Ratchet & Clank

UPC: 711719719922

Platform: PlayStation 2

Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment America, Inc.

Developer: Insomniac Games

Category: Action

Style(s): 3D Platform

Synopsis: Join space mechanic Ratchet and his robot pal Clank on a platform adventure that spans multiple worlds. A greedy race of aliens called the Blarg has ruined its own planet and now seeks to build a new homeworld, by stealing the choice parts of other inhabited planets and destroying the rest. The game features team-oriented play in which the heroic duo must combine their assets to overcome obstacles and defeat enemies, reminiscent of the recent Jak & Daxter or Rare's classic 1998 N64 game Banjo Kazooie. Though Clank usually rides on Ratchet's back, the little robot is crucial to the pair's success. He can be upgraded to give Ratchet new abilities, such as more powerful weapons, or the ability to access new areas by jumping farther and gliding through the air. The game is also notable for its RPG-style character development, as Ratchet uses cash he and Clank earn to purchase from a selection of equipment which will enhance important skills and bestow new powers. Ratchet & Clank is by Insomniac Games, developer of the popular Spyro the Dragon series. ~ T.J. Deci, All Game Guide

Package Contents: Instruction Poster

Controls: Joystick/Gamepad

Like Jak and Daxter before it, Ratchet and Clank's manual is a foldout poster/reference sheet that is cumbersome to use and lists only minimal information. It's presented as a blueprint, in keeping with the theme of the title, but it's hardly practical. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide

Visual trickery aside, the worlds presented to players are large and detailed, offering a seemingly endless view distance. A wonderfully produced package. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide

Barren by comparison, the PlayStation generation offered little for those raised on the abundance of platform titles during the 16-bit era. That said, respite was offered in the form of a number of high-quality adventures, the most notable of which was Banjo-Kazooie for the N64. Following the exploits of the titular duo, a bear named Banjo and a bird named Kazooie, the game combined humor with refreshingly non-linear gameplay and in the process changed the platforming landscape forever. The buddy system first popularized by Rare's smash-hit has gone on to spawn numerous imitators, including Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy and now Insomniac's Ratchet & Clank. It's a winning formula, and one refined masterfully by the creators of Spyro the Dragon. In a familiar tale of intergalactic peril, the mismatched duo -- consisting of the impulsive Ratchet and the overly rational robot Clank -- set out to stop an insidious scheme hatched by a race known as the Blarg. It's not all smooth sailing though; the two protagonists each have a particular agenda and as such, do not really get along. In true storybook fashion however, they begin to bond and eventually become friends. Their journey takes them to numerous planets, each housing its own sets of objectives to complete and obstacles to surmount. This, as we've come to expect, puts the two through a familiar gauntlet of platform-jumping gaping chasms and a multitude of enemy drones. Although players are free to roam about any of the planets they have access to, progress is mostly linear, allowing the two to venture to new planets or complete specific objectives only after acquiring an infobot with new coordinates, or a particular weapon or gadget. Procuring the aforementioned implements is mostly done by purchasing them with bolts accrued during the adventure. Particularly important items, however, can be acquired only by finding them on specific planets. It's in the acquisition of these weapons that Ratchet & Clank rises above the numerous, otherwise trite, platforming conventions. Whereas the genre often relies on simple melee attacks such as butt-stomping or spinning, Ratchet is able to wield projectile weapons to dispatch his foes. These can be purchased at the player's discretion, providing the freedom to buy smaller weapons as they become available or to save up for the bigger, more powerful, and consequently more expensive devices. Even here, the title offers some semblance of structure, in the times and places that players are able to purchase weapons that are better suited to destroying specific enemies. It's possible to survive without certain items in certain levels, but progress is made easier with them. At times, the two heroes will be forced to split up, requiring players to make do without Ratchet's more effective offensive abilities, or without Clank's jumping aids. When in control of Clank, players will be able to enlist the help of small robots called Gadge-Bots; diminutive little rascals that will obey one of four commands given to them (Wait, Follow, Attack, or Enter). Sending a small army of these to attack bigger, more menacing foes never fails to elicit a smile. Tying the twosome's heroic escapades together are in-game cut-scenes, triggered at critical junctures in the adventure. Mostly, these take the shape of commercials, intercepted communiqu?s, or news reports displayed whenever a new infobot comes into the player's possession. These light-hearted scenes are mildly amusing and prove to be far more palatable than the constant bickering between Ratchet and Clank. Though excellently voiced, neither protagonist proves very likeable. Ratchet is your typical teenager (forgoing the fact that he's a bipedal animal of some sort) who desires nothing more than excitement and adventure, while Clank is the stereotypical intellectual; stuffy and almost prudish to a fault. There's nothing wrong with either character per se, but at the same time it's hard to form an emotional bond with them. Jak and Daxter proved infinitely more likeable. Despite the fact that Jak remains silent for the most part, a great supporting cast, including the show stealing Daxter, surrounds him. Utilizing an enhanced version of the technically proficient Jak and Daxter engine, the title offers seamless worlds that, through clever programming trickery, create the illusion of bustling, vibrant locales simply teeming with activity. Nowhere is this more evident than on the worlds of Batalia, Kalebo III, or Metropolis. The Batalia is a city under siege, with squadrons of fighters and bombers filling the sky, while Metropolis features hover cars bustling to and fro. The planets themselves offer familiar territory such as snow, fire, and tropics, yet each bristles with crisp and varied textures. As mentioned above, the voice acting is almost infallible, and would be quite at home in any Saturday morning cartoon. That said, the writing is inconsistent, with many of Chairman Drek's and Captain Qwark's scenes proving far more entertaining than those of the heroes. Strangely enough, very little of the game's soundtrack stands out. Whether or not that's a good thing is debatable, but while it may not have been very memorable it certainly never detracted from the experience. As the saying goes, when you do something right, no one notices, do something wrong though.... Ratchet & Clank covers familiar ground, but does so in such a manner that the player will likely not care. There's a lot to like about the game, making it an easy recommendation for PlayStation 2 owners, whether they're fans of the genre or not. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide

A fairly lengthy adventure, but once you're through you're not likely to return. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide

Excellent voice acting and a fitting, ambient soundtrack. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide

It's a lot of fun, and well, that's really what it comes down to in the end. Not entirely original, but a wonderful trip all the same. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide

the game requires Joystick/Gamepad.