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Insomniac's Dezern and McCabe talk new North Carolina digs

by Jason Dobson { Jun 9th 2008 at 8:30AM }

Insomniac's push eastward was one of last week's most intriguing items of interest, despite a lack of details concerning what exactly the Ratchet & Clank developer has in store for its new Raleigh, NC studio. However, while we don't know exactly what the Burbank, California-based developer has up its sleeves, we figured if anyone had the scoop it would be current Insomniac art director Chad Dezern and gameplay guru Shaun McCabe, both of whom will be given reigns over the company's eastern arm once it opens in January.

We recently spoke with both execs about the new studio, and we couldn't help but kick off the interview by asking the one nagging question on our mind: Why North Carolina?

"We wanted to expand Insomniac's capabilities while retaining the small team culture in Burbank. Opening up an office in The Triangle lets us do that while also offering an alternative for talented people who want to stay on the East Coast," Dezern answered. "Plus, Shaun and I are from the South and we missed the distant strumming of the banjo."

Continued →

Insomniac considering new IPs, Ratchet sells a million

by Alexander Sliwinski { Mar 6th 2008 at 8:00PM }

In an interview with MTV's Multiplayer, Insomniac Games president Ted Price discusses development at the company going into the PS3 era. He says that Ratchet and Clank Future was the "best production experience" after the "hell" of putting together Resistance, elaborating that working with the new PS3 tech and a genre the company hadn't worked in for 10 years was tough.

Price confesses that Ratchet recently hit the million sold mark globally, but says the game has a "long tail." He also allays fears that Insomniac will become a Ratchet and Resistance mill, "We'll continue to produce new IP, there's no question about that." As for Resistance 2, players can expect deeper storytelling this time around and a better connection with ... boy, what was his name again?

Actually, the last part of the interview is all about Resistance 2. Price reiterates that the 60 player arenas are going to happen and they've been playing them internally, along with the eight-player co-op. Looks like it's going to be showdown between Killzone 2 and Resistance at the end of '08 on PS3.

MTV Multiplayer and Ted Price: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters set for March PS2 release

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Jan 21st 2008 at 9:15PM }

As was rumored in December of last year, the pint-sized version of Ratchet & Clank is set to make the leap from the PlayStation Portable to the PlayStation Not Very Portable But Considerably More Lucrative. Though ongoing publisher trends suggests the journey to the PS2 is less of a leap and more of a thoughtless sleep rollover, Size Matters' transition had yet to be confirmed outside of a retailer listing.

Shacknews now reports that a recent PlayStation Underground e-mail confirmed the impending port, noting a March 2008 release. Though Sony hasn't officially announced it yet, it seems only prudent to place the game in as many hands as possible. Perhaps they'll even get Miyamoto to play this one.

Best of the Rest: Alexander's Picks of 2007

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jan 1st 2008 at 10:30PM }

Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword (PC)

Please, make the addiction stop! Civilization IV: Warlords, the first expansion for Civ IV, made my "Best of the Rest" last year and Beyond the Sword tops this year's list. The funny thing is I'm not a Civ fanboy, nor am I even that great of a player (Full Disclosure: I still play on Noble level), but Civ IV is a game I can come back to over and over again. Beyond the Sword added much-needed mechanics for culture-prone and passive-aggressive players, with enhancements in espionage and other concepts "beyond the sword." Oh, and just to keep last year's tradition going: Firaxis (2K, Take-Two), please get the rights to Alpha Centauri back from EA and give us a sequel!

Continued →

NYTimes names Mass Effect game of the year

by Alexander Sliwinski { Dec 23rd 2007 at 6:25PM }

A little lesbianism goes a long way as the New York Times names Mass Effect its game of the year for 2007. The NYT bestowed Mass Effect with the honor for its "focus on character development, personal growth and moral tension, all fueled by a graphics system created to evoke emotional empathy." Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction was honored for being the shining star on the PS3 and BioShock was named the "best newcomer." There's also digs at Halo 3 and Super Mario Galaxy for being "unambitious representations of the state of the art."

Speaking of unambitious, for the second time in less than a month the New York Times copyeditors took a nap (albeit a minor one) on a video game-related story, which is slowly becoming inappropriate in covering an $18 billion-plus industry. There's no telling when reporter Seth Schiesel submitted his copy for this piece, but E3 2008 was already confirmed for the Los Angeles Convention Center last Tuesday, so the article's suggestion that "the solution for [E3] next year can be summed up in one word (or is that two?): Las Vegas" is just about 1,000 New York minutes behind the times.

