Metareview: Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time (PS3)
by David Hinkle 
{ Oct 26th 2009 at 7:00PM } 
- 1UP (A): "I'm a casual fan of the series and I still found myself excited to get home and play the game each night the past week. It may be a lot of more of the same, but more of the same has never been so darn addicting."
- IGN (90/100): "Insomniac has created a visually appealing game with enough personality to match its good looks. With so much to level-up and enjoy, there's enough to keep even hardcore Ratchet fans coming back for more -- especially with the new Clank sections that feature some enthralling puzzles. Now that the awkward space sections from Tools of Destruction have been replaced, there's almost nothing I don't like about Crack in Time. Unfortunately, as Crack in Time still relies heavily on the tried and true Ratchet Formula, gamers that were satisfied with old Ratchet games might not have enough reasons to come back."
- GameTrailers (89/100): "If A Crack in Time is indeed the final Ratchet & Clank game, then the series has been finished the right way-with a solid game that doesn't stray from what fans love while giving them plenty of service in the process. And in this way, it's also guilty of playing it a bit safe, but when expectations are that high, and are met, it's a sure sign of a quality game."
- Videogamer (80/100): "Fans of Ratchet and Clank will find A Crack in Time to be more of the same, with a few twists here and there. It's a fine end to the current storyline and packs in loads of content that will see you playing well beyond the closing credits. The lack of fresh ideas, especially during Ratchet's sections, will be seen by many as a negative, but there are so few games that nail the action platforming genre that it's easily forgivable. If you're looking for a fun, imaginative, family friendly PS3 game, A Crack in Time fits the bill perfectly."
- Eurogamer (70/100): "But I've been playing R&C games for years now, and I was hoping for something extra. That doesn't mean radical change - goodness knows no one wants Ratchet to "go dark" or start running round sandbox environments. I still want a meat feast pizza, I just want it to have a stuffed crust. And maybe some dips. Or in other words, a proper selection of exciting new weapons, original puzzles and a bit of innovation. It's not that A Crack in Time is all fur coat and no knickers. The problem is, it's all fur coat and the same knickers it's been wearing for seven years. Time for a change."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
copa @ Oct 26th 2009 7:05PM
I love how Joystiq always finishes the Meta-Reviews with "Eurogamer: 7/10" like a punch line.
It's like the tired joke about gymnast judging:
"9.8, 9.9, 9.8... and a 5.5 from the Soviet Union judge."
SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Oct 26th 2009 7:11PM
Eurogamer has become the punch line of the music industry.
It's probably the only thing they have in common with Activision.
Hyams @ Oct 26th 2009 7:11PM
In Soviet Russia-
Ah, fuck it. You all know how it goes.
Marius @ Oct 26th 2009 7:31PM
@Copa, lol @ your avatar
MrAlex @ Oct 26th 2009 7:47PM
@Spyder, music industry?
SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Oct 26th 2009 9:17PM
Oh shit, I said music industry.
That's what I get for staying up all night playing Borderlands.
My bad.
Filthy Assistant @ Oct 26th 2009 10:45PM
Well, Pitchfork is the music equivalent to Eurogamer.
bluetev @ Oct 27th 2009 8:58AM
Well, they should have ended with EDGE instead, 6/10 for Ratchet for "nothing new" but they did manage to give Halo 3 a 10/10 and Halo ODST a 9/10 I believe
Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Oct 26th 2009 7:06PM
FUCK YOU EUROGAMER RATCHET & CLANK MAKES SWEET UNPROTECTED LOVE TO YOUR MOTHERS
devilsei @ Oct 26th 2009 7:24PM
Sorry captain planet, but Ratchet and Clank have too much class to do that.
If anything, what happened was that R&C took Eurogamer's mother out for some fine wine and $100+ food at a 5-star restaurant, then took her back to their place and made some of the sweetest love ever to her, so she refused to go back home, and now Eurogamer's dad is forced to dress them up in their mom's old gowns, and molest him...
tmacairjordan87 @ Oct 26th 2009 7:07PM
Eurogamer with the low score, what a surprise. They've got to step up their attention whoring and pretentiousness, cause Edge came out and slapped a bunch of 6's and 7's on big games like Borderlands (biggest surprise great game of the year), nsmb wii, and ratchet.
Looking forward to picking this up tomorrow, and laughing at how far off and out of touch Edge and Eurogamer are again.
Look At This Suit @ Oct 26th 2009 7:10PM
I've always felt the Eurogamer and Edge were the only ones who used a numbering system that made sense. 7 actually means good and not just average. Places like IGN and GameInformer hand out 8s and 9s like crazy.
Fernando Rocker @ Oct 26th 2009 7:11PM
Eurogamer (Or EDGE, I can't remember) also gave Metroid Prime 3 and Killzone 2 a 7.
