Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando

"Improves on everything that Ratchet and Clank had."

Insomniac Games had a lot to do to make a worthy sequel, after creating the pure beauty that was Ratchet and Clank. Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando (or Locked and Loaded, as it is called in some countries) is platforming bliss that redefines what a great adventure game is. Read on...

Graphics: I felt that the game's prequel had superb graphics, giving some great eye candy. Ratchet and Clank 2 takes the previous game's already tasty visuals and takes them up a notch. Staring off a high building onto a courtyard below is breathtaking. The racetracks on Joba look so peaceful and real - even at warp speed. The character design has been tweaked to make the characters even more like real life. Ratchet's fur looks more authentic, and clank has been given a few changes. With the sheer amount of unique characters in the Bogon galaxy, it is amazing that every cut scene; every mindless gun-toting goon is animated to what seems like video game perfection. The frame rate drops every so often, mainly when using lots of weapons at the same time. However, I suppose every game has its slow spots. I was often happy just to walk through the levels slowly, taking in the scenery and noticing even the smallest detail in a wall or one of my many weapons. Travelling through space between planets looks pretty well the same, but it still looks like an effort to cover up loading screens. The planets go into the usual platforming categories - city, jungle, snow and desert, but each has a special uniqueness about it, like wildlife. It is however a pity that whenever you end a bad guy's life the hostile does not actually lie there? Let's face it: When you die, you do not immediately turn into a small series of blue dots and then disappear. You lie there until you are dealt with. It would be fun to use a pile of thug bodies to seal off doors or provide shelter from enemy gunfire. To chuck a chickenbot at a bad guy would be much more fun than just watching it disappear. You could use them to create weak cover over a hole, creating traps for more robotic guards. Come on Insomniac, think of the fun.
Overall: 9/10 (Very few weak points)

Sound: The sound has not really had a huge kick-up since the last Ratchet game. There are more songs to hum along to though, and the music is more modern. The music gets you into the feel of the Ratchet games, especially the battle arenas. The voice acting I suppose comes into this category. The character voices are great, especially the plumber and the Thug leader. Nearly every cut scene has some humour in it. And I am not talking about that '80s stupid stuff (well, most of the time). From crazy Quark fans to mysterious managers, everything sounds great in its own wacky way. When a stupid thug or a swamp monster gets hurt, you never hear a scream or even a groan as a rocket hits their stomach. No noise whatsoever when a piercing Blitz Cannon shock nails their head. This kind of spoils the atmosphere a bit. Even though this is a kid's game, it is still a violent game, so why shouldn't they go all the way and have some screams or one of those 'I'm about to die' noises?
Overall: 8/10 (Not much difference to Ratchet 1, but still very professional)

Gameplay: Naughty Dog game developers, who brought the famous Crash Bandicoot to life, have contributed greatly to the gameplay engine in the game. Play is easier in a way, with more gadgets to help out, like the box breaker that breaks all boxes around you and the Shield charger that provides protection from enemy attacks. Emphasis is still on the financial strand, making you decide whether to go for a rocket launcher or cutting-edge armour. The game presents even fewer glitches than before, but some can still be found. The A1 is slightly better, with soldiers actually thinking, instead of shooting straight into the wall. The weapons inventory is Huge, with shields, Bombs, electricity cannons and of course the good old missile launchers, plus a few others. But this is not just five decent ones and the rest just useless junk. Oh no, all weapons will find their place to be used in the game. The RYNO (Rip Ya A New One) makes a return in the form of the RYNO II, which is great, and I think that future RYNOs will be in the game. Another new feature is the upgrade system. You buy your standard Megacorp weapon, and with frequent use it will upgrade into a stronger one! Aftermarket mods are also available in exchange for platinum bolts that are hidden all over the planets. Walking across huge plains and endless passages is easy now thanks to some boots that make you travel super-man style. These simple gadgets make gameplay much easier. The levels are absolutely huge, but unfortunately you are put inside paths, and cannot explore the wilderness, so that is a low point. Controlling your furry friend is a breeze, and the learning curve isn't very steep, so you will be firing those weapons like you were born to do it in minutes. The amount of Mini games or maxi games, as Insomniac calls them, is huge. Hang-gliding, Battle arenas, Hoverbiking and my favorite, Giant Clank battles. Mini games have come of age, and you will find yourself in these a lot instead of moving to the next planet, repeating challenges while trying to earn bolts to get that big shiny gun in the shop window. The game reeks a very smart gameplay engine and has virtually no wrongs (apart from the rare instance of a camera fault) and is loads of fun.
Overall: 9/10 (Virtually flawless, but with some frustration in there)

Controls: The controls haven't had a huge makeover (thankfully), but now is a useful feature called Strafing, using the L2 and R2 buttons combat becomes much easier with this. Everything else is the same, except now there is vibration, which is very well done, shaking when you fire, get hit and in many other cases, so very realistic are good words to describe it.
Overall: 9/10 (The strafe function really helps the gameplay)

Lastability: You won't get bored with this game in a hurry. Why? Because there is a wonderful thing called Challenge mode, where you play the game again on a much harder difficulty. You can upgrade your weapons further, getting them from Gold to Mega to Ultra, although you have to pay for them, which makes you want to play again and again to unlock them. Skill points return, and the challenges are a lot quirkier - breaking a snowman or upgrading your ship. Raritanium also has another stint, being available via mining or blowing up bad guys in your space fighter. In the place of the goodies menu from the previous game is the specials menu - and boy, it is big. Two player classic games like space invaders, unlockable outfits for Ratchet (the tuxedo is my favourite), its all there.
Overall: 10/10 (Lots of bells and whistles to keep you going)

Story: Ratchet is a commando for heavy weaponry and gadget makers Megacorp. He is sent out to get back a stolen experiment that could put the galaxy in danger. I won't say too much, but Quark makes a return and we see another Lombax. No more shall be said.
Overall: 8/10 (Not as predictable as the first game)

Overall: As Official PS2 magazine Australia pointed out, this game is like the first, but it just has more bells and whistles. This makes the game seem worse than it really is. Ratchet and Clank 2 is in a different league that Jak II, as it creates more of a complete package than Jak. The game is long, challenging, and a whole truckload of fun.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 04/12/04