CJF94 – Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (PS2) review

With the second installment of the Ratchet & Clank series adding more elements to the formula, will the third installment be able to top it?

CJF94 – Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando (PS2) review

With the success of the first installment, the Ratchet & Clank series would only get better with the sequel subtitled “Going Commando”, which is the first amongst many suggestive-sounding subtitles. What made this game so revolutionary? Let’s find out.

CJF94 – Ratchet & Clank (PS2) Review

Box art featuring the titular characters.

Ratchet & Clank is one of my favorite video game franchises of all time. Since the next game, Into the Nexus, comes out in North America this month, I thought it would be great to do a written review on every installment to show my appreciation for the series. I begin Ratchet & Clank by reviewing the first installment, simply titled Ratchet & Clank.

After finishing the Spyro trilogy on the PS1, Insomniac Games parted ways with the series to develop a new franchise, and while I’ve never played the Spyrogames (yet), I thought it was a great decision overall, pretty much like how Naughty Dog parted ways with Crash Bandicoot to begin Jak and Daxter. What resulted was the beginning (I’ll say it again) of one of my favorite video game franchises of all time. But with several sequels making improvements and new additions, does this game hold up as well? Let’s find out.

CJF’s Ratchet & Clank Month!



Here’s a shocking fact: I love the Ratchet & Clank series **insert audience gasp**.

Now, I’ve never been a fan from day one when the first game hit stores worldwide and I missed out on it. In 2010, however, when I started increasing my video game collection, I finally gave myself a chance to play the series and had a blast. The series was also a reason why I bought a PS3 (along with Metal Gear Solid 4). So, in a way, despite being a fan for only three years, it’s played a big part in my gaming experience.

What makes Ratchet & Clank so great, you might ask? There are several reasons why it’s so great: story, characters, comedy, imaginative worlds, sci-fi gadgetry, music, and, most importantly, gameplay. As of today, I own almost every game in the series (PSP titles are missing):

I know a lot of people like Gexup have expressed their love for the series; I felt I should too. What better way to show my love for the series than to make a written review on each and every one of them. That’s right: a written review on every installment in the series.

Seeing as how the upcoming Into the Nexus will be released in stores on November 12th and it is the 12th game in the series, I will dedicate the first 11 days of the month, reviewing one game per day. This might sound familiar, and yes, it is similar to Cinemassacre’s Monster Madness and Doug Walker’s Disneycember/Dreamworks-uary.

I am currently writing rough drafts of the reviews. It might sound like a lot of work, and it is, but I hope it is all worth it in the end. Stay tuned!

CJF94 – Heavy Rain (PS3) Review

(From left to right) Norman Jayden, Madison Paige, Ethan Mars, and Scott Shelby

In conclusion to my Quantic Dream retrospective (minus Omikron: The Nomad Soul), I will review the critically acclaimed PS3 title, Heavy Rain.

CJF94 – Fahrenheit/Indigo Prophecy (PS2/Xbox/PC) Review

As Beyond: Two Souls is just around the corner, I’m going to be looking back at Quantic Dream’s two previous titles, Fahrenheit and Heavy Rain. I’m not going to review their first game, Omikron: The Nomad Soul because I’ve never played it and I don’t think I ever will since I’m not a PC gamer. Without further ado, let’s begin.

CJF’s 12 Favorite Games of All Time

In this post, I’ve decided to do something different with this list. Instead of making a countdown, I’m just listing things. I have no number one favorite in this subject since I never took the time to even think about it.

I’ve been a gamer ever since I played Freddi Fish and the Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds on the PC and have grown into console gaming ever since I got my PS2 in third grade. Doing a list of favorite games of all time can be very tricky since they change over time, so, consider this an incomplete list. These are the games that blew me away as a gamer; the ones I have spent hours and hours playing. As a final shout-out to Gexup, who is leaving the Internet, I present to you my Twelve Favorite Games of All Time.

But first, I’ll name two types of honorable mentions. The first type of honorable mentions are the games I’ve played: Beyond Good & Evil, BioShock Infinite, Heavy Rain, Ico, L.A. Noire, and Syphon Filter. The second type of honorable mentions are the games I’ve played but haven’t yet beaten, but are likely candidates for this list: Batman: Arkham City and Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening. If I ever do an updated list, I may include them. Without further ado, let’s begin.

CJF’s Top 10 Hottest Video Game Women

As a gamer, I have seen my share of attractive-looking women in video games and I felt that I should dedicate a list on who I think are the most attractive females in video games.

There are three rules on this list:

1.) They have to be from games I have played. If some of your picks aren’t on my list, chances are I haven’t played the game that she is from.
2.) They have to be originally from games. Characters originally from movies, TV shows, or comic books that happened to have a video game tie-in can’t qualify.
3.) This is all my opinion. Going back to rule 1, don’t complain if some of your picks aren’t on the list.

Without further ado, let’s begin.

CJF94 – Jak 3 (PS2) Review

With the success of the first two Jak and Daxter games, it was inevitable that a third game would be produced. Does Jak 3 live up to its predecessors? Let’s find out.

"Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus" Announced!