Hyams @ Oct 26th 2009 7:20PM
The rating system is all kinds of messed up. When Gametrailers had to defend their review of Uncharted 2 because they 'only' gave it a 93, I face-palmed.
WREturns (Please buy and rate my iPhone game, Shape Tapper!) @ Oct 26th 2009 7:32PM
I sort of felt that Killzone 2, and to a lesser extent Metroid Prime 3, deserved a 7/10. That's just me, though...
LegendaryRedass @ Oct 26th 2009 8:09PM
Borderlands does kick ass doesn't it? Whoever said this game is 20 hours breezed through it without exploring or leveling. I put down U2 so I could check it out, haven't stopped since.
Forza III and R&C tomorrow.
Finito (PSN: Wretched_Walrus) @ Oct 26th 2009 8:32PM
Sigh, not this again. Eurogamer and Edge score games differently from American sites. 7 = good game, not average crap like the 7's from sites like IGN. Having a different philosophy in scoring games means they are out of touch?...
sc00by_y00 @ Oct 26th 2009 9:06PM
Edge and Eurogamer are both pretentious nonsensical bullshit spewing biased review sites / magazines....
They both have hidden agendas, are completely elitist, their reviews dont make any sense its just airy fairy bullshit that explain nothing its horrendous to read. Also both have a massive hard on for anything xbox 360 and given a chance will try to knock anything ps3 related..
They don't have a different philosophy, stop trying to defend their review system, its complete crap. Its not fair, its not right and its bullshit.. Ratchet and Clank really deserves a 7 ? one word BOLLOCKS..
Finito (PSN: Wretched_Walrus) @ Oct 26th 2009 9:53PM
Read the review scooby. The writer is just giving his personal opinion instead of trying to force some sort of fake objectivity. He even says it's a fantastic game for those who don't mind more of the same or if it's your first time R&C. He still likes the game a bunch, but is a little burned out on the gameplay because he played all the others too .The 7 is his personal score, not what game is supposed to 'deserve'. A game review is not like a math test, it's subjective and personal.
sc00by_y00 @ Oct 26th 2009 10:39PM
What is the point of reviewing the game for yourself and not your target audience ?
Look At This Suit @ Oct 26th 2009 10:51PM
Sc00by:
What you want these people to do is, quite frankly, impossible. You're saying "F*ck your opinions, tell me what I'LL think about this game!". You want a reviewer to get into the mindset of someone that he may not be.
johnnynumber5 @ Oct 26th 2009 11:52PM
Except the Game trailers review was kind of BS. The bigger problem was with the commentary afterwards in trying to defend the review. Terrible.
SaMav @ Oct 27th 2009 3:14PM
I somewhat agree with Scooby. Imagine if a person who only buys Madden games is asked to review a Final Fantasy game...
Dante G @ Oct 26th 2009 7:08PM
I don't get reviewers. How is "more of the same" a bad thing for a R&C game? IMO R&C is one of the best series out there, so if "more of the same" means a new game I'm ok with that.
WREturns (Please buy and rate my iPhone game, Shape Tapper!) @ Oct 26th 2009 7:23PM
I agree with you but people say the same thing about Metroid, Mario and Zelda and I haven't played a game in any of those series that wasn't fantastic.
Finito (PSN: Wretched_Walrus) @ Oct 26th 2009 7:24PM
Well, it was okay for a couple of times. I've only played the mainline titles, that's about 4.5 times the same gameplay if QfB only counts for half. R&C is still tons of fun and I'll still buy CiT as soon as possible, but after that the franchise needs a reboot. Why buy the same game yet again? You could just as well play the older iterations and get roughly the same experience. Again, CiT is still ok in my book, but that's the last one.
Dante G @ Oct 26th 2009 7:38PM
Well, when you get tired of a series there's always that "don't buy it" option. And if this one is, in fact, the last Ratchet and Clank, then I wish insomniac the best of lucks developing a new franchise as compelling as this one.
LegendaryRedass @ Oct 26th 2009 8:14PM
Since it's Eurogamer, I'm sure Insomniac being an American company cost it a couple points. That's why I give them no creedence.
Gunns24 @ Oct 26th 2009 8:20PM
Insomniac i love ratchet and clank but its the same thing year after year this one is number 9! in the series and you recycle the same stuff over and over again.
This is what they should do. Make a Ratchet and clank wii game and start an original ip for the playstation 3.
''waiting for down voting to begin''
Ashitaka @ Oct 26th 2009 8:57PM
What a completely reta rded idea (that's never going to happen), Gunns.
HeXeN @ Oct 26th 2009 9:10PM
"its the same thing year after year"
"and you recycle the same stuff over and over again"
I take it you won't be buying MW2 then; shame since it will probably be the best in the series.
