Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando

"An extrodinary game"

Introduction

Ratchet & Clank 2: Going Commando is the second installment of the Ratchet & Clank series, released less than a year after the original. If you haven’t played the original, it is worth picking up because it features the same great game play as Going Commando but at the PS2 Greatest Hits price. In addition, portions of the story from the original are carried over to Going Commando.

Plot

Going Commando starts where the original left off. Ratchet and Clank have made the rounds on various talk shows and other events to be celebrated as heroes for saving the galaxy in the original. Now that Captain Quark and Gadgetron have been defeated and peace has been brought back to the galaxy, as heroes, Ratchet and Clank are out of business. In steps Megacorp. A top secret invention has been stolen from Megacorp, and Abercrombie Fitzwitget, the president of Megacorp, recruits Ratchet to be a Megacorp Commando to retrieve the stolen invention.

The story is top rate. It is told through several cut scenes and infomercials. The story takes several twist and turns, and is absolutely hilarious, filled with several laugh out loud moments. In addition, all the characters that you meet are entertaining and developed well.

Gameplay

This is where the game separates its self from all the other goofy platform type games. The movement of Ratchet is precise. Jumps are easy to control, the strafing setup is the best of any game I’ve played, and all the weapons are easy to use and useful. Weapons can be upgraded by use. Experience points are given to each weapon for each enemy that is destroyed by it. You are also called to use a hand glider and jet pack. The camera doesn’t get in the way too much, but as with any 3D game, it will give you trouble now and again. The quick select system for switching weapons is back and works really well.

There are several mini games to play: hover bike racing, Star Fox type space combat, and arena battles. These mini games are very useful for collecting a large amount of bolts quickly. They are all done really good, but for me, I prefer to play as Ratchet, using all my weapons and gadgets, so I didn’t spend much time going back and playing these games more than I had to.

In addition to controlling Ratchet, there are several levels that you are required to control Clank. Clank is slower than Ratchet. He doesn’t have any weapons but punch, but he is able to control an assortment of different robots that build bridges, hammer things, and attack win ordered. There are also stages for Giant Clank. For these stages, Clank will morph into a giant version of Clank and fight off a giant robot or other enemy.

Here I should note the spherical worlds. These are usually moons of a plant you visit. The curvature of the land is very noticeable and Ratchet is able circle the entire plant. When hearing about these sphere worlds, I was skeptical, but they are really fun and unlike anything that I have ever played.

Graphics

The graphics are well done. They are essentially the same as the original game. It has a very cartoony fill. The worlds are filled with vibrant colors. The backgrounds of the worlds are bustling with activity, with space ships and other things flying overhead.

Sound

The sound is very nice. All of the music fits the worlds that they are in. The ambient noises are great, with machines whizzing and churning and animals making noise. The voice acting is the best of any game I’ve played. Each character has a distinct voice that fits their character to a tee. The game supports Dolby Digital surround sound, and I highly suggest plugging in the home theater system for this one.

Miscellaneous

One thing that I thought was real cool is the compatibility of Going Commando with the original. If you played the original and still have it on a memory card, there is a vendor that will give you some of the weapons that you earned in the original game. These weapons can’t be upgraded and are relatively obsolete by the later stages where the enemies are stronger, but it is still cool.

The system for saving is good. There is an automatic save that occurs when you fly from planet to planet and when you receive an award, i.e., a new weapon, gadget, or platinum bolt. You can also save the game at any time through the pause menu. This is just great.

The only loading that occurs is when you fly from one planet to another. While the new level is loading, a scene of you space ship flying to the plant takes place.

For a platformer, the game has a lot of replayability. After beating the game the first time, it will allow you to go back in time a replay the levels but with stronger enemies. The weapons can be further upgrade this time around.

Conclusion

In my opinion, Ratchet & Clank 2: Going Commando is the game of the year for all systems. Great controls, great graphics, great story, great weapons… Well, you get the point. Ratchet & Clank is quickly becoming my favorite franchise, stealing my heart from the Legend of Zelda. Lets hope the 3rd installment comes as quick as the 2nd.

Story 10/10
Gameplay 10/10
Graphics 10/10
Sound 10/10
Overall 10/10

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 02/09/04