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E3 2008: Too Human Screenshots

Aaron Dunlap — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 01:19:17 -0500

Launch Gallery: Too Human

(9 images)

GB Review: Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction (PS3)

Shiva Stella — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 18:17:44 -0600

Ratchet & Clank: meet Gorgeous on your new PS3.

Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction is yet another beautiful, action-packed, humorous adventure for PlayStation fans, boasting numerous gadgets, guns, and lots of alien things to shoot at. Its minigames have been adjusted to feature sixaxis support and Insomniac has even tossed in dancing pirates, but despite how gorgeous the game looks or how well the gameplay mechanics function, we've been down this road before - five times, six if you happened to splurge on the PSP version.

While I've always had a soft spot for our furry hero and his robotic pal, I'm afraid that Tools of Destruction has done it for me. This is the same experience, the same gameplay, lackluster plot, annoying save system, and patch-work minigames that I've been through since the franchise's inception. In summation, I am all Ratchet'ed out. If you were looking for a new, refreshing direction for the series' PlayStation 3 debut, this isn't it.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

Tools of Destruction offers yet another instance in which I'm forced to scratch my head and wonder if I've been immersed in the industry so long that I'm now out of the touch with the average gamer. It's one of Sony's (and Insomniac's) flagship titles, and people seem to love it. In a sense I understand their infatuation: it's classic R&C humor, the same simplistic gameplay mechanics at work (collect this statue, turn that bolt, slaughter these boxes, etc), those same breathtaking visuals now transplanted to the PlayStation 3, and so on. I doubt that anyone could effectively argue that the title isn't playable, enjoyable, or a success ("success" being defined here as a complete single-player experience that doesn't feel pushed out the door), it's just that it's the same game.

At this point I've collected a trillion bolts, played a hundred rounds of "beat this minigame to open a door", and explored who-knows how many planets while popping virtual caps into aliens/robots/alien robots. I've made the bad guys dance; I've turned them into various creatures and whacked them to death with a wrench. I've grind-booted my way across giant chasms, been swept up in weapons-upgrade options, and watched my last plot item presented as a fake commercial. I have done it all, and then I completed Tools of Destruction and did it again, this time in HD glory. The real question isn't whether the game is worth your time but whether you'd like to pay $59.99 for the privilege of doing the same stuff in 720p - though Ratchet does look fly.

But enough negativity; Tools of Destruction, similar to every R&C game on the market, shares the franchise's ups as well as downs. The visuals are amazing and showcase just what the PlayStation 3 can do when a developer is willing to spend the time and tap the system's resources. Even with fifty pirates dancing a groovitron jig while Ratchet pummels them with his grenade-gun and other torturous devices, the framerate keeps up with the action, down to the detailing in Ratchet's fur as he sets his enemies ablaze. The game's unique presentation, another hallmark of the series, is just as fun and spoofy as ever, making grand use of holovids (think "upgraded" infobots) for plot progression; cutscenes are quick and entertaining, with the same high-quality voice performances from a cast you know and love.

I hate you, little metal ball.

The simplistic gameplay is almost enough to make you feel nostalgic. The title is easy to play through and very direct, a bonus for kiddies who hate sitting through an hour's worth of cinematics to find out what's going on. There are the same mechanics that series veterans will instantly recognize: five version upgrades for weaponry, fun devices that turn enemies into cutesy penguins (nothing makes you appreciate the benefits of being a superior species than whacking a penguin into space), weapon upgrades via vendors, armor shopping (those lombaxes always did have a sense of style), and minigames that now utilize the sixaxis controller's tilt feature. While rolling a ball around to connect circuits, gliding through hoops, shaking that pirate booty, and steering tornadoes toward foes all spruce up the gameplay, they also severely distract from it, reminding the player that she's not saving the galaxy but trying to maneuver a stupid ball so she can save the galaxy. I applaud Insomniac for actually trying to capitalize on the motion sensor technology, but the bulk of this attempt was frustrating and annoying.

