Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters

When Ratchet and Clank first debuted on the PS2, it was an immediate hit with both critics and gamers alike. Ratchet and Clank reinvented and recharged the platforming/action genre with great game design, a healthy dose of humor and all those wickedly cool weapons. It's about time Ratchet and Clank go portable, and with Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters, gamers finally get the chance to take the action on the road.

When we last met up with Ratchet and Clank, the game had turned more towards being a first person shooter than an action/platforming game. For Size Matters, Ratchet and Clank return to their gaming roots with a brand new adventure that leans equally on platforming and action for some old-school fun. Clank gets a promotion and shares the action with Ratchet to finally become more than just a "side-kick." As the game opens, our heroes are kicking back on a long overdue holiday, catching up on some rest and relaxation. It isn't long before they find themselves sucked into a mysterious adventure involving a kidnapped girl that puts an end to their vacation and gets them back on the job.

Ratchet and Clank can count on their trusty gadgets like the Shrink Ray, the Blitz Cannon and the Agents of Doom, plus some all-new weapons to take out the host of new enemies and bosses they'll encounter. Also new is the armor system that allows for customization for different combat operations to help gamers advance through challenging areas and defeat bosses or gain cool upgrades. Vehicles play a bigger role than just racing in side missions, they are now added to battlefield missions to add even more destructive mayhem to the mix. The game is primarily for single-player action, but there is multiplayer combat via the wireless hook-up. Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters looks and plays great on the PSP, and thankfully, it doesn't fall into the "just ported over" category of other PSP titles.