Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault for PlayStation 3

GF Rating

7

Good

Full Frontal Face Plant

posted by StarRaven (BOYNTON BEACH, FL) Dec 20, 2012

Member since May 2011

13 out of 14 gamers (93%) found this review helpful

Okay, it's not that bad... in fact it's great. Just different.

People really wanted to throw this in a separate category from the the other Ratchet and Clank games... and while I want to agree with Insomniac and say, "No, this is just like any other R&C game, just with some different things" which is what they said about All 4 One.... I have to say no...

Other fans always tried to say Deadlocked wasn't a real game, but it most certainly was. End of argument.

But, All 4 One and Full Frontal Assault are different. And yet the same. You can read my All 4 One review.

FFA isn't just some tower defense with a R&C theme. It is a legit R&C game, but based around tower defense. And this is fine. The story is all there, but certainly not on the same level of the "real" Ratchet games. And, as I said in for All 4 One, it's great to see them reaching out and trying new things, because the fact is, that although it may trip some players up for not being a "real" Ratchet game... All 4 One had some of the best 4 Player Drop-In Co-Op you could have and this has a FANTASTIC system for Tower Defense.

I would say that if it was someone completely original other than the Ratchet brand, people wouldn't be so harsh on it for being different and would appreciate all that it does right so much more. Because it does it all right. It's a lot of fun, albeit a bit difficult and kind of laboring at times. Graphics are good, and gameplay is rock solid.

Not bad for a PSN/Vita game. Not bad at all.

But yes... I think it's about time Ratchet and Clank return to their Adventure, Platforming, Pixar rivaling quality that we love know that we've taken, and are over, the break we needed a few years ago.

Insomniac, we are ready for a classic Ratchet & Clank game again.

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GF Rating

4

Weak

Ratchet and Clank: Vanilla Edition

posted by JCDenton (FREEDOM, NH) Mar 11, 2013

Member since Mar 2006

1 out of 1 gamers (100%) found this review helpful

Oh to return to the good old days when Ratchet and Clank was all about guns and platforming and cool planets and funny characters. Well, those days are gone. After CiT, Insomniac seemed to feel that there dynamic duo was too cool and put up too high a benchmark for platformers, so they turned them into generic characters who star in family-friendly co-op games where the idea is to play with others rather than be immersed in the game world by yourself.
It started with All4One, which wasn't inherently bad, but focused on using two characters together and going head-to-head with other players. It had to sacrifice a lot of what people love about the franchise to do that and many gamers hoped Insomniac would return to their roots for the next title.
Instead, Insomniac decided to try turning Ratchet and Clank into a tower defense game, where you continually run back to keep generators from being destroyed while going out onto the map to get weapons and finances for your personal defense system.
As a tower defense game, it's not a bad one, but as a Ratchet game, it's terribly short, boring and shallow. Weapons upgrade a few times with no customization. There are only three game maps, not the 12 explorable worlds you'd get from previous games. Platforming is an afterthought, usually just jumping to a ledge so you can break a box or something. Variety and replay are all but gone, sacked in favor of multi-player aspects.
This wouldn't hurt so much if Ratchet and Clank didn't stand as a pinnacle of action adventure games, something that every other developer had to compare their title with. But everyone seems so concerned about making games that appeal to everybody rather than the diehard gamers that live for this stuff.
The depth is gone and with it my desire to play the game. Here's hoping R&C return to their roots on the PS4 if only to show what great game design can look like.

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GF Rating

5

Fair

very different

posted by kimbo86 (ATLANTA, GA) Feb 19, 2013

Member since Feb 2013

1 out of 1 gamers (100%) found this review helpful

Not the best R&C game but it's more of like a 'filler'. It's a VERY short game (like quest for booty) and I think I beat it in 4-5 hours.
The game itself plays like a tower defense game. So if that isn't your type of game, you may not like this. While I personally like those types of games, I didn't like it as part of R&C. It's frustrating playing the game (which is a good shoot 'em up series) and have to literally start over with each new 'world' you go to which is what you do with tower defense games.
To sum it up, this is tower defense R&C style. Play at your own risk.

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GF Rating

7

Good

Really?

posted by dj_shaggy (CONCORD, CA) Dec 14, 2012

Member since Dec 2012

3 out of 4 gamers (75%) found this review helpful

i have to keep running back to defend the silly base? I just want to explore, not run back and forth. Graphis and play control are perfect as always.

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GF Rating

9

Excellent

Another twist for the series but Solid as usual.

posted by ptrac (HICKSVILLE, NY) Dec 4, 2012

Member since Oct 2011

2 out of 3 gamers (67%) found this review helpful

Insomniac takes its turn at tower defense to near-excellent results. A lot of games have tried infusing Tower Defense into the adventure formula and have failed miserably i.e Assassin's Creed Revelations. In this case it works well and goes beyond being simply that. there is a bit of story and The great characters and fun game play save this somewhat repetitive and at times, frustrating entry in the long running series from being a failure. Insomniac needs to be applauded for taking chances with the series and keeping it from going completely stale. Some issues, like leveling up and acquiring weapons are a bit more difficult than they need to be at times and may turn off a lot gamers. But, it still has many of the intangibles that makes this series so great. And still has the great game play and personality its known for. This game is also noticeably harder when playing alone. But things get a bit small on screen when playing 2 player split screen. So, you need a big screen for this game. Much of this may sound like a negative, but something about this game is still very very good. And its a great deal at 19.99 (you get a version of the game for both PS3 and Vita. Give it a shot and see for yourself. This is a solid entry that deserves a look from everyone.

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GF Rating

2

Really Bad

Tool short

posted by xxrob1979xx (WARRENSBURG, NY) Apr 26, 2013

Member since Jan 2013

1 out of 2 gamers (50%) found this review helpful

Beat the game first day I got it not that hard at all. What happened to the ratchet and clank games that took forever to unlock weapons and mods.

