5 things you need to know before you buy Ratchet and Clank

When Ratchet and Clank came out in 2002, the platformer community was split – there were those who sided with Naughty Dog’s Jak and Daxter, carrying the legacy of Crash Bandicoot, and there were those who were ready to follow Insomniac’s R&C after the days of Spyro.

I was always a Jak and Daxter man, myself, and never really got on board with the Ratchet and Clank series.

In the time since, though, Jak and Daxter’s developers have headed off in a different direction (making some little series called ‘Uncharted’ or something), leaving me yearning for some old-school style platforming with a next-gen feel.

Thankfully Ratchet and Clank is here to answer the call. But before you head off and buy it, here are a few things you should know about the game.

1. Nothing has changed – except for everything

Much of the original Ratchet and Clank has remained intact – the worlds you will visit, the characters you will meet, and the situations you will get into are as you remember them….except not.

Every environment has been populated with more to see and more to smash – and game mechanics (strafing) and weapons from later games in the series have been woven in. You level up, get to upgrade your weapons, and collect cards – it’s the original and so much more.

The biggest changes you will notice are in the visuals (obviously) and plot elements, which have both been given a complete overhaul.

2. The game is a visual marvel

Things explode, nuts and bolts fly everywhere, and you get completely stormed by enemies. The screen can really get crowded with visual effects – and the game maintains a solid 30fps throughout.

To compensate for the sub-60fps, Insomniac have plugged in some motion blur which – dare I say it – makes the game feel that much more cinematic.

Which actually brings me to the next point.

3. It’s Ratchet and Clank: The Game: The Movie: The Game

The best way to describe the Ratchet and Clank remake is that it is the game of the movie of the game. I haven’t seen the movie yet, mind you, but I do know that many of the scenes are duplicated in both, and that the original story was reworked to be more in-line with it.

But don’t take that as a bad thing – because of the ‘Hollywood shine’ applied, the plot and flow has been edited and readjusted to make for a fluid and much better experience.

Some have described it as “playing a Pixar film” – I wouldn’t go that far, but it certainly feels like you’re playing a movie game. Which, for once, isn’t a bad thing.

4. It’s last-gen next gen

This is a remake – not a remaster. A lot more has been done to this game to bring it into the current generation than simply giving it a lick of paint and some flashy effects – and it’s all been done incredibly well.

That said, the title hasn’t managed to shake off a few relics of the past. For one, locations feel rather small, and there’s no real sense of grand scale – you’re playing in limited arenas.

Enemies are also pretty dumb, but I guess they were always just going to be bullet sponges.

Another point which may be a problem for some is the length – I finished the game’s story in two nights, clocking in at about 9 or so hours. I didn’t get all the collectable golden screws, but I did all the side-quests (which were in themselves really basic and limited).

The game offers a post-game challenge mode, but you’re unlikely to keep coming back to the title for weeks to come.

5. Consider before you buy

Taking that all into account, Ratchet and Clank is retailing for around R600, so it’s not a full-price AAA title – but it’s still quite a hefty sum.

If you, like me, didn’t get in on the originals and are interested in what all the fuss is/was about, it is definitely worth a look. It’s a fun, shiny platform shooter that delivers a really polished throwback to the PS2-era of platforming in the best way possible.

If you’re a fan of the series then you’ve already made up your mind (and booked your tickets for the movie). You’re probably not even reading this- you’re blowing stuff up in a glorious full HD spectacle.

I loved the game, and scored it four Captain Qwark butt-chins out of five.