Ever since the commercial success of Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, we’ve seen developers re-releasing their previous games on modern consoles with a fresh coat of paint. Sometimes those re-releases justify their way-too-soon existence with updated graphics or under-the-hood improvements to the game; other times it’s just a shameless cash grab with little to no improvements at all. Heck, the “Definitive Edition” may even run worse that the original release (looking at you, Prototype HD Bundle). With that said, if there was a game ever in need of a remake it would be the 2002 PS2 release of Ratchet & Clank.
Don’t get me wrong, the first Ratchet & Clank game was a joy with its ridiculously awesome weaponry and absurd atmosphere, but developer Insomniac Games had some kinks to work out when it came to controls, story, and Ratchet’s off-putting surfer jerk persona – which was thankfully fixed in Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando by replacing Ratchet’s previous voice actor with the talented James Arnold Taylor. With the upcoming theatrical release of Ratchet & Clank: The Movie, Insomniac Games was given another chance to revisit their PS2 classic and take all the lessons they’ve learned from developing the franchise and apply it into the PS4 game. And in the spirit of Insomniac Games wacky sense of humor, the remake/movie-tie-in has been dubbed Ratchet & Clank: The Game, Based on the Movie, Based on the Game. For the sake of this review, I’m just gonna shorten it to Ratchet & Clank PS4.
Image source: Sony
Ratchet & Clank PS4 retells the epic encounter and alliance of Ratchet, a Lombax mechanic who dreams of becoming a heroic Galactic Ranger like his self-centered idol, Captain Quark, and Clank, a defective warbot with plenty of smarts but little attitude. On his quest to warn the Galactic Rangers of the evil Chairman Drek’s plans of planetary destruction, Clank crash lands on the planet Veldin and meets his soon-to-be buddy Ratchet. Despite being more fanboy than close acquaintances with the Galactic Rangers, Ratchet assures Clank he can deliver the urgent message before Drek’s destructive plans come to fruition. The two team up and begin their explosive journey they will have them shooting, flying, and disco dancing all over the galaxy.
What immediately stand out upon playing Ratchet & Clank PS4 is how gorgeous everything looks. Never has the cliche comparison to Pixar been more appropriate to use than now, because this game looks exactly like a high-budget CGI movie – which is fitting for a movie-tie-in game. When you first walk out of Ratchet’s bleak garage you’ll be stunned by impressive planetary landscape before you and the odd creatures inhabiting it. Taking down helicopter-piloted enemies not only results in dazzling flames of destruction, but preceded by such lively animation that you think you’re watching a cartoon. Cinematics are also a beaut, especially those animated by Rainmaker Entertainment for the feature film.
On the downside, the in-game cutscenes are plagued by static expressions that make anthropomorphic characters look like robots. While these type of cutscenes are limited, it’s nevertheless disappointing considering how expressive the PS2 cutscenes were for a system now considered dated. It’s a similar problem Conker: Live & Reloaded faced when it updated its graphics to immense detail for the Xbox release, but lacked the animated expression that gave everyone character in the in the N64 version.
Image source: Sony
Your primary objective in Ratchet & Clank PS4 is pretty simple: Go from point A to point B while blasting anything that gets in your way. There are multiple pathways and solo Clank missions along the way, but for the most part you’ll be shooting your way to the finish line. The linearity may not bother newcomers to the series, but for longtime fans it may come to a disappointment that the new game remains stuck in its old-fashioned level design. However, like the old saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The linear level design doesn’t subtract from any of the fun you’ll be having test driving your creative arsenal on any bad guy you can find.
Old favorites like the Sheepinator (guess what this does) return, while brand new guns like the retro-inspired Pixelizer are introduced. The Pixelizer itself is a great weapon in function and visualization; nailing down the look and sound of pixelated games when opening fire. Another clever gun is the Groovitron: a stun gun that spits out a disco bowl and forces enemies within range to get funky.
It’s not all for laughs, however, as they’re plenty of guns here that pack a powerful punch, such as the heat-seeking Predator Launcher or the small, but lethal, Mr. Zurkon. There’s also gadgets that serve to solve puzzles, like the Hydrodisplacer, which can empty or regurgitate large amounts of water, and the Trespasser, which is used a little too dominantly for solving infuriating laser-based puzzles. The best part about using these puzzle-solving gadgets in the PS4 game over the original is that you don’t have to waste time equipping them or squander an equipment slot for them, as they’re initiated with the mere press of the Triangle button.
Image source: Sony
As aforementioned, there will be times where Ratchet and Clank will have to part ways, leaving you with control of the mechanical hero. These sections of the game are driven by puzzles often involving the deployment of smaller bots with different functionality, such as building a bridge, generating power to a dead device, or acting as a booster to get you on higher ground. It’s a good break from the gunfire and offers some brainy obstacles that had me stumped at times.
There’s a lot to love in Ratchet & Clank PS4, but it’s not without problems. The spaceship portions aren’t very fun due to sluggish steering and predictable objectives. The game is limited in length, but Challenge Mode adds some much-needed replay value. Hoverboard races are alright to play, but lack any real sense of excitement. But the biggest weakness this game has it that it’ feels like it’s holding back to better benefit the movie, as the story comes off as an abridge version of something greater.
Ultimately, Ratchet & Clank is a great reimagining of the PS2 original and a great game on its own standards. You may wish more were done to take this game to the next level, but at such an affordable price, it’s hard to knock down the top-quality experience Insomniac Games delivered here. A great reintroduction for the galactic duo on the PS4; hopefully there’s more to come.
“Ratchet & Clank” is now available for purchase in digital and physical media form.
Game Review: Ratchet & Clank for PS4
Great
Ratchet & Clank on the PS4 is a great reimagining of the original PS2 release. The graphics are outstanding and the third-person shooting remains explosively fun. However, game is held back a bit for essentially being a movie-tie-in game.
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