Over the past
few years, the market shifted from character-based platformers to multiplayer
shooters. One developer, Insomniac Games, has offered games from both genres on
a regular schedule. While Resistance is a solid sci-fi shooter, I prefer the
more family friendly cartoon world of Ratchet and Clank. Some insight on the choice might be gained if
I talked about my initial experience with the series debut about a rogue space
mechanic and his robot sidekick.
Ratchet and
Clank is a clear step up from the platforming of the PS1 era. The really blocky
characters and environments seen in the Spyro the Dragon games are gone,
replaced with higher resolution figures and more detailed levels. The
characters maintain the similar levels of cartoon expressions as you would see
in an animated film, making the cutscenes and character interactions a pleasure
to watch. The villain is established immediately as Chairman Dreck explains how
he is going to break planets apart to create a new one for his empire, and he
gets cut off before he can say something potentially naughty. The heroes look sympathetic as we contrast
the small robot Clank’s insistence on seeking help from comical galactic hero
Captain Qwark with Ratchet’s opportunistic approach to helping various
characters in need. The levels themselves are set up so that you can arrive on
a planet and complete objectives by running through specific areas without extra
loading time for each stage. Reaching the end of an area on a planet may mean
access to a new planet, but it can also lead to new weapons and items.
The weapons are
the reason for the Ratchet and Clank series longevity. Ratchet’s default weapon
is the Omniwrench 8000, a tool he swings as a melee attack and he throws like a
boomerang. As the game continues, you acquire more weapons and abilities by
defeating enemies and destroying creates, both which drop bolts and
automatically home in on Ratchet if he is close enough. You can purchase the
Blaster for a better ranged attack against aerial robotic foes, and you can buy
the Pyrocitor to quickly burn through enemy ranks. I was sticking the Bomb
Glove at first, a weapon that tosses explosives at close range and packs a
punch. The manual shows a few weapons and gadgets and promises more, especially
to those adventurers that explore every nook and cranny of the levels for
maximum bolts and other hidden prizes.
The levels in
Ratchet and Clank lend themselves to exploration as well as shooting. In
addition to new weapons, you can buy new abilities like an improved high jump
and a gadget called the Swing Shot, a sci-fi combination of a hookshot and a
grappling hook. Ratchet and Clank can deftly maneuver precarious platforms to
reach new heights and find more boxes full bolts to grab. Destroying a set
amount of enemies in an area may be a bit of a chore, but traversing a obstacle
course marked by a Captain Qwark robot to reach a robotic fitness instructor is
always a pleasure.
Ratchet and
Clank started on the PlayStation 2 as a hybrid of a shooter and a
character-based platformer. It grew into a premier Sony exclusive series and
continues be a charming all-ages science fiction adventure, even experimenting
with new cooperative mechanisms while keeping its cartoon humor intact. If you
like platformers, you should try Ratchet and Clank out, available on the
PlayStation Network as an HD rerelease. The guns may feel simple as first, but
they definitely improve, especially in the sequels.
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