It’s the month of July and I hope everyone is having a good summer! July brings swimming, fun at the beach, a very hot sun, and Comic-Con. Yes, Comic-Con; this will be the next stop for Insomniac Games to show off A Crack in Time, the next game in the Future series. So, if you call yourself a Ratchet and Clank fan, be sure you cram every bit of new info you learn into that brain of yours. But, what else is there you ask. Well, here’s what you can look out for...

-Comic-Con ’09 (July 23-26):
As we wait for the end of July and the beginning of Comic-Con, keep your eyes and ears open for any new information on A Crack in Time. As Brian Allgeier stated in the E3 trailer for A Crack in Time, “there’s going to be a lot of more stuff to come over the next few months” so you can bet that we’ll see something new very soon. We’ll also get to hear who won the weapons contest and see some Clank gameplay in action so don’t miss out.

-Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time:
Yes, one of the biggest Ratchet and Clank games to date will soon be released…well, not that soon. But, it will be out sometime this fall. The release date is said to be this November but that is not officially confirmed. Be sure to preorder for special goodies and if you do not have a PS3, get one now!

-Full Moon Show: Insomniac Games Podcast:
With the new season of the Full Moon Show underway, be sure to listen in or watch the new episodes that will debut every first and third Thursday of each month. They are sure to be informative and entertaining! In fact, one was just released a few weeks ago, so go pick it up for your iPod or computer.

First up, we have a great thread that was created by LJ_FIZZLE and has been keeping track on all of the new info so far. If you haven’t seen it yet, be sure to check it out now.

We also have a video showing us what will really happen in ACIT. Be warned though, it may contain spoilers! Good job to JumpButton over on the Insomniac forums for making this.

Next up, TOY_ROBOT and ShiFT have created a new Ratchet and Clank fansite named after a familiar starship. This site will continue to grow over the next couple of weeks. More features will become readily available soon so go sign up.

And finally, a new user by the handle of Thundertimi has created a Ratchet and Clank inspired song. It is called “Clocktower” and is a perfect fit for Ratchet and Clank. This is a great user created song, so don’t miss out on hearing it.

When Comic-Con rolls around, there will be exclusive Clank gameplay to be seen and there is also something new that has yet to be seen or even heard about. A lot of you know how the Clank gameplay will work, but for those that don’t, here’s a rundown of how it may work and feel…

With our furry friend and his robot accomplice separated, they need to fend for themselves. We all know that Ratchet will be able to get around with his new pair of Hoverboots, but what will Clank do?

Clank has now been given a new staff. This staff has the ability to activate Time Pods which will record his actions for up to a minute. After that time is over, a recorded version of Clank will appear and playback the past minute. For example:

A Time Pod is activated and records Clank standing on a button. This button opens a door across the room. But, when Clank moves away from that button, it deactivates, and the door closes. So, after Clank is recorded standing on the button, the past minute will be played back and the real version of Clank will be able to proceed through the door while his past self stands on the button so it stays open.

Up to four copies can be created to help Clank solve puzzles and get to hard to reach places. This concept has been used in other games as well. To get a good idea of this time traveling, puzzle solving concept, here is a link to a game called Chronotron.

This game should show a great example of what Clank’s gameplay should be like. Insomniac even stated that they used this game, as well as others, to build Clank’s gameplay. So, with that, you should better understand how Clank’s gameplay works. Now, on to the mystery gameplay!

There is little to no info on what this mystery gameplay will be. Could it be something to do with the new, larger space combat and exploration or something entirely different? Well, we’ll have to wait till Comic-Con to find out!

If you preorder A Crack in Time, you can receive a special preorder bonus. These include:

Discovery Pack: Explore the Insomniac Moon, a special level that resembles the layout of the Insomniac Games’ offices! Scattered through this museum-like level, you will discover a moon’s worth of extra content that didn’t quite make it into the game. Available by pre-ordering at GameStop or EBGames.

Power Pack: The Power package includes an exclusive weapon skin for one of Ratchet’s weapons. You will also start the game with extra hit points, and Ratchet’s brand new Cryo Mine Glove, a weapon that freezes enemies! (This pre-order program goes into effect over the next few weeks.)

Bolt Pack: The thrifty gamer will find lots to love in this exclusive Bolt Package! Start the game with two of Ratchet’s most bolt-centric power-ups — the Bolt Magnetizer and Box Basher, and you will discover your galactic bank account has already loaded with 5,000 bolts when you start the game. Available by pre-ordering from Amazon.com.

Space Pack: The Space Package offers an exclusive hotrod skin for Ratchet’s ship, the Aphelion. You also will start with 5,000 bolts as well as an exclusive Ratchet & Clank PlayStation Home Avatar Skin!

And, to clear up any confusion, it has been confirmed that if you are unable to get all of these packs (which you most likely won’t) then everything is available in game and as DLC later on.

At E3, Insomniac showed off A Crack in Time to those lucky enough to visit. So, for those that weren’t there, videos have been made to show what you missed. One of those videos shows and tells us a great deal of interesting information that you may have not heard of or even seen. Here is the video with a rundown of what was talked about throughout it.

