Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (Sony PlayStation 2, 2004)

First off if you are a fan of action adventure games, shooters, and a fan of puzzle games this one is for you. One minute you are running and gunning (with weapons that vary from a vacuum to a shooting blade), the next minute you have to "hack" into the next level by solving a simple puzzle game. Overall I give this game a 8.8 out of 10. Allow me to explain
First off the good
1. Unlimited lives r great, if you can't get it right, no problem.
2. I liked the destructible environments of each level. While not all items are destructible most are if you use the more powerful weapons. For example, on planet Koros the patio furniture can net you thousands of bolts if you destroy them. Furthermore, all the glass (windows and overhangs on doorways) are destructible for more bolts (remember bolts = cash).
3. I loved the color and depth of each level. For a linear game each environment was very colorful and deep for a PS2 title. I played this on an HD TV (via HDMI cable) at 480p (my PS3 upscaled it). I noticed many differences from playing it on a PS2 with a component out hookup (Clank has a nice shine and the first level green blobs are glass like).
4. I like the difficulty and variation of weapons (it allowed you to keep the game feeling new as you learned how to implement each one)
5. I loved the Vid comic mini games – nice break from the real game and each was frustratingly fun.
6. I like the teleport option after you cleared a level.
7. Importing old save files gets you an advantage – if you have an original R&C save file you get a 10% off discount, a R&C going commando gets you some of the weapons from that game for free (I imported the lava gun and one other)
8. I paid $10 for it (at eBay)
Now the bad
1. Easy Boss fights (cept Nefarious boss battle on _____).
2. The game has several glitches causing Ratchet to plument to his doom when jumping. You must perform each jump deliberately and slowly or else risk falling when coming up short. Mind you there is not a lot of glitches, but I noticed quite a bit (shooting through walls, ratchet being unable to climb a ladder unless he backed off of it, Minigun turrets randomly disappearing and then re-appearing, minigun turrets not launching when I fire them. – One time I fired four mini turrets and they did not appear, after several seconds they all appeared at once, then magically disappeared
3. The enemy has very little AI. In other words if you see an armed enemy they will not shoot at you unless you cross that magic "territorial line" or you shoot at them.
4. Nanotech level is only 100 at max (R&C health unless you beat the game and then do challenge mode)
5. Armor cannot be bought in advance (it is only available as the game progresses) and the last one is PRICEY
With 7 being good and 8 being great I give this game a 88% or an 8/10. It is not worth playing if you want to play the best PS2/PS3 adventure shooter, but if you want to experience R&C this is a good one and can be had on the cheap. It also had ok music and was long enough to provide a challenge, but not long enough to warrant weeks worth of all nighters. :O

I LOVED this game more than any of the other Ratchet & Clank series games, although they are all very good. This game was long enough to keep you busy for quite some time, but short enough to not get frustrated over. There are several Clank mini games that mix up the gameplay and keep you from getting bored. Much of the game reminds me of the 2nd title (going commando), but I enjoyed this one more because there is a mix of elements from the first two titles and things I loved in both games, and several new elements as well.

If you are a parent, this game is not bloody or violent whatsoever, and it involves quite a bit of problem-solving. The kids will have to decide which weapon/gadget to use in different scenarios, and generally only one combination of the two works to get them past different spots in the game. Although it sounds a little tricky (and it is) it will not frustrate your children because they continue gameplay while they figure it out, so you don't have to worry that the game will bore them. It's a thinking game as well as fun and leisure (and the kids won't even know they are using their brains while they are playing). YOU'RE WELCOME FOR THE REVIEW KIDS OF THE EBAY WORLD - SHOW THIS ONE TO MOM AND LET HER KNOW THAT I'M A 34 YEAR OLD WOMAN! YES REALLY. The game is great fun for adults too, even though it is often hailed as a kids game, it's difficult enough to keep the adults involved, and not childish, but good clean fun! Buy it, especially if you've played any of the other titles and enjoyed them.

Fantastic. This game is positively addicting and loads of fun. Constant improvements over 1 & 2.

Weapons; The weapons are well balanced, enjoyable to use, and fun to upgrade with a great selection available. As in R&C2, you can also carry weapons over from the previous game for free! There's a nice upgrading system for the weapons as well, which gets you excited about using them.

Levels; As always well laid out. The absence of the glider levels and hover bike races found in #2 is welcome, however I do miss the space combat missions. They did introduce a new variety tid-bit with the side scrolling Captain Quark missions. An enjoyable distraction to the main game. I also found that searching for sewer crystals far more bearable then the crystal searching in R&C2. Although I faced some challenges along the way which I wished were a little more forgiving, the difficulty level is quite suited to even a casual gamer like myself. Insomniac also introduced a new way to play side missions, with a variety of goals and mission types. The gladiator games are a definite blast as well. And although the side missions and gladiator games are optional, you do not want to pass up all the fun!

Story; I usually don't give too much concern to story in games. I'm more interested in getting back to the action. But this story is entertaining, and the cut scenes don't bore me to death. They keep the pace going without wasting too much time on seg-ways. Insomniac also brings some of their classic humour to the game. It's not often that a game will actually make me laugh out loud.

Controls; As tight and responsive as always. They also improved your quick select option, making it easier to access your weapons and gadgets.

Despite a few of the more challenging areas that got some steam blowing, this game is incredibly fun, and definitely the most worth while of the Ratchet and Clank Series.

Could the Ratchet & Clank series get any better? I didn't think so but it does in this third installment in the hit series. I can't help but love the characters and have to play through the whole thing to find all the secrets. This is still an epic space adventure but this time things are a little different. It feels as if you have a small army at times and fight battle after battle. There is still some arena fights and some new obstacle course runs. But the biggest addition is the online multiplayer that will keep you busy for a long time after you complete the single player. Controls are every bit as good as the first two and weapons are even more powerful than before and upgrade quicker. Fans of the series will not be disappointed. This is a must have and an excellent addition to any collection. 5/5

Although I am not an avid gamer, I have played my fair share or titles in all genres, and I can say that Ratchet and Clank offers the best of the first person shooter, platform, and puzzle game genres. The weapons are powerful, fun to use, unique, easy to change, and fun to upgrade to more destructive versions. The plot is a little complex for younger players, but well thought out and played by the creators. Both Ratchet and Clank are likable characters that you want to root for, and the villains are just as dislikable. Cut scenes are interesting and usually humorous, and give good breaks between the frequent explosions. The levels are all different in difficulty, number of enemies, layout, and objective. I had a great time playing this game (Twice: One in normal and one in challenge mode), and would strongly recommend it to fans of Jak and Daxter, the previous Ratchet and Clank games, or anyone who wants a break from the strategic stress of first person shooters such as Halo and Counter Strike. Nothing beats killing absurd amounts of enemies with exceptionally entertaining weapons in creative settings.