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GF Rating

1

Horrible

Ratchet clank full frontal assault

posted by Fisherwoman69 (OAK CREEK, WI) Mar 21, 2013

Member since Mar 2013

1 out of 2 gamers (50%) found this review helpful

Not at all like there other games didn't like at all all you do is kill bad

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GF Rating

3

Bad

Worst Ratchet & Clank I've played

posted by foff667 (TRENTON, NJ) Feb 3, 2013

Member since Nov 2012

I have them all with the exception of Quest for booty, even going back to all the PS2 games, this one is by far the worst. Its a different idea in the "tower defense" but the storyline is weak, the game is also extremely short(took me some 3 hours to beat start to finish), definitely not worth the $20 to buy, barely worth the rent for it. Very disappointed even though I knew what I was in for to an extent from reading other reviews. Ebay will be the next stop for this game.

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GF Rating

2

Really Bad

Such a let down...

posted by ZephyrPanthur (MOORE, OK) Jan 30, 2013

Member since Jan 2013

For a platformer series that has had great weapons, funny characters, and silly plots. A great storyline from start to end, Level after level of fun, These last few ratchet and clank games are obnoxious. 1 game that your not allowed to solo through, playing the same missions over and over forced to deal with other players is annoying, and an even greater let down is this atrocity, turning a great game potential, into a tower defence game... Ratchet and Clank have lost the love I once had for their games.

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GF Rating

7

Good

Where's the Beef

posted by nabors0880 (NORTH SIOUX CITY, SD) Jan 25, 2013

Member since Nov 2008

I have enjoyed all the R and C games and enjoyed this one but after playing I could only ask where's the rest of it? This game is way too short but fun.

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GF Rating

8

Very Good

Solid Game but....

posted by a1maverick (TAMPA, FL) Jan 21, 2013

Member since Dec 2009

They can't just have a tower defense game with a R&C skin. I wish they gave you more options in the single player because you are always running back to defend your base instead of completing the level, No matter how much you spend on "Base Defenses". This is a good game to keep Ratchet and Clank in your mind until you can rent the next one.

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GF Rating

1

Horrible

disappointment

posted by clamman (CARLSTADT, NJ) Jan 15, 2013

Member since Jan 2013

I love Ratchet and clank. I've been playing them for a long time and have been looking forwatd to this game. But this game was the biggest appointment ever. It really didnt stick to the normal story lines. It was boring and redunant.. I rather drink a glass of water then play this game. Complete waste of time.

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GF Rating

4

Weak

Just not that fun

posted by officeninj (GAINESVILLE, FL) Jan 15, 2013

Member since Sep 2009

I'm a huge fan of the Ratchet & Clank franchise but this entry (like All 4 One) took a solid concept and tried to shoehorn a flash-in-the-pan style of game (tower defense in this case) where there wasn't room for one. Imagine you're in a typical R&C title, but instead of fighting your way through multiple beautiful alien worlds full of exotic baddies, you have one level that is relatively small and enclosed. You must find weapon caches on this world to survive (although you do not get to keep weapons between worlds, which is balls). Every 5-10 minutes of exploring this world, you must return to "home base" where waves of identical enemies come rushing at your various turrets/barricades/etc and you have to spend money to maintain them. It's a tedious bet-hedging between two otherwise solid styles of game, and it really is not enjoyable as a result.

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GF Rating

6

Above Average

Not the best of rachet and clank, but good

posted by darkwolf99 (ANCHORAGE, AK) Jan 12, 2013

Member since Jan 2009

The game play wasn't bad, but Somethings I didn't really like. the fact that sometimes I got a nearly endless wave after wave of destruction drones (What ever they were called) and mainly the shortness. I enjoyed the gameplay and storyline, I amazingly guessed who the bad guy was before he revealed his identity and I was glad he was brought up and also that I remembered him Lol. All in all I think this game should have been a downloadable game, but that is just my opinion

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GF Rating

7

Good

Fun multiplayer, far too short!

posted by wiseacre686 (PUYALLUP, WA) Jan 11, 2013

Member since Oct 2012

I'm a fan of the entire R&C franchise. I own all the games, and replay them regularly. Full Frontal Assault has been the most different thus far.

Gameplay mechanics are the same as the other games, so picking this up felt natural. Your weapons also still upgrade after repeated use.

The main difference in this game, is it's more of a strategy game than a platformer. The goal is to defend your home base against incoming baddies, while simultaneously venturing out to attack theirs. The bolts you collect go towards purchasing mines and turrets to help defend your base.

My complaint about this game was the length. There were only four planets, one of which you can beat in under 8 minutes. My wife (who is a complete novice to this and most video games) beat this game in about four hours. While there is mild replay value, having so few levels will get repetitive.

That being said, the game was a blast. I received this as a Christmas gift, so I didn't spend the money. But I wouldn't recommend buying it. However it is a solid renter.

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GF Rating

1

Horrible

DONT DO THIS 2 UR SELF

posted by CVAYDA (SUNRISE, FL) Dec 13, 2012

Member since Dec 2012

I HAD MY HOPES WAY HI ON THIS , WHAT A DISSAPOINTMENT, ITS THE SAME THING FOR THE FIRST 3 STAGES AND NO NEW WEAPONS, IVE LOST MY FAITH IN THIS SERIES

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GF Rating

8

Very Good

rachet and clank full frontal assault

posted by curiousgeorge42 (KERRVILLE, TX) Dec 7, 2012

Member since Aug 2012

this was a fun game but it's not like the other games. it has a different style tooo it. your defending bases instead of clearing levels

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Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault for PlayStation 3 Reviews by Gamers

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