This was my first Ratchet & Clank game, and I wanted to write a positive review. Until I played some of the other games in the series and, wow. This game fails in comparison. The story is okay, the game is mostly fun, but there's not a lot of platforming, the puzzles if you can even call them puzzles, are very rare, Clank serves no use in this game even in the platforming sections, so it's like he's not even there, in the mini games aren't great either, especially the racing which is atrocious. And when the best weapon in Your Arsenal, the franchise famous for crazy and over-the-top fun to use weapons, is the standard pistol you get at the beginning of the game? You know you messed up. Hold a good guns require you to beat the game multiple times to unlock, and if the game isn't great the first time you play it, why should you play it again? And most of the bosses are terrible as well. Giant Clank isn't even a boss, battleship in the flying Clank Mission can piss off, you can basically only beat Luna if you have the shock rocket, the final boss had 2 really great beginning phases, the last phase was awful, easily the hardest in the series. Overall the game is kind of fun, and you do have to cut it some slack, because it wasn't even made by insomniac, and if you're new to the series I'd recommend playing this game first. Only because if you played the other games, and came back to this one you would have no fun with it you'd be spoiled. Oh and yeah the game does have a shrink ray, but you only use it for like three levels, in the grind locks. And that's in the cutscenes you don't even use it in game. Missed opportunity. Mediocre game.
6 Reviews
A good time waster
filipmace21 April 2022
It's good as a porteble rac and I think it deserves the title rac 5. On ps2 it meh.the clank mini games are decent. But it's incredibly difficult. I mean who makes it so the second to last final boss harder than the final boss.
All the fun of the Ratchet games in portable form!!
johnnymacbest20 October 2007
Wow, what a great game!!! I was skeptical at first about it being on PSP but my expectations of it were met with all the goodness of its PS2 cousins packed into one disc with a few new weapons and characters thrown in for good measure. The story is pretty interesting with neat little twists and actually fills in the gaps between the 3rd and fourth installments. With great graphics, tight game-play, stellar voice acting with a plot akin to the style of those 1950's sci-fi TV shows, this game is another great addition to your PSP library. My only two gripes with the game is the length and some of the voices. There's only ten or so levels in the game, which is not bad, but more levels would've been better. As for some of the voices., I felt that they could've been more dramatic as when you kill enemies for example. Still those are minor quirks in an otherwise impressive game and I recommend it to anyone who likes these types of games or if they're new to the franchise. And the upcoming PS3 game Ratchet&Clank future is looking mighty sweet so get that game as well.
Extremely fun and engaging!
rajveerdhanak21 July 2019
I vividly remember my first time playing this game on the PlayStation Portable, I was 10 and infatuated with the PSP (which I didn't own yet). My cousin lent me hers, and this was the only game she had. I never got past the 1st level at that time - but thanks to today's emulators, I have been able to revisit this game and finally experience it fully.
To be clear, I haven't played any other Ratchet & Clank game to compare this with. This is my first game in the series and hence will be reviewed as such.
First off, the most appealing aspect of the R&C series is the aesthetics. The character and level design, the armors, gadgets and weapons are all really visually attractive. Same goes for this game, with each armor, weapons and levels different from the other, making the game aesthetically wholesome. Even the soundtrack is catchy and goes with the gameplay experience of each level.
Despite the game being made for a portable console, it definitely packs a punch - providing not just a fun story campaign, but also amazing replay value with all its collectables and upgradable armors and weapons.
On the less-positive side, the game becomes occasionally frustrating due to the unforgiving difficulty (especially the final boss) and the awkward camera and controls (especially in confined spaces). However, I feel you can't really blame the developers on the controls, given that the limitations stem from the PSP's lack of dual analog sticks.
In fact, I think the developers really made the best out of the limitations, where the gameplay still manages to be really fun and engaging. I've played other PSP games where the camera and controls were unnecessarily complicated, and this game fares much better in this regard.
Overall, the game is extremely fun for both kids and adults, and easily garners a 9/10. I'd highly recommend playing this, especially since the game's now available for free (along with million other games) due to easy-to-get emulators for both Mac and PC.
To be clear, I haven't played any other Ratchet & Clank game to compare this with. This is my first game in the series and hence will be reviewed as such.
First off, the most appealing aspect of the R&C series is the aesthetics. The character and level design, the armors, gadgets and weapons are all really visually attractive. Same goes for this game, with each armor, weapons and levels different from the other, making the game aesthetically wholesome. Even the soundtrack is catchy and goes with the gameplay experience of each level.
Despite the game being made for a portable console, it definitely packs a punch - providing not just a fun story campaign, but also amazing replay value with all its collectables and upgradable armors and weapons.
On the less-positive side, the game becomes occasionally frustrating due to the unforgiving difficulty (especially the final boss) and the awkward camera and controls (especially in confined spaces). However, I feel you can't really blame the developers on the controls, given that the limitations stem from the PSP's lack of dual analog sticks.
In fact, I think the developers really made the best out of the limitations, where the gameplay still manages to be really fun and engaging. I've played other PSP games where the camera and controls were unnecessarily complicated, and this game fares much better in this regard.
