E3: Ratchet & Clank Devs Meld Guns, Gadgets and Jokes in Overstrike

[John Funk]

E3: Ratchet & Clank Devs Meld Guns, Gadgets and Jokes in Overstrike

Insomniac Games' Overstrike is a four-player co-op action title with super-spies, thieves, and evil organization leaders who are actually robots. This actually sounds kinda cool.

Insomniac is best known for titles like Ratchet & Clank, Resistance, and the first three Spyro the Dragon games (also known as the good ones). This year at E3 2011, it debuted the cinematic trailer for its next IP, Overstrike.

[video=3420]

As you can see in the trailer to the right, Overstrike is the story of a black-ops team tasked with fighting enemies using teamwork and super-high-tech gadgetry. Naturally, the Overstrike team - Overstrike 9, to be precise - is a collection of fringe elements who are the outcasts of the agency, because actual black ops agents are probably much more boring.

According to the Overstrike site [http://www.insomniacgames.com/games/overstrike/], the Overstrike 9 team is made up of "an ex-mercenary, Interpol's most wanted thief, a gifted young scientist and a decorated detective" - bonus points if you can identify them in the trailer - who become the only option left to save the world when a shadowy evil organization threatens to destroy it.

Yes, it's a bit of a cliche plot, but this trailer works it well. By all appearances, this seems like it would be a fully co-op Gears of War or Left 4 Dead, only with the Ratchet & Clank series' humor and crazy over-the-top weaponry.

Sounds good to me. Overstrike is apparently Insomniac's new multiplatform game [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/100905-Insomniac-Goes-Multiplatform-After-16-Years-of-Sony], and will be coming to both Xbox 360 and PS3.

Check out more on EA's presser here. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/110705-EA-E3-2011-Press-Conference]

See all our coverage directly from the show floor. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/conferences/e3_2011]

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[Scizophrenic Llama]

It does look like it will be a good solid co-op game, I'm just hoping the gameplay looks as fun as the trailer did.

 

[Electric Alpaca]

Anything with Insomniac running the show intrigues me.

Brooks has a massive chin...

A little annoyed that "female spectre" comes forth again. Although, they recover slightly by having a second female not of stereotype.

I'll be keeping an eye on this, but I remain fearful this will crushed under the heavy pressure to make a safe FPS.

 

[vrbtny]

God I miss Insomniac games. All those sweet memories of playing ratchet and clank 1-through-gladiator. Never got a PS3, so I hope this is multi-platform(Though i doubt it will be) Then I can enjoy Insomniac goodness once again.

 

[John Funk]

God I miss Insomniac games. All those sweet memories of playing ratchet and clank 1-through-gladiator. Never got a PS3, so I hope this is multi-platform(Though i doubt it will be) Then I can enjoy Insomniac goodness once again.

It will be PS3 and 360. Let me update to clarify.

 

[Mouse_Crouse]

Must say it looks like good-humored fun. Hope the gameplay lives up to it. I know E3 is ALL hype. But I must say, I want to know more.

 

[-Dragmire-]

looks like cliche done right

I need a gameplay vid to decide how I feel about the game though. So far it looks like it'd make a good tv series.

 

[vrbtny]

God I miss Insomniac games. All those sweet memories of playing ratchet and clank 1-through-gladiator. Never got a PS3, so I hope this is multi-platform(Though i doubt it will be) Then I can enjoy Insomniac goodness once again.

It will be PS3 and 360. Let me update to clarify.

Thanks. It might say at the end, but I never got there Damn High-Peak internet speed. Got about 2 mins in before the buffering starts (Rage Face)

Damn, no PC? That sucks, guess I wont get to play it. Damn devs not releasing games on PC (Gets a Put-upon PC gamer face)

 

[ryo02]

looks interesting hope there is an option for singleplayer Ill keep it on my radar

 

[mjc0961]

I'm torn. Since it's Insomniac it'll probably be really fun all around. But since EA is involved, it'll probably have lots of nasty DRM.

 

[Pingieking]

Hell yeah! Insane weapons and other hilarious stuff. Count me in.

 

[Karma168]

Am I the only one getting a real Pixar vibe from this thing? I dunno, something about this just makes me think of a Pixar movie. Particularly, The Incredibles.

You too?I think it's the faces, look similar to the model used for the incredibles and that gun the 2nd female character uses reminds me of that weird gloop the bad guy uses to catch the father.

 

[Nautical Honors Society]

Am I the only one getting a real Pixar vibe from this thing? I dunno, something about this just makes me think of a Pixar movie. Particularly, The Incredibles.

You too?I think it's the faces, look similar to the model used for the incredibles and that gun the 2nd female character uses reminds me of that weird gloop the bad guy uses to catch the father.

I instantly thought this game was TF2, mixed with The Incredibles, and Ratchet and Clank.

Looks fun.

 

[John Funk]

I'm torn. Since it's Insomniac it'll probably be really fun all around. But since EA is involved, it'll probably have lots of nasty DRM.

Probably not, since I don't think it's being made for PCs in the first place. So either that's super-restrictive DRM, or none at all.

 

[AetherWolf]

Insomniac getting a new IP makes me a happy panda. :] The art style is certainly refreshing.

Also, Insomniac of the 360? That's a first. I thought they were owned by Sony?
Nevermind, looks like EA snagged 'em.

 

[Palindromemordnilap_v1legacy]

How come women in games always have the cloaking capability?

Is it because of their Dexterity bonus? If I recall correctly, Dexterity provides bonuses to the Stealth skill.

I'd assume its because physical strength is usually a male characteristic so females get other benefits such as agility, cunning or being able to turn invisible and snap your enemies necks like bendy straws

 

[andreas3K]

I am very excited about this. In fact, you could even say it's the most excited about a game I've ever been. Not only does it look amazing, it also resembles a game I've been dreaming about for a long time.