While we're on the topic, apparently some people have it in their heads that frustrating and challenging equate to the same thing. If you've been reading up on Tools then you've probably concluded that it's a breeze "until the end" - when Insomniac introduces a million enhanced robots that no longer die in one or two shots. It's at this point when gamers begin to "appreciate" the outdated save-anywhere system, which, if you've been through a Ratchet game before, you already know is a lie. I complained five years ago in a review of the original R&C that enabling me to save-anywhere is bloody pointless if I have to load up from the start of a planet; giving me a taxi or a teleport to certain sections of a level doesn't cut it. This is the next-generation of PlayStation hardware and Insomniac still won't let me save-anywhere and load-up from where I saved - why the hell not?

The checkpoint system isn't much better. Ideally as you progress from one area to the next you trigger a checkpoint such that, if you die, you don't have to re-complete the same segments over and over. The checkpoint system here doesn't operate this way; when Ratchet clears an area and, say, approaches a boss or some other physical feat that you're going to die at, it's back two-three segments for you so you can re-work your way to a specific area just to do it all over again. About the time you reach your breaking point is when you realize that you can't save and call it for the day because you'll be loading up at the start of the level. I think this is where I lost another piece of my soul.

The real disappointment in Tools of Destruction is that it's the same content we've been through before, and while it's still good it's hardly great. Because you've done all this stuff several games ago there's simply little to no motivation for you to go through it again; there's no pull here, and you don't even remember there's a storyline until the last two-three planets. What the franchise needs is not a million bolts, boxes, aliens, or weapon upgrades but a new direction, a fresh take for our old and tired comedic duo, preferably one that doesn't detract from the experience with trivial minigames and sixaxis-controlled tornadoes that drive me crazy.

Okay, Insomniac: you've proven what you can do with the power of the PlayStation 3 - now let's see if you can take that engine and those beautiful visuals and make a great game out of it.

Publisher: SCEA
Developer: Insomniac Games
Release: Oct 23, 2007
MSRP: $59.99
Everyone 10+

Insomniac Announces Title for New Ratchet & Clank Title

The Gaming Horizon Archive — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 13:05:00 -0500

Insomniac Games has announced a new title for the next Ratchet & Clank title in the series.

The game will be entitled, Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction. Brian Allgeier, design director said, "The name Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction works on many levels. It signals a new era for the franchise, ties into the game's story, and includes one of our signature subtitle double entendres."

Originally written by Brian Mohr

Cartoon Network Racing Cheat Codes

Tim Grube — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 20:07:00 -0600

This article was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Certain formatting, imaged, and embedded content may have been lost in the transition process.

Game Factory just sent over cheat codes for the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS versions of Cartoon Network Racing. Enjoy!

PLAYSTATION 2:

Unlock everything.

Use the below combination when in the main menu (frontend screen.)

-D-pad down -Circle Button -D-pad down -Square Button -D-pad Up -D-pad Down

Also the buttons need to be pressed fairly quickly after each other about a three-quarters of a second interval.

A flash animation of cog wheels and a sound effects sample plays as confirmation and UNLOCKED displays. Note: once activated the UNLOCKED can only be de-activated by re-setting the console.

NINTENDO DS:

Type the following as player name:

Name Effect GIMMIE Unlocks everything in the game. Effectively just the renamed Unlocked cheat AAARGH Enables all hazards and pickups in time trial games. Effectively just the renamed Speedy cheat STONEME All pickups are the dumb rockets. When the rocket is fired, a stone block is fired instead, which turns any non-invulnerable player it hits to stone. IMACOPTER Top-down view, Micro-Machines style. SPINACH Unlimited superpower energy. ROCKETMAN Player has unlimited dumb rockets. Firing one results in the player being given another.

All cheats should work in multiplayer. Each player needs to enter the cheat separately for them to be able to use it in multiplayer.

Saves will be disabled until the console is reset, once the player enters a cheat code. They will be notified of this.

Cheats are stackable, so multiple cheats can be entered one after the other by re-entering the name entry screen. STONEME and ROCKETMAN are mutually exclusive. If both are entered, only the ROCKETMAN cheat will have any effect.

