All Articles: Ratchet & Clank

Dark Souls III envelops your very being in darkness and despair… it was also the best-selling game of April 2016

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I’m sure this is a surprise to no one, but people really love the Dark Souls franchise. And according to The NPD Group (as reported by GamesIndustry.biz), Dark Souls III was the best-selling retail game in April 2016.

The finale to From Software’s brutally difficult trilogy beat out some stiff competition in April including the Ratchet & Clank reboot (#2), Quantum Break (#7), and Star Fox Zero (#10). MLB The Show 16 also got a boost from the opening of this year’s baseball season (#3), but it wasn’t enough to unseat the Babe Ruth of gothic action RPGs.

But even with a handful of big new releases, the retail sector as a whole suffered a huge decline from the year before, when Mortal Kombat X obliterated all expectations. “In April 2016, overall trends (hardware, new physical software, and accessories) were down 15% (or $88.5 million) compared to April 2015 due to a $41.6 million decline in hardware and a $52.8 million decline in software, with the $5.9 million growth in accessories unable to offset these losses,” said The NPD Group’s Liam Callahan.

However, Callahan added, “Despite these declines, keep in mind that Xbox One and PS4 are trending over 40% higher in cumulative sales after 30 months in the market compared to their predecessors.”

A complete look at last month’s best-selling retail games can be found after the break. (more…)

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Sony announces PAX East 16 lineup: Uncharted 4, Ratchet & Clank, PlayStation VR, more

playstationVRSony just announced their PAX East 2016 lineup on the PlayStation Blog, and there are over 20 games on the list. Just think… you could be playing Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End as soon as next week.

And that’s not all. PlayStation VR will also be at PAX East, and they’ll have 10 games available to try out. There will also be several PlayStation 4 games as part of the Indie Megabooth this year, including Metrico+, Moon Hunters, and Read Only Memories.

Hit the jump for the full list of games PlayStation will have in their booth at PAX East from April 22nd to April 24th. (more…)

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Dark Souls III, Ratchet & Clank, Stories: The Path of Destinies, more added to PS Store

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The fires of the Dark Souls saga might go dim after the release of Dark Souls III, but PS4 owners will still be able to venture into Hidetaka Miyazaki’s gothic nightmare one last time beginning today. The remainder of this week’s PlayStation Store update is a bit on the short side, but there’s still plenty to play just ahead of Tax Day…

PS4 owners will also be able to download the rebooted rendition of Ratchet & Clank, which will “take a deeper look at the characters’ origin stories.” Insomniac has also added more planets, more bosses, new Clank gameplay, new flight sequences, and “completely new visuals.” All these new features will tie in to the Ratchet & Clank animated adaptation, which will open in theaters on April 29.

Elsewhere on Sony’s digital storefront, players will be able try out Koei Tecmo’s strategy-centric Samurai Warriors 4: Empires (PS4) and Hopoo’s roguelike action platformer Risk of Rain (PS4 + PS Vita Cross-Buy). Finally, Stories: The Path of Destinies (PS4) is this week’s Launch Party selection, and it’s an action RPG from Spearhead Games.

More information on all of these title can be found after the break. And, as always, a complete rundown of this week’s new game add-ons is available at the PlayStation Blog. (more…)

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New Releases: Dark Souls III, Bravely Second, Ratchet & Clank

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Just three new games will be available on store shelves this week… but they’re three of this Spring’s biggest.

Leading the way, of course, is Bandai Namco’s Dark Souls III. Available this week for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One, developer From Software and Director Hidetaka Miyazaki are back to tell another story in their crumbling, yet strasngely beautiful, world. Players who purchase the “Day One Edition” will get a head start on the uber-difficult game thanks to the included Prima Starter Guide and soundtrack CD.

Gamers on the go will get the chance to try out a very different RPG this week, as Square Enix will team up with Nintendo to release Bravely Second: End Layer for the 3DS. This turn-based sequel will explore more of Luxendarc as players attempt to rescue Agnes Oblige from the evil Kaiser Oblivion.

Finally this week, Sony and Insomniac Games will bring back Ratchet & Clank in a reimagining of the duo’s original adventure. These reimagined elements (including new characters, new bosses, and new weapons) will also be on display later this month when an animated adaptation of Ratchet & Clank warps its way into theaters.

