Spyro: Year of the Dragon

Just one year after Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage, Insomniac released the third and final game in the original Spyro trilogy, Spyro: Year of the Dragon, in the actual Year of the Dragon before they shifted their focus to the still-ongoing Ratchet & Clank series. This entry also had a more ambitious scope, with more playable characters and gameplay variety. Though admirable, I feel from playing it now that it really did more harm than good.

Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage

With the success of Spyro the Dragon, Insomniac attempted something more ambitious with Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage, which included missions and a bigger story, while addressing some of the issues with the original game. This entry released to critical acclaim one year after the original Spyro the Dragon and has stood the test of time. Looking back on it now, however, I feel I have a more mixed opinion on the more drastic changes to the original formula.

Spyro the Dragon

Insomniac games may be best known for their Ratchet & Clank series and Marvel's Spider-Man right now, but their earliest success involved an early PlayStation mascot, a purple dragon named Spyro from their second ever video game, Spyro the Dragon. Spyro is far from obscure, but with Insomniac’s more recent successes, I thought it would be interesting to look back at their roots and see how well their first series held up today. Spyro the Dragon certainly feels like an experience only Insomniac could deliver, but time has only highlighted its flaws.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Among the games announced at Sony’s PlayStation 5 reveal, the one that I was most excited for was Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, since it was the first new game in the series since the 2016 reimagining and would return to the original timeline as a sequel to Into the Nexus. On top of this, the reveal immediately showed off the PS5’s potential with the dimensional travel gimmick and the new character Rivet (who was unnamed at the time) was the first female Lombax to be introduced since Angela Cross all the way back in Going Commando. Rivet’s reveal also made a splash on the internet for this reason, however I opted to wait to play the game for myself to see how she was handled rather than indulge in any of the hype. I will admit the game’s $70 price tag was almost a turn-off for me, though I pre-ordered it regardless, finding it to be a much-welcomed return for Ratchet & Clank and a true showcase of what the PS5 can do for the series.

Fuse (PS3)

After playing through the Resistance trilogy, I decided to revisit one of Insomniac's follow-up games, Fuse, originally released in 2013. When I first played it after finding a used copy, I thought it was okay for what it was, though I wanted to see if my opinions changed at all. Following a second playthrough, I thought it had some interesting ideas, though I realized this time how generally forgettable the game is.

Resistance 3

Note: This review contains spoilers for Resistance 2 and Resistance 3.

Three years after Resistance 2, Insomniac finished off the Resistance trilogy with Resistance 3 in 2011, with no plans for any future installments. When I decided to play through the main series, I noticed that while Resistance: Fall of Man and Resistance 2 both have digital options available, Resistance 3 does not for whatever reason, leading me to have to actively seek out a physical copy as I had done for Fall of Man. Fortunately, I was able to find a new copy of the game at a local game reseller for a reasonable price, allowing me to experience the Resistance trilogy to the end. Overall I found it to be an improvement over its predecessors in several areas, perhaps even the strongest entry, and a fitting conclusion to the series.

Resistance 2

Following the success of the PS3 launch title Resistance: Fall of Man, Insomniac developed a follow-up released in 2008 titled Resistance 2. Within the Resistance trilogy, this was one I actually got when it came out, for reasons I will disclose later, though at the time I was a little too young to actually play it. At the time the version I got was the Collector’s Edition, which includes extra digital content alongside an art book, a behind-the-scenes bonus disc and a Chimera action figure, though I would eventually end up with a Standard Edition copy of the game as well. Having finally gotten the chance to play it, I found the experience overall mixed, with many of its shortcomings stemming from some odd gameplay decisions.

Resistance: Fall of Man

With the launch of the PlayStation 3 on the horizon, Insomniac Games, Sucker Punch and Naughty Dog, three high-profile developers for the PS2, collectively and independently decided to use the new system as an opportunity to diversify their portfolios away from mascot platformers and introduce an original IP that aimed for a realistic art style to take advantage of the system’s capabilities. In Insomniac’s case, their follow-up to the Ratchet & Clank series was Resistance: Fall of Man, a launch title for the PS3 and their first FPS since their first ever game Disruptor on the PS1. With this year being the 15^th anniversary of the PS3 as well as Resistance: Fall of Man, in addition to general pandemic boredom, I decided it would be the perfect opportunity to play it for the first time to see how well it held up, after managing to find a physical copy at a local retro game store. While time hasn’t been too kind to it in places, the game did manage to surprise me with its interesting ideas.

Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PS5)

Following the success of Marvel’s Spider-Man from Insomniac, a stand-alone follow-up game, Spider-Man: Miles Morales, was announced as a PS5 launch title, alongside a digital-only PS5 remaster of the previous game. Having liked the first game and gotten to like Miles Morales as a character through Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, I was curious to see Insomniac’s take on him and how they were going to keep fans sated until they release a full sequel to the first game. While Miles Morales also launched on PS4, I weighed my options and went for the PS5 version, helped by the Ultimate Edition (which comes bundled with a voucher for Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered and bonus content) being included in a PS5 launch bundle from Costco, which also included an extra controller.

The bundle itself took much longer than expected to arrive, an annoyance I wasn’t alone in experiencing, though once it finally arrived, I didn’t get to actually play the game until receiving it as a Christmas present. After finally getting around to it, I found it a worthwhile experience despite its short length.

Marvel's Spider-Man (2018) - Spectacularly Amazing

As both a Spider-Man and Insomniac Games fan, I was excited upon the official announcement that the two would come together for a game released exclusively on the PlayStation 4. While many of the Spider-Man games have been based on the comics or films series in some way, this game would be set in a new Spider-Man universe that incorporated elements from other continuities (including the now-defunct Ultimate comic line), including a large number of Spidey Suits based on suits from other continuities (among them the suit that Spider-Man’s MCU counterpart wears in Avengers: Infinity War). After having played the game (via a Best Buy pre-order that included a free physical copy of Destiny 2 of all things), I can definitely say that this is one of the better video game representations of Spider-Man.

After trying to catch him for years, Peter Parker/Spider-Man finally faces off against Wilson Fisk/Kingpin. Once Spider-Man manages to defeat him and have him arrested, Fisk warns him that things will only get worse with him behind bars. Fisk’s words turn out to be prophetic, as a new threat known as the Inner Demons threatens New York City, leaving Spider-Man to try and solve who is behind it. Meanwhile, Peter has also been studying alongside Dr. Otto Octavius on a scientific breakthrough in prosthetic limb technology.

