|
Ratchet’s fourth game arrives on the PS2 with much fanfare. Insomniac Games is faced with topping each new Ratchet game. This is increasingly hard since the franchise started out with a very solid first game and gets even better. Ratchet: Deadlocked perhaps improves less to the overall formula than previous games, but at this stage in the game, this is expected. The game remains one of the PlayStation 2’s top games.
Ratchet: Deadlocked doesn’t really focus on the game’s series. It actually skips right over it. Ratchet and Clank are kidnapped by the mastermind behind the Vox Network and compete in an underground tournament called Dreadzone. Ratchet is undoubtedly the focal character in the game with Ratchet just as an auxiliary character.
The core gameplay is a lot more action oriented than it was previously. It’s hard to know that the game began as a platformer since there is very little platforming in the game. The weapons have become the focus, and in Deadlocked, fighting in tight arenas is the name of the game. The game does a good job of keeping things exciting and frantic though some of the events feel a bit too similar. The game includes two combat robots that follow Ratchet that can be upgraded but don’t particularly change the core gameplay.
As I mentioned, the weapons play a huge role in the game. The weapons found in previous games are back and better than ever. The game now includes a mod system that can radically change the weapons (like the ice gun into a plasma gun) or greatly increase its impact or speed. The weapons still level up frequently, becoming faster and more efficient along the way.
The game’s multiplayer modes are top-notch. Ratchet 3 introduced online multiplayer which was a very novel concept in a series that started out as a plaformer. The excellent online mode returns. You get many modes including capture the flag, conquest, king of the hill, and deathmatch. The unique Ratchet weapons and pace make for a very unique and exciting online mode on the PlayStation 2. You can play with up to four players offline or eight players online. Aside from online multiplayer, the game includes a first-rate cooperative mode. Unfortunately, the second player can’t come in at any point but it nonetheless is a good addition to the game.
The Ratchet series has always pushed the PS2’s visual boundaries. With each game, we wonder if the series can possibly look any better and with each game, Insomniac Games surprises us. Ratchet: Deadlocked is one the best looking games on the PS2. The game sports a vivid atmosphere, with wonderfully detailed environments. The characters look awesome like always, with plenty of detail and superb animation. The game pushes a lot onscreen at the same time and the frame rate never drops. The game looks even better on progressive scan which is hard to imagine until you finally do it.
The game’s sound package is pretty solid as well. The sound effects are excellent, displaying every shot and every character with great realism. The dialogue in the game is ample, well written and excellently delivered. The one poor side of the dialogue is the announcer which is pretty repetitive and very annoying. The background music is also great just like it was in previous games in the series.
The Ratchet series started very strong and got better with each new iteration. Ratchet: Deadlocked is probably the last game on PlayStation 2 but it’s an excellent way to end the game. The excellent presentation and remarkable gameplay make the one of the best experiences on the PS2. -- Jose Liz, PGNx Media
---- Oct 26, 2005
|
