Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando

Almost precisely one year after Insomniac’s release of the hugely popular (and rightly so) Ratchet & Clank, comes the sequel: Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando.  Only a scant nine months in development, Going Commando is the antithesis of traditional game development laws, which state that any sequel that hasn’t benefited from at least the same amount of time as the original is destined for failure.  The fact that the first game was so rife with technical feats of programming wizardry, spot-on level design, and immensely satisfying combat sequences around every corner, makes the chances of a sequel being created in such a short amount of time all the more likely to be an underwhelming experience.  But Insomniac has somehow, through the magic of time distortion perhaps, improved upon every facet of the original while adding a huge assortment of original additions, propelling the game beyond even the stratospheric regions of the first game.

The story in Going Commando begins shortly after the events of Ratchet & Clank.  Two well-earned superheroes that are no longer needed to save the galaxy from peril serve as the protagonists of Going Commando, one a cat (I think?) and the other a robot, begin the game participating in an interview where they fondly reflect on their past conquests.  Suddenly they are transported to the offices of one Abercrombie Fizzwidget, CEO of MegaCorp and owner of the largest weapons manufacturer in the known universe, and are told that their services are again needed.  It so happens that one of Fizzwidgets cute, furry little experiments has been stolen and the implications could be disastrous.  Ratchet, more than willing to reclaim his past title of “champion of the galaxy” quickly agrees to set out and retrieve the stolen experiment.  And thus begins a journey filled to the brim with dryly humorous anecdotes and more explosions than a solar flare, erupting with the force of a hundred million hydrogen bombs.  Hope you brought a doggy bag.

The gameplay in Going Commando is much the same as it was in the original game.  Traveling from planet to planet, navigating through multi-path environments and completing objectives are still very much the order of the day.  Interspersed between the action are incredibly well-choreographed cut-scenes that advance the story and represent some of the most thought-out and gut-wrenchingly funny sequences ever witnessed in a platforming game.  Where the first Ratchet & Clank shined due to its inclusion of numerous, highly-functional weapons of mass destruction, Going Commando takes the concept one step further by allowing the player to level up their weapons through prolonged use.  You’ll still find that switching weapons consistently throughout any given level is the most efficient manner of disposing of the opposition, but the added incentive of using weapons to transform them to a more powerful form makes switching weapons even more satisfying.

A small meter in the upper left corner of the screen tells you at a glance how much experience the equipped weapon has earned, and how much further it needs to go to level up.  The Lancer, for example, begins as a highly useful, yet severely limited energy blaster, but by destroying enough enemies with it it will transform in the Heavy Lancer, a fully automatic, more powerful energy blaster; the already-powerful Gravity Bomb upgrades to a devastating Mini-Nuke; the double-barrel shotgun-like Blitz Gun will transform into a Blitz Cannon, etc. 

But this newfound focus on RPG elements is not limited only to the game’s many weapons, Ratchet himself also benefits from earning experience.  Each time Ratchet levels up he’ll earn an additional notch of health.  Spending bolts (which are earned en masse by destroying enemies) is also a great way to increase the capacity of Ratchet by purchasing new armor.  Stronger wrenches will also be obtained at various points in the game.  Platinum bolts that are scattered throughout the planets of Going Commando can be spent on adding tasty side effects to your existing weapons, such as shock and acid elemental properties.  The sheer level of upgradeability and customization that can be done in this game is astounding, especially for a game that is first and foremost a platformer.

Mega-games, Insomniacs tongue-in-cheek moniker for Going Commando’s many mini-games, adds an entirely new slice of pie to the Ratchet & Clank equation.  Expect to pilot Ratchet’s fully customizable spaceship while traveling between certain planets in a Star Fox meets Kingdom Hearts space-shooting romp.  The hover bike races are a real kick in the pants, boasting the high-speed adrenaline excitement of some AAA futuristic racing games and course designs that will astound.  Many other mini-games will be found in the game, such as arena battles, desert exploration, and simplistic puzzle sequences.

One of the many reasons Ratchet & Clank was praised back in 2002 was its longer-than-average game time.  Going Commando, though, is even longer, clocking in at around 20 extremely fulfilling hours.  The fact that every area in the game looks so drastically different from each other, and that every minute of gameplay offers entirely unique action, makes the game’s prolonged lasting appeal all the more impressive.  Those who complained that the first game was too easy will be glad to know that Going Commando ramps of the difficulty level considerably, featuring much tougher enemies that tote considerably stronger weapons.  But since Ratchet, too, has the potential to grow exponentially in strength and can level up his weapons, it all pretty much evens out.  Basically, Going Commando equates to more of everything, more hectic, heated battles, bigger, more complex environments, and a considerably more satisfying experience all around.

Visually, Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando is a programming feat the likes of which were previously thought impossible with the PS2’s limited technical specs.  Insomniac does things with the PlayStation 2 hardware that will astound and amaze.  Heh.  Draw distances stretch as far as the eye can see, texture detail is sublime, animation is Disney-esque, and the character models look amazing.  While Going Commando works off of an only slightly revamped engine that was used in the original, the original was by no means a graphical slouch.  What will really catch your eye, though, are the numerous special effects used to represent the myriad weapons in the game.  Particle effects, fire, explosions, the abundance of visual goodness purported throughout the game makes Going Commando a perfect game to show off the capabilities of the PS2. 

From an audio perspective, Going Commando does an admirable job of blending perfectly orchestrated music with shockingly effective sound effects.  The aural emissions of the Blitz Cannon alone is enough to make you cower in terror.  The many instances of dialogue are excellently voiced, all the trademark inflections and quips that the original game established are successfully carried over to Going Commando, including Clank’s impossibly cute, awkward robot laugh.  Ratchet sports an entirely new voice, forcing a psychological reset in the minds of players.  (He is no longer the laughably confident, smart-alecky hot-shot he was in the original game.)  Thank God.

Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando is every bit as amazing and entertaining as the original was in its day, but even more so.  Insomniac has got to be true to their namesake to have pulled off the miraculous feat of creating a sequel to an already wonderful game that manages to do as much justice to the original game as Going Commando has.  To cut through all the erroneous conjecture that attempts to explain why this game is so great, suffice to say this is the most fun a platformer fan can possibly have with a Dual Shock.  Seriously.

Gameplay: 10
I don’t see how it could have been any better.  The game seamlessly transitions from spot-on platforming, to satisfying role-playing elements, to extremely visceral shooting sequences that rival Unreal Tournament.  Simply amazing.  I mean, wow.
 

Graphics: 9.4
Somehow Insomniac has coaxed an unbelievable amount of visual flair and detail from the PS2 that players have no choice but to simply stare and marvel.  This is what videogames are all about.
 

Sound: 9.1

Music, sound effects, and voiceovers all add substantially to the enjoyment of the experience. Insomniac nailed every aural aspect of the game with aplomb.
 

Difficulty: Medium
The difficulty level has been substantially increased, forcing the player to adapt to harsher, more threatening situations.  Luckily, the host of new character development aspects makes dealing with the tougher enemies and obstacles quite viable.
 

Concept: 9.1
Being the first of its kind has to be worth something.  A platform game that allows your character to gain experience, or moreover takes on traditional RPG traits as flawlessly as this game does, well, it’s a monumental accomplishment. Character and weapon development adds to the high energy and overall fun of the game.

Overall: 9.4

Overall, Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando prolongs the extreme pleasure of the first game while introducing enough off-the-wall additions to consistently surprise you.