Ratchet and Clank has got to be one of my favorite platform adventures of all time!
This game really sucked me in, beat the snot out of me and then I finally got the upper hand in the end.
The game is your typical "Save the galaxy from the Bad Guy of the Week" storyline. Chairman Drek's planet has been become uninhabitable from pollution. He wants to create a new world for his people….by ripping apart other worlds to and piecing them together. Ratchet and Clank become embroiled in the plot and set out to stop him. The characters are very well done. Ratchet is kinda annoying, but Clank is very endearing. The voice actors do a great job all around. The cut scenes are well done, and remind me of a Looney Tunes/Warner Bros. style, while the story and script would be something you would expect from Disney. Where is the cartoon series already?
Graphically the game never misses a beat. There is nothing that is truly awe inspiring, but there are no real flaws either. Everything just looks good. Animation is perfect. Explosions and water all look great. I would like to point out that the game has the fantastic ability to induce a sense of vertigo. During various sequences, whether it was being carted to a different part of the city, or walking with the magnetic boots, or swinging thru the city ala Spider-man, there was always a sense of being very high above the ground and the danger of falling from dizzying heights. The camera was usually on its best behavior as well. If it did stray, you were able to adjust yourself with no problem.
Sound is decent…everything sounds as it should. The music is appropriate, and changes from level to level or in different situations. Like I mentioned above the voice actors did a great job.
Gameplay:
That's where this game really shines. I have played hundreds of platformers, and have butt-stomped 'til my hemorrhoids bled, and this has got to be one of the best ever. Many platformers had tried to add something to the mix; few have done it successfully.
Ratchet and Clank has been able to successfully combine the shooter with the platformer. The developers have given Ratchet an impressive arsenal of weapons: flamethrowers, missiles, machine guns, bombs, mines, Gloves of Doom etc. There are a ton of weapons at your disposal. The interface also makes it fairly simple to switch from one to another as well. There is a quick select menu that allows the player to switch weapons on the fly. Which is a good thing, 'Cause you're gonna need to go from one weapon to another in a hurry.
The weapons and their significance are truly what sets Ratchet and Clank apart from other platformers. The game still requires you to jump from ledge to ledge, swing from here to there, and avoid or defeat enemies. However, the enemies are tougher than usual, and it's going to take proper use of your weapons to defeat them. Sometimes, a swarm of critters is blocking your path on the next platform. A well placed mine or bomb could take care of them. Maybe sniping the enemies from a far would be a better idea, lock-on or guided missiles for the big in the big guys in the distance? Time is not a factor in this game. Ballistics and enemies are as much of the puzzle as how to get from point A to point B.
Ratchet and Clank rocket from world to world in order to Stop Chairman Drek from completing his nefarious plan. The various worlds are a perfect excuse for all different types of worlds. All the usual platformer levels are here in one shape or another; ice, swimming, the mine cart level takes the form of rail grinding, etc. They're all here, and most are done in a way that they are somewhat fresh and certainly fun. A lot of different genres are also represented. There are stealth elements, a snowboard or hover board race, shooters, etc. There is even a level that reminded me of Munch's Oddesey on the X-box, in which you control Clank, and his little robot minions: Great stuff!
As to replay: Well, based on the goodies option I unlocked there was still more stuff to find, and the game does allow you to restart with all the stuff you found. It might be worth a shot.
In the end, I was extremely impressed with Ratchet and Clank. The game is one the best games I have played in a long time, if not ever. Insomniac did an excellent job of blending various genres into one cohesive game. While the graphics and sound were not Earth Shattering, they were still excellent and kept the player immersed in the story. The gameplay was first rate; I will never forget the final Boss battle, or the feeling of satisfaction when it was finally defeated. If you haven't had a chance to play this masterpiece yet, I highly recommend that you do. Its already a Greatest Hits title and is one game that truly deserves that designation.
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