I finished the fourth game in the Ratchet and Clank series yesterday, and I found it to be thoroughly enjoyable. I missed some of the platforming elements of the prequels, but the gunplay was great and the customization and leveling was fun to experiment with. The most refreshing thing however was the story. Sure, it wasn't as involved as the first three, but it was still quite entertaining, which brings me to the topic of the blog. I attribute much of the entertainment value of the Ratchet and Clank games (as well as the Jak and Daxter series) to the excellent animation and lip-syncing.

You can tell what each character is feeling just by their faces

I appreciate those two series for putting so much effort into the animation of their characters. They move so fluidly that during lengthy cut-scenes it feels less like a game and more like an animated movie. I think many gamers underestimate the value good lip-syncing brings to a game. To me, it is the difference between full immersion in the experience and just watching a cut-scene. With good lip-syncing/animation you never have to worry about not knowing which character is talking and you won't need to turn on the subtitles to follow the story.

Speaking of story, have you noticed how much good lip-syncing helps a story? The Kingdom Hearts series has quite a convoluted story that probably wouldn't be near as enjoyable if the lip-syncing wasn't so good. Great lip work can make an average story worth watching (Gears of War). On the other hand, think about all the great stories of gaming that have been hurt by terrible lip-syncing. Metal Gear Solid 3 Subsistence is one of my favorite games, but the lip-syncing stinks, and it really takes away from the experience. The same can be said for Indigo Prophecy, I might have liked the game more but I couldn't get over the poor facial animations and bad lip work.

Can you tell what he is feeling? (GENERIC_EMOTION13)

I understand some characters are easier to work with than others are, which is why the cartoony Ratchet is more emotive than the realistic Snake, but it's 2007, why is that still an issue? According to one of the developers at Insomniac, the PS2 Ratchet had 120 joints in his whole body, while the PS3 Ratchet has 90 just in his face! They didn't have to step it up like that, Ratchet animated nicely with 120 joints, but they did because they know that stuff matters.

What do you think? Should developers put more effort into lip-syncing and facial animation? I think so. Take a look at the slick new Stranglehold trailer (can you tell a movie director has a hand in this game?), the lip-syncing and facial animation are great and they seem to have made a point of showing them off. I believe good lip work and animation really help pull you into the game. It's one of the many reasons I'm going bananas over Mass Effect. Technology has reached a point where a character in a game can say, "Read my lips," and we can do just that.

Those lips look readable. I think she's saying something with an S in it.