[OLD] Ratchet & Clank Collection

At the same time God of War Saga was released, two other HD Collections were released as part of Sony's new Collection series, one of which is today's subject, Ratchet & Clank Collection. This collection gathers the first three games in the series, Ratchet & Clank, Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando, and Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal, and slaps on an HD coat of paint with some minor tweaks. While this game came out before Full Frontal Assault did, I played that one first because at the time I had gotten both this and that game, Full Frontal Assault was shorter and more recent. That said, this one took a bit longer than I thought it would because of school (and with Finals coming up, I'm glad I finally finally finished it), but despite that taking priority I actually had a good time with this Collection in my off time, though it has some minor issues.

In terms of visual quality, the graphics of the games look better than they did in the original versions, which is complimented nicely with a much better draw distance (especially in the original Ratchet & Clank) than there was before. However, there at least one or two things that don't quite make it through the HD upgrade, such as a section in Going Commando involving a small pool of water where your perspective with the camera changes whether or not the submerged rocks even exist. A couple of minor, albeit somewhat noticeable changes are also made in both the audio and visual departments, such as changing Save and Load icons to a brain in a jar (instead of a Memory Card) and another section in Going Commando where a particular bit of audio was actually muted (I'm not sure why they did this). However, as the ability to gain a bonus from your Saves is kept throughout each game, making this collection especially worth it, the icon for reading the old Save is still that of a Memory Card.

Now while the transition from Standard to High Def is great, there is one particular tidbit that deserves mentioning, namely the HD version of Going Commando (yes, this game again). While Ratchet & Clank and Up Your Arsenal are still SD-friendly, I noticed, having played on an SD TV, that the HD version of Going Commando is actually slightly bigger than the other two games, which means the very top of the HUD is cut off a little bit. While I did get used to this as I played, this can be a little annoying since there's no way to readjust the screen. Just a little heads up for those who don't have an HD TV but wish to play these classics for the first time. There's also sort of a minor problem with the audio in Up Your Arsenal, where close to the end of a cutscene the visual will stutter a little, causing the audio to become slightly out of synch (this is put on full display during one specific scene, which you will know when you see it). The checkpoint system of the games can become annoying due to today's standards, though on the bright side it can help you prepare your moves better in advance.

One of the many obstacles Ratchet must overcome in the first game.

One thing that can't go unmentioned is that this collection has a multiplayer function, specifically the multiplayer of Up Your Arsenal, while Going Commando's multiplayer capability is removed entirely (that game has a lot of problems in the HD version, doesn't it?). For those of you that have played the multiplayer mode after the servers went down, you'll be glad to hear that the servers are back online. I can't say how well they function because I'm not the Online type of guy, but my experience in the Local version proves that it's still a better experience with more than two people.

Although I can't exactly make a comment on it, there's something I find rather interesting about this collection. According to the fan-edited Ratchet & Clank Wiki, one release of this set (presumably not the US release that I have) includes an extra bit of plot that manages to make Ratchet & Clank Collection canon to the Ratchet & Clank timeline. If this is true, that is actually kind of awesome since no one (as far as I know) seems to have done that before and I give Insomniac props for creating an extra bit of incentive to own the collection (though for me it was the chance to play a Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time demo, which is no longer an option for someone picking this release up for the first time due to it being a download voucher).

Despite a few quibbles here and there, Ratchet & Clank Collection is a collection worth having in your library. This is especially a must-have for people who have never played Ratchet & Clank before or if you want to relive these classics and no longer have the original game. However, I would keep the screen size problem with Going Commando in mind if you don't own an HD set, but it doesn't particularly get in the way of the experience too much.

So if you're new to Ratchet & Clank, start your journey with this collection.

It'll have you screaming for more.

[OLD] God of War Saga - A Worthy Package

Another quick God of War review before God of War: Ascension comes out, this time of last year's God of War Saga, one of the first in Sony's new Collection series. This review will be short, not because the collection is bad, but because it's a collection of games I have already reviewed.

God of War Saga is a new God of War collection that collects God of War Collection (which collects I and II), God of War III, and God of War Origins Collection (which collects Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta). This means you get 5 games for the price of one, making it possibly one of the best gaming deals you could ever have. Unfortunately, there is a catch: Yes, you do get 1 amazing game and 2 amazing collections of 2 games in a single package, which would be awesome except for the fact that Origins Collection is available via download. On a code. With an expiration date (3/31/13 for future reference). My beef is, if you're going to go through the effort to do this, why not go the whole way and put all of them on-disc? There's already a thing in the middle to hold another disc, so why isn't it double-sided? Well, you see Saga advertises that it has "Exclusive Bonus Content", which it turns out is a Directors Live Featurette (you're welcome) that comes with the download for Origins Collection. I know Sony is trying to make a profit off of new game sales, but why not have the Featurette be a stand-alone download code instead if they wanted to include one (aside from the one for a free month of PlayStation +)? The voucher doesn't even tell you that the video is even included, which may lead those that already have Origins Collection to miss the opportunity to grab it. *End of rant*

Despite that upset, this is probably one of the better Collections out there. It is a great bundle, and I encourage those who have not yet played any of the God of War games (and are of the right age) to pick it up. I don't know how God of War: Ascension will turn out yet, but if you don't have a PS3 yet and want to experience God of War, there is a special bundles that includes the system, Ascension, and Saga, which seems like a great deal to me (6 games at once!). If you already have a PS3 and want to play the games, but wish to buy it used or want everything physically, I would tell you to also drop some extra cash on the physical Origins Collection. Trust me, you will get your money's worth.

Now to wait for an HD re-release of this thing.

[OLD] God of War Collection

In anticipation for the release of God of War III in 2010, Sony released an HD remaster in 2009 of the first two God of War games in a special set known simply as God of War Collection. One thing that should be noted is that this particular set was the first HD Collection ever released, its success spawning a trend leading to further HD remasters, some of which we have discussed (and will get to later) on this blog. The intention of this particular HD Collection was to not only build up hype for God of War III, but also to allow newcomers to get some experience with the franchise. Having already played the original games on PS2 games, I was naturally excited about this, although I didn't actually get to playing it until now. That said, one has to wonder: Is this a worthy investment?

The answer is yes. There aren't any gameplay changes to speak of, save for Trophy support for the hardcore crowd, but there are some graphical improvements to be found. The in-game graphics look cleaner than they did in the two games' original PS2 versions and seem to run more smoothly. The cinematic cutscenes look as amazing as ever, perhaps even better than they originally did, though the cutscenes that use in-game graphics in God of War II look a tad dated, even with the HD shine.

While there isn't that much to say about it, God of War Collection is a must-have for PS3 owners. If you own a PS3 but have not played the original God of War games and are of age, pick this game up now. If you have already played these games before, this is a great way to re-live the God of War experience in the current generation of consoles. The two games included on this disk are great games in their own right and for that, whether you are a God of War veteran or a newcomer, owning this Collection is a no-brainer.