Ratchet and Clank QForce Review

Developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony, the new instalment to Ratchet and Clank is called QForce. The objective of the game is to defend your base whilst attacking the opponents all at the same time. It is a bit different to the normal ratchet and clank games we may have played, but with a few of the much loved cut scenes and items we are used to seeing.

It is essential to have good defences at your base so that you have more time out in the field to attack theirs. Using bolts collected from crates and defeating enemies you can set up defences around your base. Some include; mines, barriers and turrets. It is time to get your tactics down to a T and pull out all the stops possible to keep your base intact.

Scattered around each level (there are five in total), are weapon pods, which of course hold weapons for you to choose between. There are also health packs and ammo to be used. It may take you some time to get used to the weapons if new to the game but you will get the hang of which is better to use against what enemies.

Single player or campaign mode can be a bit tricky when getting down to the last few generators on your base. Keeping an eye on when enemies are deployed is a must do and you will find yourself going back and forth a fair bit throughout. Bringing in a friend in this mode to fight alongside you makes the game a lot more enjoyable to play.

Multiplayer is the main focus (and the more enjoyable section personally) for this instalment, be it by local split screen or online game play. The aim of multiplayer online is to destroy the opposing team’s generators. There are three stages to a match;

1. The first round gets you to capture nodes whilst collecting bolts to fund your defences, opposing players can steal nodes throughout this round. It doesn’t last too long so make sure you don’t hang around, the better you do here will help you in the next round.
2. The next stage is where players fall back to their bases and obtain AI troops to help them out in the field. Whilst collecting bolts you are able to upgrade these troops.
3. The final stage is where you attack the opposition’s base; you either, fall back and defend your base whist the AI bots go in for the attack, or you go in for the attack on the enemies base. The winner is determined by who destroys the enemy’s base first.

Gameplay

There wasn’t much of a story line compared to the other Ratchet and Clank games, and I personally thought that the game took on a completely different role than previous. Although it keeps you amused for hours, its repetitiveness was not for me. That isn’t to say you might not enjoy it, I prefer games with a good deep interesting story that lasts for hours, to an aim shoot and protect game.

Sounds

There is some vibrant music and themes throughout, although it doesn’t really compare so well to previous soundtracks. Character voices and cut scenes are as comical as before and show a hint of what we are used to seeing.

Graphics

The backdrops of the games as with previous ones were nicely done; there were quirky character designs and interesting environments to look around. Getting up close and personal with the enemies looked great; it gave you that satisfaction of destroying them. Unfortunately I found myself to become stuck on surrounding environments occasionally throughout the game, which was a little annoying as it meant I couldn’t get away from being attacked.

Closing comments

From my comments it may seem like I did not enjoy the game, however I felt quite the opposite. There were parts I liked and did not, just like any other game on the market. I would defiantly say to give the game a try; it is down to personal preference after all. It has a good concept and can amuse you for hours, it was just a pity that I am not too good with those full on combat type games I guess, but I will defiantly be giving it another try in the near future.

Disclaimer:All scores given within our reviews are based on the artist’s personal opinion; this should in no way impede your decision to purchase the game.