With a new continuity to play around with, Insomniac manages to tell a rather engaging Spider-Man story that incorporates familiar elements in clever ways, such as the origins of certain characters and elements of Peter Parker’s backstory (delivered through dialogue), as well as some perfectly-timed meta humor based in Spider-Man media. Some things that are more or less common elements in most Spider-Man lore (ex. the death of Uncle Ben, Peter’s romantic pursuits with Mary Jane Watson, Peter’s tenure at the Daily Bugle) are largely implied through exposition via throwaway lines, though I feel this game (in a similar fashion to the Batman: Arkham series) was able to get away with this due to Spider-Man being arguably Marvel’s most ubiquitous character.

The graphics for the game are simply stunning, sporting a visually-appealing yet detailed art style that’s stylized enough to avoid the uncanny valley. The designs for Spider-Man’s and villains’ costumes are unique and interesting to look at, particularly in how said designs capture the essence of each character and their abilities. New York City is rather highly-detailed, taking full advantage of the PS4 to render things such as reflections, water and different weather conditions, along with a guest appearance from Avengers Tower to ground the narrative within the larger Marvel universe. Certain famous landmarks from both the real and fictional versions of New York City, such as the Daily Bugle and the Flat-iron building, can also be seen when swinging around and taking a picture of them in Photo Mode even nets you a bonus (more on that later).

There's also another, separate photo mode that lets you take your own screencaps
(unlike this review).

The music is really good in capturing each moment properly, with certain tracks playing appropriately depending on the situation. A particularly great track is the triumphant music that plays whenever you’re traversing New York City, as it really adds to the feeling of playing as Spider-Man and makes you want to keep web-slinging. The voice acting is another point of praise, with each of the voice actors being able to capture each character well. Yuri Lowenthal, who has had prior experience in the 2017 Spider-Man cartoon (albeit voicing villains), does a really good job as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, showing an impressive range for the character as he tries to balance superhero business, work and a social life. Two other stand-outs are William Salyers as Otto Octavius and Darin De Paul doing an impressive J. K. Simmons impression as J. Jonah Jameson, whose voice is heard in broadcasts of a radio show.

The combat is a bit like the rhythmic combat found in the Arkham series with spider powers and gadgets added in. Often you are battling waves of enemies at once, whose fighting styles range from close-quarters to guns and rocket launchers, as well as shields that block direct attacks. Certain abilities are in place to take advantage of Spider-Man’s abilities and agility, such as the ability to dodge around and under foes, as well as webbing objects in the environment to use as blunt instruments. Skill Points, obtained by earning enough EXP and leveling up, can unlock additional skills for use in combat, such as the ability to take the opponent’s weapons/shields away with webs and throw them right back at them, as well as perform ground pounds to throw enemies off-balance.

Gadgets (more on that later) can also greatly help in combat, including Electrical Webs, Web Bombs and Spider-Drones to aid in crowd control (there’s also a weapon wheel to help choose which gadget you want to use, in true Insomniac fashion). There is also a Focus mechanic, which by default fills up as you land hits on bad guys, which can be used to heal yourself in a pinch. As I had never played the Arkham games (only watching someone else play), this style of combat took me a while to get used to, however it worked really well once I got used to the rhythm.

Alongside the gadgets are a number of Spidey-Suits (27 in total) based off of various incarnations of Spider-Man, usually unlocked by fulfilling certain requirements. These suits include the aforementioned Infinity War suit, as well as costumes from the 2099 comics and the Sam Raimi films, among several others. Each of these suits also comes with a unique ability that can be activated at any time by clicking both sticks, such as creating shockwaves and making oneself temporarily un-blockable; my favorite is Web Blossom, which webs all enemies around Spider-Man and can make for effective crowd control. An array of Suit Mods can also be unlocked, of which up to three at a time can be equipped, which can provide an array of passive benefits for Spider-Man such as reducing damage from certain weapon types and manipulating how much/often Focus can be generated. While reading about the number of customization and combat options may sound overwhelming, the end result is handled in a such a way that it really isn’t.

The Iron Spider suit, included as a pre-order bonus, based on Avengers: Infinity War.

While the more open-world style of gameplay is a perfect fit for Spider-Man, there are fortunately plenty of things to do to entice exploration and help upgrade/unlock abilities. There are a number of sidequests available, more of which become available as you go, which earn you more EXP upon completion to level up faster. This also applies to other things that unlock over time, such as Taskmaster Challenges (disarming bombs set by Taskmaster), clearing out Fisk/Demon Bases, completing Oscorp Research Stations, stopping various types of Crimes and tracking down Black Cat. There are also a number of Backpacks strewn throughout the city, each of which contains an item of personal interest to Peter Parker and fills in details of his backstory in the game (while occasionally making some subtle meta humor about other versions of Spider-Man). Webslinging around New York to get to these is really fun to do once you get the hang of it, though the later ability to Fast Travel to specific locations (such as police stations and plot-critical buildings) can be a real time-saver in a pinch.

Performing each of the aforementioned tasks (sans Black Cat) nets you different types of Tokens (no less than five), any combination of which may be required to unlock Suits and abilities, as well as upgrading Gadgets. The Token system is a lot to work with and can lock you out of certain things for some time depending on your playstyle, though for some this is simply an excuse to continue exploring the city for all it's worth.

New York City seen from atop a skyscraper.

While the combat draws inspiration from the Batman: Arkham games, there’s other similarities that I had noticed during my playthrough. The Black Cat side missions, in which you needed to locate toy cats in a given space, made me think back to the Riddler Trophies seen throughout the Arkham series, though finding the cats requires far less effort than the Riddler’s neon green nightmare. On the subject of nightmares, following the introduction of this game’s version of the Sinister Six (seen in a trailer) in the third act, there is an entire section featuring segments somewhat reminiscent of the Scarecrow segments in the Arkhams Asylum and Knight, during which Spider-Man has to prevent losing his sanity while dealing with Scorpion. There was, however, some effort made to make Scorpion’s hallucinations stand out from Scarecrow’s.

