Ratchet and Clank HD Collection Review (PS3)

There is a fascination with collections and HD collections this console generation. I feel as the systems age, the developers are getting a little more cautious about releasing any new IPs, so a lot of them are remastering some of their classics. Are these a cash grab? I think so, however, I also think that it's a great way to introduce players to some of last generation's (or before) great games without having to have an old console. I've purchased and played several of these HD collections in my time, and I do get annoyed because I'm buying something I've already played. However the nostalgic memories that the games bring back make up for my anger.

I've recently purchased the Ratchet and Clank HD collection, and the games are still great. They are what set up the same mechanics used in the Ratchet and Clank Future titles and the game play is still great, even ten years later. There are some hitches, in the graphics department, such as a couple framerate drops in some strange places that I noticed, but other than that the game ran fairly smoothly. The cartoonish smoothness of the environments does look a little odd, but the games are from last generation and did not receive a total graphical overhaul to meet up to todays standards. That said, they do look better than they did back in the day. As the series progresses from the first Ratchet and Clank through the second and into the third, there are improvements in the graphics that help to bring them closer to the modern style.

The sound quality is just as good as it was back on the PlayStation 2. The characters were voiced well and did not seem to need to be updated. The dialogue is well written and it's nice to see a back to back to back view of how the characters evolve throughout the series. There are a lot of jokes between characters, and a lot of humor that I did not pick up on when I was younger. Music is varied and well designed for each planet, setting a tone of mystery, but fun quirkyness as well. The enemies make various robotic noises that are expected and gunshots and explosions sound as cartoony and science fictiony as they should.

The gameplay is just like it was back in the early 2000's. Ratchet's wrench and the blaster are still the two most reliable weapons. Platforming is great, and the upgrade system remain unchanged. The games are still the same as they were, just remastered in glorious HD. Players must explore the levels and collect bolts to buy new weapons, gadgets, and upgrades. There are hoverboard races to play through, and as the games progress, the worlds get bigger, and more challenging. There are gold bolts for the player to collect throughout their travels, and often the worlds have the bolts hidden behind something that requires a new weapon or upgrade, forcing the player to come back and revisit worlds.Each game has a number of different weapons available to use and purchase, and quite a few different gadgets to help the players along their way. Also, starting with the second game, there is an upgrading system to the weapons that helps make them more useful in the later levels depending on how much they are used. The beautiful thing about the Ratchet and Clank games is that they allow the player to take down their enemies using just about any weapon they want, including hypnotizing and turning them into chickens. The games are great because while they tackle semi-serious issues (world domination and such) they do it while making jokes and having a good time.

This may seem like a very short review for three games, but I'm not 100% sure on how to write a review for a collection of something that has already been released. There's a good chance that most people have played one, two, or all three of the games in this collection so on one hand it's hard for me to recommend the purchase. On the other hand, it's Ratchet and Clank. I give the collection as a whole a solid 8.5/10. If you are the kind of person who enjoys having three games for half the price of one, this is a great deal. Also, if you are looking for a nice blast of nostalgia, or have never played the original Ratchet and Clank trilogy, get this. This is just like any other HD collection, so go and buy it. It'll look great next to the Jak and Daxter Collection and The Sly Collection.

Keep an eye out for our next review, probably Madden '13, followed by Borderlands 2. Thanks guys and as always, See You Online.

#10: Squares Can't Jump.

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#7: Incompatible Accessories

--Apologies for not having this posted last night. I completely forgot to post it here in addition to our Facebook page.--

NCAA Football '13 Review

    College football is back with this year’s EA Sports installment of NCAA Football.  While much of the game will look familiar to NCAA franchise players, there are some major differences.  We will explore the new features as well as some of the more familiar ones for those who may be new to the franchise.

    PRESENTATION:  The presentation in this year’s NCAA Football ’13 is similar to previous installments.  In all fairness, this is one department that did not need much improvement.  The visualization looks nearly identical to the real deal in that at first glance, the game could be mistaken for a Saturday afternoon game during the fall.  One minor addition this year is the ESPN bottom line that was absent from in-game play in previous editions.  Complete with “Priority Score Alerts,” this is a nice touch to an already astounding presentation.  Rece Davis joins Kirk Herbstreit, Brad Nessler, & Erin Andrews on the commentating team.  Herbstreit & Nessler return as the color man & play-by-play announcer, respectively, & Andrews is once again on the sidelines for injury & halftime reports.  Davis is in studio for in-game updates on action going on around the nation in career modes such as Dynasty & the all-new Heisman Challenge.  Overall, the presentation is a high quality aspect of the game.

    GAMEPLAY:  There are several new gameplay tweaks in NCAA Football ’13.  There are some small changes such as new quarterback animations, as well as bigger additions such as Reaction Time.  While the rushing game has been the subject of gameplay changes in the past, the passing aspect received several changes this year.  Now the wide receivers’ icons are greyed out at the start of the play & light up when the receiver becomes open.  Another improvement in the passing department is the emphasis on setting before throwing.  In the past if you were in trouble, you could always just scramble & throw & the receiver would bail you out with a nice catch.  This year, if your feet are not set first, there is a strong likelihood that the pass will be picked off, allowing for a more authentic feel.  The newest gameplay addition is Reaction Time.  This is exclusive to Road To Glory & Heisman Challenge modes.  By holding down a button time slows down, allowing you to choose a better path if you are a running back or wide receiver or a better target if you are a quarterback.  This can only be done a limited time, but you can earn time back by making good plays.  It is a very snazzy feature that adds a new bit of excitement to a Road To Glory mode that was getting somewhat stale.

    GAME MODES:  Road To Glory, NCAA Football’s career mode, returns unchanged except for the addition of Reaction Time.  You still play your senior year of high school before deciding on a school to spend the next four years trying to win the BCS National Championship as well as the Heisman Trophy.  Dynasty Mode is also relatively unchanged with you still becoming a Head Coach, Offensive, or Defensive Coordinator & trying to recruit high school prospects while playing out your season to win the BCS National Championship.  Exporting draft classes to the Madden franchise has been removed this year.  However, there is a new tool in recruiting, which is Scouting.  Now to go along with your 10 hours of phone calls to recruits per week, you also get to scout them for 3 hours.  This gives a more accurate projection as to what you are getting the following year.  It replaces a letter grade with an actual rating number.  This is a nice touch & another way EA Sports adds realism to their college football franchise.  There are also three new teams to embark on Dynasty Mode with in Texas State, UTSA, & UMass, all new to FBS Division I football this year.
    Heisman Challenge Mode is new this year & allows you to take control of one of a handful of former Heisman Trophy winners for a season & put him on any current roster to try to outdo his Heisman campaign & bring home the hardware.  Say you want to put Barry Sanders alongside his son at Stanford for a season, go for it.  Desmond Howard at The Ohio State University?  No problem.  Heck, you could even put Tim Tebow on a MAC team such as Bowling Green State University.  I first used Barry Sanders at his alma mater, Oklahoma State University, & personally I found this mode, while cool & entertaining, to be a bit too easy.  My first game I rushed for 547 yards & 9 touchdowns.  Those are truly video game numbers.  Every game I played, I topped Sanders’ stats from that week (which are shown at the loading screen along with other interesting information).  This mode is good in theory & is very fun, but it is very easy to have monstrous games.
  
 OVERALL:  NCAA Football is a fun game with lasting appeal.  Heisman Challenge Mode gives numerous seasons of play time, as does Dynasty Mode & Road To Glory.  While many things make this game a fine product, with the exception of a few additions, it is essentially last year’s installment.  I give this game an 8 out of 10. See you online.

#6: Klepto Cups