As South Africa enters its 21-day lockdown (UPDATE: Now extended by two weeks) in order to combat the spread of the coronavirus, it has left many civilians in the isolation of their homes. Many see this as a great opportunity to spend quality time with some family and loved ones, while others cherish diving into forms of entertainment to occupy their time and pass the weeks (when not working remotely, in that case). To cushion some of the tedium, Nexus has decided to create a daily feature in which we recommend games of varying lengths and content that could pass the time. Our sixteenth recommendation in Lockdown Gaming is a reboot/remake but it's also a sequel/prequel based on the movie which is actually based on the original game with the not-confusingly titled same name of Ratchet & Clank.



I recently paid a visit to my old primary school, partly because I was interested to see what had happened after a decade and partly because it gave me an odd rush of nostalgia. I did not expect the school to have gone through a complete revamp, with several corridors demolished and new sections and classrooms built to accommodate more eager students. All of it seemed alien to me, yet my youthful and joyous memories were brought back by the slightest nuances. The vibe still felt familiar, the field was untouched with old trees still standing, and the memories of playing Pokemon card games in those dark sections of the school remained intact. Bear with me, this is all somewhat relevant to Ratchet & Clank for PS4, Insomniac Games’ remake (?) of their beloved franchise.

Ratchet & Clank (PS4) isn’t necessarily a remake or reboot of the original PS2 classic as it is a polished, rejuvenated burst of nostalgia that made the first game such a staple in video game platformers. Sony’s beloved anthropomorphic mascots (that aren’t Jak & Daxter) return, or more accurately, re-introduce themselves as the space-travelling lovable half-wits who desperately yearn to be heroes and escape their mundane lives. But when their *ahem* old friend, Captain Qwark, the eccentric leader of the Galactic Rangers, is imprisoned, they go on a mission to take his stead and save the galaxy from being wiped out by evil forces beyond their comprehension, much to the dismay of them and the players.



Ratchet & Clank (PS4) continued its tradition of being blissfully self-aware, existing as a parody of itself and several other pop culture references. Because of this, the game is irresistibly fun and bombastic, constantly bouncing in and out of jokes that all land a mark due to how ludicrous or self-referential/tongue-in-cheek they may be. Captain Qwark serves as the narcissistic narrator, and his often exaggerated outbursts of simple tasks give the game hilarious yet witty social commentary, making players aware of the fact that they are playing a video game. Few games are capable of balancing almost juvenile satire while keeping a straight face, but Ratchet & Clank (2016) does this rather masterfully.

In true spirit of the series, the game is a blast of oddball, quirky gameplay that challenges the concept of creative mayhem in modern platformers. While a large majority of the gameplay consists of intricate platforming, it never feels overwhelming. The game is perfectly balanced to include sporadic destructive action amongst the levels of, well, levels. There’s a wide arsenal of weapons on display, all of which are creative and unique in their own right. My personal new favourite guns were the Groovitron, which whips enemies into a synchronized 80’s dancing frenzy long enough to distract them (yes, you read that correctly), and the hilarious Pixelizer, which transforms enemies into pixelized, confused 8-bit blobs to desecrate.



The various planets come jam-packed with sections of enemies, bosses, and platforming, paying homage to the retro-style of the original while injecting it with fresh new ideas and designs. There’s familiar terrain to explore, and many elements that would put a wide smile on nostalgic fans' faces, but most of the game's surprises are in the tremendous boost in scope and scale. Planets feel larger than before, stretching various levels to new hidden paths and sections that warrant many playthroughs.

Exploration is key to experiencing all that the game really has to offer, including clever easter eggs and perks. However, the biggest upgrade to the series is the ambitious update system, which allows players to upgrade each piece of their itinerary. This encourages exploration and farming (every gamer's worst, yet most rewarding, nightmare) in order to unlock and constantly upgrade their build of weapons. While not a tremendously original idea, it kept the gameplay fresh and always challenging.

It goes without saying that Ratchet & Clank (PS4) is the best-looking game in the series, but in an industry where that is expected of AAA franchises today, it’s unsurprising. Ratchet and Clank travel to several planets in their journey, each one looking as gorgeous as the last. The platforming becomes trickier, and the layout favours intricacy over simplicity, but the graphics definitely compliment these unique, quirky, and often breathtaking landscapes. Character models look more lively and animated than previous entries, having a kind of Disney/Pixar shine to them. Too often than not I found myself almost immersed in the visuals like it were a movie, and ironically, this game was actually meant as a video game companion piece to the (forgettable) 2016 animated movie adaptation.

Ratchet & Clank (PS4) reinvigorated the mainstream platformer for its generation while giving its own franchise a healthy dose of upgraded, and ridiculous, fun. It’s not the reboot/remake you might initially expect, but it knows full well that it doesn’t have to be. It delivers everything that made the original PS2 classic so damn entertaining, and more. It’s a charming, successful attempt to take the series back to its roots, and while many things have visually changed, the game still maintains the quirky, satirical heart and soul of the series that is sure to be the next classic action platformer that future generations will talk about. That is, if the series makes a comeback for the PlayStation 5. As a PlayStation Hits title, it's heavily discounted now, so why not give it a shot during lockdown?

Other Lockdown Gaming Features:

Lockdown Gaming Day 1: Skyrim Special Edition
Lockdown Gaming Day 2: Persona 5
Lockdown Gaming Day 3: Fallout 4
Lockdown Gaming Day 4: NieR: Automata
Lockdown Gaming Day 5: Bloodborne
Lockdown Gaming Day 6: Anthem & Fallout 76
Lockdown Gaming Day 7: Alien: Isolation
Lockdown Gaming Day 8: Final Fantasy VII
Lockdown Gaming Day 9: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Lockdown Gaming Day 10: Portal
Lockdown Gaming Day 11: Resident Evil 2 Remake
Lockdown Gaming Day 12: Limbo
Lockdown Gaming Day 13: Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Lockdown Gaming Day 14/15: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Game of the Year Edition

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