Spider-Man (2018) is one of the best Spider-Man games to be released, if not one of the best superhero games. A lot of attention is paid to Spider-Man lore (both old and new) for fans to enjoy, plus there is a well-crafted story that takes an interesting turn on said world. The combat is enjoyable and offers a vast array of options (even more so than a typical Ratchet & Clank game), plus the graphics are amazing and take full advantage of the system’s capabilities. Fans of Spider-Man and/or the Batman: Arkham games should give this game a try; the world presented in the game draws from familiar Spider-Man elements as well as more recent additions to the Spider-Man mythos (which I only found out from some quick research after finishing the game as I have not been keeping up with the comics), though the game manages to organically weave these elements together to form a world that offers something for both new and long-time fans of Spider-Man.

Ratchet & Clank (Film) - The Movie, Based On The Game

Having played practically the entirety of the Ratchet & Clank series and become a fan of it, I was immediately on board with the idea of a theatrical feature when it was announced a few years back. I became more interested in the movie after learning that not only was Insomniac Games, the creator and developer of the Ratchet & Clank series heavily involved in the movie’s production, but also that Rainmaker Entertainment was doing the animation (under their previous moniker, Mainframe, they did the animation for the Beast Wars and Beast Machines portions of the Transformers franchise, which were considered groundbreaking for their time and the former of which won a Daytime Emmy). As the release date got closer, I even replayed the original Ratchet & Clank game and spent a lot of time playing the re-imagining of said game just to keep myself hyped for the movie. Having seen the movie in 3D, though somewhat disappointingly in a largely empty theater, I would say that the experience and hype were definitely worth it.

The plot of the movie is, of course, similar to that of the recent game based on this movie (including the plot twists aimed at Ratchet & Clank veterans), which is also based on the original 2002 game, but it flows more like a movie rather than the movie’s plot incorporated into gameplay. Plot elements from the original game are taken in an interesting direction in the movie, with some plot points cut where necessary to help the flow of the story. At the same time, it’s interesting how some gameplay elements from the games are used in the movie, such as the ability to switch between weapons on the fly (or Quick Select, as it’s called in the games) being explained by a device that allows the user to teleport weapons to their hand from an off-site storage locker. Like the re-imagined game, some retcons are made that I think make for a better story, such as the integration of Dr. Nefarious (Armin Shimerman) into the plot and Ratchet (James Arnold Taylor) being a selfless nice guy from the get-go rather than starting off as being a huge, selfish jerk to everyone around him. There are also some cleverly-inserted in-jokes from within the series and to other PlayStation titles, including a tease for the upcoming Sly Cooper movie.

In this continuity, Ratchet wants to join the Galactic Rangers.

The movie is well-casted in the voice department, with James Arnold Taylor (Ratchet), David Kaye (Clank), Jim Ward (Captain Qwark), and Armin Shimerman (Dr. Nefarious) returning to voice their characters from the games, as well as some actors you wouldn’t have expected to hear in Ratchet & Clank, such as Paul Giamatti (Chairman Drek), John Goodman (Grimroth), and Sylvester Stallone (Victor Von Ion); notably, Stallone’s widely-mocked slurred Rambo voice is not present, rather sounding more like his normal speaking voice. As I’ve said about the recent game, the voice actors are definitely bringing their experience with their characters to the table, and Giamatti and Stallone (for reals this time) provide interesting interpretations of the returning characters that they voice. Though new character Grimroth doesn’t get very much screentime, I still thought John Goodman did a good job in voicing the character, particularly in portraying the character’s master/student relationship with Ratchet.

Ratchet & Clank during their first meeting.

The animation is, put simply, amazing, as there was clearly a lot of care put into animating the characters and their body language, as well as Ratchet’s Lombax tail. The animation of the weapons and their abilities is also great at recreating how they function and making them work within the context of the movie. Though the Groovitron, one of my favorite weapons from the games, does not make an appearance, I think the movie worked well enough without it. Also, the music, while not remixing anything from the base game, is still great at capturing the essence of a given scene and character’s emotions (though I can’t recall if any of it is from the re-imagined game).

The Ratchet & Clank movie can be considered a good way to get someone into the Ratchet & Clank franchise, though it is clearly more aimed at Ratchet & Clank fans. There is some fantastic humor in the movie, both meta and not meta, as well as some bits of older-skewing humor that some audiences that fit within the PG rating would probably not get. While it’s funny how text-messaging jokes are incorporated, there is mention of “hashtags” at one point, though the reference is still funny within context since it’s very brief and is more non-specific. Overall, the movie is a well-made love letter to the 15 years of the Ratchet & Clank series and its fans, for whom this is definitely a must-see, and I advise staying through the credits. Since this joint-development between Insomniac and Rainmaker turned out spectacularly, this makes me more excited to see if the same result can be achieved with Sly Cooper when it makes its way to theaters.

Ratchet & Clank (2016) - The Game, Based On The Movie, Based On The Game

Tying in to the upcoming movie later this month, Insomniac has released a re-imagining of the original Ratchet & Clank game for PS2 for PS4 (or, as they dub it, “the game, based on the movie, based on the game”). This is not an HD remake of the original game or a complete reboot of the franchise, but rather it’s a game similar to the original, but done a little differently. On multiple levels, I was excited for this game, and, though there was a pre-order mishap, the game did not disappoint in any way.

The basic premise of the game is similar to that of the PS2 original, however there are some key differences. For one thing, as seen in movie trailers, Dr. Nefarious (Armin Shimerman) is also involved in the plot, and Ratchet’s (James Arnold Taylor) personality matches that of how it is starting from Going Commando (not a total jerk), and the plot seems to be influenced by this change in personality (not that I mind). However, as it is based on a movie that is also based on a game, it may spoil you on some events of the movie since some cutscenes are scenes from the movie; thankfully, it’s not the entire movie, but it does display key plot points. The game is also narrated by Captain Qwark (Jim Ward), since the framing device is him telling the story to an inmate while in prison (said inmate was also looking to play a Ratchet & Clank hologame based on a holofilm based on the events of the original Ratchet & Clank, leading Qwark to explain what really happened).

