Ratchet & Clank 3 Review

By Kristan Reed Published 24 November, 2004

Oops, they did it again.

Version tested: PlayStation 2

Order yours now from Simply Games.

Another year, another 15-hour masterpiece to hang proudly in the platform shooting gallery. How does Insomniac churn them out so quickly? Three in as many years is the kind of prolific output that has the partners of hollow-eyed development team members posting wearied accounts of sweatshop working practises and preparing a multimillion dollar lawsuit to redress the balance. Let's hope the Insomniac collective doesn't have to live up to their names in order to roll yet another one off the production line.

But the quickfire sequel route is always a risky route to take. Just look at EA's identikit approach and try not to stifle a yawn. Or, more tellingly, what happened to Core Design and its once proud Tomb Raider series, or Konami with the now-lumbering Silent Hill titles. The law of diminishing returns is bound to kick in sooner rather than later, so we can be forgiven for fearing for the health of a third R&C title. What could they possibly do this time around that hasn't already been done brilliantly twice before? Ah yes, multiplayer. That old fallback. In this case the ceaseless reliance on intense, multi-weapon/gadget-based combat throughout the entire game means tacking on a multiplayer mode was an inevitable progression, and one that potentially adds a degree of longevity to a game that would otherwise most likely sit gathering dust once the single-player campaign has been vanquished.

Do robots need teeth? Can we smash them anyway?

'Ratchet & Clank 3' Screenshot 1

But before we get carried away with a mode that, statistically, only a small fraction of purchasers will ever get to play, it's heartening to note that the main meat of the package is once again as entertaining, polished and amusing a portion of platform-combat kleptomania as you'll ever play. The focus is, once again, on smashing robots to pieces with the most diverse and imaginative (almost bewildering) arsenal of weapons ever seen while progressing to an assortment of beautifully rendered planets (read: platforms). Virtually nothing has significantly changed since the very first one was released back in 2002; it's still very much a case of collecting as many bolts (local currency) as you can lay your hands on, powering up your weapons as soon as you can (by accumulating as much combat experience as possible), and buying new ones whenever you've gathered enough wealth - and then repeating the process until the very end of the game. The chances are if you liked or loathed the original or its follow-up, there's not going to be a whole lot to change your mind in either direction.

But, as any follower of this website will have realised by now, we're firmly in the 'love' camp, having romped through more platforms and ladders over the last twenty-odd years than Donkey Kong himself. After our initial concern over the sense that nothing much had changed at all, we predictably got swept away by the sheer addictive brilliance at the core of the experience. Put simply, it's by far the best platform-combat game out there, with a refined, highly satisfying control system that fits the game like a glove, and with the constant carroting lure of new weapons, upgraded weapons, and more challenging monsters, it's a game you can barely stop playing; even when turns up the heat to flesh-melting proportions later on. You just delight in constantly working out a better strategy, or just how to get hold of a super powerful weapon. That's the beauty of R&C games; no time is ever wasted, because even when you're being trashed, you're constantly gaining more experience points which increase your overall health, while simultaneously making your weapons more powerful.

Each of the twenty weapons available (some easier to procure than others, as you'll discover) can be upgraded to level five, and one of the best-designed aspects of the game is the way it leaves it in the hands of the player as to which of those you'll choose to muscle your way through the game with. The chances are you'll only ever use three or four in the whole game, but stick with them up to the point where they're so good there's no point digging into the underpowered alternatives left languishing in the inventory. Better still, upon completion the game even lets you have a second run through against more challenging opponents with your hard-earned weapons set; plus with even more powerful versions up for grabs should you wish to really go for it. It's one of the very few truly replayable platformers out there, with so many secrets and extra goodies to plunder it frazzles the mind thinking about it. Sometimes games offer the odd new skin or weapon as a reward; R&C3 tantalises us with an entire treasure trove of new stuff to wade through. Whether we will or not is another matter (reviewing 130 games a year doesn't offer much in the way of 'spare time', as you can imagine), but for those who buy their games to last this offers much more than most.

