STACK #200 Jun 2021

FEATURE GAMING

RATCHET & CLANK GO TO THE MOVIES In 2016, our heroes hit the big screen in an adventure based on their original PS2 outing. Regular voice actors James Arnold Taylor (Ratchet) and David Kaye (Clank) reprised their roles, joined by such Hollywood luminaries as Rosario Dawson, Paul Giamatti, John Goodman, Bella Thorne and even Sylvester Stallone.

helping Clanks, on-the-fly repairs, hover-boots and the crafting of bespoke weaponry. All for One arrived on the PS3 in 2011, with a focus on co-operative play – both online and local. You could opt for Ratchet, Clank, Qwark or Dr. Nefarious, in a tale that saw Qwark aptly receiving the Intergalactic Tool of Justice award, before Dr. Nefarious messes up and needs our heroes’ assistance to clean things up. We saw Ratchet & Clank: QForce (aka Full Frontal Assault ) in 2012, the biggest deviation from established gameplay yet. Intended as a tenth anniversary celebration, the PS3 game (released later on PS Vita) was

foursome, Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction returned to more classic-styled R&C gameplay, while introducing some of the features from the new Sixaxis controller such as rumble and motion controls. With Emperor Percival Tachyon hot on their tails – well, Ratchet’s tail, Clank doesn’t have one, of course – new friends were made, a secret was uncovered, and Clank encountered some invisible helpers. Hitting early in 2007 was the duo’s first portable foray, on the PSP. Developed by High Impact Games, Size Matters , which was also released for PS2, saw Ratchet & Clank’s vacation interrupted by a kidnapping.

While the PlayStation 4 launched in 2013, it wouldn’t be until 2016 that we got to catch up with our spacey friends once again. Simply titled Ratchet & Clank , it was a return to the

series’ roots in more than name only, with a reimagining of the original PS2 game’s story, tied in with the full-length animated movie that was released the same year. It’s still a joy to play today, and those with a PlayStation 5 can now enjoy it in a smooth-as 60fps. Speaking of the PS5, it’s now 2021, and Ratchet & Clank are about to return in Rift Apart . As well as reviving all the classic platforming and puzzling action that we know and love, it will harness all the tricks of the PS5’s DualSense controller, and story-wise will introduce – dramatic sting - another Lombax! Her name is Rivet, and she’ll team

quite short, with a focus on tower defence that alienated many fans of the series. Celebrations continued in 2012, and it was time to reflect. To this end a collection of the first three games, remastered in HD and aptly named Ratchet & Clank Collection ,

THE NAME’S CLANK, ERM, XJ-0461 CLANK! In 2008, Clank went off on

his own adventure, donning a tux for a bit of spy action

in PlayStation Portable game Secret Agent Clank . Replete

arrived on PS3, with a PS Vita release coming a year later.

with gadgets galore, the game was based on elements of Up Your Arsenal , and eventually appeared as a PS2 release.

with Clank while Ratchet’s off in another dimension, as they set out to thwart nasty-pastie Dr. Nefarious once again. Seriously, won’t this robo-bloke ever learn?

2013 saw Ratchet & Clank

return to new adventures for Into the Nexus ,

which wound up the Future series. While maintaining

Ratchet & Clank are unstoppable!

traditions for gameplay that were by now well established, this series entry introduced a focus on harnessing gravity to Ratchet’s advantage, and 2D Clank puzzling. Many familiar faces returned, including the classic Thugs-4-Less from Locked & Loaded . Story revolved around prisoner transportation – and dealing with the fallout from a jailbreak.

A shorter experience than usual, Quest for Booty popped up in 2008, again for PS3. This could easily have been titled The Search for Clank , save for it not being puntastic, as it followed straight on from events in Tools of Destruction. In 2009, the third Future instalment arrived with A Crack in Time on PS3. Play bounced between Ratchet and Qwark’s search for Clank, and our robo-buddy’s adventures with the Great Clock, which maintains temporal normality for the universe. New additions to the familiar gameplay included holographic

• Mario Golf: Super Rush is out Jun 25

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