The gameplay is more in line with that of later Ratchet & Clank games, with the weapon options being a mix of the original game’s and those of later games, as well as some new ones, such as the Proton Drum. While you can use the Glove of Doom from the original game and the Warmonger from a later game, Mr. Zurkon and the Groovitron (my personal favorites) are also in this game, which can make things a lot easier. Some items from the original game, (including the Trespasser, Hydrodisplacer, and the Swingshot) are also tied to button prompts this time, which removes the hassle of juggling the items with the Quick Select. Raritanium is also (perhaps ironically) easier to come by compared to other games, as are Gold Bolts, which, when collected, unlock items in the Extras menu.

The Groovitron will even work on the Blargian Snagglebeast.

A new addition to the game is cards, which can be found either in packs or in singles by defeating enemies; completing sets of 3 can net you a bonus, and you can trade in duplicate cards for a new card. In addition, there is a special set of 9 R.Y.N.O. cards, which you will need to obtain the R.Y.N.O. rather than having to have an unreasonable amount of Bolts (which are also much easier to come by). The cards themselves feature characters and locations spanning across the entire (canon) history of Ratchet & Clank, and flipping over the card tells you more information about what is depicted, including its game of origin. This alone adds a good amount of replay value, as I am currently (as of this writing) in the process of collecting all the cards.

The graphics of the game are simply amazing, coming close to the actual movie coming out and displaying the potential of the PS4; though the original game is from two console generations prior, the difference between it and this new game is like night and day. The music of the game is also good, with at least some tracks being new versions of tracks from the original game’s soundtrack along with some new flavor to match the game’s different tone. The experience from returning voice actors (James Arnold Taylor, David Kaye, Jim Ward, Armin Shimerman) really shines through in their respective characters, and is quite possibly some of their best work in the series yet. Returning villains Chairman Drek and Victor Von Ion are voiced by new actors, turning in good performances that work better for this new interpretation as well as doing amazing impressions of their voice actors from the movie; Drek is voiced in the movie by Paul Giamatti, which can be heard in some of the movie clips, though Eric Bauza performs well as Drek to the point that I thought it was Giamatti; similarly, Mark Silverman as Victor Von Ion does a spot-on impression of the character’s VA in the movie, Sylvester Stallone, to where I could not tell the difference. 

This re-imagined Ratchet & Clank is a perfect jumping-on point to the Ratchet & Clank franchise. It feels just like a Ratchet & Clank game should, plus it manages to feel fresh in the process of going back to the series’ roots. It seems to slightly date itself though with an offhand mention of social media and hashtags in one moment (in the context of Gadgetron Headquarters trying to get good word on their products), but the game itself is overall fun in spite of that, especially with the addition of the card-collecting mechanic. As mentioned above, I give fair warning in that it might spoil the major events of the upcoming movie the game is based on, though I still look forward to seeing the movie regardless. Made for the 15th Anniversary, this game clearly shows how much Insomniac cares for its IP, and I hope they continue to treat Ratchet & Clank right going forward.

[OLD] Second Look - Ratchet & Clank (2002)

In anticipation of the upcoming Ratchet & Clank game and movie, I decided to replay the original PS2 game from 2002 to compare it to the new game on PS4, which acts as a re-imagining of the original game. This was also an opportunity for me to not only reevaluate my opinion on the game, if necessary, but also to see if I could write a better review of it (since I don’t think my writing skills were all that great, though I am still learning even now). So to celebrate this new chapter in the Ratchet & Clank series, I present a look back at Ratchet & Clank on the PS2.

Chairman Drek (Kevin Michael Richardson) has been attacking other worlds around the galaxy so as to build a new homeworld for the Blarg, using pieces from those other worlds. Meanwhile, a small robot named XJ-0461, later known as Clank (David Kaye), was created on planet Quartu, where he made off with an Infobot and crash-landed on planet Veldin. It is there that he meets a Lombax named Ratchet (Michael Kelley) (Note: the term “Lombax” does not appear until Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando), who begrudgingly joins Clank to search for Captain Qwark (Jim Ward), whom he believes can stop Drek.

While the plot moves along well, with the idea that Ratchet and Clank are meant to be opposites that eventually attract, I found Ratchet to be kind of a jerk, but not the fun kind. Especially in comparison to later installments, he has a personality that can be kind of a turn-off, with him being self-centered and casually insulting people that know more about engineering than he does. With the help of Clank, who is meant to act as a foil, he does straighten out by the end, coming more in line with how he is later on in the series. With the new re-imagining on the way, his personality would actually be a rather welcome retcon.

As for the gameplay, it still holds up well, providing the foundation for later games in the series to improve upon. Coming back from later games, I had to remember that the Quick-Select, in which you can quickly switch between weapons and gadgets, works in real time rather than stopping time long enough for you to make your choice. Still, as it is, the game has a lot of variety in its level design, which encourages exploration to obtain hidden extras, and there is a large amount of variety in the weaponry you can pick from. Aside from the standard OmniWrench 8000, weapons range from the normal blasters and bombs to outlandish abilities like turning your enemies into chickens. Then there’s the elusive R.Y.N.O. (Rip You a New One), which is the most expensive weapon at 150,000 Bolts (the series currency), but once you do get it, it is very much worth it.

The graphics, while obviously not as good as later games (being a PS2 game and all), are still good for what they are, helped by the fact that the game uses a more cartoonish art style. The voice acting is still good, although I would agree that Michael Kelley’s Ratchet, as good as it is, is no James Arnold Taylor. Even after all this time, I still found myself moving to the music, which fits in perfectly with the tone of the game as well as that of each planet.

After 14 years, I would say that the original Ratchet & Clank game, while feeling different from what would come later, still holds up after all this time. If you haven’t played Ratchet & Clank before, this is overall a good starting point despite its imperfections. With the PS4 re-imagining on the way, as well as the movie, it remains to be seen if those are good points in which to jump into the franchise. For what it is though, this game can also be played by those waiting for said re-imagining as a way to compare and contrast the two different versions of the story. Looking to these future installments, I wish success not only for this alternate take, but also further success for the foreseeable future of the Ratchet & Clank franchise.

