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The BudgetBin Reviews: Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters

Posted Sep 15, 2007 at 7:32PM EST by QJ Staff

Listed in: Reviews, Titles, Games, Opinions & Analysis Tags: High Impact Games, PS2, psp game reviews, Ratchet, SideKick, SYNC

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Originally posted at Sep 15, 2007 at 03:41PM

Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters - Image 1

Not a lot of game franchises can take two genres, meld them seamlessly and come up with something that isn't fertilizer. Even fewer can use the same core model repeatedly and come up with stellar success in terms of media and consumer reception. The Ratchet & Clank series combines elements from a platform game and a shooting title to form a respected brand that gamers just eat up each and every time a new installment comes out.

In February of 2007, the Sony PlayStation Portable received its first taste of the Ratchet & Clank series with High Impact Games' Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters. High Impact is a group of expats from Insomniac that still has some of the key members responsible for the success of earlier iterations. The game was scrutinized with excitement and it passed all tests with flying colors.

No rest even if you're not wicked

The lovable tandem's new adventure starts off with Ratchet and Clank getting some time off the battlefield with some rest and relaxation. The heroic lombax and his trusty robot sidekick bask in the sun for a while until a strange girl named Luna approaches them and asks Ratchet for a small favor.

As it turns out, the odd-looking Luna is a huge fan of our robot-busting hero and wants him to pose in his trademark stances for an extemporaneous photo-op. Being the nice guy that he is, Ratchet gives in. A series of events unfold while Ratchet roughs up some robot hide for Luna which leads to the alien girl's abduction. Ratchet and Clank decide that vacation time is over and the two set off to save the girl.

That's not to say that this is a Mario-style plot where you simply have to go through multiple castles to eventually save the hostaged damsel. Fans of the Ratchet & Clank series will not have their expectations dampened as the game features an elaborate succession of plot twists that eventually leads to a huge unfolding that will have you chasing ancient artifacts and encountering a genius race known as the Technomites.

Old and new characters will be present to spice up the game's storytelling sequences. Favorites such as Captain Quark will do cameos with style as they supply excellent humor that nicely complements the script's pop-culture references. Notice that there's no single character who's badly voiced, allowing the comedy to be driven home as well as it should be. Making the dialogue even more immersive is the fact that character expressions are in perfect sync with what they're saying thanks to the dandy visuals that we'll be discussing next.

A lombax after our own hearts

The first thing you'll notice when you start playing Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters is that its graphics capture the charm and quality of its PlayStation 2 predecessors. Everything from the character models, the special effects, and right down to the pre-rendered cut screens are looking as sharp as before. Movements are smooth and jaggies aren't common, making this one of the best-looking titles for the PSP.

Not everything is perfect in the visuals of this action-packed platformer, though. Although there's no slowdown even when multiple objects are onscreen, the game has a tendency to throw too much flash all at one instance that makes the display look a little too congested. With a barrage of particles and special effects coming in on some battle sequences, one might conclude that the developers may have taken the visuals a little over the top here. Then again, some of you may find such moments dazzling, so it's really a matter of perspective.

There are also sporadic moments when the camera goes crazy especially when entering smaller spaces for close quarter combat. This can be a bit frustrating when trying to stay alive and you end up getting hit by attacks you would have easily dodged if you had normal, convenient angles. Thankfully, this does not happen very often and does not mar the explosive gameplay especially in boss fights.

When it comes to details, most of what you see will sport nice definition at point blank range. The details decrease as you create some distance with other things on display, but when it comes down to overall effect, that doesn't really diminish the quality of what you see. Bottom line, the graphics in Size Matters are as close to the PS2 games as a handheld title can go.

No need to change what's not broken

There is no doubt that the core gameplay paradigm that enthralled most PlayStation 2 fans is what everyone was after when this game was announced. In that regard, Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters fires on all cylinders by capitalizing on each element that has made Insomniac's action-platform style the best in today's gaming scene. Yep, you'll get all the screen-rocking explosions you've come to expect along with the amazing level design and of course, crazy yet clever weapons to toast robot butt.

You'll get familiar instruments of destruction such as the lacerator pistol which can be upgraded to double lacerator status. However, true-blue Ratchet fans will get their kicks from stuff like the acid bomb and the bee mine. For the really insane, the apocalyptic R.Y.N.O may just be the toy of choice. The armory is tallied at the double digit figures, so knock yourself out. Remember that all of the weapon upgrades add a new dimension to their destructive capacity, thereby upping the replay value by a considerable extent.

As much fun as the big guns are, a potent defense can sometimes be more valuable than a bristling arsenal. Size Matters feature a nice collection of armors from headgear to boots which aid you in taking more punishment than usual. These pieces come in sets and are spread throughout the game's length. Mixing and matching the items is fine, but if you manage to find all the pieces that belong to one single theme, you're going to be rewarded in a very cool way.

Completing a fire-themed armor set imbues your wrench and armor with the same element. This means that melee attacks will have an added effect and combos will look flashier than ever. A complete ice-themed set is also available and has its own unique effects.

A small hitch if you've been used to the PS2 controls is the absence of a second analog stick, which may have vets groping around for a bit when it comes to aiming. Fortunately, the game reacts particularly well to the D-pad, making the learning curve less tedious so you can focus more on the game and not on hand-eye coordination.

Mechanical Multiplayer mayhem

The multiplayer mode in Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters is perhaps one of the more underrated and overlooked game features. Sure, it's no hardcore FPS online game, but one has to appreciate how well-balanced this mode has turned out to be. As imaginative and cool as the in-game weapons are, there's not a single toy that dominates all others when facing off against other players. There's the traditional deathmatch mode, but the objective-based multiplayer snippets add that much more oomph.

You can play a local game with three other people or you can take your cute rage online to see who the most bad-ass lombax is. Check your aim and stock up on ammo, because this one will be a blast.

You simply must

Whether you've played all the previous chapters in the adventures of Ratchet and Clank or are just starting out, Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters is an excellent title that shouldn't be missed by PSP owners. The game is appealing to all age groups because it has a way of being cute and being cool in one package. The ESRB rating of E+10 is very appropriate as this title can be appreciated by the young and old alike.

In summary, the terrific graphics, rocking sounds, creative gameplay and universally-appealing humor makes us more than happy to recommend that you get this game if you haven't already. Busting robots never gets old, and minor flaws are hardly noticeable, making for a landmark creation for the guys over at High Impact.

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