Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty

Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty
File:QFB Blu-Ray Box Art.png European Blu-Ray Quest for Booty Cover
Developer(s)	Insomniac Games
Publisher(s)	Sony Computer Entertainment
Series	Ratchet & Clank
Platform(s)	PlayStation 3
Release	PSN
Genre(s)	Platform, puzzle-solving, Adventure

Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty (known as Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty in most PAL regions) is the eighth release in the Ratchet & Clank series. It was released on the PlayStation Network in Europe and North America on August 21, 2008 and in Japan on August 22, 2008. It was also released on Blu-Ray Disc in Europe on September 12, 2008, however, this does not include United Kingdom but does include Ireland. . The game continues from where Tools of Destruction left off, where Clank was kidnapped by the mysterious Zoni, and follows Ratchet's quest to find him. Due to its length, approximately 3-4 hours of playtime, it was released at a lower price point than most PlayStation 3 games.

Plot

"Quest for Booty" begins almost immediately after Tools of Destruction ended. After defeating Emperor Tachyon, Clank has been kidnapped by the mysterious Zoni, and Ratchet and Talwyn are on the hunt for Captain Darkwater, who was considered an expert on Zoni culture. However, his crew reveal that Darkwater is dead. Rusty Pete, still mourning over the death of Captain Slag, takes command of the pirates, and banishes Ratchet and Talwyn to Hoolefar Island, shooting them out of a cannon to send them there. Ratchet washes up on the shore of Hoolefar Island, without any weapons execpt his wrench. When Ratchet arrives at the main settlement on the Island, Talwyn hopes to contact Pete, but the supply beacon on Hoolefar has been turned off. This is the player's first large puzzle: using Ratchet's gadgets and platforming skills to activate 5 wind turbines. When they are all on, Ratchet is reintroduced to the Smuggler, from whom he must buy a bolt crank. After activating the supply beacon, the island leader shows Ratchet the Obsidian Eye, a device Darkwater used to contact the Zoni. However Darkwater had removed the power source, a Fulcrum Star. Rusty Pete makes his return, and tells Ratchet that Darkwater kept a map with him, leading to the Fulcrum Star's hiding place. At the hiding place of Darkwater's body, Ratchet and Talwyn are separated, leaving Ratchet and Pete to continue on to Darkwater's ship, where the map is hidden. Here, Pete turns on Ratchet, and uses Darkwater's body to ressurect Captain Slag, unleashing a curse that sets the undead crew of Darkwater at Slag's command. Ratchet escapes and returns to Hoolefar Island, where he defends the island from the attack of Slag/Darkwater. When the attack is over, Talwyn makes her return, and she and Ratchet head to Darkwater's treasure cove, with the aid of the Smuggler. Ratchet must then complete different puzzles that prove his claim that he is Darkwater to the island's defenses. At the island's main vault, Ratchet falls into one of the island's traps, and Slag/Darkwater and Pete appear, taking the Star and Talwyn. Ratchet escapes from the caves beneath the island, and he and the Smuggler make their way back to the Arozien Sea, where the game began. Ratchet frees Talwyn, and the pair fight Darkwater/Slag, killing him and taking the Fulcrum Star. Back on Hoolefar Island, Ratchet activates the Obsidian Eye, and learns Clanks fate: the Zoni have him in another galaxy, where he is malfunctioning. The Zoni reveal that they have hired a doctor to repair Clank, Doctor Nefarious, the villian of Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal. Ratchet sets off to help Clank, and the story ends with Rusty Pete narrating to the head of Slag, which survived the destruction of Darkwater. At the end of the credits, the phrase "The Quest Continues Fall 2009", appears, revealing the intended release date for the next game in the series.

Gameplay

Ratchet in Quest for Booty Ass

Gameplay was first shown at E3 2008. This game features more puzzle solving and platforming than previous games in the series and introduces some new features, such as the ability to pick things up with the Omniwrench Millenium 12. There are also Light/Dark gameplay where Ratchet must pick up creatures called Heliogrubs with the Omniwrench Millenium 12, in order to light up a dark area. The Omniwrench Millenium 12 also has a tether ability, which can be used to manipulate objects and move obstacles. The Combuster, Fusion Grenade, Nano Swarmers, Predator Launcher, Tornado Launcher, Shock Ravager and Alpha Disrupter make their return from Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction. The game features four levels, providing around 3-4 hours of gameplay.

Reception

Reception

Review scores

Publication	Score
1Up.com	B
Edge	8/10
Eurogamer	7.0/10
GameSpot	7.5/10
IGN	7.4/10

1UP.com's Nick Suttner described the game as "a rollicking few hours, polished to a sheen and even better-paced than its full-length predecessors" although "Booty" tromps off with its own side story, ending on the same cliffhanger with little more resolved. Suttner also said that the game looks slightly better than Tools of Destruction due to improved lighting and better textures.

IGN reviewer Jeremy Dunham says "Quest for Booty has been designed as a quick four-hour experience and it feels shortchanged because of it. Though its shooting and platforming sequences are fun and of high production, it still seems like there's something missing." but said that "there are some really cool puzzles and new gameplay elements.".

See also

• Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
• List of PlayStation Network games
• List of PlayStation 3 games