Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Check Out My New Renter

Check out my new renter Coffeestoned. This is a great blog and I know you will enjoy it. Have a look.

Monday, March 26, 2007

PSP Game Review Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters


This game was originally an action adventure title for the Playstation 2, now it has evolved into a whole series with a dedicated following. Sony didn't even think this game would be as popular as it is today. This is the newest title in the series, Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters is the first title in this series for the PSP System.
The first thing I noticed about this game is that it looks great. When you start the story mode, you are greeted with an intro scene. You can tell from this scene that the graphics are awesome. In the game, the details of the graphics are amazing. Ratchet especially looks great, even better than he does in some of the other titles in this series.

I can't even stress enough how great the graphics are. Of all the games I have seen go from PS2 to PSP this game is the one that has looked the best. Your surroundings have the smooth textures that the series is known for, as well as detailed scenery and a great set of enemies. The frame rate in this title is great, I have not yet seen it go below 30 frames per second, regardless of the actions on the screen. A lot of the special effects from other Ratchet and Clank titles were carried over to Size Matters, so you can look forward to that. This is one of the most visually impressive games I have seen for the PSP system so far.

This game is similar to the others, but like most Ratchet and Clank releases there are all new additions that you won't find on any other title. They generally give you a little something extra in each Ratchet and Clank game, probably so the series doesn't "get old" after a while. Some of the things that stay the same are, you can still buy weapons through out different parts of the stages, and you still defeat enemies the same way you did, with a gun or a melee weapon. In this game there is a new upgrade element which allows you to improve Ratchet and Clank's armor and capabilities. You will know it is time to upgrade when it starts getting harder for you to stay alive, or if you are dying to quickly it is probably because you are not fighting enough, which means your not collecting enough bolts, which means you can't expand your life-bar. You will see that being a solid warrior has it's rewards.

One of the biggest attractions to this title is Clank. In Clanks playable segments, not only are you playing as Clank in a regular stage, but you also use him to play a variety of different kinds of mini-games. There is one mini-game where Clank has to take control of a robot and defeat other bots around him in a Battle-bots like playground. Another game will remind you of Lemmings, in this level Clank has to guide little robots to "safe houses". You will also be able to travel into space and shoot down enemies that stand in your way. The cool thing about this level is that Clank turns into a giant version of himself that you get to control.

This game has a lot of unexpected things in it. For instance, the dialog is hilarious. This makes it way easier to get into this game. The dialog and cut-scenes make the game more fun and engaging. It makes you want to keep playing just to see what they will come up with next. This is one of those games that is hard to just play for a minute. Once you start playing you won't want to put it down. There is also a great online/multi-player game. You can have up to 4 player compete per battle. Setting up the games, picking a character, and choosing your name will all be like in other Ratchet and Clank online games.

If you have ever played a Ratchet and Clank game before, you will have no trouble getting used to the controls. The only little quirk I came across in this game is that you might come across an occasional camera issue, but there are two different camera modes you can toggle between so this may not be an issue for you. If you do have issues you can easily reset the camera with the L and R buttons. I would recommend this game to anyone. It has a humorous plot line, great single player, online multi-player, and the ability to grow your characters, this game is one of the best values available on the PSP system. Fans and people who have never played Ratchet and Clank will love this game. I give it 9 out of 10.