Ratchet & Clank

Ratchet & Clank is a movie tie-in game for the upcoming cinematic rendition of the inaugural entry in Insomniac 's beloved mascot action platformer series - it is kind of confusing. In lieu of releasing an HD remaster of the PS2 classic (which they have already done on the Ratchet & Clank HD Collection, available on the PS3 and Vita), Insomniac has instead rebuilt the original in its entirety. Do their efforts recapture the essence of the original, or does it feel like a shameless cash grab? Spoiler: it 's the former, it 's so the former.

The Lombax 's and Defective Warbot 's Origin Story

On the planet Veldin, Ratchet is employed as a mechanic by his adopted father, Grim. While the young Lombax is a master tinkerer and loves all sorts of gadgets and elaborate weaponry, Gadgetron 's product-line in particular, Ratchet dreams of becoming a Galactic Ranger. When he one day learns that Qwark himself is on Veldin for the sole purpose of overseeing the examination of prospective Rangers (and further strengthen his brand, of course), Ratchet rushes to try out. And while Ratchet aces the physical portion of the exam, his propensity for reckless, often illegal, behavior is viewed as an affront to Qwark 's marketability, and he promptly rejects Ratchet 's application to protect his brand. Meanwhile, a former Galactic Ranger named Dr. Nefarious

In Ratchet & Clank, Insomniac tells an easy to follow story enjoying a brisk pace. Starring characters who are recognizable archetypes behaving in accordance with what the story expects of them. While this approach doesn 't result in any notable characterization beyond the mere minimum, Insomniac 's fairytale-like approach suits the narrative, and game, extremely well. Complete with comically one-note villains like Drek and Dr. Nefarious, cowardly impostors like Qwark, and brave and capable heroes like Ratchet and Clank, the game stars a likable cast of characters. And as such is a property that is well-suited for a