Ratchet & Clank: A Crack In Time

Platform:  Playstation 3
Developer:  Insomniac
Publisher:  Sony Computer Entertainment

Wrapping up the trilogy that started with Future and was abridged with the downloadable Quest for Booty, Crack In Time brings the story involving the mysterious Zoni and the abduction of Clank to a close with a well paced final chapter.  The player moves between controlling Ratchet as he travels the universe along side the hapless Captain Quark and controlling Clank whose levels are based in a giant mechanical clock shaped planet.   That’s clock shaped planet.

Actually, the Clank levels, which are comprised of increasingly complicated puzzles involving multiple Clank clones and rewinding time, are actually some of the best designed stages in the game.

A large part of the game’s appeal for me is its light hearted Saturday morning cartoon feel, from the comical and ridiculous arsenal of weapons to the over the top villains who are brilliantly voiced and animated.  I particularly liked the whiney robots who complain of having sore backs and suggest you leave them alone and find ‘your own evil lair’.

There’s nothing particularly ground breaking about Crack In Time.  Its just a pleasure to play through.  Its polished, well produced and a breezy game to play through to completion.