We’ll be back soon with a closer look at all of this week’s downloadable titles for the PlayStation Store, Xbox Games Store, and Nintendo eShop.

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A Day-By-Day Guide to All of 2016’s New Video Games (April – September)

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The Spring and Summer months are currently less dense with new releases than the first three months of the year, but that should change fairly soon, especially since publishers have staked a claim to every week from the beginning of April to the end of June with at least one big new release dropping every seven days.

Are you ready? Because here… we… go… (more…)

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Ratchet & Clank for PS4 gets an April 12, 2016 release date

The Ratchet & Clank movie will be coming out on April 29, 2016, but fans of the games will be able to jump into the fun even sooner! Sony announced that Ratchet & Clank for the PlayStation 4 will be released even earlier, on April 12, 2016.

Insomniac showed the above footage at the PlayStation Experience. It walks you through how Ratchet & Clank met, and shows some of the stunning gameplay. According to the PlayStation Blog, “modern controls, new planets, new and improved gameplay, all-new boss fights, and an updated arsenal.”

Don’t worry, Ratchet & Clank fans – just a few more months to go!

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Ratchet & Clank PS4 remake is actually a game based on a movie based on a game

Insomniac Games has been busy of late, debuting on the Xbox One last year with Sunset Overdrive, plugging a few iOS games this year, as well as developing Edge of Nowhere, the company’s exclusive game for the Oculus Rift. Yet, with such a full plate, Insomniac is returning to its roots with a new Ratchet & Clank game for the PS4.

Instead of producing a sequel to the modestly well-received PS3 title Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus, Insomniac has chosen to get very meta, reworking the 2002 original for the PS4, but also adapting part of the upcoming animated feature film about the space-faring duo. Confused? So are we! The PlayStation Blog put it best: “Play the game, based on the movie, based on the game!”

But Ratchet & Clank is more than just a glossy version of the 2002 original game, and has been reworked to specifically tie-in with the film’s plot, which tells the story of Ratchet’s origins. In short, it is almost a brand new game with elements of the original, but with modern controls, sleek graphics, and more missions, planets, and bosses, thanks to the power of the PlayStation 4. You can see the only thing in motion in the E3 2015 trailer embedded above.

But let’s not forget the franchise’s focus on new weaponry, like the Pixelizer, which turns enemies into something out of Minecraft. Old favourites also return, from the Groovitron to Ratchet’s cybernetic bodyguard Mr. Zurkon. If you pre-order the game, you will also get The Bouncer, an exclusive weapon originally featured in Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando!

Ratchet & Clank will be available for the PS4 next Spring.

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Ratchet & Clank remake pushed back to 2016 as film adaptation gets April 29 release date

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We haven’t heard much about Insomniac’s Ratchet & Clank remake since its reveal less than a year ago. Originally scheduled to launch earlier this year, the game was quietly delayed with no explanation or announcement. Until now, that is.

Yesterday, Insomniac’s Ryan Schneider confirmed (via the PlayStation Blog) that the Ratchet & Clank remake will be released in Spring 2016. The remake will include an overall new coat of paint and several new weapons and levels that will help it tie-in to the upcoming Ratchet & Clank animated film:

While you might have to wait a bit longer than expected, rest assured we’re using the time wisely to further polish the game to a spit-shine level, with dazzling shader response, awe-inspiring effects, velvety smooth animations, and spectacular new gameplay segments. Really, we can’t wait to show it to you.

Speaking of the animated film, Schneider also announced that it’ll make its theatrical debut on April 29, 2016. Distributed by Focus Features, the film will include a variety of big names in its cast list including Paul Giamatti as Chairman Drek, John Goodman as Ratchet’s mechanic mentor Grimroth, Bella Thorne as Galactic Ranger Cora, Rosario Dawson as Galactic Ranger Elaris, and Sylvester Stallone as the villainous Victor Von Ion.

But don’t worry, the original voice actors for Ratchet (James Arnold Taylor), Clank (David Kaye), Captain Qwark (Jim Ward), and Doctor Nefarious (Armin Shimerman) will all return to reprise their roles for the film.

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