Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time Review

A colleague recently wondered why more developers haven’t tried to emulate the success of the Ratchet and Clank series. He explained that the recipe seems simple enough- start by deftly combining a satisfying shooting mechanic with a bit of platforming variety. Add a new weapon, gadget, or gameplay wrinkle every twenty minutes, to ensure freshness, then cap with a consistently amusing string of cinematics. I responded that in the proficient hands of Insomniac, this formula is sturdy enough to support a succession of biannual sequels. However, under the direction of a less competent developer, the results can be as middling as Ruff Trigger: The Vanocore Conspiracy.

With eight console titles in seven years (we’ll omit Clank’s unremarkable solo outing), the Ratchet and Clank series is eluding the stagnancy common to similarly prolific franchises. Although recent release Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time predictably sticks to its prescription for enjoyment, subtle improvements ensure that players will enjoy nearly every moment of its twelve hour campaign.

While Ratchet’s missions have always presented a cathartic outlet for players yearning for a gratifying third-person shooter, the direction for Clank’s quests has consistently varied. From the wanton destruction with Giant Clank, to the more frequent puzzle elements, the diminutive robot’s exploits have always skillfully complemented the Lombax levels. Crack in Time is no different, presenting players with a delightful diversion where players record and replay multiple instances of Clank. To keep the stages from becoming too heady, players are given a Chronoscepter to fend off enemies and repair broken environmental elements.

More frequent are the forays with the anthropomorphic protagonist, Ratchet. Each of his stages have players blasting an inexhaustible inventory of enemy forces, with increasingly potent weaponry. While the most original creations in the game’s arsenal don’t appear until the final quarter of the game, the frequency of minor upgrades alleviates fatigue. One of the most enjoyable gadgets is the game’s hoverboots, which allow players to zip around the screen without a sacrifice in precision.  Additionally, the title introduces open-world space sectors that are filled with optional bonus missions. Players can confront space pirates and on spherical planets to embark on abbreviated platforming or blasting stages.

The engine that powered both Tools of Destruction and Quest for Booty returns with a number of tweaks, which elevates Crack in Time to showcase status. Whether players are admiring the mechanical complexity of the title’s Great Clock stage, the lush flora that permeates many of the game’s stages, or even the VR serenity of Clank’s subconscious, each level is a graphical marvel.  The game maintains a fluid 60 fps refresh rate a majority of the title, only wavering when a chain of explosions cascade across the screen. Although the title has a half-gig install, this is the first time the ‘now loading’ phrase has appeared in the series- evidently, the waiting between stages was too long to disguise with the usual cinematic.

Although Crack is Time’s one caveat wasn’t a deal-breaker for me, it might cause worry for fastidious gamers. As someone who has completed every game in the celebrated series, I’ve encountered few glitches in past iterations of the game. However, in my first play through of Crack in Time, I’ve had protagonists either fall through the game world or get stuck on environmental geometry. Typically, this happened on the title’s side quests, requiring a quick reset as Ratchet was trapped within a planet’s core.