It would be good to pass this information on to QA for a testing session. Please note that although we have endeavoured to make the cheats as robust as possible, they are still cheats & will therefore have some rough edges. Example: top down view seeing out the side of tracks, etc. We will not be able to fix all tracks to work with this cheat so that there arent any visual artefacts. If this is a problem we will have to remove the cheat itself. QA should not enter bugs of this nature.

Jump Start You can get an extra speed boost at the start of a race by performing the Jump Start.

When the Race Countdown appears onscreen before the start of the race, hold down the A Button. You must press and hold this as soon as 3 appears.

Now watch the Countdown and when it changes from 2 to 1, release the A Button for half a second before pressing and holding it again to start. You must keep the button held until the race actually starts for the jump start to work.

The easiest way to fail is to press the button more than two times in total or to not keep it held until you are in motion.

The rhythm of the Jump Start is:

On 3: Press and hold A button On 1: Release A button (how long you release for doesnt matter- it can be quick or up to 0.5 seconds) After Release: Press and hold A button and keep it held down until your kart is moving. Keep the button held normally for driving after the Jump Start

New Too Human Trailer, Screens

Shiva Stella — Wed, 10 May 2006 19:10:00 -0500

This article was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Certain formatting, imaged, and embedded content may have been lost in the transition process.

Microsoft has revealed a new (30 second) gameplay trailer and batch of screenshots for Too Human, an Xbox 360 title currently being developed by Silicon Knights (Eternal Darkness, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes). As the cybernetic god Baldur, you are thrust into the midst of an ongoing battle that threatens the existence of mankind. An ancient machine presence has forced the gods hand. In the first part of a trilogy, Baldur is charged with defending humanity from an onslaught of monstrous war machines bent on the eradication of human life. In Too Human, players are treated to a nonstop barrage of action powered by the seamless integration of melee and ranged firearms combat and fueled by breathtaking visuals enabled by the powerful combination of Xbox 360 and the Unreal Engine 3. Battles unfold in awesome scale as players engage with vast numbers of enemies. Gamers take it to the next level by playing the entire single-player campaign in multiplayer co-op mode via Xbox Live or system link. Key features include:The birth of an icon. Fight as the powerful cybernetic god Baldur battling his way through enemy armies to become one of gamings renowned iconic heroes. From weaponry and armor to combat techniques and combos, you can fully customize Baldur to become the best possible hero. Epic beginning to a captivating trilogy. Begin the saga of Baldur in the first chapter of an exciting three-part narrative in the tradition of classic trilogies such as Star Wars and Lord of the Rings.Explosive melee and firearms combat. It will take more than brawn and raw strength to supplant the machine hordes. Utilize a sophisticated blend of seamless melee and firearms combat to vanquish foes near and far. Witness the fluid grace of heroes and enemies in battle as enacted by the acclaimed motion-capture group F.A.S.T. Feel each punishing blow through advanced visual effects made possible through the unmatched horsepower of Xbox 360 and the Unreal Engine 3.Advanced cinematic presentation. Characters and environments come to life with unparalleled visual fidelity. Experience the full excitement of combat through a dynamically driven presentation system that portrays the combat with cinematic quality. Survive pulse-pounding battles against hundreds of on-screen enemies set against the vast landscape of the Too Human world. A sweeping orchestral score sets the mood for heartbreak, anger and bloodlust as each tune encapsulates the gamer within the immersive gaming environment. New level of accessibility through intuitive combat. Perform Baldurs elaborate and complex combat maneuvers through the press of a button and chain together hundreds of rapid-fire attacks and combos with ease. Through the use of an intuitive combat system, Too Human delivers gameplay that is easy to learn and rewarding to master. Too Human will introduce combinations of weapons combat on a level that exceeds some fighting games, leaving players in awe. Shared experience. Conquer the world of Too Human alone or with friends through advanced, four-player online co-op gameplay through the Xbox Live service.Modern take on a classic story. Too Human chronicles the ongoing struggle between cybernetic gods, giant machines and mortal men on a massive scale never before seen. Play the role of a cybernetic god charged with protecting the human race against a relentless onslaught of machines.

Enjoy.

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