Currently Playing: Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction

I didn't have high hopes for this on a wet sunday afternoon when I fired it up.. It takes a couple of minutes on first starting while it sets itself up (Or decides whether it likes the cut of your jib perhaps) and then, after a short intro movie that sets up the story, your away.

If Heavenly Sword showed what the PS3 was graphically capable of R&C adds a large slice of gaming cake to the glorious graphical icing. It's basically a mix of platforming and shooting with a selection of comedy weapons.

Insominiac (who have prior experience of developing on PS3) have clearly started to get to grips with the power of the PS3.. After hearing lots about inferior PS3 versions of multi format titles it's clearly lazy/poor programming. In the hands of Insominiac a vivid and huge three dimensional world is brought to life. There's so much going on on screen what with the bullets, the enemies, the bolts, the bullets, the explosions oh and did I mention the bullets zipping about that you'd forgive Insominiac for the occasional drop in frame rate but it's rock solid.

It's not the only thing that's rock solid either. The game play has been polished until it almost shines with fun and varitety. The large selection of upgradeable weapons combined with either a manual aiming system or straffeing means the shooting never gets dull and the beautiful expansive levels are fun to explore (I even found myself looking for golden bolts).

There's also some great use of SIXAXIS (finally!!) that feels well considered rather than shoe horned in. Once instance involves aiming a huge mining lazer and another involves a clever mini game that lets you stear a 'sort of ball' around a circuit board to complete gaps in circuit.

I could go on about all the nice touches and the geuine 'laugh out loud' comedy moments and the fact that I spent almost 7 hours in a row in a single sitting on it yesterday afternoon.. Something that rarely happens these days..

A couple of complaints though. Firstly the spaceship piloting levels don't let you invert the vertical axis for either you flight or aiming controls which is almost unforgivable and the mini game that involves some tricky puzzles clears the screen when you pause so you can't study it while you think.

It seems that Uncharted has some competition to be best PS3 action game. As for us PS3 owners? Time to be pleased that some genuine quality exclusives are finally coming to reward us for keeping the faith.