Hit me baby one more time

'Ratchet & Clank 3' Screenshot 2

There are so many areas the game succeeds it's hard to know where to begin; the story once again is the usual wafer-thin good versus evil yarn, but it's delivered and animated with such charm and wit that it makes us want to switch on children's TV just to find out if regular cartoons are ever as much fun these days (Courtney Gears, indeed). They certainly couldn't look much better, with some of the best animation you're ever likely to see in a cartoon interlude of a videogame; but then when a game looks this slick throughout, you almost stop noticing. Starring a mixture of stalwart characters and newcomers, the premise is to stop the mechanically malfunctioning egg-headed Dr Nefarious from turning all the inhabitants of the various planets into robots. Aided and abetted by the perennially amusing lantern-jawed superhero Captain Qwark, his monkey lover (errr), mini-robot lemming-types and so on, Ratchet and his backpack robot buddy Clank embark on what amounts to a fairly epic chase-quest, which normally involves shooting the crap out of anything that gets in the way.

Although the strafe/lock-on weapons combat forms the vast majority of what goes on, it's incredibly rewarding, largely thanks to being expertly balanced and sweetly checkpointed to avoid the kind of red faced angst that could otherwise ruin the progression. And it's populated by the kind of baddies that, while not exactly renowned for their amazing AI (all but the smallest drones bother to chase, for example), usually come in such quantities that it takes serious skill and strategy to prepare yourself for battle. Although such epic battles can stress the PS2 to the point of meltdown at times, there's almost no slowdown, and we're mightily impressed how Insomniac has taken Naughty Dog's wonderful Jak engine to such extremes. Goodness only knows what next-gen stuff the team's working on right now.

Rather than go down the (often tiresome) route of trying to shoehorn multiple genres into the game, Insomniac has been careful to intersperse a few well-crafted and thoroughly enjoyable interludes that do the job of breaking the game up without making it feel contrived. Chief among these are the 2D side-scrolling platform sections starring Qwark. Designed as episodes of a comic starring the cheesy super hero, it's a heart-warming hark back to a bygone era complete with dodgy boss monsters and crap guns, while also serving as an enjoyable five/ten minutes of precision platforming that also moves the story on as amusingly as we've come to expect from the games industry's finest comic storytellers.

Retro nostalgia

'Ratchet & Clank 3' Screenshot 3

Elsewhere, Ratchet occasionally finds himself having to hack into security systems, which prompts another piece of teary-eyed retro-tinged gameplay - this time via a Tempest-style top down tunnel viewpoint, with red and green blobs rising to the top from the centre to shoot or collect, respectively. Even on its own, this ferociously challenging mini-game serves as a superb test of mental agility in a way that used to be routine in games two decades ago; inserting them into contemporary games is definitely a welcome means to promote simple games that would otherwise never see the light of day. Meanwhile, the game tries other tricks at various points in the game, with Clank getting a star turn via Munch's Oddysee-style herding levels, whereby micro robots have to be commanded by the D-pad (Attack/Enter/Follow/Stay) and cursor to do your bidding - usually to circumvent some sort of security system. On one occasion you're even accompanied by a Monkey, which will - it seems - do anything for a banana. We know the feeling.

As is seemingly the law for platform games these days, there are the occasional turret sections as well as the odd chopper combat missions, not to mention a few levels that take advantage of the Gravity Boots that you end up with, but in the main it's a typical procession of lush landscapes and a crazy number of enemies all set up to spawn in the same place. Insomniac take the relentless combat to even greater extremes at times, often setting you the task of fighting off wave after wave of drones in arena-based battles. Some are optional experience-building side missions, while others divide themselves up as part of the same mission. They're not especially imaginative, and in some senses pretty unimaginative, but it's a credit to the developer how much fun the weapons are, and how enjoyable the combat is, that not only do you not mind these sections, but that you end up playing them for ages, fighting your way through an almost insane number of challenges. It's that sort of game.

