Ratchet & Clank Collection

Ratchet and Clank are my heroes. They are the stuff legends are made of. Ever since I popped the original "Ratchet and Clank" game into my PS2 I've been hooked, and the series just kept getting better through the course of the three games that make up the original trilogy. Yes, Insomniac's epic saga of a lethal but lovable Lombax and his diminutive but dedicated robot sidekick, though it has had its rough spots (Ratchet: Deadlocked, Size Matters, All 4 One), has never failed to remind me why it is that I love it so much. The series' near perfection in its dynamic characters, epic storytelling, endlessly fun gameplay, eye-popping art style, and witty adult humor long ago made it my favorite videogame series of all time.Just like any good legend, Ratchet and Clank are alive and well years after their maiden voyages took place. And now fans new and old can experience these voyages in HD. I am blown away by the improvements in all three games' graphics, but especially by those of the original game. Being ten years old, this title definitely needed a graphical upgrade and it certainly got it. "Ratchet and Clank" now looks as good as or better than anything on the PS2 and that is very gratifying. The same goes for R&C 2 and 3 as well.Another thing that I noticed was the very welcome addition of trophy sets for each of the titles. Personally, I would have bought this collection even if trophies had not been included because I have never needed any extra incentive to immerse myself in these stellar games; however the trophies are a nice touch, giving me just one more reason to keep playing.The bottom line is all three games look excellent with noticeably improved graphics. The games, as far as I can tell are not changed in any other way (good thing). And the experience is as exhilarating as ever. What more can one ask from an HD remastering?Rather than prolong this review with more praise for my most beloved game series I will end by saying that for fans like me there was no question of whether or not to buy this collection. These classics are worth every penny. And if you, like me, have nearly worn out your PS2 copies of each of the three games included, this collection is not just a desire, it's a necessity. Lastly, to newcomers to the series I would simply say that I have never enjoyed three videogames as much as I have enjoyed the Ratchet and Clank original trilogy, and at the amazingly low price of 30 bucks these gaming gems should not be missed.

When I first got my PS3 I was a little disappointed selling m PS2 so I could afford it. I was left with all 4 original Ratchet and Clank games sitting on the shelf. Little by painfully little I sold my PS2 games off. But I held off on selling those 4, hoping some patch would be wired so that I could play them on my non backwards compatible machine. However I grudgingly sold them and they slowly drifted into the past. Now, about a year ago when the GoW collection got released. This spiked my hope. I was one of the 2000 or so that sent a petition to make a R&C collection. I searched all over each Google page. I even went to page 2 of the Google search. :) Then my patience was rewarded when I saw this! And my passion for R&C got re-ignited with the goofy, sarcastic, and power packed gem that is R&C. Obviously I don't need to go into any review for the original trilogy since we all know how great it is otherwise you wouldn't be here. But let's focus on the HD re-release.First off I have beaten all 3 and gotten most of the trophies. (All except 3 on R&C 3) So I feel that I know the game well enough to make a good review of it.The first thing you'll notice is the main menu. And while I enjoy the little commercial esque scenes on which game you highlight. I must point out that switching between the 3 is a PAIN. You sometimes have to press left or right like 4 or 5 times for the menu to notice and if you accidentally click on one you didn't mean to pick you have to restart your PS3 since there's no in game switching.Now after you get into the games you'll instantly feel right at home with the controls. They're exactly like their old counterparts. And the graphics are much more crisp, they're aren't blocky like they use to be. Now, don't expect Uncharted material here, but the graphics are smooth. Virtually no loading screens and no choppy scenes like some HD remakes.Now for the trophy support. Personally I love trying to get all the trophies. It makes playing and replaying seem exciting. Sweating your hands off just for that one more trophy. However, one game in particular, the original, seems like they tried way too hard. Some of trophies just seem like they aren't worth getting if you don't know a glitch past them. For instance, the 1,000,000 bolt trophy. If you just blast through the game without buying anything but necessary. You'll end up with around 300,000 bolts.... 4 playthroughs!!!??? In the original there was a way to get past it, but they took that glitch away. So in other words if you don't find another glitch you have to beat the game 4 times, which seems a little ridiculous considering it's the weakest of the 3. But I digress. It's still a fun and engaging challenge for even the most experienced R&C player.Unfortunately there are rumors that the PS4 will not be backwards compatible at all. If that's the case I think I'll hang on to my PS3 and keep playing this extremely addictive trilogy! ;)