Ratchet and Clank Collection Review, 8.0 out of 10 based on 1 rating

Over the course of its lifespan, the PS2 had a number of characters in its exclusive games who became mascots for the system. Three of the most recognizable of the bunch came from the triumvirate of the Sly Cooper, Jak and Daxter, and Ratchet and Clank series of games. All three series released a trilogy on the system, could be classified as platformers despite having different gameplay styles, and were even associated closely enough to feature in a game together with Playstation Move Heroes, regardless of the quality of that particular title. These series have always had close ties with one another and it only makes sense that, considering the release of both the Sly Collection and the Jak and Daxter Collection, a Ratchet and Clank Collection would follow suit, especially given that the series recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. Naturally, the question at hand becomes, “Can this new collection follow in the footsteps of its “brothers” and successfully bring a classic PS2 trilogy to the PS3?” Allow me to tell you.

For those who never had the chance to play the trilogy contained in this collection, the Ratchet and Clank games are a series of action platformers that follows the titular duo as they travel from planet to planet to save the galaxy from whatever crazy threat there is, be it a corrupt businessman who wants to destroy planets for money or a crazed robot who wants to turn all organic life into machines. While platforming is a focus, the real stars of the series are the varied and absurd arsenal of weapons Ratchet carries with him, from a gun that shoots mini black holes to a weapon that fires burning lava at foes. I’ve always found the Ratchet and Clank games to be very well designed in nearly all areas, so seeing a collection for the first three made me quite excited, especially considering the game choice.

The original Ratchet and Clank, while most definitely rough around the edges, was still a good game on the whole. The lack of a well-done strafing feature made combat more difficult than it had to be and Insomniac hadn’t quite nailed down Ratchet and Clank’s characters this early in the series, but the core mechanics were still solid and allowed for further refinement and building in later games. Going Commando, the second in the series, improved on the original in nearly every way, making combat far smoother and adding more variety through the addition of space combat, even though it was merely okay. However, most importantly, it laid down the complete groundwork for the third game of the bunch.

I don't think there's enough pipes in this place.

Up Your Arsenal brought the series to a high that I personally feel can only be matched by A Crack in Time. The combat was made even smoother, the weapon designs got more awesomely outlandish, mission variety was further expanded upon, and they even managed to introduce the best villain in the series (by far) with Dr. Nefarious. Despite my appreciation for the third game over the others, the first two are still very much worth playing and, together, would have been a perfect thing to put into an HD collection as the PS3 is wont to have. Unfortunately, there is a lack of polish to this particular disc.

Throughout the entire Ratchet and Clank series, I’ve seen maybe one or two noticeable glitches, and even then, they were very inconsequential. However, this port was put together quite sloppily by whoever did most of the remastering, be it Insomniac themselves or the supporting Idol Minds. As I played through the games, I couldn’t help but notice little glitches at every turn. To just hit the tip of the iceberg, enemy bodies sometimes didn’t disappear like they should, Ratchet got stuck in the environment for a few seconds more than once, and the level music cut out for no good reason many times. While, again, these weren’t gamebreaking by any means, they show a distinct lack of polish. An HD collection is supposed to show the games inside at their best and that is definitely not the case here.

Disregarding any gameplay glitches, it still must be said that the games truly have never looked better. The HD treatment doesn’t cause any drastic changes in the look, but a side-by-side comparison would definitely show a marked improvement. Previously low-res textures are improved and the overall look of the environments is far less rough around the edges compared to the originals. Character models are mostly unaffected because there isn’t much a graphical face-lift can do to them considering the way they’re designed, but what little that can be done is accomplished. If there’s one thing the collection has done to improve these games, it’s to make them pretty.

How nice to see you again Sly, with an awesome cosplay to boot.

Even with all of that said however, considering that this game is a collection, the main selling point is going to be how much band you get for your buck and this one makes a good case. Considering that any one of these three games would most likely set you back more than $10, getting all three for $30 is most definitely the best deal you’ll get if you were looking for them. There are also a couple extras included in the package to sweeten the deal even more. The first is just a special Ratchet and Clank avatar picture that doesn’t really amount to much, but the second is far more interesting.

Included with the game is a code that unlocks a demo for the upcoming Sly 4: Thieves in Time, going along with the close relationship the series have with one another. While short, it still manages to give a good sense of what the game will entail for Sly, employing both his standard repertoire of platforming tricks and costumes that give him special abilities. The demo only lets us try out a Robin Hood costume that lets you shoot arrows with ropes attached, but it’s still fun and if the other costume ideas are as functional as the given one, then it will be a great addition to the formula. It’s a nice bonus to add on to the already good deal that the collection offers.

In the end, the Ratchet and Clank Collection is slightly difficult for me to recommend. On one hand, the games are not at their best due to the numerable glitches found throughout and it feels like more effort could have been put into making the Collection be as good as it could be. On the other, the $30 price tag for not only three great games, but an exclusive demo for another game that’s looking fun as well is the best deal I’ve heard for any of the PS3’s numerous collections. Honestly, it all comes down to a simple decision. If you haven’t had the opportunity to play these games before and you have any interest in them whatever, I’d recommend at least trying it out, because the Ratchet and Clank series is something everyone should play at one point or another. However, if you’ve played these games before, there’s no reason to buy this collection of games that aren’t as polished as the initial releases were.

A copy of the game was provided by the publisher for review purposes and about 38 hours were spent playing over the course of all three games. The title is a PS3 exclusive.

Ratchet and Clank Collection Review

By Robert H.

Is it worth blowing everything up all over again?