there. Asked at a bigger retailer here in Germany and they couldn't tell me when they will get the game. Huh. Weird.
 

Gadirok

Member
When I played the beta I was completely turned off. I felt that it was going in a different direction than what the mainline series does and I thought that All-4-one was actually a decent departure. The thing about All-4-one was that it was actually fun for the first playthrough but mindlessly repetitive. Eventually everything started to get to me, the music, the level design. It was just strange. I imagine All-4-one could have been a lot better if the camera was switched to the traditional 3D platforming behind for R&C games.

This though, the OP summed it up. I went in expecting a Tower Defense Ratchet only to realize it played more like a third person shooter MOBA and suddenly I came out bitter.

I'm still getting this, if only for the single player campaign (if there is one) and co-op, but my personal preference is that MOBAs are a terrible genre of gaming. I couldn't stand LoL despite playing it for months. I couldn't see the appeal in it with my friends and I saw the same thing when I tried out the beta for this.

That being said, $20 for a Ratchet and Clank title is a steal and its worth taking. I have been caught up in PSASBR though, so it might have to wait a few weeks.

I was hoping for another 3D platforming release though, because they have become a dime a dozen and the only thing to look forward to at this point is sly 4, and who knows how thats going to turn out.
 

Concept17

Member
How about releasing a game with a huge SP portion again but with a small tacked on MP portion instead if you really HAVE to include that Insomniac?

We never asked for this :(

Nah, the big singleplayer Ratchets are getting old, good as CiT may have been, I don't care for a new one anytime soon.
 

Gadirok

Member
Nah, the big singleplayer Ratchets are getting old, good as CiT may have been, I don't care for a new one anytime soon.

The last one came out in 2009. Its been 3 years. As long as they keep bring out new features and unique things to fiddle around with it could be good.

They certainly haven't been getting old.

A Fully fledged Ratchet and Clank on the PS Vita would do wonders though if they can make use of the hardware. It would be incredible to have a gimmicky weapon or two in there that use the touch pads of the vita.
 

wouwie

Member
Going to try out the demo tomorrow but i have a feeling that this isn't my cup of tea. Tower defense is not a genre i enjoy at all. This is the 2nd Ratchet game i'm skipping and both have been released last. I keep my fingers crossed for a full sized classic R&C on the new consoles though.
 

jstevenson

Sailor Stevenson
When I played the beta I was completely turned off. I felt that it was going in a different direction than what the mainline series does and I thought that All-4-one was actually a decent departure. The thing about All-4-one was that it was actually fun for the first playthrough but mindlessly repetitive. Eventually everything started to get to me, the music, the level design. It was just strange. I imagine All-4-one could have been a lot better if the camera was switched to the traditional 3D platforming behind for R&C games.

This though, the OP summed it up. I went in expecting a Tower Defense Ratchet only to realize it played more like a third person shooter MOBA and suddenly I came out bitter.

I'm still getting this, if only for the single player campaign (if there is one) and co-op, but my personal preference is that MOBAs are a terrible genre of gaming. I couldn't stand LoL despite playing it for months. I couldn't see the appeal in it with my friends and I saw the same thing when I tried out the beta for this.

That being said, $20 for a Ratchet and Clank title is a steal and its worth taking. I have been caught up in PSASBR though, so it might have to wait a few weeks.

I was hoping for another 3D platforming release though, because they have become a dime a dozen and the only thing to look forward to at this point is sly 4, and who knows how thats going to turn out.

there's a full Q4B-sized campaign, though it still has the base defense elements to it. It might be a bit longer, and it's definitely more replayable in terms of earning the best grades / challenges / trophies on each level. It's a bit different from MP though in terms of how it plays.
 

8byte

Banned
Man, the difficulty here is great! Loving the game so far.

Edit: You will probably have to replay some levels a few times to level up all your weapons, and get familiar with things. Trying to blast through the SP in one swoop just doesn't work, haha. Haven't tried MP yet. Each planet I played I only fished 50% or less of the goals, so looks like there's some decent replay value there for SP as well.
 

RobbieNick

Junior Member
Got it on disc and played the first two levels. Much, much better than All for One. Way for action focused and fast-paced, I'm really digging it. I wish there was a way to change character per level without having to quit the game first.
 
This looks awesome every time I see it. I haven't played the other games in the series so I hope that I can hop in and not get lost. Also hoping other MOBA games come to Vita eventually.
 

Loudninja

Member
This looks awesome every time I see it. I haven't played the other games in the series so I hope that I can hop in and not get lost. Also hoping other MOBA games come to Vita eventually.
You should have gotten the Ratchet Collection!

Funny thing is I never played the first one lol.
 
You should have gotten the Ratchet Collection!

Funny thing is I never played the first one lol.

I know.. I was planning on getting it but I'm so damn busy these days, time is pretty limited. My backlog is already enormous so I'm carefully picking franchises to get into.
 

dEvAnGeL

Member
i wanted this for the vita essentially so i guess ill just wait for a holiday sale since the vita is not coming out until next year
 
Top Bottom