Ratchet and Clank Trilogy: PS Vita Review

Ratchet and Clank Trilogy: PS Vita Review

Released by Sony / Insomniac Games
Platform: PS Vita

Some characters are synonymous with PlayStation.

None more so than Ratchet and Clank (and perhaps, Little BigPlanet's Sackboy). The duo have had a whole series of games constructed around their destructive tendencies. And now, their first three games from the PS2 are being ported over to the small screen for you to enjoy on the move.

And this trio of Ratchet platformers are perhaps some of the most well-loved and most playable the series has put out - particularly the third of the trilogy, Up Your Arsenal which is one of the go-to games for me when I just want to sit back and blast away.

Insomniac Games' port over is fairly faithful, though it has to be said some of the epic scale of the game is a little lost due to the size of the OLED screen. While it still looks good, you can't help but feel some of that has been lost in translation.

Controls are exactly the same as the PS2 and PS3 HD remaster- and the mission remains the same too; smash things, kill baddies and collect bolts to help you level up your arsenal. Weapons still vary via game to game but there's always the omnipresent wrench and the trusty Clank to help you out too - each game remains playable enough, even if there are parts of the cut scenes which occasionally just appear to stop as they play out.

It's a solid port over, but if you're a veteran of the series, then you may wonder what there is new to play or attract you to play through 3 games that you've probably replayed before. And the answer is very little (ie nothing at all). Newcomers to the franchise will enjoy the quirky humour, the sheer playability of the piece and the simple style on show. While each game evolves in look and grows in strengths, the core dynamics don't change and the player is rewarded for sticking with them.

Nostalgia is a key factor in the Ratchet and Clank Trilogy on the PS Vita - they remain one of the best trilogies of all time and the most playable games whatever the platform.

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