Markez (attempting to call me less of a man because i knew so much about pans) @ Oct 26th 2009 10:42PM
Here here, sir, one of the best series in awhile. Great fun, great gameplay, and tremendous humor and character. It's infused with awesomeness.
WINterfang ( Now with the power to piss you off ) @ Oct 26th 2009 11:40PM
The problem with more of the same is that even if you have a good game before it will get all after the 5 installment, of course there's an exception like Pokemon but even games like Zelda are getting disappointing because of that.
David @ Oct 27th 2009 9:35AM
My problem is that more of the same is never a problem with Sony exclusive franchises, but Microsoft, Activision and especially Nintendo are repeatedly nailed to the wall for not advancing their franchises or for milking them. It's just a double standard.
Orchard Pear @ Oct 26th 2009 7:09PM
Replace the Eurogamer 70 with a Giant Bomb 100, biznatches.
Just kidding.
I love you guys!
SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Oct 26th 2009 7:17PM
Can't pick up my copy until Friday but I pre-ordered for the bonus "Insomniac Moon" planet you get from GameStop.
Looks like SpyderTaco gets the shaft again. Oh well, at least Borderlands will hold me off until then.
Solace @ Oct 26th 2009 8:37PM
lucky you I get the Amazon.com "Bolt Package" *Sigh*
1251 @ Oct 26th 2009 7:18PM
Such a good year for the PS3, on the hardware, software and release/review side.
Wardo @ Oct 26th 2009 7:19PM
Picking this up tomorrow. I can not wait to start playing!
Also Eurogamer can go fuck themselves. There I said what everyone was thinking...
Kenofthedead @ Oct 27th 2009 11:10PM
Just curious, do you only look at scores or did you read Eurogamer's review?
I read the review and ignore the score and came away from it of "it's a good fun game". Yes, fuck Eurogamer indeed. How dare they say it's fun and good, but the reviewer wanted a bit more new stuff. What dastards they be.
Wardo @ Oct 28th 2009 1:15AM
Actually yes I did read Eurogamer's review. What I'm sick of is Eurogamer complimenting a game, giving one flaw, and then slapping a 70 percent on it. It really doesn't make any sense.
Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Oct 26th 2009 7:19PM
I wish GameFly would have sent this off today with Forza 3now I have to Wait til friday....but its all good...its worth the wait
thatguy @ Oct 26th 2009 7:23PM
How is this releated? wrong article dude
Also Rachet and Clank rocks, gonna buy the game now.
Wardo @ Oct 26th 2009 7:25PM
uh, I think Chris meant Ratchet and Clank as well as Forza 3...
[ArchiGamer] [Controlling you through a chip in your butt since 1999] @ Oct 26th 2009 7:29PM
Swing and a miss.
Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Oct 27th 2009 5:58AM
yea its related...smh...as "This" was in reference to R&C:ACIT....pay attention
[ArchiGamer] [Controlling you through a chip in your butt since 1999] @ Oct 26th 2009 7:22PM
Oh Eurogamer, will you ever change?
Zamn10210 @ Oct 26th 2009 10:04PM
Has anyone actually read the Eurogamer review? The tone is very positive, the reviewer clearly very much liked the game.
This is why videogame reviews shouldn't have scores, people just read a number on a meaningless subjective scale and jump to conclusions without even reading the review.
GiggMan @ Oct 26th 2009 7:43PM
Some games (and developers) don't need no stinking reviews. Ratchet and Clank along with Insomniac definitely fit that bill.
It's assuring to know that If you like their games they will not stray to far away from why you like them in the first place. I think it's stupid that reviewers review these games like people have been into this series since the beginning. Does it ever dawn on them that this may be someones first or second venture into the series? Review the game for what it is.
The IGN review was disturbing to me because they put the games graphics up against Uncharted 2's and said it wasn't as good..Well what console game is really? I see this becoming a trend for PS3 games and if that's the case they should do this for all games on all next gen systems to be fair.
*It aint gonna happen though*
jahd5000 @ Oct 26th 2009 9:09PM
"The IGN review was disturbing to me because they put the games graphics up against Uncharted 2's and said it wasn't as good..Well what console game is really? I see this becoming a trend for PS3 games and if that's the case they should do this for all games on all next gen systems to be fair.
*It aint gonna happen though* "
I sooo agree. I havent played a R&C game ever and his one is gonna be my second (cuz i plan to get ToD first) and believe, they both have me more excited than Uncharted 2 and God of War III together.
Its like what we guy need everyonce in a while: an excelent plattformer, plain fun ready to jump in anytime you feel like needing a not so hardcore yet not casual game for pure FUN (FUN FUN FUN).