With all the other drastically improved changes the game carries, it's nice to see that Tools of Destruction has the same great gameplay as previous games. Ratchet utilizes a number of weapons throughout the game, from simple blasters and grenades to more diverse offerings. One launches tornadoes, which zip around an enclosed area and suck up enemies. The sarcastic Mr. Zurkon is also an inspired addition, a mean little computer-controlled droid who verbally cuts down enemies while vaporizing them. Finally, there's the Groovinator, a weapon in a league by itself. It shoots out a disco ball that makes all on-screen enemies -- even the bigger space vehicles -- get down in Saturday Night Fever-like fashion. Powering up these weapons is a cinch, thanks to the automated vendors scattered throughout. Since you gather up thousands of bolts from fallen enemies anyway, buying upgrades is no sweat. Sometimes a particular weapon levels up automatically, depending on how often you use it.

Along with the awesome on-foot action and space battles, you'll also find SIXAXIS-specific segments. You control Ratchet during free-falls and in flight, dodging incoming missiles and other threats by tilting the controller. It also proves useful when controlling the launched tornadoes, as physically leaning shifts their on-screen direction.

Ratchet and Clank Future's action runs non-stop. There are intermittent story sequences and the occasional stage where Clank has to move things along by controlling fellow robotic minions, but otherwise it's a matter of "shoot everything and then shoot everything else". It lasts a good twelve hours or so, with plenty of rail sliding, puzzle solving and boss battling. After all is said and done, you have the option to go through the game again, with all the weapons and bolts you' acquired on the higher difficulty levels.

In spite of its frenzied action and unquestionably high production values, Tools of Destruction still feels mildly incomplete. The game lacks any kind of multiplayer or PlayStation Network-backed online features. This is dissapointing, especially considering that Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal has such options on the PS2. How cool would it have been to challenge fellow gamers in an online arena battle? For that matter, what about calling up your buddy and going through the entire game in co-op? We crave these features.

Overall, though, Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction is worth buying -- even if you have to plunk down several hundred dollars for a PS3 to play it. The production is unmatched, the gameplay is genuine and exuberant and the humorous dialogue and weapons will keep your funny bone busy alongside your trigger finger. Get it, play it, and love it. The Future is now and we can't wait to see where Insomniac takes it from here.