Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack In Time

New time-warping Clank gameplay. View larger.

New modable weapons for Ratchet. View larger.

Clank's self replication abilities open up a world of platforming fun. View larger.

The Story
Concluding the events set into motion by Tools of Destruction, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time will at long last answer some of the franchise fans' largest questions. After discovering that Clank's disappearance was engineered by Dr. Nefarious, Ratchet races to rescue his best friend. Unfortunately, he discovers that Clank's capture is just the beginning of Nefarious's latest diabolical plot.

In this follow-up to the best-selling series, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time puts players into the role of both Ratchet and Clank as they attempt to reunite and save the universe. Along the way, both will finally uncover the hidden truth behind their origins, and discover their ultimate destinies. As the duo come closer to reuniting, they'll have to ask themselves the biggest question of all: Do Ratchet and Clank's destinies lie with each other? Or is it finally time for the universe's greatest duo to separate for good?

Gameplay: New Time-related Abilities and More
As with previous Ratchet & Clank games the action in A Crack in Time is a blend of platforming, shooter scenarios and puzzle-solving. Seeing as the premise of the game is that the constantly impending rescue of Clank by Ratchet, action naturally toggles between the scenarios that both find themselves in separately. Playing as Ratchet players engage primarily in a mix of exploration and comic shooter style gameplay that occurs both on planetoids and on space ships throughout the gameplay area. As players come in contact with non-player characters (NPCs) they will often be asked to perform duties such as rescues, for which they will be given rewards that Ratchet can then use to purchase new weapons and items. Many of these weapons are brand-new to the Ratchet & Clank franchise and can be upgraded and moded throughout the game for maximum impact against the run-of-the-mill enemies that cross your path, and of course the inevitable bosses faced.

The lion's share new play elements in A Crack in Time are seen in its Clank gameplay though. A blend of self replication and time manipulation, Clank's new abilities are revealed in an early level in the game in which players are able to peer into Clank's memory. Here they meet Clank's maker, Orvis, and see that Clank has access to two hidden abilities/items: limited physical self replication and the Chronoscepter, which helps Clank to both fix broken items and slow down time. With regard to replication, mechanisms called "Time Pads" allow players to record Clank as he performs calculated physical movements and actions. These can then be saved individually and later replayed in specific combinations in the presence of the real Clank to solve puzzles requiring extreme speed or that he be in multiple places at the same time. Similar in usage to this is the Chronoscepter which can be used against swift moving objects or enemies while platforming in order to get into positions which otherwise would be impossible to reach. Used separately as well as together these two make for new wrinkles in Clank's abilities to solve complex puzzles across 3D spaces and in evasion and combat of enemies.

Key Game Features

• An original new adventure and story that answers many of fans’ most-asked questions and wraps up the story arc that started in Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction and Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest For Booty.
• Nonlinear levels with plenty of hidden areas to explore, and new gadgets like the Hoverboots that let Ratchet soar to new heights.
• All-new Clank gameplay and special "Time" abilities that bring new meaning to "past selves".
• The series’ renowned arsenal gets even larger with brand new weapons, as well as weapons that players can customize with various modifications.
• New space gameplay that gives players the opportunity to engage in space battles, explore the surrounding star system, and discover hidden items and collectibles.