Multiplayer-wise, again, you're not here for imagination or originality. It works because the combat and weapons are enormously well realised. Deathmatch and Capture The Flag won't need too much in the way of explanation, but the more involving Siege mode has more than a little in common with the team-based (in this case 4 vs. 4) Assault modes that we've seen before in everything from Unreal Tournament to Return To Castle Wolfenstein. It's a case of taking out turrets, capturing nodes/spawn points by turning a giant bolt with Ratchet's giant wrench, and eventually duffing up your opponent's base by destroying its power source within. But the 'unique selling point' (Industry Term Of The Day Calendar, Nov 24th) is Ratchet's arsenal of guns and gadgets. Being given the chance to use them against live opponents as opposed to dumb AI is not only hilarious, but a great spin on what has become a slightly tired premise elsewhere (if you've been playing these games for years, at least). Fortunately for the online-deficient there's a basic two-to-four-player split-screen mode to enjoy (and give you a taste of what's to come), but we'd advise finally getting on board the online gravy train because it cannot compare to a full-on eight-player match. With the new slimmed down PS2 sporting a network port there's no excuse now (apart from maybe lacking broadband, in which case, fair enough). We wouldn't go as far to say that it's worth buying the game for this mode alone, but for the real fans, and those that enjoy multiplayer gaming, it's a welcome bonus - if you can tolerate PS2 Online, that is.

More of the same, but more of the best

So, it's a great game. One of the best of its genre, of that there is no doubt. But is it really acceptable to release a game that's so similar to the previous two that it would take the most devoted fan to spot the difference at first glance? With only a few new weapons and a portion of new mini-games to offer, is that really enough? Well, for those who loved the first two, this is definitely going to be what the doctor ordered - especially if the prospect of the new multiplayer mode entices you.

Three broadly identical games in the space of two years, though. That's overkill, surely? Maybe at full price, yes. We're in the happy position of not having to shell out our spare cash for these incremental updates, and yes, we enjoyed it immensely. But would we fork out top dollar for it? Probably not. However, if we did, we couldn't argue that we didn't get our money's worth. It's a tough call. If the game didn't have two cheap prequels to compete against then it'd be a nine all day long, and if you've resisted the temptation to get on board with the series to date, this is definitely one to pick up. But the truth is we're not rating it in isolation; it's much the same as the previous two, adds a great but non-essential multiplayer mode, and then whacks a full price tag on itself. That, to us, spells out an eight, and a worthy one at that for what amounts to an incredibly entertaining game from start to finish and beyond.

Order yours now from Simply Games.

8 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Kristan.

About Kristan Reed

Kristan is a former editor of Eurogamer, dad, Stone Roses bore and Norwich City supporter who sometimes mutters optimistically about Team Silent getting back together.

Read more articles from Kristan by visiting the Kristan Reed archive page.

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Comments (29) Latest comment 7 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Peekaboo #1 7 years ago

    "and then whacks a full price tag on itself. That, to us, spells out an eight, and a worthy one at that for what amounts to an incredibly entertaining game from start to finish and beyond."

    But you already said you didn't have to pay for it. In the same manner as you said you didn't have install probs with HL2, thus why downgrade one and not the other ? ;-)

    And yes I'm being annoying for the sake of it :-P

  • krudster #2 7 years ago

    If HL2 was a level pack for HL, but was still good, would you mark it 10 or drop a few marks for being more of the same? This is the issue here, not so much the quality. I, personally, can't abide this 'more of the same' mentality among publishers indefinitetly.

  • drumbaby #3 7 years ago

    But HL2 IS more of the same. It feels just like HL did back then, or Opposing Force, etc, but all dressed up in new physics driven Source tech'. All very familiar and comfortable though, innit?

    Well, I certainly thought so. And it took a lot more than just a few months between HL games to finally arrive at HL2!

  • krudster #4 7 years ago

    Bleh, I don't even want to go there on HL2 being more of the same. It plainly isn't. R&C3 *is* more of the same; more of the same brilliance, but still, a full priced expansion pack does not a 9/10 make.

  • mingster #5 7 years ago

    I've never played R&C before but heard this is good.
    So it won't be 'more of the same' for me but totally new.
    I reckon this makes it a 9.5/10 game for me. :-)
    My PS2 has been gathering dust, and this looks like genuine fun.

  • Machiavel #6 7 years ago

    So value for money wise, pick up the second one at reduced/second hand price, yes? Seem to recall EG really liked that one as well and I've no inclination for multiplayer...