[OLD] Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus

In recent years, Insomniac Games had been experimenting with the Ratchet & Clank formula. These experiments gave us Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One, which allowed up to 4 players in a campaign simultaneously, and Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault, a (sort of) tower defense game that allowed up to 2 players in co-op (which also had a heavily delayed Vita port despite being a Cross Buy title). While I found these to be enjoyable in spite of them being different from typical Ratchet & Clank games, I had been wondering if multiplayer was the new direction for the brand or if the original formula would ever be revisited, which only sort of happened with HD remasters of the first four games being released (the last of which became bundled with Full Frontal Assault’s long-awaited Vita port when Cross Buy was taken advantage of). Earlier this year, Insomniac and Sony teased an image of a gateway, which after some speculation was revealed to be for the subject of this review, Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus, announced as not only a return to form for the Ratchet & Clank series, but also as the final game in the franchise to be released for PS3, at a budget price of $30. This piqued my interest, since while it was also stated to be a shorter game than most previous entries and advertised as being an epilogue to the Future trilogy, I liked the idea of returning to the series’ roots for this entry and seeing what Insomniac had in store for fans of the series. Though this may be a little late since I got the game as a Christmas gift, I thought the game was very well handled and served as a proper send-off for the Future trilogy and for the franchise on PS3.

While making repairs to a ship they were piloting, Ratchet and Clank receive a call from Talwyn Apogee, who informs them that they are in danger: the ship is going to be under attack by a criminal named Neftin Prog, whose aim is to get his twin sister and fellow criminal, Vendra Prog, the main cargo of Ratchet and Clank’s ship. Wanting Ratchet and Clank to be safe when facing Neftin, Talwyn wants the two of them to be assisted by Cronk and Zephyr, who turn out to be sleeping when the duo finds them. After Ratchet and Clank wake Cronk and Zephyr up, the four of them face problems caused by Vendra before making sure her holding is secure. However, Neftin shows up and, with help from hired Thugs-4-Less thugs, successfully retrieves his sister before taking off, forcing Ratchet and Clank to go after them. As the two try to track down and stop Vendra and Neftin, a much larger plot begins to reveal itself.

Vendra Prog, one of the new antagonists.

While the game may be short (around 5 hours or so), it does manage to tell a coherent story with a beginning, middle, and end, as well as a good deal of character development, not only for Ratchet and Clank, but also for the villains, Vendra and Neftin Prog. However, you won’t be able to get the most out of the plot without having played the Future games, let alone the games that came before them (a specific section of the game reveals the fates of certain characters, including previous villains, though based on what was acknowledged, you can safely skip the handheld entries if you haven’t played any of the games already). Of course, the franchise’s sense of humor has also been preserved, as some cutscenes and bits of dialogue know how to provide a good laugh every now and then.

As with the recent iterations of Ratchet & Clank, the graphics are really amazing. The game’s cartoonish art style blends well with the more realistically rendered fur/hair on the characters among other things, not to mention the lighting in certain areas of the game that gives the worlds Ratchet visits more life to them. I also find it interesting when I see certain small details on a character, be it what makes up a character’s clothing or the physics applied to things such as hair, Ratchet’s ears, or other visible parts of a character’s body such as antennae or particular facial features. Not only does the game impress in the visual department, it also continues to impress with the music, which is good about not only setting up a mood, but also being mildly catchy and not distracting during gameplay.

Speaking of which, as I have said before, the gameplay is more akin to earlier Ratchet & Clank games, but with a few tweaks to change things up a bit. In addition to having a small, but manageable, arsenal of weapons to accommodate the shorter length, some gadgets are tied to certain button combinations, which made sense to me as they were separate from the regular arsenal and helped to streamline the weapon and item selection. One of the new gadgets, the Grav-Tether, provides an interesting twist on the gameplay, in that it can be used to create beams between two appropriate points, which you can then ride to get to another point in the level further away (though which direction you go in depends on the order in which you connected the two points); you can even have multiple beams going on at the same time, which encourages strategic usage of these beams. There’s also a new gameplay mechanic involving a gadget called the Rift Cracker, which alerts you to a dimensional rift at certain points of the game, which are usually found in certain barriers. Once you find one of these rifts, you can send Clank into the Netherverse, where he must make a Nether follow him back to the rift and break down the barrier to allow you to advance in the level. These levels are interesting, in that they are side-scrollers, the main twist being you can shift the gravity of the stage to solve puzzles and guide Clank to reaching or escaping from a Nether.

Neftin Prog, another of the new antagonists and Vendra's twin brother.

Other gadgets within the game include a Jetpack, which allows you unlimited flight (unless you have no fuel or are in a no-fly zone), and the Hoverboots from previous games, which, when acquired, provide the opportunity to move even faster within a stage. Of course, the game still has the usual insane weaponry to be found in a Ratchet & Clank game, which can range from the Omniblaster to the Nightmare Box, which can scare enemies, to even the Winterizer, which can turn enemies into snowmen. These can be upgraded with repeated usage, at which point they become more powerful; weapons can be further enhanced at GrummelNet vendors by using Raritanium dropped from enemies or found within the area, including such benefits as additional ammo and increased rate of Raritanium drops, though some are unique to specific weapons (ex. how long the Nightmare Box can stay active and the range at which it can scare enemies). When upgrades are applied, they can even make the returning Mr. Zurkon weapon, which was already funny, even funnier, since he is eventually joined by his family, providing even more laughs on the battlefield.

There are also hidden collectibles within each level, in the form of Gold Bolts and pieces of a Holoplan for the RYNO VII. Once you complete the Gold Cup in the Thugs-4-Less Destructapalooza, you gain an item that will allow you to better locate most of them on your map, and it is well worth doing so. Though the Gold Bolts don’t seem to have much of a purpose aside from a Trophy, the RYNO VII is a weapon worth scavenging for the complete Holoplan, since it can take down some enemies rather quickly (while playing Mussorgsky’s “Night on Bald Mountain” no less).

The RYNO VII: Now with more Mussorgksy.

Another positive aspect of the game is the voice acting, which has only gotten better with each main game. Characters such as Ratchet (James Arnold Taylor), Clank (David Kaye), and Qwark (Jim Ward) each retain their respective voice actors and display a lot of experience in their voices (though Jim Ward doesn’t seem to get to do much). However, while Talwyn Apogee is a returning character from the Future series, she is no longer voiced by Tara Strong, rather being voiced by Ali Hillis, although I honestly didn’t really notice much difference in the performance, which means she did a really good job emulating the character. Though some other minor and returning characters put on good performances, I also liked the ones from Nika Futterman and Fred Tatasciore, who voice Vendra and Neftin Prog respectively; the two of them seem to put on a rather convincing brother/sister dynamic for their respective characters, which really helped to sell their character development.

