Ratchet and Clank: Quest for Booty

With the absence of a localized PlayStation Network, most of us have to resort to unconventional means to get our hands on most PSN titles (like setting up a PSN account with another country’s address, for instance). This would have been bad news for Ratchet and Clank fans, since the latest iteration in the series – Ratchet and Clank: Quest for Booty – was released as a PSN-only title. But fret not, for the game’s being sold in the country on Blu-ray discs now for the competitive price tag of Rs 749. If you’re wondering why the price is so low, it’s because only about four hours of gameplay is offered, and is considered an expansion of the storyline rather than a full blown sequel.

Quest for Booty picks up where Ratchet and Clank: Tools of Destruction left off. In the last game, our heroic duo were on a quest to discover the Lombax’s secret and prevent a potential Cragmite invasion. During their adventure, they found a valuable ally in another Lombax – Talwyn Apogee – who helped them throughout the latter half. While celebrating their victory at the end of the game, Clank got abducted by a robotic race called the Zoni. Quest for Booty starts off with Ratchet hell-bent on figuring out where Clank is. Talwyn remains a faithful ally, while other old friends and enemies from past iterations reveal themselves throughout the course of his new, rather short adventure.

The gameplay in Quest for Booty is identical to Tools of Destruction – a wholesome mix of wrench-swinging and gun-slinging action, interspersed with copious amounts of cleverly designed, fun-to-play puzzles that keep the pace just right for the entertaining platformer. This time you’ll see less of Clank’s slo-mo action (for obvious reasons), and more of a new breed of puzzles involving Ratchet’s latest gizmo – the Omniwrench. This tool helps Ratchet do everything from grappling on to objects, to grabbing and moving them; ever so often you’ll require it to solve puzzles by moving entire platforms and objects, and carrying around glowing creatures called Heliogrubs to illuminate your way through dark labyrinthine caverns.

The best part about the gameplay is that it not only adheres to the rollicking pace set by its predecessor, but polishes it to a whole new level, ensuring there’s never a dull moment. Everything from cut scenes to puzzles and platforming elements are so brilliantly placed that they never come in the way of one another, and manage to keep you engrossed from the start till the credits roll. Other action/platformer developers should take a page from Insomniac Games’ book, and learn the true meaning of balancing things out perfectly.

For a budget title, Ratchet and Clank: Quest for Booty does incredibly well in giving you bang for your buck – four hours of nonstop action of this standard at a low price just doesn’t come by too often. If you’re a Ratchet and Clank fan, you owe it to yourself to buy the game. On the other hand, if you’ve always been curious about the series and want a taste of what it’s all about, investing Rs 749 to get just that won’t dent your pocket too much.