"A game that stands on its own"

Members of the development team behind Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty answer questions on the latest instalment in the popular PlayStation series.

Why did you opt for a pirate theme for the new game?
We really enjoyed making the pirate levels for Tools of Destruction and were inspired to make a whole game that involved robotic pirates, ship battles, and hidden booty. The last game also featured some great pirate characters such as Rusty Pete and Captain

Quest For Booty has been labelled a mini-adventure; what should this mean to potential players or purchasers of the game?
It’s a game that stands on its own. There’s no need to have owned or played Tools of Destruction to enjoy it. For Ratchet & Clank fans, it gives more answers on what happened to Clank’s mysterious disappearance and I think people will really be surprised.

What sort of gamer will most enjoy Quest For Booty?
I think people who like more story driven games will enjoy Quest for Booty. We paced the game like a summer movie blockbuster and focused on having the action rise and fall in intensity with a big climax at the end.

What had you learned about developing Ratchet & Clank titles from Tools Of Destruction that you implemented when working on Quest For Booty?
The biggest thing we’ve learned is that it’s important to develop more depth instead of breadth for each second of gameplay. On Tools of Destruction, we spent more time on our opening level of Metropolis than any other level in the game and it really

What benefits are there for gamers to be able to download titles through PSN?
They don’t have to leave home! Seriously, I think many people will enjoy the convenience and simplicity of downloading games through the PSN.

What new combat and locations will we see in Quest For Booty?
Ratchet travels to four levels located on a planet called Merdegraw that is known for being pirate territory. Ratchet will fight on ship battles and explore multiple islands in his quest to find Clank. We experimented with making the levels feel more open.

How does Quest For Booty fit into the ongoing tale of Ratchet & Clank?
For people who played Tools of Destruction, Quest for Booty gives a shocking answer to Clank’s mysterious disappearance. It’s a continuation of the story of what happened to Clank and there’s more back-story revealed about Captain Slag and the pirate fact

What do you see as the key to the popularity of Ratchet & Clank and the continuing success of the franchise?
I believe the success depends on quality over quantity. In Quest For Booty we were able to tell a very rich story and have a deep gameplay experience.

Is there an overarching plan for the storyline of Ratchet & Clank and are there adventures and plotlines already mapped out for future development?
We’ve discussed a framework that outlines the backstories and where the characters might go so we have a pretty good idea of where we might take things in the future.

As a cat-like creature, how does the Lombax Ratchet cope with being around so much water?
Despite being cat-like, Ratchet takes well to water. He really likes to swim. Unless of course there are Sharkigators…

Was there ever any worry that Clank would have developed a bit of an ego during his time in the spotlight?
Clank’s a pretty humble guy. I don’t think it will be a problem. He tends to shy away from the spotlight and gives others credit. Now Captain Qwark on the other hand is a different story!

Should long time fans keep their eyes open for any other cameos in Quest For Booty?
There is super secret character somewhere in the dark and dank caves….

Do you worry you will one day run out of the amusing subtitles for the Ratchet & Clank games?
Considering that Quest For Booty was one of many humorous titles that was originally submitted for Tools of Destruction, I don’t think there’s anything to worry about!