  • #7 7 years ago

    Great review. I haven't gotten round to playing any of the R&C games yet, but this one sounds quite tempting I have to say.

    Krudster, a word on the difficulty level? I know you mentioned well placed checkpoints somewhere in teh review, but I find as I get older that really difficult games stress me out and make me stop playing (Ninja Gaiden, Ikaruga stand up please!). Will R&C make me feel the same?

    Mapster.

  • Peekaboo #8 7 years ago

    "but still, a full priced expansion pack does not a 9/10 make."

    But you yourself state you didn't have to pay so why take that into account, it doesn't affect you, in much the same way the install probs for HL2 didn't affect you and thus you didn't take them into account (as you explained in your posts in the discussion thread). Thats the point I'm getting at. ;-)

  • Artemus #9 7 years ago

    A fair review. I've been a fan of the series since the first game. I did notice that this installment has less to do overall (they removed the races for a start). But the combat is more refined and the focus point here. The multiplayer is also excellent fun.

  • krudster #10 7 years ago

    No, sure, I didn't pay for it, but I *did* buy games for fully 15 years before ever getting a freebie. More than a lot of reviewers in this business, I know what it's like to part with cash for games, and do take into account the value for money aspect.

  • krudster #11 7 years ago

    And as for HL2, I didn't have installation issues, but still went through the exact same procedure at the same time as everyone else. It'd be like slagging off a restaurant because you'd heard that other people had had a duff meal, even though yours was great.

  • Peekaboo #12 7 years ago

    Nice cop out ;-)

  • ZeTimbo #13 7 years ago

    Great review Krudster - have been a fan of R&C since their first outing (much more so than Jak & Daxter) simply due to the fact that there is so much replay value.

    I think an 8 is the right score - the game is definately more of the same with a few extras added on, exactly the same way R&C 2 was last year. Thankfully by not changing the formula too much, the game is still as much fun as it's predecessors.

    If it ain't broke, don't fix it - but don't expect awards for innovation either.

    Oh... And review scores only matter to the hardcore few these days anyway - unfortunately our world is now both blessed and plagued by the "casual" gamer, who is easily swayed with clever and incessant marketing, and the easily biased reviewers in "official" magazines...

    Way to go EG for not falling foul to bribery...

    ... Which is why NFSU2 is so far up the charts... :(

  • Artemus #14 7 years ago

    Mapster, this is no where near Ninja Gaidens difficulty level. In fact I found it fairly easy compared to Ratcher 1 and 2.

  • krudster #15 7 years ago

    Actually, it probably is.

  • Royal Fool #16 7 years ago

    I haven't even finished the first game, I stopped after the first fight with Quark's monster at his base. The shooting action gets a bit tired IMO.

    But what the hell, the original game has a 60Hz mode but R&C2 and R&C3 don't? Why? There is really no excuse.

  • mash the x button #17 7 years ago

    Only an 8? Miserable gits!

  • Zero Beat #18 7 years ago

    1080i NTSC? I dooooon't belieeeeeve it! (meldrew!)

    And if it's in the US version how come not ours.

  • krudster #19 7 years ago

    Wow, spectacular rant. Bad day?

    The slightly glib Halo comment isn't referring to H2, and silly me thinking it wouldn't be jumped on by someone taking it all very seriously.

  • #20 7 years ago

    The Programmer:

    HL2 stutter is fixed for those with the problem (Steam'll update you if you let it). By all accounts, the stutter can be fixed by having enough memory (Main RAM, and GPU RAM) for the level of texture detail you selected and a fast enough bus to move the info between the two.

    I suspect for the most part, adjusting the texture level would fix your stutter problem. So I suggest you try that rather than flame the reviewer.

    I think, Like most level headed people who didn't get caught up in the whole 'Halo 2 hype machine', that Halo 2 is at best a 'flawed but above average shooter', whereby HL2 is a 'brilliant FPS, which tried and failed to stop piracy'.

  • krudster #21 7 years ago

    Jeez, does every thread have to turn into a Halo 2 Vs HL2 bitch fest?

