So Many Gadgets....So Little Time! (Ratchet and Clank (PS2))

Member Name: plipplop

Product:	Ratchet and Clank (PS2)
Date:	06/01/09 (152 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fantastic game play, loads of levels, massive fun

Disadvantages: It doesn't go on forever!

It would be safe to say that my enthusiasm for this game is virtually limitless. The menu of my PS2 indicates that my last game of Ratchet and Clank has clocked up over 80 hours of game play; and I could pick it up and keep playing it just as easily now. Innovative, imaginative and completely addictive, this game will have you hooked from the outset, and has so many features and ingredients that even now I am finding new things to do. It's almost tempting to leave it there and tell you just to go and play it, but I guess you might want to know a bit more, so I'll try and fill you in.

The hero of this tale is a cat-like mechanic called Ratchet from a small planet called Verdin. When a spacecraft crashes into his planet one day, he sets off to investigate and discovers a small robot amongst the wreckage. The robot (who becomes known as Clank) possesses information about an evil dictator called Chairman Drek, whose plans generally involve the annexation and destruction of one planet after another. Persuaded by Clank's logic and conscience, Ratchet joins the little robot in a quest to track down Chairman Drek and bring his plans to an end once and for all.

The basic idea behind the game is for Ratchet to wander around different worlds, completing missions and challenges, which are each rewarded with information and or new gadgets. Along the way, he comes up against a wide array of robots and monsters, and must continually adapt his arsenal of weapons in order to stay ahead of the enemy. Initially, these tasks are fairly easy, and the monsters are fairly easy to destroy, but as the game progresses things grow harder and more tactical. There are nineteen different planets/locations in total, and only when you have completed certain tasks will you be given access to them all. The currency of the game is bolts, which are littered around all of the different locations, hidden in boxes that you have to smash open and given as a reward each time you kill one of the bad guys. You will literally collect hundreds of thousands of them, which in turn will need to be exchanged for various weapons and gadgets, so they are absolutely essential. The scope of the game is literally huge, and includes duels, races, and assault courses, puzzles and lots more still.

The basic controls used to move Ratchet around are very simple, with one button to jump, one button to smash things and a joystick to point him in the right direction. However, as the game progresses, the range of available moves increases considerably and once you become quite advanced, there are probably about twenty different controls to master according to which gadget you are using. The controller is used in such a way that these are generally quite easy to master; even if it takes some time to remember them all. I found that the buttons were used in such a way that I made very few mistakes - I have played other games where two different moves are performed in two very similar ways, sometimes with disastrous results. My only slight criticism would be the use of the right analogue stick, which both rotates the camera and (when clicked) displays the map. In a rush to change a camera angle, I often click the stick by mistake and halt progress completely. The controller options vary according to whether you are walking, swimming or in a jet fighter; personally, I found the swimming controls the hardest to master.

A product of the game's fairly convoluted content is the need for several menus. The main menu simply starts a new game, loads an existing one, or amends the sound options. The pause menu contains many more options, and it is from here that you control Ratchet's arsenal of gadgets and weapons. You can have up to eight weapons or gadgets instantly available via the controller, and you must substitute these from a range of nearly thirty in total. This means that at intervals you must pause the game, go into the quick select menu and move things around. This process is all part of the strategy of the game and you quickly develop favourite items and menu layouts to support you throughout the game. It can be quite a lot to remember, and at several points during the game I came unstuck as a result of forgetting to arm myself correctly.

The game screen is very logical and simple, with only a basic minimum of information displayed. The only icon which is permanently visible is your tally of ammunition at the top left of the screen, and your life force and count of nuts is only displayed when requested or when something happens to change them. This means that you can focus your full attention on the locations and the game, as opposed to lots of distracting icons - one of my main criticisms of other games in this genre.

The different locations all relate to a different part of Drek's plan. For instance, early in the game you visit a forested planet where nasty robots are cutting down all the trees in order to prepare the planet for domination. As such, everything feels very logical and progressive and you are advised what you need to do next via short video clips or spoof television commercials. The planets are very atmospheric, with bustling cities, snow-capped industrial sites, watery holiday planets and loads more besides. The variety is such that you are genuinely excited each time you visit a new location because you have no idea what to expect. Many parts of the planets will only become accessible once you have acquired a gadget somewhere else. The atmosphere, for instance, may be poisonous, so you may need to obtain an oxygen mask from somewhere else. The theme is generally industrial and futuristic, but quite different to other games that I have played. My favourite locations are probably the cities (ruined or otherwise) that are bustling with activity, lights and strange buildings.

