Always in search of his sidekick, who recently discovered that he had a soul despite his metallic coating, Ratchet spends his days scouring the universe alongside the famous Captain Qwark. A somewhat forced team which will also quickly disintegrate, the greenish hero getting bogged down despite himself in a series of inextricable situations. You thus embody in turn Ratchet and Clank, each facing his past, one very real with the discovery of a fallen general and the other more mystical through memories of a surprising destiny. A controlled narrative balance since neither of the two heroes encroaches on the other thanks to the establishment of two entangled plots. The latter remain quite classic but very endearing, a bit like the work done on all the characters, who are full of very expressive facial expressions exhaling a convincing feeling of "life". More detailed and sentimental than the previous episodes, the scenario of Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time is constantly crossed by really well felt humorous outings, in particular concerning Dr. Nefarious, source of scenes sometimes reduced to the absurd. Narrative bases well anchored in the habits of the saga, like the game system which also seems to be imbued with a somewhat lazy bonhomie.
Bolt remains
Evolving more and more towards the image of an interstellar warrior according to the episodes, Ratchet does not change his habits of massive destruction of boxes. Equipped with new magnetic boots, allowing him to go through certain levels on various planes, the young Lomax nevertheless remains in the classicism. Navigating the game's very varied environments either with both feet screwed to the ground or on hoverboots (which allow you to float a few inches above the wild grass), you will spend most of your time breaking crates in search of of bolts. Everything is supported by a fairly ordinary level design that gives the various situations encountered a disturbing feeling of deja vu. A finding that does not prevent this "part" of the title from arousing real interest, but which sometimes tends to drag it into a demotivating redundancy, especially during the first hours. Especially since the defusing of this feeling of reproduction is done in the same way as in the previous episode, namely through an enjoyable and extremely varied arsenal. Classic to chase the classic in short. You will therefore find yourself at the head of inventive weapons with a very convincing comic-futuristic design, which can evolve as you discover special parts during the adventure. A subterfuge that works rather well despite everything, thanks to varied situations, forcing you to diversify your warlike approach and to logically use all of your range of explosions and lasers. Conversely, Clank, always borderline, once again brings the original side to software.
Undergoing a belated evolution [...], Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time retains a lazy gameplay pattern, but still manages to appeal with an injection of exploration and flawless design."
Knighted by the Zoni and in search of his identity, Clank quickly discovers that he now possesses the power to manipulate time almost at will. A legendary magic staff gives him the ability to throw temporal grenades, while special plates give him the opportunity to appeal to his egocentrism by creating duplicates of himself. This very interesting and finely inserted principle in the title is the great strength of the phases featuring the little robot. Acting as a reflective passage, the use of plates requires a good capacity for projection. Indeed, you must record Clank's movements on one of them, such as activating a switch opening a door for example, then start recording your "double". Once your actions have been repeated by your clone according to the recording made, you will only have to go through the now open door. Of course, the concept becomes more complex as you progress, which represents a new and exciting challenge without ever becoming inaccessible or repetitive. Time bombs, on the other hand, allow you to slow down or even freeze the course of time for a short period. Useful against the many bosses and certain enemies, the latter are above all a means of progressing in the Great Clock. A nice idea which unfortunately does not really evolve and remains an ability in the same way as the triple jump. More strategic and less nervous than the game phases involving Ratchet, those dedicated to Clank materialize the playful justification of this sequel, while unfortunately being less immersive, the fault of a lack of magnificent scenery and side quests.
Super Ratchet and Clank Galaxy
Possessing a spaceship, the Aphelion, Ratchet is free to explore various micro-planets between his main missions, located on larger celestial bodies. Each part of the universe has indeed several small stars directly accessible, like a Super Mario Galaxy. Each of them contains a more or less interesting bonus, ranging from a Zoni (necessary for the customization of your ship) to gold bolts, even additional parts dedicated to weapons. Each possessing a particular challenge, these small planets all display a particular atmosphere against a backdrop of spatial infinity. A tour de force representative of the general artistic direction which offers complex and very original architectures as well as excavated wild decorations, containing an immediately catchy dreamlike aspect. A plural and colorful environment that sometimes recalls the inventiveness of the excellent Oddworld series. At least in the skin of Ratchet, Clank evolving more in a synthetic atmosphere. You may also be able to take the time to observe the starry sky during the various space battles that are once again present. This time a slight redesign in the gameplay allows better control of the Aphelion, despite a pivot system on an axis that is still very steep and draconian. The arrival of a classy embryo of space exploration therefore offers Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time a pleasant density, a subtle derivative of simple hidden missions scattered within the main levels. A surprising feeling of adventure is then revealed as the game progresses, thought of as linear and pushes the player to indulge his desires for discovery. Undergoing a late evolution, quite similar but less brilliant than between Jak and Daxter and Jak II: Outlaws, Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time retains a basic lazy game pattern, but still manages to seduce thanks to an injection of exploration and faultless design. Putting its scenario and its gallery of characters a little more forward, but also pulling the player to many encounters and fascinating environments, the title of Insomniac Games is like an old pop group a little outdated. Outdated themes, musicians thoroughly on their achievements but melodies that capture immediately. The problem is that by dint of being too sure to stay in the hearts of fans without needing to surprise them unduly, the Ratchet & Clank series is gradually falling apart. Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time therefore appears to be their final lap of honor before an essential reformation of the group for a change of style.
