Ratched & Clank is one of the most enduring franchises on PlayStation there is. After the debute on PlayStation 2 the adventuring couple has been mesmerizing gamers ever since. This time the experience is something the series has never seen before: Insomniac brings you a 4-player cooperative Ratchet & Clank.

Get ready to brave the galaxy together

Co-op is the game’s theme, like it or not. The change brings new flavor to and old recipe. So if you have been waiting for something new from the series, you’ve got it. Luckily, these changes are successful and for the first time, you’re going to play the game together with three strangers and you are going to enjoy doing it.

The comedic story is still funny as ever.

The story is faithful to the series. Evil Dr. Nefarious once again hatches a plan to destroy Ratchet, Clank and Captain Qwark. Then, as you expected, things go awry and the whole quartet or heroes and villains is suddenly forced to face the new enemy together. It is not the most original way to put characters together, but it works well enough.

What is more important, the story really feels like Ratchet & Clank instead of something shallow that developer managed to put together just to make Ratchet and Clank a cooperative multiplayer experience.

Cooperation makes the game shine.

You are going to play together with three other players, either by split screen or online. Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One is an easy to drop-in co-op game in the sense that up to four players are on-screen at the same time. So even people playing their games alone will get their share of cooperation since the A.I fills in the missing gamers.

Even Shooting an enemy with the same weapon will combine to a bigger and more efficient attack.

It is not a bad thing, because the game shines when the multiplayer puzzles are present or the need for united efforts against bigger enemies emerges. Some enemies have to be distracted so it is easier for others to kill them. Sometimes two or more players have to push buttons at the same time or stand in specific locations for a gateway to open.


However, you are mostly tumbling your way through beautifully crafted stages, smashing crates for bolts and fighting waves of enemies. So outside the puzzles, Ratchet & Clank: All 4 one fuels those addictive tendencies: You will want to collect those bolts and special costumes hidden in levels and upgrade your arsenal. This kind of gameplay also dictates the subtle, competitive element behind All 4 One. The game even awards you badges at the end of level segments for that.

Tumble your way through enemies.

The trademark features are still there.

The game still combines good platforming with excellent projectile and melee combat as it is in the heart of Ratchet & Clank games. In many ways, the game plays lot likes the previous installments. You still have your massive arsenal of inventive weapons: Some of the old faithful ones and even some new ones.

The variety of weapons bring together a very explosive mix especially when four people are playing the game together. It is unfortunate that if you compare those to weapons from previous installments, they have been dumbed down a little to compensate the cooperative play. So enemies which once required more than few shots from your normal weapons will now go down after few moments of conjoined stream of fire when players are shooting together.

Shooting together a common enemy is fun, but with tuned-out-to-the-max weapons it would have been even more fun.

It is not too bad trade, but people who enjoyed the weapons of previous games, may find this bit disappointing. Especially now that weapon-leveling system has also been replaced with simplistic three-step upgrade system.

One especially worth to mention fact is that boss battles are better than ever. You’ll be facing giant enemies, be it mechanical or organic and they look very good. In fact, the bosses are one of the best visual splendors Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One has to offer.

The Verdict

Ratchet and Clank All 4 One is highly entertaining and stunningly animated cooperative title that offers fun for hours but it doesn’t quite catch the depth of feeling of the best installment of the series which was Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time. Compated to previous installments, All 4 One pays some degree in gameplay richness in order to achieve a good multiplayer experience. Still it is a competent game which offers wide variety of action and diversion, is visually gorgeous and most importantly offers multiplayer that works well.

8.5 out of 10

Why so high? Plenty of variety, fun and a well-designed co-op experience. It was worth to get platinum trophy for the game.
Why so low? Doesn’t quite catch the feeling like the previous installments and the game has some bugs and glitches in locking on enemies. Weaker single-player experience than multiplayer.