Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando

"Better shed those underpants, as this time we're Going Commando"

The furry Lombax and his metallic partner are back, this time with even more fire power than before!

After ensuring the galaxy's safety at the end of the first Ratchet and Clank, the two heroes find themselves tackling their biggest enemy yet: boredom. With no more villains left to pummel, it seems like the duo have just outlived their usefulness. The entertainment services are just clamoring for their story and decide to make them their next features in a "Behind the Music" styled parody entitled "Behind the Hero".

In the middle of taping, Ratchet and Clank are teleported to another galaxy. The man in charge of the big corporation here, the aptly named MegaCorp, asks them for a favor. His name is Abercrombie Fizzwidget and he needs his new experiment retrieved, as it was recently stolen by an inept crook, simply named "The Thief". Clank isn't in the mood for fighting, so Abercrombie offers him a position in the accounting firm. Ratchet, on the other hand, is eager to destroy things, so he's game for the enforcer work. The results of the agreement complete, this is where the game finally begins the smack down.

The first few stages are all centered on Ratchet's (and eventually Clank's too, when he reprises his role as the Lombax's “backpack”) mission to retrieve the experiment, called Protopet. To accomplish this goal, all the two basically need to do is blow crap up. With MegaCorp vending machines on every planet, it's Ratchet's job to buy new weapons and find rare Platinum Bolts in order to upgrade his arsenal. Every bad guy defeated drops money, call Bolts in this game. The more bad guys you kill without being hit, the bigger your Bolt Multiplier gets, until it reaches a maximum of 20.

Each new planet is separated into missions, which can only be accomplished by completing certain tasks and laying the enemies to waste. Gadgets also play a huge role, as they are a necessary component to solving the game's multiple puzzles. The trusty Swingshot (a grappling hook of sorts) is back from the first game, along with some new additions, including the Thermanator, Electrolyzer, and Dynamo to name a few. There are also advanced skill points to obtain by meeting certain requirements. The more skill points earned, the more cheats become available in the menu screen.

The number of different genres this game combines is just astounding, moving seamlessly from a shooter to a platformer to a puzzle-solving aspect and back to a shooter once more. In order to complete missions you need to employ some fast thinking and even faster fingers. Expect to die...a lot. But there are no worries, as the game has an auto-save feature and the amount of lives you can use is unlimited. The new strafe ability also comes in handy as maneuvering around enemy fire becomes a whole lot easier.

In addition to earning swag and smiling when monsters bite the dust, constant fighting reaps other rewards as well. Each weapon has a little gauge under it. Kill enough enemies with that weapon and it will upgrade into its true form. The same goes for your life meter, as it will increase based on how many goons are erased. This RPG style system is implemented very well and ensures you get stronger as enemies do, keeping the difficulty at an even pace.

As you progress along in the story, it turns out that all is not as it originally appears. The interactions between the various characters are simply priceless. Laughs are all over the place, as you realize just how crazy this galaxy really is. This is beautifully demonstrated in a plethora of cutscenes which use in-game graphics. These are really a step above the series' original incarnation, with textures now a whole lot smoother and character models exquisitely detailed. Facial expressions are priceless, both on the main characters and on the enemies they destroy.

The voice acting is done very well and really fits each character. Each world has its own background music, which is very distinct, yet at the same time, not too overpowering. The sound effects as your weapons fire, explode, and do whatever else is needed are exactly as they should be, serving to complement the detailed animations they produce.

Once you finish the game a first time, a whole different mode opens up, entitled "Challenge Mode". This, in addition to trying to unlock all the other cheats, drastically increases the replay value. Not only are the enemies harder with new weapons available, you can also re-upgrade them just the same as you would in normal mode.

The game itself is a joy to play, however I just have two minor complaints. One, the camera can sometimes be a little cumbersome to work with. Even though you can control it with the right analog stick, it does tend to move on its own, which might cause you to mistime a jump or fire in the opposite direction of approaching enemies. Two, whenever you're using your Gravity shoes to stick to buildings, trying to jump and strafe like normal can easily get you killed, as your shoes might spontaneously refuse to stick to surfaces any more.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this game. Insomniac really one upped themselves over the original and it shows. To get in the true spirit of the game I'd even recommend you play this game while not wearing any underwear. It's truly an original experience. Just don't blame me if your pants begin to develop a brown stain. That's your fault. And the tacos.

Note to reader: The reviewer holds nothing against tacos and the lack of underwear. He just believes the two should never be mixed. Ever.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 04/08/05