Rumor: Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters expanding to PS2

by Alexander Sliwinski { Dec 14th 2007 at 7:45PM }

The blending of the PS2 and PSP continues as PSP's Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters appears to be marked for PS2 release early next year. A GameStop listing says the game is expected Feb. 12, '08 for $30, but consider this a placeholder for now.

Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters would join a solid list of games that made the jump from PSP to the PS2. Most famously at this point are the ports of GTA: Vice City Stories and GTA: Liberty City Stories, both of which ended up on the PS2 at the delicious consumer-friendly price of $20. We wouldn't mind seeing God of War: Chains of Olympus make the PS2 leap by holiday '08 -- but let's just get the thing out on PSP first.

Miyamoto: 'Ratchet & Clank' who? Lombax what?

by James Ransom-Wiley { Dec 14th 2007 at 2:57PM }

Coy or truly confused, Nintendo's maestro has disputed Insomniac's cry for attention, firmly denying that Super Mario Galaxy's spherical worlds were torn out of a page from the Sony developer's Ratchet & Clank book. Miyamoto claims he and the gang were working to disprove the 'games are flat' theory back on N64, when Insomniac was merely taking its first baby steps into the industry (and, Ludwig, years before Sonic Adventure 2 pulled off 'the rounded level' – FYI). "I'm sorry but I have to admit that I've never seen the game in question," Miyamoto told Official Nintendo Magazine UK when questioned about Ratchet & Clank, "Is it a PC game?"

Today's danciest video: Merry Xmas 2K7

by Scott Jon Siegel { Nov 30th 2007 at 11:59PM }

It's a little early for Christmas, but it's always the right time for dancing video game characters! Jan3D has put together a super-short video as an early holiday gift to his/her fellow gamers. And to think that you weren't planning on getting him/her anything.

Not much else to say here. Just be prepared to see Big Daddy, Nariko, Mario, Master Chief, Ratchet, and NiGHTS like you've never seen them before -- in sync.

SCEA is 'very happy' with Ratchet & Clank sales

by Justin McElroy { Nov 20th 2007 at 2:00PM }

Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction may have the second lowest first month sales of any game in the series with 74,500, but that hasn't stopped Sony from staying positive. "SCEA is very happy with the initial sales numbers of Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction," said a SCEA to 1UP. "In a crowded market of mature content, Ratchet is a fun, sophisticated alternative that truly showcases the power of the PS3."

Of course, its sunny disposition with regards to Ratchet isn't completely unfounded, there are, after all, many fewer PS3s on the market than PS2s. Also, ignore the imaginary 100,000 in first month sales barrier that 1UP is trying to conjure up, Heavenly Sword smashed that jazz back in September.

Today in Joystiq: November 12, 2007

by Ross Miller { Nov 12th 2007 at 11:59PM }

Joystiq reader hex08 sends us this image highlighting the differences between the US and Japanese versions of Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction. (Also enjoy this Japanese commercial.) It should be noted, however, that this isn't the first time Ratchet has been visually modified for regional preferences. Check out the highlights for today:

Joystiquery
Mario brings his sexy back at 'Galaxy' launch party

News
Game designer talks rebalancing Street Fighter 2 HD
New games this week: Super Mario Galaxy edition
Volleyball, Axelay, Blue's Journey all skulk onto Virtual Console
Whoops! Tesco sells Xbox 360s for £33.24
Peter Molyneux's Populous coming to Nintendo DS
Newell: Prince of Persia 'not a video game movie'
Thrill as the DualShock 3 is unboxed!
Unreal Tournament 3 multiplayer powered by GameSpy
New York Times on tough times for game mags
Mass Effect love scene now less safe for work
Banjo-Kazooie not cancelled ... so what is?
This Wednesday: Shrek 'n Roll 'n Screwjumper 'ngage XBLA
NPD to continue providing monthly console sales data
Non-profit group buying games for soldiers
Infinity Ward addressing Call of Duty 4 PS3 matchmaking issues
'What They Play' keeps parents in the loop
MTV Games confirms Rock Band delay for Canada; coming Dec. 17
Report: TT Games sold to Warner Bros. for approx. $210 million
Tivo alert: Discovery airing 'Rise of the Videogame' Nov. 21

Rumors & Speculation
Is Mistwalker's next DS game a random dungeon crawler?

Culture & Community
Official plush Weighted Companion Cube coming soon
L337Lauren tops other gals on road to Miss Video Game crown
Quiz time: Can you spot the "real" gamers?
Infinity Ward reaches out to EA Chicago devs
MTV's gaming pronunciation guide targets Totilo

PSP's Secret Agent Clank will connect to PS3 in 'secret' way

by Justin McElroy { Oct 26th 2007 at 11:00AM }

They'll see each other from across the room, the PSP and PS3 will both hum almost imperceptibly, the Wi-Fi will crackle and suddenly ... they'll connect. Secret Agent Clank meets Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction and it's love at first interface. ... Now what is it exactly that they do?

