Ratchet & Clank are two of the most fun and dynamic characters in video game history. The franchise began on the PlayStation 2 and has successfully carried over into the next generation of gaming on the PlayStation 3 with the Insomniac team all along the way (on console versions). We’ve seen three Ratchet & Clank games so far on the PS3 with the last one ‘A Crack In Time’ introducing space-time continuum elements.

Ratchet & Clank All 4 One (2011) offers multiplayer – you can play up to 4 characters: Ratchet, Clank, Qwark and Dr. Nefarious either co-op online or local. The last time Insomniac gave us multiplayer and co-op was on the PlayStation 2 in Ratchet: Deadlocked – a mostly forgettable effort. R&C All 4 One mostly lives up to the hype – the game is as beautiful and lush as one would expect from this team and the comedy and characters are just as fun as always. Due to the multiplayer elements the camera is not ‘free’ to move around – and you’ll find most of the gameplay either side-scrolling or moving forward into the background. The development team has done a great job of breaking up the scenarios and landscape as you progress – advancing the visual style along the way.

A ‘strange but true’ fact about Ratchet & Clank All 4 One is that it is more enjoyable as a single-player experience rather than a four-player one. As strange as it sounds – when you have all four characters on the screen (Ratchet, Clank, Qwark & Dr. Nefarious) things are just ‘too busy’ and really hard to focus on the gameplay. I would suggest the best way to go about tackling this game is to give it a whirl in single player and then dive back into things with your friends to co-op after for some repeat/casual random fun.

I’ve provided some gameplay videos with live running commentary and additional thoughts on the game – be sure to check those out and let us know if you’ll be diving into the action anytime soon!

For more on Ratchet & Clank All 4 One visit
http://www.insomniacgames.com