Beta | Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One
Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One is an upcoming multi-player co-op game developed by Insomniac Games exclusively for the PS3. It is the tenth instalment in the series but has no direct bearing on the storyline. Taking place after the last game ‘A Crack in Time’, the four main characters — Ratchet, Clank, Quark and Doctor Nefarious — find themselves forced into an uneasy truce in order to defeat the mysterious machine known as the ‘Creature Collector’.
The game does feature a single player campaign, but its primary focus is on multi-player co-op, allowing for drop-in/drop-out online and offline play. I was able to spend some time on the Beta and check out some of the action. Each character is given access to the usual array of weapons (and a few new ones such as the Frost cannon and Plasma Bomb Launcher) as well as the ability to propel other players. On top of that each character also has unique abilities. Ratchet can deploy a decoy that attracts enemy fire, Clank can throw time grenades, Quark has a shield and Nefarious can activate a cloaking device.
What became immediately apparent was the importance of working together. Something I find can be an elusive quality online. The first few games it is understandable watching other newbie players flounder about as they come to grips with the controls and the objective. But it become painfully obvious as the chaos ensued that without a willing ally to assist you it all came quickly to a grinding halt. Although it may seem obvious to you that someone needs to be thrown across a chasm or at a switch, it may not be to your gaming ally. If you utilise a headset you could provide instruction but I found that many players dropped out as quickly as dropping in before even bothering to attempt at progression to the end of a level.
If all other players dropped out you were given an AI character but unfortunately they were no help at all, where it was best to wait for someone to drop back in. The levels did offer some variety with balancing on platforms, some simple puzzle solving, freefalling, and boss fights. In one level you faced a creature called the Z’Grute, where you needed to throw a fellow player at unreachable buttons so as to lower his shields and ultimately destroy him. At the end of a level you were awarded experience points in which to level up. This would allow you to join games with similarly experienced players and therefore avoid frustration with drop outs.
Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One certainly has the potential for an exciting online or co-op experience where communication issues may be resolved by finding a good group of mates to play with. Insomniac has created some of the best Sony exclusive games and I am sure they will make every effort to make this one a game worth looking at.