During the game, you’ll team up with a Lombax called Alister Azimuth. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because that it is the name of the place where you fought Tachyon in Tools of Destruction; The Court of Azimuth. This “Court” was named after him because he is said to be a famous general. He is also a good friend of Ratchet’s father.

Insomniac has brought some of the physics of Resistance 2 to Ratchet and Clank. Now, if you fire a weapon at water, the water will react and create waves and ripples on the surface. They have also created a new “Shadowing System” that gives characters and objects in the game the ability to Self Shadow. This has been confused as Cell Shading, but it is uniquely different. There is also a new “Muscle System” that makes the movements and motions of character’s muscles look more realistic.

Instead of past Ratchet and Clank games where levels are more linear, A Crack in Time will feature more opened up level designs. These are to give players more reason to explore and to open up more possibilities.

In Krell Canyon alone, you will fight against Agorians, Battlebots, and Hydratanks. But, you’ll have your weapons to take down the enemy. Right now we know that you’ll use the Negotiator, Buzz Blades, Grovvitron, Plasma Striker, CryoMine Glove, Sonic Eruptor, and the OmniWrench Millennium 12. You’ll also have to find your way around Tetramites, strange insects that can kill Ratchet in one hit. For these creatures, you’ll use the OmniSoaker, a device that can suck up water and nectar.

The Zoni need Ratchet’s help this time around and it seems that he’ll have to use a small cylindrical device to catch them! Close to the middle of the video, you will notice that when Ratchet catches up with the Zoni he is following, the Zoni flies into this strange device. It is unknown as to what this device specifically does. Maybe it sends the Zoni to the Zoni dimension? We’ll have to wait to see. Ratchet can also pick things up like he did in Quest for Booty. After collecting the Zoni, Ratchet picks up a Batterybot. This little fellow can be used to power doors and other electrical things. In the video, the Batterybot is used to open a secret door that holds a Gold Bolt behind it. So, if you see a Batterybot, look around because there may be a secret to be found.

This is not mentioned in the video, but if you like Arena Challenges, then get ready for more! A Crack in Time will have arena based missions just like in Tools of Destruction but more diverse and challenging. This should be good news for those of you that could easily beat the arena in Tools of Destruction.

A few weeks ago, Insomniac released some amazing renders and concept art of a few characters and weapons in A Crack in Time. If you haven’t seen them or you want to get a hold of them again, here they are for your enjoyment. First are some renders:

*coming soon*

Name: Bouncer

Featured In:
• Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando
• Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal

Description and History:
The Bouncer is a weapon available in the second and third Ratchet and Clank games. It fires a large bomb at enemies that, upon impact, explodes releasing many smaller bombs that continue to damage enemies in range. The Bouncer can clear out rooms of enemies without Ratchet having to enter it. With use, the Bouncer upgrades to the Heavy Bouncer which shoots out an even bigger bomb that releases still bigger bomblets that would light up the entire screen. Although it was a good weapon, it had a very slow fire rate.

Fast Facts and Trivia:
• Although the Bouncer is a Megacorp weapon, Ratchet can acquire it from Slim Cognito on Aquatos, in Up Your Arsenal.
• In Ratchet: Deadlocked, Shellshock has a very similar attack except that his attack automatically deployed the small bombs, instead of a single big bomb sending out the little ones.
• A Boucer is: a person who provides security and deals with disorderly people in a public venue; a type of delivery in cricket; an alien race in the fictional Star Wars universe

Metropolis, Kerwan

Games Featured In:
Ratchet and Clank, Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal, Ratchet: Deadlocked [mention only], Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

Description:
From the Ratchet & Clank Wiki

Metropolis is a large, bustling city, and is possibly the capital sector of a planet-wide city. It appears to be a very environmentally-friendly city, as the buildings are dotted with plants and moss, and the platforms are also grassy areas as opposed to the expected concrete. The buildings themselves often have bronze caps on them as decorations. It is not unusual in Metropolis to not see the ground below.

The city also has varying means of transportation. The most common mean is that of flying cars, which fly in pre-designated lanes. Grav-Trains run about on grindrails to provide another means of getting around the city for the average citizen. The adventurous commuter could take the grind rails to get around, provided they could avoid the Grav-Trains.

There are also similar hovering trains, which were used to load cargo around Metropolis. Other features included meteor pads and the dense blue-ish fog that gathered in the lower parts of the city, obscuring the view.

History and Involvement in Storyline:
From the Ratchet & Clank Wiki

Ratchet & Clank
Metropolis first appeared in Ratchet & Clank. It was seen as a city filled with vegetation and high buildings. During the time of Chairman Drek's plan to build a new planet, Kerwan was taken over and occupied by Drek's forces, however it was unknown whether Drek actually wanted to use Metropolis for his synthetic planet. A likely alternative was that he expected Ratchet to land in the city at some point, and stationed his thugs there in advance. It wasn't long before Ratchet and Clank arrived, following the trail of Captain Qwark with a Swingshot, a Heli-Pack, and an Infobot for planet Eudora. However, they had also successfully driven off the Blarg and were a step closer to making contact with Captain Qwark.

Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal
Through an issue of the Qwark vid-comics, Ratchet found out that Dr. Nefarious had invaded Metropolis once before with an army of robotic Insectoids, but had been thwarted by Captain Qwark. Now that he had the Tyhrranoids at his disposal, as well as his Bio-Bliterator, he was ready to extract his revenge on the city. The design of this city at the time of Nefarious' original invasion was practically identical to the design from when Ratchet first visited the city. The invasion was already in full force when Ratchet & Clank (who was secretly Klunk in disguise) arrived. The skies of Metropolis were alive with Blaster fire and explosions. The design of the city had also changed. There was more walkway for Ratchet to use, and the colors were more dulled. Making their way through this section of the city, Ratchet & Klunk witnessed the Bio-Bliterator change the entire population of Metropolis into robots in a matter of seconds. The duo eventually came across Dr. Nefarious atop a Mag Train, but he swiftly teleported away, but not before giving a horrible rendition of his "Crushin' on Squishies" single. After battling Klunk, who had now transformed into Giant Klunk, and rescuing Clank, Ratchet helped the Galactic Rangers wipe out the remaining Tyhrranoids situated in another section of the city, also destroying several bombs that threatened to destroy it. In this part of Metropolis, the colors were a bit darker and more muted, there was less air traffic (likely due to the invasion), and there were no bronze caps on any of the buildings. There was, however, a clock which was always on the time set in the internal clock of the PS2.

Ratchet: Deadlocked
In Ratchet: Deadlocked, Sasha became the Mayor of Metropolis. During Ratchet's stay in DreadZone, and as a result of his rise to fame, newsreaders Dallas and Juanita used a photo of Metropolis from his first adventure, to depict Ratchet as a malicious criminal, pegging him as destroying Metropolis, not Nefarious.

Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
The city of Metropolis was once again invaded, but by invaders from another galaxy - the Drophyds. Their leader, Emperor Percival Tachyon, hated the Lombaxes and had attacked Metropolis to hunt down Ratchet, the last Lombax, as well as the Lombax Secret, the Dimensionator, according to IRIS. The Imperial Empire's army quickly overwhelmed the planet's defenses, the city itself sustaining major damage to its landscape, with several skyscrapers crumpling, and mag-rails torn apart, and sky bridges tumbling into the fog. Ratchet and Clank managed to destroy a large portion of the army before they escaped the planet, but the army still remained behind looking for the Lombax Secret, leaving much more of the city in ruins. Metropolis soon underwent re-construction, once the army left (at an unknown time). Upon finding IRIS, Ratchet discovered that the inhabitants were stuck watching repeat screenings of Big Al's Bot Wars. The Metropolis in Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction had a more brilliant and dazzling design due to the games' stunning graphics. Metropolis had a lot less plant and stone activity, and more of the bronze caps from the original location, as well were large glass windows and doors, and a new redesigned architecture and redesigned street lights.

Fast Facts, Connections, and Trivia:

• Metropolis was also the name of the title city in Fritz Lang's 1927 science-fiction hit Metropolis. The Planetary Defense Center found in Tools of Destruction bore a similarity to the Tower of Babel from that film.

• Metropolis was also the name of a city in Insomniac's earlier game, Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage! The landscapes even looked similar. Insomniac Games probably used the Spyro 2 version of Metropolis as a basis for the Ratchet & Clank Metropolis.
• Insomniac Games had originally intended to place Metropolis on a planet called Caldera, but later on changed the planet name to Kerwan.

Name: Talwyn Apogee

Birthplace: unknown

Homeworld: unknown

Species: Markazian

Description: slightly purple skin, long tail, sharp ears, brown hair, blue eyes, unknown height

Galaxies Saved: Polaris

Game Appearances: Tools of Destruction, Quest for Booty

Accomplishments: In TOD, she helped Ratchet and Clank defeat Tachyon. In Q4B, she helped Ratchet find the Obsidian Eye and locate Clank.

Name: Gleeman Vox

Birthplace: unknown

Homeworld: unknown

Species: Slademan

Description: blue-green skin, black hair, black eyes, unknown height, robotic left arm

Galaxies Antagonized: Shadow Sector of the Solana Galaxy

Game Appearances: Deadlocked

Accomplishments: He formed the illegal show, Dreadzone. He is also the founder and owner of Vox News, Vox Airlines, and Vox Industries.

Greetings, Cadets! It's me, Captain Qwark! I knew all of you missed me from the Galactic Insider, so I made a deal to make my appearence on The Infobot! Yes, yes, I know all of you must be so excited but keep your heads on; we don't want a riot over my awesome, rock, hard abes! So, I bet you are all wondering what's on my mind today! I bet you can't wait to hear! I bet my Crochitizer is on the fritz! Oh, wait, you aren't supposed to know that...

Anywho, let's get on with my important thoughts and theories!

And, it's now time for the trivia quesiton! Try to answer this question so you can have your name in next month's issue!

I am sorry to tell you that I must leave for now. Don't get upset, I'll be back next issue! So, with that, Captain Qwark is signing out!