Every once in a while, some visitor here will whine about how we don't like any games out there. Well, you're in luck then. We seem to have liked pretty much everything we've played recently. An unlikely candidate for continuing the streak was Sony's Ratchet and Clank, which I picked up because once again, Blockbuster does not have the game I was actually looking for. ("Why go anywhere else?" Maybe because I can't find it at Blockbuster?!")
Plot
You're the furry thing from Jak and Daxter. Oh wait, no you're not...you have different colored eyes, fur, and shorter ears. So I guess you're "Ratchet" now. You're working on your ship when all of a sudden a ship crash lands nearby. You go to investigate the wreckage and find a small robot which you take back to your house. Upon it regaining functionality you discover that it can be used to start up your ship, he helps you take off in order for your assistance in investigating a plot to destroy all the planets in the solar system.
Upon departing, you name the robot Clank. Most of the dialogue is fairly cheeseball, and Clank's personality seems to go from extremely logical to smack-upside-head-stupid in two seconds...especially when it comes to his inexplicable love for Commander Qwark. (The little guy's got issues.) There are some really funny bits in between levels from the Infobots you collect. They're very reminiscent of the "WeSaySo" ads from that old ABC sitcom "Dinosaurs". I wasn't laughing out loud or anything, but it kept me entertained.
Controls
Since this is basically a 3D platformer, the controls are going to be what really cause the game to fall apart in most circumstances. You've got your main weapon, a boom-a-wrench that you use to break boxes, kill evil enemies, and tighten bolts. Square is for all your wrench uses. Jumping is performed with X. Once you gain the rocket pack and heli-pack upgrades for Clank you'll use them with a combination of R1 and the X keys. O uses your auxiliary weapon/tool. Triangle lets you switch through your tools kinda quickly.
If you double-tap triangle, it'll let you switch back and forth between the last two items you equipped, and you can customize your Quick Select menu to choose which tool you want. Left analog stick moves, right analog stick moves the camera. Unfortunately, the camera is treated as a non-clippable object, so even though there are many, many times in the game where you'll need the camera to be behind you it won't be able to rotate behind you, because it'll bump into something. Pretty annoying. L1 will allow you to enter free-look mode, and R1 will crouch. For the most part the controls are done fairly well, although, I wish I could cycle through weapons quicker. I also wish I had strafing controls, but those aren't in the game anywhere either.
Gameplay
The game plays surprisingly well. I was totally expecting this to suck and make me dizzy, and have lots of me falling to my death. However, the game's pretty simple to get through, and remains varied enough for the first 3 hours or so, that you won't be too put off by it. By the time hour 5 rolls around, though. you're starting to get a little bored of it. But, by that point, the game's almost done. So, that's a good thing. As far as I can tell you have infinite lives, and if you keep screwing up in an area, the game will give you some tips.
To gain new weapons, you'll generally but them from Gadgetron Vendors by collecting various nuts and bolts around the levels to pay for stuff. Prices will run in the 1000s generally (Come on, say it with me..."THAT'S A LOTTA NUTS!") but there are bolts-a-plenty all over the levels. I do hate any of the areas that have to do with you trying to escape from drowning. As far as I'm concerned, the best save yourself from drowning scenarios were in Accolade's Interactive Comic for the C-64, and the Amiga's "Out of this World". After a while it just gets old having you character have to swim all over the place. I also wish I had a weapon in the game that would lock on to an enemy and fire quick. The blaster fires fast, but won't lock on to anything until after it's already launched a volley off at you. You also lose the auto-lock really quick. I spend most of my time using the wrench because the other weapons just aren't responsive enough for me.
Graphics
The graphics are pretty nice, and more impressively there is very little slowdown despite the large number of bolts that can be strewn about the level at various times. I really like the bits where Ratchet uses his wrench to turn bolts to activate things. However, this loses points for the main character being such an obvious rip-off of another character.
Audio Ratchet and Clank has pretty good background music. I like the sounds they use for the nuts & bolts being collected, and most of the fluff sounds are done pretty good. I was fairly impressed at how well this game was pulled off, and the polish on the whole thing.
Mini Games
Because no platform game can stand on it's own. You gotta have mini games. At the very least, a mine-cart esque level. Or so designers think. Anyway, you'll be treated to a hoverboard version of SSX, something akin to Jet Grind Radio where you're sliding along on rails, and have to jump back from track to track, various turret games, and a semi-cheesy fighter stage. All of them aren't bad. The SSX thing is pretty lame, and it's really difficult to win because it looks like the computer doesn't seem to be affected by any of the obstacles like you are.
Overall
The game's pretty fun. No replay value or anything, seeing as how the game is getting kinda repetitive by the time you finish, but I didn't have any urge to go and search for all the Gold Bolts. Pretty good for your simplistic platform game, but definitely geared towards your younger audiences. Go ahead and give it a spin.