The thing is, the connectivity between the portable and not-at-all portable Ratchet and Clank titles is, much like love, a mystery. In fact, MTV goes so far as to say that the two will connect "in some secret, undisclosed way." Ah well, guess we'll just have to wait for the love affair to begin when Secret Agent Clank hits in 2008. If it will ease the waiting, you can learn more about the game in PSP Fanboy's intervie w with the dev team.

[Via PSPF]

Metareview: Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

by Alexander Sliwinski { Oct 24th 2007 at 1:56PM }

May the furries rejoice, the continuing adventures of a Lombax and his robot blows up the PS3 with Rachet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction. Apparently everything old about Ratchet & Clank is still old, but it's gussied up and makes excellent use of the PS3 as something other than a movie player. Ratchet & Clank looks to be a boon for games on the system, even if it does amount to what Game Informer deems perfectly as "comfort food."

GameTap (100/100): "It's rare that a game critic feels the way I do about this game, but in all honesty, I find it really difficult to find something that's not to like. The controls feel great. The graphics look great. The score sounds great. The weapon selection alone make me want to play the game over and over again, just to test out all the cool offered. And that's that's what happens when a smart development team has spent a long time imagining a game like this. It's obvious they've accomplished feats here that they've probably been wanting to do for a long time."
Game Informer (93/100): "You know how we always say that it's not enough to make a prettier version of a last-generation title – that you really need to offer us something that wasn't possible five years ago? Well, leave it to Insomniac to make me a liar. Because, in all reality, Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction sticks extremely close to the formula that made the series one of the PS2's best. There's not much here I haven't seen before. But I don't care, and neither will you, because this is an adventure packed to the brim with vivid characters, amazing gameplay, and heartfelt humor. In a way, it's the ultimate in video game comfort food – a familiar old favorite for those times when you're hungry for nothing but an expertly crafted good time."
Gamespot (75/100): "Try as it might, Tools of Destruction doesn't achieve the same level of greatness as its predecessors. It's too easy, the story falls flat, and the "throw everything in including the kitchen sink" style of gameplay takes too much of the focus off the tight platforming and fun combat. That said, the gorgeous visuals and generally fun gameplay are enough to make Tools of Destruction worthwhile for the series' fans and newcomers alike."

Ratchet & Clank Future glitch may halt play

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Oct 23rd 2007 at 8:30PM }

It looks like the early release of Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction is not without consequence. Shacknews reports that some American PlayStation 3 owners may encounter a glitch which prevents them from playing Insomniac's latest platformer. Unlike the sudden loss of your arms or a critical lack of money, however, you can entirely blame someone in the quality assurance department for this predicament*.

Insomniac community manager James Stevenson describes the issue, which presents itself during the game's setup, as such: "With specific amounts of free space on your drive, you may see a screen that tells you have insufficient space to create game data even though there is plenty of free space on your drive." He remains decidedly non-specific regarding said "specific amounts," but at least the man provides a workaround. If you encounter the problem, "either delete or add about 500MB of data to your hard drive and the problem will go away." You'll know you've won when you can actually play the game.

*Excluding the unlikely circumstance of an insane QA manager capturing you and lopping off your arms. We've heard stories.

PS3's 1.94 firmware adds support for DualShock 3

by Justin McElroy { Oct 23rd 2007 at 3:05PM }

If you want to experience rumble with your PS3 games as soon as possible, you're going to have to go on a quest of sorts. First, time travel into next month (or wait a couple of weeks) and import a DualShock 3 from Japan. Next, you're going to need the PS3's new firmware, 1.94, but sadly, it isn't available for download yet.

But don't be deterred. Shacknews is reporting that if you pick up Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction (the first retail game with built-in rumble support) you'll be able to find 1.94 right there on the disc. Imagine the convenience. Now, unless you have obsessive compulsive disorder, we have no idea why you'd need the firmware weeks before the controller's even out. But at least we know a certain former Double Dare host is going to sleep well tonight.

New games this week: Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction edition

by Justin McElroy { Oct 22nd 2007 at 8:00AM }

It's a good week for PlayStation 3 owners, especially the new ones. You may have been a little disheartened as you looked for something awesome that only your shiny new PS3 can handle, and, if a few early reviews are any indication, Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction may just be that game. There's good news elsewhere too, with Xbox 360 getting Ace Combat 6 and the Wii is receiving what we suspect might be a hidden gem with Zack and Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure. Oh, and portable treats on the PSP with Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles and a new Phoenix Wright on the DS. Check all the new releases after the break.