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As a conversion from a PSP title, players
probably won't expect a lot from the Playstation 2 version of Ratchet
& Clank: Size Matters. Overlooking this game would be a mistake, since
it offers the same solidly entertaining and challenging platform action,
shooting and strategy that have made previous games in the series so
popular with gamers. After their long-awaited vacation has been rudely
interrupted, the heroic duo once again on a quest to save the universe
from a deadly array of foes. Along the way, you'll encounter piles of
enemies and foes. As in the previous games, you'll find an array of
interesting weapons and gadgets to use. Many of these should be familiar
to fans of the earlier games, with some old favorites like the Shocker,
used to electrocute nearby foes returning. One of the coolest weapons are
the agents of doom. These mini-robots can be deployed and detonated at
your command and used to explore and explode dangerous areas of the game.
You'll spend the majority of your time playing as Ratchet and when you're
playing him, you'll find some familiar mechanics in play. You have your
trusty wrench at your side at all times and this is useful in close
combat. When you defeat an enemy they release bolts that you can use at
the stores scattered throughout the levels to purchase additional ammo and
weapons. However, in a unique twist, you can also play as his robot
companion Clank in certain sections of the game, which allows for some
unique play mechanics to ensue. This approach definitely helps to keep
R&C: Size Matters from feeling stale, though it doesn't stray too far
from the already successful formula, with an excellent mix of strategy and
action that makes playing it a real joy.
 As
you play the game, you can also adjust the camera angle by pressing the
shift buttons, which can be quite useful when you're on a moving object
and you face opponents coming at you from different angles. As you battle,
your main character will take on damage, which can be repaired by
collecting blue energy orbs you find throughout the game. As you defeat
different levels and missions, you can enter your starship and fly to
different planets. There is some load time here, but it's the only kind
you'll face. Once you land on a planet and get into the heat of the
battle, the levels stream seamlessly which allows the game to flow without
any breaks in the action. From a control standpoint, the games on console
have always done an excellent job of balancing the 3D platforming and
shooting action elements the series has been famous for. Aside from this,
you can use the shift keys to spin the camera around and switch into a
first person mode for targeting specific objects. This system is fairly
intuitive and makes good use of the console's buttons to create and
effective, easy to use interface. The game controls quite smoothly, and
the remapped controls have made an excellent transition from the PSP to
the dual shock, making for a seamless experience between the two titles.
This familiarity means that players familiar with the earlier Ratchet
& Clank titles should be able to jump right into the new game with
little effort.
From a gameplay standpoint, Ratchet
& Clank: Size Matters follows the constructs of the PSP version
faithfully and plays almost identically to its handheld predecessor. The
levels progress in a fairly straightforward manner and don't really
diverge if you have to go and replay them when you lose your energy. The
game does change some of the power-ups and weapons crates you encounter,
but there really isn't much variety in the way the enemies attack or in
their numbers. This makes some portions of the game easier to beat than
others. Even the bosses don't really change their attack patterns, which
makes defeating them an exercise in persistence and memorization more than
it relies on the player's skill. The single player game is broken up with
a series of moderately entertaining mini-games and sub-missions which are
enjoyable enough, but don't offer the depth or challenge of the main game.
Players who don't want to play through the entire game solo can also
choose to play online via the PSP's wi-fi connections and battle it out
with up to four other players online. These arena modes are quite
entertaining as well and do an excellent job of showcasing the variety and
number of weapons available to the player. The game also succeeds from a
from a visual standpoint. R&C: Size Matters features the same highly
polished production values players have come to expect. You can see the
attention to detail in the high-quality animation and movement of the
characters. Everything from the enemy characters to the in-game cut-scenes
fits together coherently to create an excellent game that offers a variety
of terrain to explore. As you reach different planets, you'll face
everything from high-tech cities, to jungle areas and even beaches. Each
planet also brings with it a unique set of enemies and obstacles to face.
You can see some similarities between the worlds after awhile, but the
ability to switch between the two main characters helps to keep things
fresh.
 While
there have been several high-profile PSP titles to date have tried to
mimic the scope and depth of their console editions, Ratchet & Clank:
Size Matters is one of the better titles. Superior textures and improved
lighting effects are evident, and this conversion to the PS2 has made its
high-quality all the more apparent. The new multiplayer split screen modes
are loads of fun and add high replay value to the game. Most importantly,
Size Matters' remapped controls and challenging gameplay you've come to
expect from the series. Its stages run the gamut from being to simplistic
to overly difficult, but things generally unfold at a good pace with
excellent mini-games to break up the action. The game's cinematic
sequences are also well-done and there are plenty of surprises along the
way. In the end, this is a successful transplant of the popular
platforming series that fans won't want to miss. Ratchet & Clank: Size
Matters does an excellent job in converting the already excellent PSP game
to Playstation 2 without missing a beat. -
Michael Palisano
Grade: B+
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Ratchet
& Clank: Size Matters