Ratchet: Deadlocked To Be Released...At Some Point

Insomniac announced during their 10th anniversary panel at PAX Prime that the Ratchet and Clank Collection line-up shall be finalized with the 2005 PS2 title Ratchet: Deadlocked to be released on the PSN “sometime by the end of the year.” While Deadlocked is arguably the worst of the series, once you get past the animation change and the fact that you do not actually play with Clank, it's a really fun co-op game with a solid mix of shooting and platforming (and some slightly hideous vehicle sections).

In this edition, Ratchet has been captured and forced to compete as a gladiator in the “Dreadzone” remotely aided by Clank and minor character Al which provide you with weapon upgrades and gadgets. The entirety of the game is set in a battle arena with a combination of waves of enemies and some platforming sections. It’s pretty much like every other co-op arena game but for one caveat: You and your co-op partner are linked together by a “deadlock collar” which will explode if you get too far away from one another. Fortunately there is little punishment for failure. Death results in a 10 second respawn timer followed by revival with full health unless both players go down. If this happens, you have to start the entire level all over again. Like the other games, the guns upgrade with use but this incarnation allows you to install weapon mods, such as chain lightning, allowing a certain level of customization to the experience.

Like all co-op focused games, Deadlocked is only fun if you have someone to play it with, although the game will helpfully supply you with two combat bots if you’re flying solo. I don’t think I need to go into the important difference between crappy A.I. and a human partner capable of complex tactical strategy so we’ll just say that if you don’t have any friends who are interested in playing with you, kidnap a hobo off the street and withhold booze until he agrees to play.

...Or maybe something less violent... I dunno, improvise.

The upgrading and port to PS3 will be handled by the Colorado-based development company Idol Minds who have produced PS2 titles such as: Neopets the Darkest Faerie, Madagascar 2, Cool Boarders 2001, PAIN, and Warriors Lair (aka Ruin).They also did the port of the Ratchet and Clank Collection which I thought was slightly sloppy and a little glitchy but then again they’re selling them for $15 a piece on the PSN (or $30 for all three on Amazon or Gamestop - way to be a dick Sony) so I guess you get what you pay for.

We’ll see how the online element gets handled. I confess I have never actually played a co-op game over the PSN even though I’ve used XBox Live numerous times.

I guess that kinda says something about the PSN.

In the mean time, here's some gentle reading music:

[Source: Gameinformer]