There is, however, one thing I didn’t like about the game, namely an experience I had regarding expository dialogue. When I landed on the first planet after the introductory level, as I was exploring the level, Talwyn was explaining something important about where I was, only for me to die before I could hear it. I thought I wouldn’t have to worry and that the dialogue would start over again, as I have seen in plenty of other games, however I never got to find out whatever it was I needed to learn, forcing me to have it looked up online so I could better understand the plot. I’m not sure how much of that was player error, since I was not familiar with the level’s layout at the time, but in any case this really bugged me for a bit after it had happened.

Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus is another welcome addition to the Ratchet & Clank franchise. It may be short, but it manages to do a lot within that short time frame. The level design is good, as is most everything else. Despite its length, the game also manages to provide something of a challenge (though I admittedly played on the Cadet/lowest difficulty since it had been a while since playing the last game). If you are a Ratchet & Clank fan, this is definitely a game to pick up, provided you have played the Future games (+ All 4 One and Full Frontal Assault) and read the comic. If you have not yet played a Ratchet & Clank game and are considering doing so, I would tell you to play the first game and go from there, since the Future series is when it becomes a bit more continuity heavy, although, as I previously stated, you can safely skip the handheld entries.

[OLD] Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault (Vita)

As with Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault is one of Sony's Cross Buy titles, meaning a purchase of the PS3 version nets you the Vita version for free. However, unlike Sly 4, the Vita version of this game was delayed for several months with an offer of the HD version of Ratchet: Deadlocked for free to compensate for the wait. Now that the handheld port of the game has been released, I decided to take a separate look at it due to the massive delay to see whether or not it was worth the wait. After completing the campaign, I would say that it was well worth it.

I'll admit I haven't checked out the multiplayer at all, partly because I don't know another person with a copy of the game to help me test it out, but from my experience with the single player, I would say that it's a decent port. All comments that are not about controls and graphics can be found in my original review of the PS3 version of the game, so let's take a look at what's different. The graphics, while not as impressive due to system limitations, look pretty decent for the platform; nothing stands out as being ugly-looking or anything, but you can tell there's some attempt at helping the game look close to its console counterpart. At times there isn't as much detail and some textures look a little pixelated, but you can tell the dev team was at least trying. There's some slight lag when too many things are on the screen at once, but it's not unbearable and it goes away rather quickly.

The controls are pretty much the same as the PS3 version, though slightly different. It doesn't make any attempt to take advantage of the Vita's touch features, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, since those features are not required for a game to work. One of the main differences is that, to make up for there being no L2 or R2, the way you use the Hoverboots is moving forward and pressing O at the same time. This change isn't awkward and actually works for the limitations the system has in terms of button layout.

Overall, the release of the Vita version of Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault is well worth the wait. It's not as visually impressive as the PS3 version due to hardware limitations, but it still looks pretty close to it. The Vita version's controls are easy to handle and aren't very awkward, making it easier to handle. If you have any interest in picking up Full Frontal Assault, make sure to pick up the PS3 version, since you get two more games (including the Vita port) for free. Having this version of the game is also a better investment than Size Matters or Secret Agent Clank.

[OLD] Ratchet: Deadlocked (HD)

Recently, Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault finally had its Vita version released, months after the original game (even though it's a Cross Buy title). To make up for this wait, those that purchased the PS3 version of the game not only got the Vita release, which I plan to talk about separately, but also the HD version of Ratchet: Deadlocked for free. After taking advantage of this offer, I decided to see how well Deadlocked made the transition to HD. It made the transition pretty well, but it has...issues.

Something I should mention right away that I didn't in my original review is that this game has a difficulty setting, which would be abandoned and then brought back for Quest for Booty forward. To this end, I played on the Easy difficulty then and now in order to get through the game quicker. Plus, it seems you can change the difficulty at any time, which provides a bonus for some people who may want to lower it to get past a difficult challenge. However, this is still probably one of the shortest Ratchet & Clank games by far, surpassed only by the aforementioned Quest for Booty. Consider this paragraph a much-needed addendum to my original review.

This paragraph, however, is not an addendum. While everything about the original experience remains intact, there's only one problem I have with it: the graphics. Now that's not to say the graphics are garbage; they actually look better with the HD treatment applied to them. The problem herein lies within the real-time cut scenes, which end up acting a bit choppy as they constantly try to readjust the shapes they are rendering. There's also some rather...intriguing mis-rendering, such as, among others, being able to see Gleeman Vox's gumline rendered through his upper lip and being able to see right through the models' eyes whenever they wear glasses or shades; there's even a slightly nightmarish close-up at one point of Ratchet, in which you get to see right through his face and see the inside of his head polygons. I don't think I remember seeing this problem in the original game, and I hope someone notices and fixes this.

Ratchet: Deadlocked has a rather good HD port, even with some buggy cut scenes. This game has a multiplayer function, but while I didn't take a look at it, I think fans of the original release's multiplayer will be glad to know it's back online. I would encourage you, if you are new to the series and have access to it through buying Full Frontal Assault, to play Ratchet & Clank Collection first before taking a shot at this game. It may be an imperfect port, but at least it was free.

[OLD] Ratchet & Clank Collection

At the same time God of War Saga was released, two other HD Collections were released as part of Sony's new Collection series, one of which is today's subject, Ratchet & Clank Collection. This collection gathers the first three games in the series, Ratchet & Clank, Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando, and Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal, and slaps on an HD coat of paint with some minor tweaks. While this game came out before Full Frontal Assault did, I played that one first because at the time I had gotten both this and that game, Full Frontal Assault was shorter and more recent. That said, this one took a bit longer than I thought it would because of school (and with Finals coming up, I'm glad I finally finally finished it), but despite that taking priority I actually had a good time with this Collection in my off time, though it has some minor issues.

In terms of visual quality, the graphics of the games look better than they did in the original versions, which is complimented nicely with a much better draw distance (especially in the original Ratchet & Clank) than there was before. However, there at least one or two things that don't quite make it through the HD upgrade, such as a section in Going Commando involving a small pool of water where your perspective with the camera changes whether or not the submerged rocks even exist. A couple of minor, albeit somewhat noticeable changes are also made in both the audio and visual departments, such as changing Save and Load icons to a brain in a jar (instead of a Memory Card) and another section in Going Commando where a particular bit of audio was actually muted (I'm not sure why they did this). However, as the ability to gain a bonus from your Saves is kept throughout each game, making this collection especially worth it, the icon for reading the old Save is still that of a Memory Card.

