"Ratchet and Clank are portable now. And they're ready to rip the galaxy a new one."

Whoa! Hold it right there, the duo are portable now? That's right. Ratchet and Clank return in the all new PSP title, "Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters". New weapons, new gadgets, new characters, and most of all, a brand new adventure! This fantastic game is well worth the money, and one of THE best PSP games out there.

Graphics
9/10
Let me start out by saying how I felt when I turned this game on for the first time: "..." I was left speechless, because this game's graphics, first of all, are better than "Daxter"'s, which, in itself, actually had better graphics than certain console games. Moreover, each weapon is designed in the "Ratchet and Clank" style, which is a surprise, seeing as how the game was developed by High Impact Games instead of Insomniac. The environments are all distinct, ranging from the tropical beach of Pokitaru all the way to Clank's head! The amazing visuals ALMOST match up to the PS2 versions. Ratchet and Clank look as good as their PS2 counterparts in cutscenes, which are animated very well, might I add. Also, this game manages to respond immediately after returning from stand-by, although the audio isn't there for about three seconds, UNLIKE SOME GAMES THAT TAKE FIVE SECONDS TO RESPOND! (Casts glance at CTTR)

Story
7/10
Although the story is brilliant, it doesn't have the PERFECT R&C feel. It's, in my opinion, a bit contrast from the other games, especially the first three. The game also makes good use of plot twists, which usually doesn't happen in R&C games, but works rather well. The game will start off on peaceful Pokitaru, and while Ratchet and Clank are enjoying their vacation, a little girl comes up to them asking for help on a school project she's doing on heroes. Ratchet voluntarily goes off to the robotic village to dispose of a few drunk robots and deadly crabs of doom. Basically, that's how the story starts out. Sound stupid? I know it might seem a bit lame, but the real storyline doesn't start until you've beaten the third or so planet.

Gameplay
9/10
Wow. Just wow. High Impact managed to capture the Insomniac spirit, providing genius weapons pulled out of thin air. We have the Lacerator, your standard machine gun, the Acid Bomb Glove for sticky situations, and even a well-thought-of Bee Mine Glove, which makes your enemies cower at the power of the ones who collect nectar from a flower. Ahem... right... Certain familiar atmospheres return, as we get to use the Grind boots, Gravity boots and Swingshot to traverse certain parts of the game. The learning curve may take a while for people who have played the console versions as strafing control has undergone a major change. The lack of right analog stick forces the camera to become slave to the L and R buttons, which is rather hard to keep track of when there are too many enemies. Strafing, moreover, is a necessity if you want to survive in certain battles. This game is definitely better than DL, and luckily High Impact realised that they needed to balance platforming and shooting. You get to play as Clank again in this game, solving puzzles using le olde` Gadgebots. As far as difficulty is concerned, Challenge mode should keep you well occupied, as the bosses are much tougher. A rather annoying fact is the minigames: There are Clank challenges, of which the Gadgebot toss is the only thing that's fun, and there're also one or two Giant Clank space missions, which are similar in style to Gummi ship missions in Kingdom Hearts, but less fun. These challenges seem dull and bland, and lack depth, although they have some good difficulty. A handy and fun little feature of this game is the addition of customizing your own armor, and with the right combination you'll either get an armour that burns foes to the touch, or has capabilities of "OVER NINE THOUSAAAND!"

Audio
7/10
The musical score isn't too impressive, and though the composer from the previous games returns, the music just wasn't as good as the previous four games. (I loved GC and DL's soundtracks). Voice acting is great, as Ratchet, Clank and Qwark's voice sound as good as before. The villain has a good personality for a mad scientist, and the explosions and other sounds are all in place. However, look out, because SCARCELY the game will slow down and sound will disappear for a few seconds.

Playtime/ Replayability
8/10
The main story barely lasts. The game is extremely short. However, if you're looking to upgrade your weapons, you'll notice a little difference. The weak Suck Cannon is an insult to the older version, which in itself was bad, and it'll take a long while to find a good spot to upgrade it. You also need to make sure your bolt count is good, as certain weapons are having prices going sky high. Collecting bolts, upgrading weapons, and not to mention those Titanium bolts that keep concealing themselves and the 25 Skill Points too, all add up to a good amount of material to enjoy. Plus, upon completion, you are given the chance to start Challenge mode, which beating at least twice is a necessity for 100% completion. So, all in all, the lack of story is well made up for, although a tad bit overdone.

Should I Buy It?
Yup. This game may be short, and even if it's not as good as the first three, (IMO it's better than the original though, but that's probably because I like the upgrade system a lot) it is still a worthy game. I've seen people debating over which game is better: this or "Daxter". For gameplay, stick to this game. It's more fun, and more explosive. A minor little fact is how many glitches this game has; it's funny to watch them. Don't be discouraged though, when I warn you about a minor little thing: exploration is limited. No endless desert or frozen wasteland. And no Metropolis! ;_;

Final Rankings/ Summary

Graphics: 9/10
Story: 8/10
Gameplay: 9/10
Audio: 7/10
Playtime/ Replayability: 8/10
Should I Buy It?: Yes
Final Score: 10/10.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 07/09/07