Insomniac Games Retrospective

Few developers are as beloved on PlayStation as Burbank, California’s Insomniac Games. This is for good reason as the studio has consistently put out great games ever since 1996. Not only did they create stellar games, though, they also made icons. Spyro and Ratchet are some of the first characters that people associate with the PlayStation brand, and they wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for Insomniac Games.

A Brief History of Insomniac Games

Ted Price initially founded the studio, which was named Xtreme Software in 1994. Thankfully, the studio would undergo a name change before they released their first game, and the Insomniac Games that fans know and love was born. Their debut effort would end up being Disruptor, a first-person shooter for PlayStation.

It was well received by critics, but sadly Disruptor ended up being a bomb commercially. Insomniac’s bad luck wouldn’t continue, though, as their next game was a massive hit. Their 3D platformer Spyro the Dragon ended up capturing the hearts of millions. Not only did the title find success, its titular character quickly became one of PlayStation’s biggest stars.

You don’t fix what isn’t broken, and Insomniac Games continued to iterate on Spyro until 2000’s Year of the Dragon. After that it was time for something new, and the studio decided to blend its love of platforming and shooting into one game. This would end up being 2002’s Ratchet & Clank. Their first PlayStation 2 title ended up being a hit with its sense of humor and innovative weaponry receiving praise.

Over the next three years, Insomniac would manage to put out three more Ratchet games as it ended up being one of the PlayStation 2’s most successful series. 2006 would then mark a brand new console generation, and once again the Burbank developer decided to try something new. The PlayStation 3’s launch would be celebrated with the studio’s biggest departure yet, an M-rated shooter called Resistance: Fall of Man.

Resistance ended up being one of best received launch titles for the system, and showed that the developer was more versatile than some thought. Insomniac Games could do more than just make great platformers, as they were just a great developer, period. The next 6 years would then see the studio alternate between cheerful new entries in the Ratchet & Clank series, and gore-filled action with Resistance.

Insomniac Games would also start to spread their wings, as in 2010 they entered a partnership with Electronic Arts. This would lead to the studio’s first multiplatform game, Fuse, in 2013. While Fuse didn’t end up being a breakout hit like the team had hoped, it showed that they were willing to try new things while also maintaining a great relationship with Sony.

The experimentation continued with their excellent Xbox One exclusive Sunset Overdrive. Insomniac Games showed that they were still one of the best developers in the business by creating one of the best first-party exclusives in recent memory. They’ve also begun to branch out into PC and iOS development with smaller projects being released for the platforms.

Gameography

The Future

After the success of Sunset Overdrive, and now the Ratchet & Clank reboot, it’s difficult not to be bullish on the future of Insomniac Games. They have kicked off 2016 in a huge way. Not only have they breathed new life into one of their most famous franchises, they also have promising new games such as Song of the Deep in the works.

Insomniac is also looking to get in early on brand new technology such as virtual reality. They’re currently working on Edge of Nowhere, an Oculus Rift exclusive 3D action game. With such a mixture of old and new, it’s clear that Insomniac Games is set for a very exciting future. One that will bring in even more great games from one of gaming’s most successful developers.

Insomniac Games Gameography

Insomniac Games Gameography
Disruptor (1996)

While it may surprise some, Insomniac's first game was a first-person shooter. Called Disruptor, the Doom-inspired shooter, let the player experiment with Psychokinetic powers. It was a solid first impression for the studio, as the game was received well from both fans and critics.
Spyro the Dragon (1998)

The studio's next game might be the one they are most beloved for. Spyro the Dragon, an innovative 3D platformer, was a milestone achievement for Insomniac Games. It immediately caught on with PlayStation owners, and the titular dragon became one of the signature icons for the system.
Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage! (1999)

Despite coming just a year later, Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage! was a sequel done right. It built upon the excellent foundation of the original while also adding new variety to the mix. Spyro 2 also showed that Insomniac has a knack for putting out high quality sequels on a short turnaround, something that continues to this day.
Spyro: Year of the Dragon (2000)

Insomniac's Spyro years would come to an end in 2000 with Spyro: Year of the Dragon. Thankfully, fans were treated with the best game in the series, which is still a true statement to this day. Year of the Dragon had the best gameplay of the trilogy, and also managed to show off more charm than past entries. I mean, how more charming can you get than a dragon on a skateboard?
Ratchet & Clank (2002)

Insomniac's first PlayStation 2 game would blend the studio's love of shooters and platformers. Ratchet & Clank proved to be not only Insomniac's most ambitious title to date, but also their best. The game took full advantage of the PS2's enhanced power, and had a great mix of shooting action with solid puzzle solving.
Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando (2003)