Now while the transition from Standard to High Def is great, there is one particular tidbit that deserves mentioning, namely the HD version of Going Commando (yes, this game again). While Ratchet & Clank and Up Your Arsenal are still SD-friendly, I noticed, having played on an SD TV, that the HD version of Going Commando is actually slightly bigger than the other two games, which means the very top of the HUD is cut off a little bit. While I did get used to this as I played, this can be a little annoying since there's no way to readjust the screen. Just a little heads up for those who don't have an HD TV but wish to play these classics for the first time. There's also sort of a minor problem with the audio in Up Your Arsenal, where close to the end of a cutscene the visual will stutter a little, causing the audio to become slightly out of synch (this is put on full display during one specific scene, which you will know when you see it). The checkpoint system of the games can become annoying due to today's standards, though on the bright side it can help you prepare your moves better in advance.

One of the many obstacles Ratchet must overcome in the first game.

One thing that can't go unmentioned is that this collection has a multiplayer function, specifically the multiplayer of Up Your Arsenal, while Going Commando's multiplayer capability is removed entirely (that game has a lot of problems in the HD version, doesn't it?). For those of you that have played the multiplayer mode after the servers went down, you'll be glad to hear that the servers are back online. I can't say how well they function because I'm not the Online type of guy, but my experience in the Local version proves that it's still a better experience with more than two people.

Although I can't exactly make a comment on it, there's something I find rather interesting about this collection. According to the fan-edited Ratchet & Clank Wiki, one release of this set (presumably not the US release that I have) includes an extra bit of plot that manages to make Ratchet & Clank Collection canon to the Ratchet & Clank timeline. If this is true, that is actually kind of awesome since no one (as far as I know) seems to have done that before and I give Insomniac props for creating an extra bit of incentive to own the collection (though for me it was the chance to play a Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time demo, which is no longer an option for someone picking this release up for the first time due to it being a download voucher).

Despite a few quibbles here and there, Ratchet & Clank Collection is a collection worth having in your library. This is especially a must-have for people who have never played Ratchet & Clank before or if you want to relive these classics and no longer have the original game. However, I would keep the screen size problem with Going Commando in mind if you don't own an HD set, but it doesn't particularly get in the way of the experience too much.

So if you're new to Ratchet & Clank, start your journey with this collection.

It'll have you screaming for more.

[OLD] Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault

Last year, as a follow-up to Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One, as well as to celebrate 10 years of Ratchet & Clank, developer Insomniac Games released a pair of Ratchet & Clank titles, one being an HD Collection of the first three titles (which I received for Christmas and will get to eventually), the other being a brand new game called Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault (also a gift). This game was originally to share the same fate as Quest for Booty, wherein it would get a retail release in Europe and only as a PSN download in North America. However, in a strange twist of fate, the game has also received a physical release in North America, something that pleased me greatly, under the same $20 price range as the download version. It should also be noted that this game supports Sony's new Cross Buy initiative, where if you buy the PS3 version of the game, you will also get its PlayStation Vita counterpart for free (however, as of this writing, the Vita version of this game does not come out for another week, but at least I have the physical PS3 disk). Released to little fanfare and a seemingly limited physical run (when I asked my nearest GameStop about the game when it came out, they had only gotten 20 copies), is this game a worthy installment in the Ratchet & Clank series?

The story (or what little there is of it) follows the events of All 4 One, with Ratchet, Clank, and former Galactic President Qwark aboard the Starship Phoenix II. As Qwark expresses boredom over not being able to fight anything, he gets excited when Ratchet mentions a group of rouge cleaner bots. Once they are dealt with, they receive a message from a new, unknown menace that has a personal agenda against Captain Qwark. With this, the three of them spring into action. While the campaign only lasts but a few hours (what else can you expect from a $20 game?), this plot manages to string the events together as best as it can and features some great moments of hilarity and actually manages to have one or two unexpected twists thrown in. One of these twists, revealed after completing the first (of five) levels, is the identity of the villain: Stuart Zergo (voiced by the ever-entertaining Richard Steven Horvitz). (Remember him? Neither did I. He is an easily-forgotten/unfound Captain Qwark fanboy from Going Commando, the second game in the entire Ratchet & Clank franchise!) Overall, the story of this installment is thin, but enjoyable for what it's worth.

The gameplay of Full Frontal Assault is, as advertised, a return to the classic Ratchet & Clank gameplay, but with a new twist: there is now a Tower Defense type of gameplay where you must also defend a base from enemy attack, using defenses such as mines, walls, and turrets. As more advanced defenses are at your disposal, equally more powerful enemies are also sent to attack. The newer items require more Bolts to be spent, but once you get a good groove going, it becomes a lot easier to figure out how best to defend your base. At the same time, you must also infiltrate another base on the other side of the map by destroying power nodes and then rebooting your base for completion. You must also defend a set of generators within your base, using Bolts to repair damaged (but not destroyed) generators, and turrets and bombs can be set up around them. Weapons, among them the amazing Groovitron and Mr. Zurkon in later levels, are found inside special pods, which require a special minigame to open, with breakable Bolt and ammo crates scattered around the environment; ammo and Nanotech crates can be found with the weapon pods once they are opened and regenerate over time. I was a little worried about the Tower Defense mechanic at first, given what I saw of it in Assassin's Creed: Revelations, but when I actually played the campaign I thought Insomniac did a very good job with this style of gameplay, incorporating it well with the rest of the core gameplay. I also enjoyed the level design, though their layout caused me to take more time in some cases to explore everything in order to increase my arsenal and finish certain objectives.

The game also features Local Co-Op, much like in All 4 One, but unlike All 4 One, it is limited to two players instead of four. After testing this feature out with my brother, I found that it works really well (aside from it taking less time to beat a level). Weapons unlocked are shared among players and any Bolts earned are added to both players' Bolt counts, eliminating any sort of competition that was found in the previous title (this is not a bad thing to me, given the style of gameplay present here). However, this feature sadly does not work on Standard Definition TV's, due to it not supporting that resolution. I fortunately own a High Definition TV to allow this to work properly, but this really bothered me, since it singles out players who do not own an HD set. So remember: if you want to play with your friends, make sure you've been keeping up with the latest entertainment technologies.

