Every
three weeks I participate in this same awkward ritual, I sit on my couch, boot
up a game, play it for a moment and quickly turn it off. I do this about three times before
turning to my roommate and complain about having nothing to play. It has become this annoying cycle that
is only occasionally broken by a certain game. For a while The Division was the answer, until I lost faith
in that typical MMO cycle. The
Witness held my attention for the game’s entirety, but for obvious reasons it
lacked replay value. Since then I was longing for a game to grab me again, to
really remind me why I am a gamer. Then out of nowhere I found Ratchet and
Clank.
I’ve
always known about this game series, but I was a Ratchet virgin before this new
reboot. I bought this game on a
recommendation (from Kinda Funny’s Colin Moriarty via PS. I Love You xoxo) and
just as he declared, this is Playstation 4’s best exclusive. There is something really special about
Ratchet and Clank, while the game’s marketing has stated it’s a game based on
the movie based on the game, it never feels like a remastered version of it’s
14-year old predecessor. This game
could have very easily been a rehash of the old game with just some nicer
graphics. Instead developer
Insomniac went the extra mile (despite never playing the original, my roommate
did and filled me in on what was there and what wasn’t) they remade and added
to their already existing game. They
added new systems, like each weapon’s upgrade tree, they even parsed in a few
extra missions and completely recreated the original story.
According
to my Ratchet and Clank guru the game begins in an entirely new way, with an
extraordinary cut scene starring, my personal favorite character, Captain Qwark
as he tells his side of Ratchet and Clank’s first adventure. After watching just this scene I knew I
was playing something very special.
It was like watching a Pixar movie and I was shocked as I started to
control a character that was Pixar beautiful. It’s a game that looks far better than anything I ever
imagined, not only is every character precisely animated, each planet and
little detail is something to be marveled at. Along with the visuals the game’s writing is noticeably
epic, it plays to both kids and adults.
It reminded me of watching Zootopia, where sure kids could laugh at the
crazy animals and situations, but every little joke was crafted for people far
older. It’s a game I could sit
with for hours and find something new to enjoy every thirty minutes.
To
me that is where Ratchet and Clank succeeds, it’s simply fun. While every cut scene is beautiful and
clever, nothing compares to the actual gameplay. Insomniac has made a game that perfectly balances two
genres: making a third person shooter fused with a 3D platformer. Exploring the different planets is
almost as enjoyable as an epic firefight.
Though nothing compares to shooting the endless hordes of enemies spread
across each level.
Every
level is densely populated with enemies for Ratchet and Clank to
obliterate. This endless
slaughter-fest is by far the most fun I’ve had in gaming in quite some
time. As with all other Ratchet
and Clank games the true fun comes from the zany arsenal at the players
disposal. There are traditional
blaster and rocket launcher all the way to a murder-hungry robot companion Mr.
Zurkon that helps destroy enemies while spouting out hilarious one-liners. My personal favorite weapon is the groovitron,
a small grenade that makes any enemy (even bosses) dance uncontrollably for a
short period of time. That weapon
tagged along with the powerful sheepinator, a gun that turns any enemy into a
helpless sheep, quickly became one of my favorite gaming moments of the
year. The amount of weapons
manages to make each level filled with challenging hilarious firefights that
never get old.
I
think the reason Ratchet and Clank is a true gem is the amount of pure joy I
felt every second I played it.
Despite the rare moments when you are forced in awkward ship combat or
the few times you play at just Clank, it’s a game that has practically no
downside. It’s a game that leaves
a smile on your face. It’s stellar
writing and zany gameplay make it a fun romp from start to finish. Ratchet and Clank made gaming fun again,
it made me feel like a kid that was just playing a game to have fun rather than
a truly gritty experience that could change my life.
I
recommend what in my opinion is Playstation 4’s best exclusive as a must play. Do yourself a favor and go have fun
with Ratchet and Clank.