Overall, the game is extremely fun for both kids and adults, and easily garners a 9/10. I'd highly recommend playing this, especially since the game's now available for free (along with million other games) due to easy-to-get emulators for both Mac and PC.
One of the Best ratchet & Clank games.
brunodnleal12 January 2017
Warning: Spoilers
(Note that I'm reviewing the Playstation Portable (PSP) version of this game)
I always loved this franchise for it's game play and varied worlds but I never had a Playstation 2, only the PSP. When I got the chance to play it on a hand-held console like the PSP I got literally immersed in it's amazing worlds. The graphics are amazing for the PSP's hand-held capabilities with some people even saying that it's graphics (for a PSP port) are even better than the original PS2 version. The game play is SUPERB, easy to play even without a second dual stick since the camera movement flows naturally with the game play. There is a wide variety of mini-games and unlocks like bonuses and guns (being guns the best) which provide a great replay value to this awesome game. The soundtrack and sound effects are very good as well. The voice acting is great. There is multiplayer but I never got a chance to play it. The save system is pretty solid. The AI is solid even though the game is not that difficult in general. The different worlds that you get to play in are full of detail and the game itself it's full of humor which will make you smile all the way through it's completion.
My final rating for this game is a very solid 9/10.
(Personal) Fun Fact - I have finished this game from start to finish (and I'm not joking) at least 10 times so that I could afford enough money to buy and unlock all of the crazy and amazing guns available in it.
I always loved this franchise for it's game play and varied worlds but I never had a Playstation 2, only the PSP. When I got the chance to play it on a hand-held console like the PSP I got literally immersed in it's amazing worlds. The graphics are amazing for the PSP's hand-held capabilities with some people even saying that it's graphics (for a PSP port) are even better than the original PS2 version. The game play is SUPERB, easy to play even without a second dual stick since the camera movement flows naturally with the game play. There is a wide variety of mini-games and unlocks like bonuses and guns (being guns the best) which provide a great replay value to this awesome game. The soundtrack and sound effects are very good as well. The voice acting is great. There is multiplayer but I never got a chance to play it. The save system is pretty solid. The AI is solid even though the game is not that difficult in general. The different worlds that you get to play in are full of detail and the game itself it's full of humor which will make you smile all the way through it's completion.
My final rating for this game is a very solid 9/10.
(Personal) Fun Fact - I have finished this game from start to finish (and I'm not joking) at least 10 times so that I could afford enough money to buy and unlock all of the crazy and amazing guns available in it.
Far below the R & C quality I'd come to expect.
StormSworder15 November 2009
Warning: Spoilers
This is a review of the PS2 version of this game.
After playing the other Ratchet and Clank games available for the PS2 and PS3, I was thrilled to discover there had been another game released for the PS2. It was a port from the PSP, but I was still certain it would be as much fun to play as the other R & C games I'd enjoyed. How wrong can you be? The first thing you notice about the PS2 version of this game is the camera. It's terrible. I spent most of the game unable to see where I was going, unable to see where the enemies were and often unable to see the pathway right in front of me. I spent one level constantly consulting the map to make sure I wasn't about to fall into oblivion. As if this wasn't bad enough, the weapons are quite pathetic. You empty all your supplies into villains and then end up trying to bash them to death with your ratchet (which, due to the unfriendly camera is nigh on impossible at times). The platform levels are very limited, lack any of the exploration required in even the earliest R & C games. The sub-games, meanwhile, range from the frustrating to the tedious. Racing is very difficult due to the fact your vehicle seems to be completely out of control half the time, and the Clank levels are mostly annoying as well. There's nothing in this game that hasn't been seen before and the storyline is frankly a non-event. The only thing elevating it above a one-star mark is the humour, which is up to the usual standards. But apart from that this game is an over-priced waste of time, puts me in mind more than anything of those old ZX Spectrum games which were badly ported onto the C64 without any attempt being made to use the superior graphic abilities. This game is a lazy cash-in.
After playing the other Ratchet and Clank games available for the PS2 and PS3, I was thrilled to discover there had been another game released for the PS2. It was a port from the PSP, but I was still certain it would be as much fun to play as the other R & C games I'd enjoyed. How wrong can you be? The first thing you notice about the PS2 version of this game is the camera. It's terrible. I spent most of the game unable to see where I was going, unable to see where the enemies were and often unable to see the pathway right in front of me. I spent one level constantly consulting the map to make sure I wasn't about to fall into oblivion. As if this wasn't bad enough, the weapons are quite pathetic. You empty all your supplies into villains and then end up trying to bash them to death with your ratchet (which, due to the unfriendly camera is nigh on impossible at times). The platform levels are very limited, lack any of the exploration required in even the earliest R & C games. The sub-games, meanwhile, range from the frustrating to the tedious. Racing is very difficult due to the fact your vehicle seems to be completely out of control half the time, and the Clank levels are mostly annoying as well. There's nothing in this game that hasn't been seen before and the storyline is frankly a non-event. The only thing elevating it above a one-star mark is the humour, which is up to the usual standards. But apart from that this game is an over-priced waste of time, puts me in mind more than anything of those old ZX Spectrum games which were badly ported onto the C64 without any attempt being made to use the superior graphic abilities. This game is a lazy cash-in.
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