  • Thamuhacha #22 7 years ago

    These PC things are tricky aren't they?

    It worked for some. Not so well for others. It runs well on some machines. And not on others.

    >As a reviewer you are supposed to be impartial. Clearly you aren't. So you think that RC3's online mode is as good as Halo 2. Well it isn't.

    Love it. He has to be impartial but you don't? "You are welcome to your opinion, but you're wrong!"

    He doesn't have to be impartial at all. EG are quite honest when they have a soft spot for a certain game series. They state it up front and you can tell their opinion from the review.

    Anyway, moaning because they didn't mark down a game because of an experience that YOU had is just daft.

    EDIT - >Jeez, does every thread have to turn into a Halo 2 Vs HL2 bitch fest?

    Sadly yes
    Edited by 1 at 24/11/04 @ 17:28

  • Killerbee #23 7 years ago

    Great review. Based on some of the scores that have been handed out for this I was expecting more, so on the basis this is pretty much more of the same I think an 8 is fair.

    I loved the first game, but haven't got around to picking up the second yet, so I'll probably be buying 2 and putting this on hold and waiting for it to hit Platinum in time for next Christmas.

  • bungalooBunny #24 7 years ago

    Some people would want reviewers to endlessly give 9s or 10s to rehashes of the same game with minor tweaks.

    It's clear R&C 3 and HL 2 aren't in the same position, the latter being a _sequel_ and the first being just an expansion.

    I think it's important to show publishers we want them to bring something new where is evident there was a lot of work on their side, as opposed to changing a couple of textures and shipping the game with a 2 or 3 on it.

  • inpHilltr8r #25 7 years ago

    Hmm, best 8 ever. Single player is much more fun than Halo 2, and their graphics load in time...

  • Talha #26 7 years ago

    This is my first R&C, so its a TENNER for me. Reason? I seldom had as much FUN playing a game. And the graphics and visual effects are as good as ANY game EVER. I can see from the review that is is more of the same, but that does not apply to me.

    The animation as well the execution are flawless. The surprisingly ample supply of humor is simply tops. Can you imagine, I went to 'extras' time and again to see some of the movies.

  • Liggur #27 7 years ago

    Zero Beat Said 1080i NTSC? I dooooon't belieeeeeve it! (meldrew!)

    And if it's in the US version how come not ours.

    Because HDTV has much more market penetration in the states than here. So you just dont include it.

    The same way Online gets dropped from PS2 products in europe, when its included in US/JAP versions (yes, Resident Evil Outbreak, I mean you)

    Thread is a bit disjoined when replies are removed by the time I got here :)
    Top review

  • Dragul #28 7 years ago

    well I played the first, but didn't get the second... but if its platinum ill be getting it. the third looks cool but ain't pointing to jak 3 this xmas, and you guys dont forget sly 2.

    the first sly was up there with R&C adn J&D as the top 3 platformers.

    and 1 little tip for you: HL2 Vs H2? HL2=H2=fps opposing R&C=J&D=SLY=platformer? did anybody loose there brain?

  • 3william56 #29 7 years ago

    [Drums Fingers] Where's my f**king R&C prize pack? Where? Bl**dy useless cinema competitions. Cancelled my pre-ord cos I'd won the damn thing, and it still hasn't arrived. [grumbles]

    Awww ... 8? It should get a 9 just for having the guts to call it "Up Your Arsenal" in the post Janet Jackson nipple shy 'States!

    It's a tough call on the score. All the points are valid about it being a lot more of the same (apart from the MP), but when it's more of the same of such screamingly astronomical quality, it'd be a shame to put off noobs to R&C by virtue of a "good but not great" score - let's face it, 8 is the new 6, whatever the intent. Generally, the higher scores are kept for the current best in the genre, perfect or no, which personally I reckon it qualifies for in spades.

    Still, I reckon Captain Quark is far and away the funniest character ever to appear in a vid game. CQ the Movie - Now!

  • Teeth #30 7 years ago

    I suggest a new rating scheme of 0 - 3 where 0 is don't buy it, 1 is mediocre, 2 is good and 3 is great. Could give honours to certain games.