Well, I'm back for part two of my impressions on the newest entries to the PS3 "Greatest Hits" library.   I hope you enjoyed part one where I discussed my take on Devil May Cry 4, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue and Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. Today I'm going to be tackling some more critically acclaimed PS3 games to land in the "Greatest Hits" library, including Army of Two, Battlefield: Bad Company, and Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, that's a picture of me in front our new 10 gallon aquarium filled with four neon blue cardinal tetras.  After taking this photograph it makes me realize just how reflective those fish are (just look at the glow above my copy of Ratchet and Clank!)

Well, on to the games...

Army of Two (Electronic Arts)

What is it?  A new IP developed by EA Montreal and released on March 4, 2008.  In the game you fight along side a teammate to become the deadliest TWO man military outfit a government can buy. To survive, players must bring down a vast Private Military Corporation conspiracy -- where the good guys and the bad guys are one and the same.

What do I think of the game?  I've played the demo for Xbox 360 (there is no PS3 demo, unfortunately) for an hour and thought this was a pretty good co-op action game with nice textures and graphics, slick presentation, and plenty of Hollywood style moments.  The demo I played only had co-op available but the game also has a single-player campaign mode for those who want to gun with a partner AI.  The single player campaign is pretty short, clocking in about six hours or so -- not long if you ask me. From what I've seen, the AI can be a little touch and go at times and will sometimes make silly little mistakes like dragging you for long distances before healing you.  Where the game really shines is its two-player co-op mode, and you can tell this was the way the game was designed to be played.  You can play via split screen if you're on the same PS3, or you can establish a private co-op game with a friend or a public game with anyone who's online.  It's really neat how you can partner for a variety of moves, such as using your friend as a step ladder to reach high areas, dragging your injured friend to safety and healing them, and you can even initiate a mode called Back-to-Back where you stick close and pummel your opponents with lead, turret-style.  Finally the game has a nice multiplayer arena, where you can challenge other pairs in one of four maps and three distinct game modes: Extraction, Bounties, and Warzones.  Overall, I would recommend this game if you have a buddy to play with you, either offline or online.  If you're not one for co-op you probably won't get much out of this game.

ESRB Rating: "M" for Mature

Battlefield: Bad Company (Electronic Arts)

What is it?  Set in the near future, the Battlefield: Bad Company single-player campaign drops gamers behind enemy lines as part of a squad of four soldiers - risking it all to go AWOL on a personal quest.  The game was released on June 23, 2008.

What do I think of the game?  This is another game where I've played the demo, putting in about three hours total. The game stars Private Preston Marlow, a new recruit to a misfit division of the army known as Bad Company, or as they say in the game "B-Company".  The demo features team-based missions where you must do various missions such as invade a farm, defend against foot soldiers and tank reinforcements, and destroy a pair a communication towers.  One major plus the game has going for it is it's go anywhere and do anything gameplay that really keeps the action fresh.  Right from the get-go you can select your mode of transportation from on foot, to land vehicles such as tanks and APCs, and you can even fly using a chopper.  All vehicles have unique controls, attributes, and firepower and can bring about victory in different ways.  Are you invading an infantry squad hiding behind sandbags?  Bring in the tanks or the artillery.  Are your tanks being hammered with a swarm of demolition RPGs?  Jump on foot and take them out with a well-timed grenade launcher.  Perhaps the most distinguishing feature of the game is the completely destructible environments.  I was a little taken back at just how destructible they were, in fact nearly every obstacle, cover, vehicle and even buildings can be blown to bits with the fling of a grenade. One memorable moment during my playtime was when I was hiding behind a row of trees while I occassionally snuck out to fire off a few rounds.  The next thing I know a tank rolls in, fires from its large-calibre main gun and all the trees protecting me came tumbling down.  Needless to say, I was exposed and in a ton of danger. It's fresh moments like that which makes every game session feel like a new experience.  If you're into squad-based tactical shooters, this game is definitely worth the investment. 

ESRB Rating: "T" for Teen

Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction (Sony Computer Entertainment)

What is it?  An orphan of the universe, Ratchet has never known anything of his Lombax origins. When an alien tyrant, driven by an unexplainable hatred for Lombaxes attacks Ratchet and Clank’s home, the two heroes are thrust into an epic adventure where they discover that Ratchet’s past is the key to the galaxy’s future. This is the only Greatest Hits in this bunch released in 2007 (on October 23).

What do I think of the game?  This was the game I was most looking forward to picking up after it became a member of the "Greatest Hits" collection.  I was a little late to the PS3 party (I picked up my console just over a year ago), so I missed out on this game when it released back in 2007.  I figured it would eventually land as a "Greatest Hit" so I've been patient.  I picked up the game about two weeks ago and I'm roughly 3/4 of the way through the game at the moment.  I`ve been a huge fan of this series ever since it made its debut back in 2002 on the PS2.  I really feel that Insomniac Games took all the best features from previous versions, such as great music and voice acting, a whimsical script and story, plenty of platforming, puzzles and action, and an arsenal of weapons that would make the Punisher a little envious.  Perhaps the quality I like best is the incredibly detailed and cartoonish looking graphics in the game, it really shows off the power of the PS3 quite nicely and it's a colourful game to behold.  The controls are tight and Ratchet has his usual repertoire of double jumps, glides, back flips, and wall jumps.  His trusty wrench returns and is used as both a formidable weapon and a puzzle-solving tool.  All in all, if you like platform games like LittleBigPlanet, any of the Lego games, or Spyro, you'll really enjoy Ratchet and Clank Future.

ESRB Rating: “E 10+” for Everyone 10 and older

Well, that's it for this round of the "Greatest Hits" new additions.  Hopefully we'll have more inductees before the year is over.  Happy gaming everyone!