There are a number of key objects and collectibles that you need to complete your quest. At intervals you will earn/find "Infobots". These contain the maps and co-ordinates of new planets/locations and essentially unlock the next part of the game. As well as the normal bolts, there are also secret golden bolts and these are usually in those parts of the game that are most difficult to reach. Golden bolts can subsequently be used to purchase gold weapon upgrades. In the various boxes that litter the planet, you will also find ammunition for your weapons and also containers of Nanotech - a blue substance that boosts your life force. One thing I like about this game is that the items don't appear on screen for a limited time (like the gold coins do in the Mario games.) This means that you can come back and collect items after defeating particularly difficult enemies or challenges. If your ammunition or life force is at full quota, you can always come back and collect refills as and when required and the good thing is that most collectibles come to you as you walk past. I hate the way that in some games, objects are only collected if you walk exactly through their paths.

The most amazing feature of this game has to be the vast and imaginative array of weapons and gadgets at your disposal - I have never seen anything like it. As well as a flame-thrower and a blaster, you are equipped with all sorts of missiles, explosives and other guns with which to bring down the enemy. Some of them are awesome - like the devastator, which homes in on and destroys most enemies in a single shot. Some of them are quite hilarious, such as the Morph-Ray, which turns enemies into chickens! Some of them are downright wicked. My clear favourite is the Glove of Doom, which releases little explosive robots that run ahead of you killing everything in sight, chuckling away to themselves and generally causing mayhem. The appeal of the game is in discovering these weapons and in using them for the first time. The best level comes towards the end, where you have to fight in a truly tactical way against a horde of robots and snipers - brilliant!

Ratchet and Clank has clearly been developed with affection and dedication by its inventors, Insomniac Games. There is a certain richness and attention to detail that sets this game way ahead of the competition. The characters and settings are vibrant and realistic and visually very impressive. Some of the cities closely resemble some of the scenes used in the modern Star Wars films. The game is also very noisy and very adaptive too. Ratchet and Clank make very individual noises as they change locations - and their enemies make a deeply satisfying range of splats, squeals and bangs as you beat them to pieces!

For most of the game, you play as Ratchet and Clank simply clings onto your back. Ratchet moves well and is generally very easy to control. He is quite nimble, although he never seems to be able to jump as far as you might expect. Swimming is initially quite difficult until you purchase a hydro-pack upgrade, but his hand-to-hand combat skills are excellent and it is extremely satisfying to bash everyone's brains in with his giant spanner.
At occasional intervals, you will be required to play as Clank, because only he can survive in the atmosphere of that location. Clank is far less mobile and has no weapons as such, so these bits aren't quite so much fun but they do make a change from the normal game play. There are also a couple of bits where the little robot is transformed into a giant version and has to enter a combat arena against other giant robots and helicopters. It all rather reminded me of a King Kong movie, but is once again a good opportunity to stomp on some heads.

The game is filled with a host of evil robots, soldiers and monsters that lurk around every corner. Some of them are instantly visible, but others lurk beneath the surface of the ground and jump out at the last minute. The variety is enormous, but my favourites are probably the monsters rather than the robots, because they tend to be far more menacing. They also splat when attacked, which is a much more satisfying outcome than the explosion incurred when you shoot a robot. The enemies get progressively harder to kill as the game continues. In some sections you are literally swamped by hordes of them and it will take all your best weaponry to make it out the other side. The combat is an important part of the game, but it is all effected in a very light-hearted way. It's hard to take things too seriously when all your enemies are turning into chickens. Chairman Drek himself is suitably menacing, despite his small stature. He has a very dry sense of humour - far less childish than his equivalent in other games.

For people that take their games seriously, there are a number of different additions to the game that you can try and complete. Along the way, you can collect the gold bolts, and once you have completed the whole game once, you can then exchange these for gold weapon upgrades on your second attempt. If you collect all the gold upgrades, this in turn will unlock more goodies. Also, there are various tasks in the game that, once complete, will earn you a skill point. Once you have obtained 15 skill points and then all 20, once again, you will have more goodies to look out for. The best part about the game is that when you have completed it once, you can go back in and play it again, but you start off with all the weapons that you collected during the first game.

Ratchet and Clank is immensely good fun to play. I love the concept and the core story line behind the game and virtually without exception, I enjoyed playing every part of it. There is so much to do and so much variety and it is completely addictive. The two lead characters - Ratchet and Clank - are very endearing, and their banter between the levels is actually quite funny. The game is difficult enough to be challenging, but not so ridiculously tough that you need to try everything fifty times before you get anywhere. I love all the different weapons and gadgets and for sheer imagination, the game simply cannot be faulted. There is also a genuine sense of humour about everything in this game. It doesn't take itself too seriously.

Whilst there might be the odd thing that slightly irritated me along the way, in all honesty I cannot think of any dislikes of this game. I think you probably get the picture by now. I love this game. Unquestionably, the best console game that I have EVER owned. Don't just take my word for it - get playing!

Highly recommended

Summary: Save the world with an intergalactic kitty and his little robot Clank.