There is no way to escape it. Digital distribution, not the current disc-based system, is the future. Though opinions vary on how much longer discs will reign supreme, many in the industry seem to believe that the shift will happen within the next decade.

I have yet to fully embrace digital distribution. There is a Blu-ray copy of “Warhawk” resting in the dresser in my television room. I feel better knowing that I will always have a DRM-free copy of the game. However, it seems that even I am not immune to the power of digital distribution.

“Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty,” the follow-up to last year’s “Tools of Destruction,” is the first full game that I have downloaded from the Playstation Store. The game, which continues the tradition of sexual innuendo-laden “Ratchet” titles, is Insomniac Games’ latest entry in the popular franchise. The lovable Lombax’s latest adventure focuses heavily on platforming elements, though there is plenty of gun-based gameplay to satisfy fans of the series.

“Quest for Booty” picks up where “Tools of Destruction” left off. The story begins with Ratchet searching for the location of his pint-sized, robotic pal. With the help of Talwyn, the wrench-swinging hero must gather information that will lead him to Clank and the Zoni.

Veterans of the “Ratchet” franchise will feel right at home in the latest adventure. “Quest for Booty” features the same beautiful graphics and incredible polish of “Tools of Destruction.” The franchise’s trademark humor also returns, though the absence of Captain Qwark’s machismo is disappointing.

However, “Quest for Booty” is far from perfect. The title is rather short. It is a bit-sized version of the previous retail games. At $14.99, the downloadable, PSN game will last anywhere between two and a half and four hours. There are no skill points, trophies, or golden bolts to collect. Challenge mode is also absent from the game. Therefore, some might find that the game lacks the replay value of its predecessors.

Personally, I played through the game twice. Though it lacks golden bolts and skill points, there are mods to collect for each weapon (seven in total). These upgrades, unlike in “Tools of Destruction,” can’t be purchased. They are scattered throughout the game’s four settings. Therefore, it is rather easy to miss at least one of them. This alone will force completionists to play through the story more than once.

I loved every second of “Quest for Booty.” The game is incredibly fun. My only complaint is that it ends much too soon. It seems that the game is over before the story has a chance to get going.

One has to wonder if this is where the series is headed. Will Insomniac start telling the duo’s story through smaller episodes or will it stick with disc-based games?

Personally, I preferred the size of “Tools of Destruction” to that of “Quest for Booty.” The latter was certainly an enjoyable experience, but I find that the larger games are more suitable for telling an epic, engrossing story. However, I didn’t find “Quest for Booty” unfulfilling. In fact, it did exactly what it should have done. The game left me wanting more. Say what you want about the game’s length, but the ending in “Quest for Booty” was much better than the one in “Tools of Destruction.”

We already know that another “Ratchet” game is coming in the fall of 2009. The question is whether this next game will be a disc-based retail game like “Tools of Destruction” or a downloadable episode like “Quest for Booty.” I should mention that gamers in PAL territories will have the option to download “Quest for Booty” from the PSN or buy the Blu-ray release of game.

“Quest for Booty” seems like an experiment. The probability of future episodic content will no doubt depend on the title’s success. If fans enjoy the smaller episode, then we will probably see more in the future. However, I doubt Insomniac will abandon the larger, disc-based games anytime soon. Discs are still the primary method of game distribution. Digital distribution is becoming an increasingly popular among developers. It eliminates the need for discs and plastic cases, as well as the reliance on retailers. However, until hard drives are large enough to hold a significant number of retail-sized games (i.e. “Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots“), discs will continue to rule the roost. Need hard evidence. Take a peek at Gamestop’s sales for last quarter (ended Aug. 2). Nearly 2 billion in sales is quite impressive.

In the end, “Quest for Booty” is a wonderful experience. Fans of the franchise will be left wanting more, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It is not perfect, but “Quest for Booty” is definitely worth the price for anyone who calls himself/herself a Ratchet fan.

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