ratchet-and-clank posts (Subscribe to this feed)

We're just talkin' about Ratchet. Insomniac is sending some pre-Valentine's love by giving players the unlock code for the Bancho Ratchet skin. Already hidden inside A Crack in Time, the bad boy costume can be unlocked by inputting this elaborate series of buttons and directions on the pause screen: Up, Right, Down, Left, Triangle, Square, X, Circle, R3. It's called a "cheat."

Bancho Ratchet was the winning entry in a Japan-only contest for CoroCoro Magazine. As for what a Bancho is, the best explanation we can figure is a "delinquent," especially with Ratchet's resemblance to John Travolta's character in Grease. Well, if you ignore the flippin' huge ears.

[Thanks, Solace]

Six-inch tall news now, as DC Comics has released a line of figures based on Insomniac properties Ratchet and Clank and Resistance. As you can see above, the gang's pretty much all here -- the titular duo of Ratchet and Clank, along with Dr. Nefarious and Captain Qwark. Oh, then there's the Resistance guys, like hero Nathan Hale and Chimera A and Chimera B and (our personal favorite) Chimera C!

We kid, but if you're interested in plunking down some green on these bath-time buddies (where do you play with your action figures?), you can find them at most retailers.

[Via PlayStation Blog]

An Insomniac Games forumite named Paul Grzelak recently completed the labor of love you see above -- a stainless steel Scrabble tile set using the Lombax language from the Ratchet & Clank series. The set came about as a collaboration between Grzelak and Insomniac's Paul "Pacman" Haile -- a collaboration that not only resulted in the tiles seen above, but also in the formalization of the Lombax language, for which Grzelak received an in-game credit in A Crack In Time. Neat story, right?

If you were hoping to get your hands on a set of these tiles for ... some bizarre reason, you're out of luck. Grzelak only made 25 sets, one of which went to Insomniac. We'd be willing to bet the other 24 are still proudly displayed in his swingin' bachelor's pad.

[Thanks, Steliosco]

Valkyria Chronicles
"BUT THAT GAME WAS 2008!!11one!1!" Well, yes, in the strictest sense. Sega's strategy role-playing game, an epic tale chronicling the hardships and victories of Gallian militia Squad 7, was sent out to die by the publisher when it released in November 2008. However, word-of-mouth, critical praise and some discounted pricing helped the saga find a place in many people's lives (and hearts) by mid-2009.

One of the most endearing mechanics implemented in the game was giving all the playable members of Squad 7 bonuses (or flaws) based on their neuroses, relationships and desires. Also, every character had a different personality that shined during their turn through little quips and order recognition comments. It gave the entire cast more depth of character, even as the player only saw a handful of the troops during cutscenes. Despite the requisite Japanese RPG flair and melodrama, there was a simple beauty and charm in the storytelling, while the gameplay introduced a great basis for iteration. Valkyria Chronicles is a series that, with love and attention, could become so much more. I look forward to returning to Gallia and hope future installments recognize that the delightful characters are as important to the series as the strategic gameplay.

Ratchet and Clank games usually have a little extra for true series fans who want to dig deeper, and A Crack in Time isn't looking to break that trend. Developer Insomniac wants to make sure that those who have played the game are getting out of it all that's in there, pointing out five things for fans not to miss:

• Space Radio
• Dynamo of Doom
• Community Profile
• Insomniac Museum
• Return to the Great Clock

What does it all mean? Check out the video after the break for the full details.

It probably comes as no surprise to you -- our well-informed and educated audience -- but the Ratchet & Clank series isn't just designed for the kids. Edge spoke with Insomniac writer TJ Fixman, who expressed that the primary audience for the weapon-indulgent platformer is the "male 18-34" demographic. He notes that teens who played the first game back in 2002 are now in their twenties and stayed fans of the series.

Fixman notes that males under 18 could be the "interchangeable primary-secondary market," but that the PS3 user base skews older. He compares the Ratchet style to the Shrek series, explaining that Insomniac tries to find the right blend of humor that'll appeal to a large audience. Now the question remains: When will we see Ratchet & Clank again?

If you didn't pick up Ratchet & Clank's latest adventure yet, you're in luck. Amazon.com is selling the game for an already-discounted rate of $49.99. But, with coupon code ratchet3, you'll be able to get an additional $5 off. With free shipping and no sales tax in most states, you'll be able to pick up A Crack in Time for $44.99 -- 25% off the current retail price. For such a new game, this is a really sweet deal.

Most likely, you'll have to rush to take advantage of this promotion. And unlike Clank, you probably don't wield a staff that lets you rewind time just in case you miss this opportunity.

[Via Slickdeals.net]

"We want to give you guys, our fans and players, the best looking games you can buy on a console," Insomniac developer Mike Acton wrote on his company's blog. There's certainly no doubt that the team's latest release, A Crack in Time, is a very good looking game. But how much better could it have looked if Insomniac was willing to sacrifice its 60fps rate?

Consoles only offer a finite amount of resources, and developers utilize various tricks to get the results they want. For example, Bungie noted that a drop in vertical resolution in Halo 3 offered them increased bandwidth for improved lighting effects. Dropping the framerate would allow Insomniac -- and other developers -- to increase the amount of detail in each frame, something the studio is seriously considering. "There is virtually no advantage in sales or reviews of a 60 fps game versus a 30 fps game," Acton notes.

In fact, in some cases, a lowered framerate actually makes a game look better, Acton explains. "A drop in framerate is interestingly seen by some players as a reward for creating or forcing a complex setup in which a lot of things must happen on the screen at once." We nickname that phenomenon the "Otogi 2 effect." With all of these aspects considered, it seems the studio will no longer focus on locking a 60 fps rate. "It means that framerate is still important to us here at Insomniac, but it's not on the same pedestal it was before. And that Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time will probably be Insomniac's last 60fps game."

[Thanks, Marius!]

According to Insomniac's James Stevenson, the developer might not begin maxing out the PlayStation 3's power for at least two or three years. The senior community manager's comments (via CVG) are directed towards how efficient developers have become at using Sony's platform to develop its titles. Since it launched, the PlayStation 3 has been notoriously -- and perhaps erroneously -- described as difficult to develop for, but Stevenson applauds Sony for creating hardware with "really long life spans."

"We're using all of the PS3 right now," Stevenson says. "But you can always be more efficient in the way you use it." Insomniac's latest, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time arrives in stores Stateside today and will no doubt include some of the wackiest weaponry gamers have ever been privy to, regardless of how much of the Cell processor is needed to render 'em.

For dedicated Ratchet & Clank fans, playing the previous two entries in the series is going to reward your devotion with a couple of unlocked bonuses in upcoming Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time. Folks who played Tools of Destruction will receive discounts with weapons merchants and those who played Quest for Booty will be rewarded with a pirate hat, ThatVideoGame Blog reports. [Image Credit: PS Nation]

A representative for Insomniac Games clarified for us that "You receive discounts on the returning weapons (Negotiator, Buzz Blades, Mag-Net Launcher, Mr. Zurkon, Groovitron Glove) for a Tools of Destruction save, and the pirate hat for Ratchet on the Community screen for the Quest for Booty save." Though neither bonus will dramatically affect time spent with A Crack in Time, it's always nice to see developers rewarding franchise loyalty.