The PlayStation 3 will be graced with two cooperative action platformers this year. Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One is a four-player co-op game starring the titular heroes as well as Qwark and Doctor Nefarious. PlayStation Move Heroes is a motion control-based title that allows two players to team up and take on the roles of either Jak and Daxter, Sly Cooper and his pal Bentley, or Ratchet and Clank. Some gamers–specifically those who have a fondness for all of these franchises–may have a hard time deciding on which game to pick up. On the one hand, Heroes is a crossover of three popular Sony-published entities. But on the other hand, All 4 One allows for a bigger party thanks to its four-player co-op. Let’s take a look at both of these upcoming games.
Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One doesn’t change the gameplay of the series drastically except for the fact that it allows up to four players to team up locally or online to tackle the game’s campaign. Cooperative play is often enjoyable, and while it seems as if getting online to play cohesively with others will be a lot of fun, All 4 One has the makings of an excellent group game. Given the series’ lighthearted nature, this game looks like something that a lot of gamers will want to bring out when they have a couple of friends over.
That’s not to say that the online co-op isn’t worth getting excited over. The idea of an online Ratchet & Clank title for up to four players is certainly something to look forward to, especially for those whose friends don’t own a PlayStation 3. And because the game’s launch hasn’t been specified, there’s still a chance that developer Insomniac Games will add some additional features such as minigames, deathmatch modes, or other multiplayer perks to make the game’s online even more enjoyable.
Everyone loves a good crossover. Batman and Superman. Spider-Man and Blade. Marvel and Capcom. Now we have Ratchet & Clank mixing it up with Jak and Daxter as well as Sly Cooper. PlayStation Move Heroes is taking all three of these franchises and building a Move-centric game around them. The game is set to feature levels from all three series as well as familiar enemies. Unfortunately, while the prospect of this idea seems like a great way to team up these unlikely allies, there are some limitations. For starters, the game only allows for two-player co-op. This is a bit of a letdown considering All 4 One lets four players team together to play through the game.
Additionally, the game is very restrictive in terms of character selection. It automatically forces player two to take on the role of player one’s sidekick. So if you team up with a friend who selects Sly as his character, then you’ll be forced to play as Bentley. Now, I’m not bashing the sluggish little guy or anything of that nature, but the fact that Heroes doesn’t allow you to create a dream team such as Daxter and Clank is kind of a bummer, and it sucks all of the excitement that comes with a crossover out of the game. If Heroes features some sort of competitive multiplayer component, this is most likely where the mixing and matching of characters will be done. But so far, all signs point to the characters sticking with their allies in this one.
Another aspect that may cause some gamers to lose interest in Heroes is its exclusivity to Move. All of the game’s objectives are structured like minigames, so the implementation of Move support almost makes this more of a party game than a full cooperative adventure like All 4 One. Motion controls and minigames; the only thing missing is the one element Nihilistic Software should have included: four-player support. Heroes is being built like a party game, yet it severely restricts players in terms of characters, and the two-player co-op is a lackluster multiplayer addition to say the least.
Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One and PlayStation Move Heroes are inching closer to their respective release dates. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide which game to pick. If you’re a Ratchet & Clank fan and can’t seem to get enough of the series, then you’re probably going to pick up both. If you’re a Sly Cooper or Jak and Daxter kind of person, though, you’ll feel compelled to get Heroes. However, if you’d much rather have a fun cooperative game that lets you have a blast with others, All 4 One is the clear choice. Heroes seems like too much of a party game with restrictions that no party game should have. Keep your eyes open for both, but keep a closer eye on Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One.