It wouldn't take long for Insomniac to follow-up on their latest hit, as just a year later Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando was released. The sequel was largely more of the same, but managed to build upon what was already there. More humor, more action, and just a stronger game overall.
Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (2004)

Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal doesn't just have a funny name, it's also arguably the best Ratchet & Clank game. Third time managed to be the charm once again for Insomniac, as they once again hit gold. This entry had some of the wackiest weapons yet, and is memorable to everyone who played it.
Ratchet: Deadlocked (2005)

Ratchet: Deadlocked would prove to be a departure for the studio. Insomniac tried to shake up the series' formula by focusing more on the arena combat that was shown off in previous releases. This Clank-less sequel would end up being the least beloved PS2 game from the studio.
Resistance: Fall of Man (2006)

Thankfully, Insomniac welcomed the PlayStation 3 into existence with a bang. The developer went back to its first-person shooter roots with Resistance: Fall of Man. The M-rated title ended up being a much more serious affair for the studio that was now known for colorful mascots. The shift in tone worked, though, and Resistance became another successful series for Insomniac.
Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction (2007)

Despite the success of Resistance, it wasn't time to say goodbye to our favorite robot and Lombax. Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction marked the series' debut on a high-definition console, and it was impressive straight from the start. The graphical showcase also managed to impress from a gameplay perspective, as it went back to the Ratchet & Clank formula that made the series a hit in the first place.
Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty (2008)

In 2008 the studio would release two games. The first was Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty, a bite-sized R&C entry that served as a several hour long tease more than anything.
Resistance 2 (2008)

Their other release in 2008, Resistance 2, was anything but a tease. Resistance 2 was a fully fledged follow-up, and proved to be one of Insomniac's best games. Amazing bosses, strong art design, and intense gunplay made this one stick out.
Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time (2009)

In 2009, Insomniac would finally deliver on the promise of Quest for Booty. The direct sequel, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time, ended up impressing with some of the best puzzle design in the series' history, and gameplay that felt familiar but was enhanced by the new time mechanics.
Resistance 3 (2011)

Finally breaking their streak of yearly releases, Resistance 3 would finish the Resistance trilogy in 2011. The series went out with a bang, though, as this managed to be the darkest and most serious entry yet. With a both a solid single-player campaign and multiplayer, Insomniac managed to appeal to a wide array of FPS fans.
Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One (2011)

Insomniac's other 2011 release, Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One, didn't fare as well. While it wasn't a bad game, All 4 One ended up being the weakest entry in the series to this point. The new focus on cooperative play didn't provide the fresh shift that was intended, and it felt clunky with 4 players.
Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault (2012)

Insomniac's experimental streak continued with 2012's Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault. This entry blended the series' signature platforming with the tower defense genre. While a unique idea at the time, it wasn't the return to form that many fans wanted to see from the series.
Outernauts (2012)

Outernauts has the distinction of being the first Insomniac Games developed title to not appear on a PlayStation console. Instead, the Electronic Arts published role-playing game was released on Facebook. It would later be ported to iOS in 2014.
Fuse (2013)

The studios' second game with EA ended up being the third-person shooter Fuse. It was a rare misstep for Insomniac, as the cooperative shooter felt uninspired compared to previous outings.
Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus (2013)

Thankfully, the funk wouldn't last as Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus was a true return to form for Insomniac. The final game in the Ratchet & Clank Future series, went back to the series' roots while also offering up plenty of new twists to feel fresh. It was the best of both worlds and a proper send-off for the series on PS3.
Sunset Overdrive (2014)

Insomniac would then surprisingly team up with Microsoft for 2014's Sunset Overdrive. The excellent action platformer ended up being Insomniac's best game in recent memory, as it managed to make something as simple as traversal into an interesting and genuinely terrific mechanic. It proved that the studio still had the ability to put out fantastic AAA offerings.
Slow Down, Bull (2015)

In early 2015, Slow Down, Bull marked the first PC release for Insomniac. The gorgeous action game didn't make a huge splash on the market, but it was well received by those that did play it.
iOS Games (2015)

The studio also continued to experiment with iOS development in 2015. Insomniac released three different mobile titles: Fruit Fusion, Digit & Dash, and Bad Dinos.
Ratchet & Clank (2016)

Insomniac Games' next release is a reboot of their most long-lasting series. Ratchet & Clank is a new start for the series on PS4, and it has looked absolutely gorgeous pre-release.
Song of the Deep (2016)

The studio plans on having a busy 2016 as they'll also release Song of the Deep. This underwater Metroidvania looks very promising, and it will be interesting to see how it turns out.
Edge of Nowhere (2016)

Finally, Insomniac is entering the virtual reality gaming sphere with Edge of Nowhere. The third-person action game is currently only slated for Oculus Rift, but maybe we'll see a PlayStation VR release considering how close the developer is with Sony.