PS3 Informer

Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty Review

Arrrr! Matey! Here reads a review from a landlubber, a rookie to the Ratchet and Clank series! Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty is a mini-game, a "what happens next" from the Future: Tools of Destruction plot. Quest for Booty is available now on the PSN for $15, and roughly takes 15-30 minutes to download and install onto your PS3. Once installed, strap into your boots and hold tight because this swashbuckling adventure immediately kicks into high gear.

Right away, you are pitted in a battle against other pirates. Slightly outnumbered, you are initially equipped with Ratchet's full arsenal along with his purple-bodied lady friend, Talwyn Apogee, who teams-up with you throughout your adventure - as long as you choose to not leave her behind. Once the initial stage is accomplished, the plot is laid, and the adventure begins.

Image Credit: PlayStation.com

Throughout the game, Talwyn is guiding you through the levels. If not her, another source is providing directions about what to do. However, her "assistance" is lame. Her gun doesn't provide sufficient supporting fire, nor do her directions. Her and other characters' voices are faintly understood when relaying important information: where to go or how to kill the enemy. Here lies the problem. Each time I encountered a boss, such as a huge dragon-millipeed like creature or a pirate ship, I was stuck. For one, I may have misunderstood how to take down the enemy (as directions are not repeated) and two, I'm unable to ascertain if my ammo is actually hitting the target. The aiming device for Ratchet's weapons aren't responsive like most shooters. It took some time to realize there is an aiming-sight, which turns red when you're within firing distance. Also, aiming is sometimes automatic or simply off the target, zooming is pointless, and your best defense is jump and run. Warning, using the jump and run method while shooting creates controlling the camera angle difficult.

The graphics have a very pretty PS2-like appearance. There's nothing outrageously superb, just a well colored game for a high-definition television. Before the start of the adventure, you are opted to choose your lighting preference, the game prefers barely visible, to a provided photo. I still to this day have yet to "see" the advantage of having a really dark screen while playing a game, so I left the brightness as it was preset.

The controls are reminiscent to Resistance, as hitting the Triangle button to select your weapons. The controls are simple: move, jump, melee (wrench), and shoot, but the complication of the new magnetic wrench is slow to comprehend. There are random platforms, springs, and bridges which require Ratchet to magnetically set into place by holding R2 + Square then utilizing the left thumbstick to motion the object in the desired position. According to Nick Suttner from 1UP, this is a new feature to the series, which I agree is a bit annoying. Not to mention, he's right on the Tornado Launcher (weapon), "it sucks!"

Image Credit: PlayStation.com

Quest for Booty's soundtrack is complimentary to the gameplay. The theatrical arrangement is adventurous and reminds me of The Pirates of the Caribbean trilogies. Point being, the soundtrack fits.

Overall, Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty is a decent time-killer, providing 3-4 hours of gameplay for $15 available on the PSN. I would recommend Quest for Booty for any Ratchet & Clank fan who wants to learn "what happens next" following the Future: Tools of Destruction plot, a casual gamer looking to explore adventure games, and newcomers to the series.