The graphics are similar to that of All 4 One, in that they are very good. As with the new Dante in the Devil May Cry reboot, I have grown accustomed to this new art style; it keeps the cartoonish look set up by the previous games of the franchise, while retaining the light-hearted atmosphere displayed in the earlier games. Everything is bright and colorful, as is to be expected from a Ratchet & Clank game. This is accompanied by some top notch voice acting, though this is also to be expected, given that whatever few voices there are mostly comprise that of returning characters (including the Plumber's obligatory appearance) and the aforementioned Richard Horvitz. This is backed up by music that suits the atmosphere, although you would be more invested in the gameplay to pay attention to most of it; still, I liked whatever I could get out of the music.

If I have one major complaint about Full Frontal Assault, it's that the game sort of dates itself. The villain's personality seems more tailored to a more modern audience and they spout a handful of internet slang and memes at certain opportunities (though I will give Insomniac credit for doing their research on this). The phrases the bad guy spouts out are thankfully some of the more well-known ones, including "like a boss" and the common "n00b"; there's even a visual joke where using the Groovitron in the final battle allows the antagonist to dance as in the popular music video for "Gangnam Style" by K-Pop musician PSY (the ship's computer is also guilty of this, spouting the internet phrase "U mad, bro?" at one point). On top of this, there is a point where the villain hacks the Starship Phoenix II and the song "I Am Glad, 'Cause I'm Finally Returning Back Home", aka the "Trololo" song, plays over the speakers (R.I.P. Eduard Khil). While this does make the game more relevant to an audience from the modern age of the internet, I have the feeling that these references will become less relevant as time goes on if this sort of thing eventually dies down (then again, this is the internet, so I might be underestimating it here). On the other hand, while these references are more relevant to the time I am typing this, I will admit they're actually pretty funny.

For what the end product is, I would actually say to Ratchet & Clank fans to give Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault a shot. It has rather unique gameplay for a Ratchet & Clank title and the Co-Op and Tower Defense systems work really well. The plot is admittedly paper thin, but I believe the voice acting and twists help to balance out the short campaign. I hesitate to recommend this game to a newcomer since there are a couple of plot references to previous games (one of which requires you to really know your Ratchet & Clank trivia in order to be fully surprised by the identity of the bad guy), unless you don't care that much about the continuity or being somewhat confused right off the bat. While Full Frontal Assault isn't as deep as previous entries (in fact it's rather shallow by comparison), I won't hold it against Insomniac for trying something new.

Happy 10th Anniversary, Ratchet & Clank, and I hope your next 10 years are awesome.

[OLD] Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One - Not One 4 All

During our buildup to Sly 4 later this year, we have come to the last game in the Ratchet & Clank series, All 4 One, released just last year. It was in fact the release of this game that got me more into Ratchet & Clank in the first place; I had considered playing it, but decided it would be better to get more familiar with the characters first by going through all the other games, starting from the very beginning. To this moment I do not regret that decision, despite the various ups and down I came across during my experience. And now without further ado, let us dip into Ratchet's latest next-gen outing.

Some time after the events of the comic, Ratchet and Clank are escorting Galactic President Qwark to receive the Intergalactic Tool of Justice Award in Luminopolis. In actuality, it is a trap set by Dr. Nefarious as he reawakens a light-eating Z'Grute from cryosleep to devour Qwark. However, this plan backfires, causing Lawrence, Nefarious' butler, to leave his master behind. This forces Ratchet, Clank, Qwark, and Nefarious to work together in order to stop the Z'Grute. Once they succeed, the four are abducted onto a mysterious spacecraft, leading them to embark on an adventure as they learn the value of teamwork.

The story of this game may not have the same cinematic feel as the Future Trilogy, but it is engaging enough to make you want to keep playing. Some of the focus, as well as some of the comedic moments, focus on the relationship between Qwark and Dr. Nefarious, specifically how they gradually become more friendly towards each other during their journey after being bitter enemies for most of their lives. In fact, Nefarious sees plenty of character development in this game, since the titular characters try to get him to use his abilities for good rather than evil. Though he turns on the others again once the universe is saved, there is a rather touching moment after the credits where he seems to actually miss being a hero with the rest of the group.

The gameplay is as solid as ever, though this time the game is more multiplayer focused than before, to where that was the way the game was marketed. However, rather than focusing heavily on competition like most modern games do with this option, it is instead all about co-operation, which you drop in and out of at any time, online or off. As such the gunplay is more centered around this concept, where if two or more players fire with the same weapon at the same enemy, the power of the attack increases based on the number of players. While it is entirely possible to go through the campaign of the game by yourself, I found myself having a lot of fun with a second player on the couch (or futon in my case).

While this game may be all about teamwork, there are still moments of competition to be had. There are plenty of things players can do to try and outdo each other, be it bolt collecting, sucking up small creatures, or even surviving the longest, among others. This adds to the overall experience, rather than hindering it, by throwing in an incentive for parties to get to the end of the stage.

In a turn from the Future trilogy's more realistic next-gen look, All 4 One employs a more stylized art style, making it look somewhat more cartoonish than previous installments. This isn't necessarily a bad thing though, since the game world still manages to look rather impressive and detailed, as do still images used to show the past. While the character designs may be a little different than before, they still remain nice to look at and I wouldn't mind if this style was used again. The music, also as expected, is enjoyable to listen to, one of the high points being the end-of-level music, and helps to match the level or whatever mood is required in cutscenes. The voice actors, for characters both new and old, turn in solid performances for their parts, including Steve Blum as Mr. Dinkles, making the dialogue between them even more enjoyable.

Overall, I thought Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One was a good experience that would definitely appeal to the multiplayer crowd. However, if you are more of a fan of single player, you are probably more likely to enjoy the game less. On the other hand, if you are a Ratchet & Clank fan and you have not picked up this game, I would suggest at least giving it a try.

Playing the Ratchet & Clank games for the last several months has introduced me to some memorable characters and moments, and I have enjoyed it for the most part. I am aware that there is a game that was made for cell phones, Ratchet & Clank: Going Mobile, but I haven't had a chance to play it because, as far as I know, I do not have any way to access it. Regardless, I would consider myself a Ratchet & Clank fan and I can't wait to see what Insomniac does next with the franchise.