Secret Agent Clank Review for the PlayStation Portable (PSP)

System: PSP	Review Rating Legend
Dev: High Impact Games	1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid	4.0 - 4.4 = Great
Pub: SONY	2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
Release: June 17, 2008	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	5.0 = The Best
Players: 1	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+	3.5 - 3.9 = Good

Ratchet tends to be more of a fighter. Now he's in the brig, he needs to keep his act together and defend himself from the angry inmates he threw in there and even the warden, who's set on revenge. You should be more than familiar with at least one of Ratchet's weapons by now. He's got the always-useful Lacerator, along with the ice-shooting Shard Gun, the almighty Walloper glove, a Mine Launcher, and the Bee Mine Glow, full of explosive, robotic bees. These weapons are very fun to use, but fighting hordes of fuming prisoners ended up being repetitive and too challenging. There are numerous challenges you can take if you choose to do so, but I'm glad the game gives you the option to continue with the story and skip the extra fights.

Secret Agent Clank screenshot

Qwark is the one fighting the big boss battles. Can you believe it? Captain Qwark finally doing something productive instead of dreaming and lying! Well, don't be so sure. You know how things are with him, even if those boss battles look very real! Soon enough you'll realize what he's saying doesn't make the least bit of sense. Of course, you'll still have to fight.

It was fun to take down most of these monsters, but it's crazy how the story jumps back and forth between Clank's platform and puzzle-oriented gameplay, Ratchet's all-against-one fights, and Qwark's goofy, heroic battles. On top of that, sometimes (when Clank is incapacitated by the enemies) the little Gadgebot robots will take over. If you've ever played Tokobot, you know what the gameplay is all about. You'll move one of these three robots and the others will follow, attack, etc., depending on your command. There are different puzzles you'll have to solve with their "apparently" limited abilities.

The game looks quite good and satisfies my PSP standards. Some areas look especially cool, like Asyanica and the skyscrapers, the museum, and parts of the Paradis the Tricheurs casino. However, there are also some areas that lack detail. Everything could have been a bit more uniform, but it seems like the devs tried to cut some corners in certain parts of the game. They should have also fixed the camera issues people complained about with Size Matters, though I wasn't overly annoyed by it. I also have to mention Clank's look is very neat, with his metallic-painted tux and bowtie. James Bond would be jealous! If you find titanium bolts you'll also get to unlock other suits for him and the other characters, in addition to cheats and other secret goodies.

Secret Agent Clank screenshot

One of the best aspects of the game is the voiceover work. Clank sounds awesome: serious and humorous at the same time, with a British kind of accent. The other characters have great voices too, but Clank wins overall. The Mission Impossible / 007 theme is perfect for this top-secret adventure, helping to bring the game to a "movie" level. There are even some funny sections where the game turns into some sort of Guitar Hero. You'll have to hit the proper buttons at the right time as they scroll from left to right. As you do it, Clank will advance through the stage carefully avoiding traps, secretly attacking guards, and sneaking around corners without being seen. It was a nice touch for the game, though it can get frustrating if you're not into rhythm-based games like Guitar Hero, Rock Band, or Patapon.

Even though everything sounds like a hodge-podge Ratchet & Clank adventure, I enjoyed the variety and appreciated the less combat-oriented gameplay. Things get tied up as the story advances, and getting to play the different characters is a nice change of pace. My prediction is most people will enjoy this game as much as Size Matters and previous installments, though some nit-picky players will get turned off by the innovation.

By Maria Montoro
CCC Site Director

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

3.8

Graphics
The environments are great looking in parts of the game but dull in others. This title needed some more attention to detail. Clank looks sharp though!

3.5

Control
Combat mechanics are easy and work well, but the game slightly abuses button-prompting sequences and the camera is sometimes less than ideal.

4.0

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
The fun Mission Impossible theme added to this game makes all the difference, and Clank's voice over work is fantastic!

4.2

Play Value
This is a perfect game to take on a long flight or car ride. If you like the Ratchet & Clank series, you should enjoy this one as well.

4.0

Overall Rating - Great
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

Ratchet and Clank return to PSP in an all-new story that focuses on Clank and his Secret Agent persona, as he attempts to rescue Ratchet from wrongful imprisonment.

Clank-focused gameplay features a new move-set offering stealth, more speed and power, and the ability to subdue large enemies using Clank-Fu.

State-of-the-art espionage weapons and gadgets, such as the deadly Tanglevine Carnation, explosive Cufflink Bombs, and the deadly Tie-A-Rang aid Clank in his pursuit.

Travel from the ski resort of Glaciara to the intergalactic casino/resort world of Le Paradis De Tricheurs Casino.

Contextual gameplay helps Clank avoid laser fields, dance with the mysterious Countessa Lottabolts, and compete in high stakes galactic card games.

Drive the latest in spy vehicles, ranging from sport cars, speedboats, and snowboards.

Four playable characters: Clank, Ratchet, Captain Qwark, and all new Gadgebot gameplay.

Ratchet returns as a playable character in arena-based battles to earn new weapons and bolts.

Captain Qwark appears as a three dimensional playable character for the first time in the franchise, retelling the tales of Clanks exploits as if he were the hero.

Familiar characters from Ratchet and Clank franchise return in a humorous storyline that will satisfy all Ratchet and Clank fans.