System: Playstation 2
Genre: Action/ Platformer
Developer: Insomniac Games
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
ESRB Rating: Teen
Release Date: 11/02/04
Difficulty: Easy to Medium
Learning Curve: 15 to 30 minutes
 
 

Pros	Cons
Great single player, great multiplayer, great sound effects, good graphics, nice new weapons, great story, very polished, vidcomics, great replay ability	Can be too easy at times, the story is a little short

Fun: 20 out of 20

This game is just plain fun. If you enjoyed the first two games this is more of the same. Any person who enjoys platforming or shooting of any kind will enjoy this game. The platforming and shooting have been taken to the next level. Arena battling has returned and is better than ever. The new feature in this game is vidcomics. These are the adventures of the "famous" Captain Quark. They play out in a comic book fashion. For everyone who enjoyed old 2D platforming these sections are perfect for you. With already excellent gameplay R&C UYA improves on everything from the previous games. If you don't have fun with this game you must not like games.

Story: 10 out of 10

R&C UYA continues the franchise's history of having great stories. The story begins with another world under attack. Ratchet and Clank once again rush to the aid of a planet in trouble. Eventually Ratchet and Clank become part of the group called the Q-Force. This group is led by Captain Quark and helps out worlds that are in need of their services. The plot moves at a steady pace. Eventually Ratchet and Clank find out there is something more to these attacks. They eventually meet up with the villain Dr. Nefarious.

Innovation: 9.5 out of 10

R&C UYA is a very innovative game. Expanding upon already excellent gameplay UYA improves on every aspect of the game. The controls are tuned to a crisp. The sound story and graphics are perfect. The combat is improved even more. Insomniac Games improved on the best action platformer of this generation. I haven't even talked about the multiplayer yet. R&C UYA is the first action platformer to contain an online multiplayer. UYA's multiplayer is not an afterthought. I will get into the multiplayer more later. This is why R&C UYA is so deserving of a high rating in innovation.

Control: 9.5 out of 10

R&C UYA continues the series great controls. The previous games had almost perfect controls. This years game comes as close to perfection as is possible. All the controls are refined in this game. Almost all the problems from the previous games have been fixed. The jumping controls and most of the shooting controls are perfect. There are two minor problems with the controls. First the free roam camera. At times it is really hard to control the camera so you can see where you are going. The second is the lock on targeting of some of the weapons. At times weapons unlock from an enemy even when you are still pushing the button. Both of these problems are very small. UYA's control comes so close to a perfect 10.

Graphics: 10 out of 10

R&C UYA has beautiful graphics. Insomniac Games has created an imaginative and immersive world. The characters are well detailed and move smoothly. The worlds are also well done. Each world is creative and is unlike any other world in the game. Each world has a distinct flavor. The weapons are creatively designed. The weapon effects really shine. From the quack-o-ray to the pulse rifle every weapon reacts how you would expect them too. The cutscenes are simply amazing. They are of a movie quality and tell the story in great detail. Also the cutscenes are very funny. The graphics are as close to perfect as possible. The only thing that hurts the graphics is the camera. It sometimes does not show you what you want to see. R&C UYA is totally deserving of a perfect rating in graphics.

Sound: 10 out of 10

The sound in R&C UYA is simply amazing. The voice acting is top notch. The voice actors play their parts perfectly. Ratchet's and Clank's voices fit perfectly to their character. The many other characters in the game are also well done. The script is wrote perfectly and brings a lot of comedy to the game. The sound effects are also stunning. The guns sound as realistic as possible. The many voices you hear in the background add to the atmosphere. The musical score is also amazing. The songs totally fit the game and are played at the right time. R&C UYA is deserving of a 10 in sound.

Replay Value: 8 out of 10

Replay Value is where R&C UYA suffers most. The game is great but it is a little too short. The game lasts a little more than twenty hours. While there are many fun diversions to add time to the game it is still a little too short. The second time you play through the game, the game becomes harder. It is a fun enough game to play again but you are playing the game over again. They should have added a couple more hours to the main part of the game. The replay value is still good but suffers more than anything else.

Challenge: 8 out of 10

R&C also has a few problems with challenge. The game usually maintains a good challenge level but at times it drops too much to both sides. At times it is so easy you will not even come close to breaking a sweat. At other times it becomes frustrating. I can remember one time in the game that I got frustrated. Also the beginning of the final boss battle can become very frustrating. Most of the time you will feel challenged but you will not feel cheated.

Multiplayer: 10 out of 10

Before R&C I thought it would be years until a platformer had a good online feature. The online feature is so good it is almost worth the $40 by itself. It contains standard free-for-all deathmatch and team deathmatch. R&C also contains capture the flag and siege mode. Siege is a mode where you try to attack your opponents base while they try to attack yours. There are two types of vehicles that you can use in the game. The online mode is extremely polished. Almost everything can be tweaked from unlimited ammo to what weapons even appear in the game. One of the biggest pluses of the game is an extreme lack of lag. R&C multiplayer is executed perfectly.

Overall: 95 out of 100 (95%) Must Buy, Game of the Year Candidate

Ratchet and Clank is one of the best games of 2004. It is a great mix of platforming and action. If you loved the previous two games you will love this game even more. This game gives you more and more great gameplay. Everything is perfect with the game except for the challenge and replay value. I would recommend this game to anyone who enjoys platforming or shooting of any kind. Even if you haven't played the previous games I would still recommend this game. After you play this game you will want to go back and play the other two games. This is probably the last game in this series on this generation of consoles. It was probably one of the best series on the PS2. I can't wait until the next Ratchet and Clank game comes out. I would recommend this game to anyone. I can't see anyone not enjoying this game.