#38 - Ratchet And Clank 3: Up Your Arsenal

Most people would pick either Going Commando or Deadlocked, and while I like those games, I just preferred Up Your Arsenal as a whole. Going Commando was a big jump from the first game, true, but Up Your Arsenal improves on that by a significant amount, and looking back, I just didn't like Going Commando that much. Deadlocked may have improved on the action, but the story sucked and it just bored me. So Up Your Arsenal it is. Oh, and the first game has not aged well (and if you actually think it's the best in the series, then I think there's something wrong with you because the rest of the series plays SOOO much better...), the PS2 ports of the PSP games were not up to par (nor were the PSP games that good, period), and I haven't played the PS3 ones so I can't really comment on them (although having Dr Nefarious back in A Crack In Time? Hell yeah).

But really, Up Your Arsenal took the Ratchet And Clank formula and performed at 9001%. This is easily the funniest story in the series with the most over the top villain to date that always cracks up. This also has the best story in the series. The earlier games and Deadlocked either moved a bit too fast or too slowly, but Up Your Arsenal gets just the right speed in terms of pacing and allows every moment to sink in. Not a great story by any means, but it's pretty good, especially considering that nobody really looks at this series for story. But you know, humor is one thing - gunplay is another, and they certainly get that right too. The weapon selection has a good amount of variety, from pistols to rocket launchers and even plasma whips and shield generators. Enemy encounters are generally fun, levels are designed fairly well... really, it's the feeling that it could've been better that holds this game back.

Summary - A fun, oftentimes humorous shooter/platformer
Rating - 8.5/10

gaming related playstation 2 ratchet clank up your arsenal