An incredible ride from start to finish.
Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time isn't a game that monopolized message boards or critics year-end awards lists in 2009. It was released amid a bunch of more high-profile action blockbusters so inevitably got a bit lost in the shuffle. It's not niche or artsy enough to make hardcore gaming connisseurs salivate over it, and it's not mainstream enough to sweep sales charts and casual gamers either. A Crack in Time is just a brilliant, unheralded platforming masterpiece ... one of the best games I've played this generation and the best release from Insomniac yet.
A Crack in Time reminds me a lot of Uncharted 2. The gameplay mechanics are hardly revolutionary, but it's the polish and presentation that set them (miles) apart from their competition. Both games use excellent voice-acting, memorable characters and storylines to keep you captivated. Both are incredibly well-paced ... mixing up gameplay styles and loud/quiet moments where you never feel like you're trudging through some level, just to get through it or just to finish the game. Both games are exactly as long as they need to be, and no longer. And perhaps most important, both games are genuinely funny and genuinely endearing. It's very hard to find a video game that honestly makes you laugh or emphathize with its characters. A Crack in Time is so full of heart, it makes most other games (especially other platformers) look like empty shells in comparison.
Other reviews covered gameplay specifics in detail long ago, so I won't waste any more space on that here. I just wanted throw a congratulations to Insomniac's way here for an incredible experience. I could easily replay this game a few times simply because it just makes you feel good while you're playing.
