While on a much needed vacation, Ratchet and Clank’s rest and relaxation time is suddenly cut short as they soon find themselves lured into a mysterious quest. In Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters they follow the trail of a kidnapped girl, while doing so Ratchet and Clank rediscover a forgotten race of genius inventors known as the Technomites. They soon uncover a plot more dangerous than they could have imagined.
System: PS2, PSP
Genre: Action, Adventure, Platformer, Hack and Slash
Release dates: March 11th 2008 (USA), March 28th 2008 (EUR)
Players: single player, 1-2 multiplayer
Save: 340KB minimum
Developer: High Impact Games
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Origin: America
Rating: E10+ for Everyone 10+ with Animated Blood and Fantasy Violence
What are Ratchet & Clank Future’s main features?
* Set in the franchise’s signature style sci-fi universe, players will take on the roles of both Ratchet and Clank in a journey across the galaxy full of new destinations to explore and conquer.
* Features new and returning weapons and gadgets, including the Blitz Cannon, Agents of Doom and Shrink Ray.
* Players can utilize the all-new customizable armor system themed for various game play to gain upgrades and advance through challenging action-packed areas.
* Gain access to different vehicles to compete in races and combat enemies in intense battlefield missions.
Watch the Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters launch trailer.
This overview shows the in-game weapons and gadgets:
1. Lacerator: a plasma slug pistol with good range and damage. Upgrades to Dual Lacerator (titan dual lacerator on challenge mode).
2. Concussion gun: A shotgun like weapon that shoots out titanium pellets. Upgrades to Concussion cannon (titan Concussion cannon challenge mode).
3. Acid bomb glove: Similar to the Bomb Glove from earlier titles. Upgrades to Acid bomb detonator.
4. Hypershot: A gadget that functions as the Swingshot and the Dynamo from previous titles.
5. Agents of doom: Miniature robotic dogs that attack enemies. Upgrades to Agents of Dread.
6. Polarizer: A gadget that activates magnets.
7. PDA: A gadget for purchasing ammunition.
8. Bee mine glove: A glove that fires robotic bees (mines) that use there S.T.I.N.G brand of explosives to kill anything that might threaten there metallic hive. Upgrades to Killer bee mine.
9. Mootator: Weapon that turns enemies into cows. Upgrades to Armoogedden.
10. R.Y.N.O. (Rip Ya a New One): The most powerful weapon in the game, it launches multiple rockets at once. Upgrades to Rynocerator.
11. Lacer Tracer: Powerful engine size weapon that blows almost anything away. Upgrades to Optical maser array. Can only be used while standing still.
12. Suck Cannon: A weapon that sucks up small enemies or crates and shoots them out. Upgrades to Vortex cannon.
13. Shrink Ray: A gadget that allows you to shrink Ratchet.
14. Map-O-Matic: A map add-on that shows you hidden areas.
15. Sniper Mine: A sniper rifle that not only shoots lasers but exploding mines. Upgrades to Deadeye mine.
16. Static Field: A deployable, personal shield. Upgrades to Repulser field.
17. Scorcher: A short range flamethrower like the Pyrocitor. Upgrades to Incinerator.
18. Shock Rocket: Shocks enemies. Upgrades to Electro rocket (titan Electro rocket challenge mode).
19. Sprout-O-Matic: A gadget which allows you to use plants in certain levels.
20. Bolt Grabber: A gadget which picks up bolts from a higher range (by 50 gw according to the game).
21. Box Breaker: A gadget which breaks all boxes nearby when you do a Hyper Strike.
Watch some more Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters gameplay footage.
See how the 2-player multiplayer mode works in Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters.
As a conclusion let’s rate the game on its fun-basis.
FUN FACTOR – 6.0
Either get the original portable PSP version of Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters or save up for the awesome console sequel by getting a PS3 and Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction. Why? Because this is a gimped PS2-port with terrible graphics, unfit controls, an irritating camera, and a story that lacks the fun of the previous PS2 games. You’ll need to be a big fan of the series to get this, otherwise I can’t recommend the game.
Graphics – 3.0
Visually the game looks absolutely horrible, can you say PlayStation One graphics? I know this is a PSP port, but for the developer to do no tweaking on the graphics (or any aspects of the game for that matter) isn’t acceptable in 2008. The PS2 can do so much more. Boring and bland environments are offset only by cool weapons mechanics. But if you add to this that certain weapons are only used once in the game and it’s starting to feel like a missed opportunity in level design.
Audio – 5.0
The musical score and weapons sound effects are bland, if that, since sometimes they cut out (like after a cutscene). Yes, really. The dialog the good actors deliver is sometimes funny as you’d expect for a Ratchet & Clank game, but there’s not enough of it.
Ingenuity – 6.0
There are lots of weapons (like the funny Mootator) and armor to upgrade and mix and match with and that’s the fun aspect of the game. The rest, however, isn’t so great. A troublesome camera that goes awry during close-quarters combat combined with mediocre gameplay for a console title, it doesn’t make for a game that’s as fun to play as the previous Ratchet & Clank games. It’s not a bad game in itself, but everything falls victim to being a rough PSP port with downgraded controls that sometimes glitch during puzzle sequences, and can even freeze up on you. When the action’s going on, you just shoot everything in sight and you’ll be fine, but with a lack of polish it won’t be that much fun. I imagine it works much better on the PSP, since that’s what it was originally made for, but this is the PS2 and shouldn’t have all these limitations.
Replay Value – 6.0
The game will last you about seven hours. And once you’ve finish the game, you can play through it again to collect all the hidden items, but you won’t want to because of all the gameplay issues. Multiplayer is a boring addition on this disc, you’ll get to do split-screen 2-player games on a few simple modes, but there are also only a few maps to play it on and outside of being competitive to reach a goal before your friend it’s just not fun. The co-op play doesn’t even have CPU’s to play against. Dull.