Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters

Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters is a game in the Ratchet & Clank series for the Sony Playstation 2 and PlayStation Portable. It is the first Ratchet & Clank game on the PlayStation Portable. Size Matters was developed by High Impact Games, a company spawning from the original Ratchet and Clank developer, Insomniac Games. It is the first Ratchet & Clank game to get an E10+ rating by the ESRB.

Gameplay
Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters has most of the basic gameplay elements from the other Ratchet and Clank games. The weapons are similar from previous games in the series except for the R.Y.N.O.. Weapons can gain experience, and mods that are similar to the ones in Up Your Arsenal can be purchased for weapons. Several locked doors require Ratchet to use a shrink ray and then complete a "grind lock" course, dodging mines on the rails and hitting switches with your wrench to safely pass through doors.

Through the game, Ratchet will collect armor pieces for seven different sets of armor, including two sets exclusive to "challenge mode". While Ratchet can mix and match any of the four parts (helmet, body armor, gloves and boots) between any of the sets of armor, collecting and wearing each piece of armor in a set gives Ratchet an additional advantage; for example, using the full Wildfire suit, Ratchet's wrench will set his enemies on fire for additional damage including the additional feature of 28% less damage taken. Certain combinations can also create new sets of armor with unique effects, as well as a boosted defense.

Mini-games include Skyboard Races, demolition matches with Clank vehicles, a basketball-like robot throwing competition, and a robot control game very much like in concept to Lemmings.

Weapons
Ratchet has an arsenal of upgradeable weapons that are extremely effective; the following are some of the most common.


 * Lacerator: A easy-to-use, durable, basic blaster pistol that also packs a punch. Firing super-heated plasma slugs that strike enemies like a laser, the Lacerator is great for mowing enemies down one-by-one, but does not fire the plasma slugs very far from Ratchet.


 * Acid Bomb Glove: The Acid Bomb Glove is the next-generation version of Gadgetron's venerable Bomb Glove. Featuring a high yield Gammachlorian acid warhead, the Acid Bomb trades ammo capacity and rate of fire for extra damage and an area-effect acid spray that lingers and is sure to burn anyone foolish enough to run through it.


 * Concussion Gun: Fires a shotgun-like blast of devastating titanium pellets that deal more damage the closer the enemy is. It is the weapon of choice for the Galactic Rangers. Good against swarms of enemies.


 * Scorcher: Straight from the highly-successful "recycle your used space cruiser engine and get a 10% off trip to pokitaru" program. The Scorcher fires a destructive blast of intense heat. Do not place hands on exhaust. HOT!!


 * Electroshock Rocket or Shock Rocket: Fires an electrically charged rocket towards any opponent you face. Also shocks all who are caught in the electrical blast. Not recommended for Lombax use.


 * Mootator: Turns enemies into cows


 * Sniper Mine: A long-range Sniper Crossbow that shoots arrows which explode.


 * Bee Mine Glove: This glove sends out a robotic bee hive. Robotic bees come out and attack enemies when they're close to them.


 * Static Barrier: A barrier that protects you from harm for a limited amount of time.

Armor
Wildfire

Parts found on: Pokitaru (Body Armor, Gloves), Ryllus (Helmet), Kalidon (Boots)

Effect(s): The Omniwrench 10k becomes covered in flame, increasing the damage dealt to enemies by wrench attacks and catching them on fire.

'''Sludge Mk. 9'''

Parts found on: Ryllus (Boots), Kalidon (Body Armor, Gloves), Metalis (Helmet)

Effect(s): Every swing of the wrench spreads acid on the ground, damaging enemies.

Crystallix

Parts found on: Metalis (Helmet, Gloves), Dreamtime (Body Armor), Medical Outpost Omega (Boots)

Effect(s): Hyper-Strikes form crystals that damage enemies, and every third strike in a Multi-Strike combo will also create a wave of crystals.

Electroshock

Parts found on: Metalis (Gloves), Medical Outpost Omega (Boots), Challax (Body Armor, Helmet)

Effect(s): Hyper-Strikes release a shockwave that damages nearby enemies.

Mega-Bomb

Parts found on: Dayni Moon (Gloves, Boots, Helmet), Inside Clank (Body Armor)

Effect(s): Whenever you take damage from enemy attacks, you`ll build some energy as indicated by a red glow. Attack with the wrench to realease the energy, dealing large amounts of damage. The charge wears off after a short while if you don`t release the energy.

Hyperborean (Challenge Mode only, 1st replay)

Parts found on: Pokitaru (Gloves), Ryllus (Boots), Dreamtime (Body Armor), Challax (Helmet)

Effect(s): Wrench strikes freeze enemies.

Chameleon (Challenge Mode only, 2nd replay)

Parts found on: Pokitaru (Boots), Kalidon (Body Armor), Medical Outpost Omega (Gloves), Inside Clank (Helmet)

Effect(s): Ratchet becomes enshrouded in a cloak of darkness which produces after-images, drawing his enemies' fire.

Armor Combos
In the game, Ratchet can create new armors with new abilities by mixing different armor pieces.

Fire-Bomb

Parts: Mega-Bomb (Helmet, Body Armor, Boots) Wildfire (Gloves)

Effect(s): Every third swing in a Multi-Strike launches an exploding fireball. Also if you use the Fire-Bomb armor and you defeat enemies with your wrench your scorcher will level up with out you using it.

Shock Crystal

Parts: Electroshock (Helmet, Boots), Crystallix (Body Armor, Gloves)

Effect(s): Hyper-Strikes create electrified crystals that neutralize incoming projectiles. Only two crystals can exist at a given time.

Wildburst

Parts: Wildfire (Body Armor, Boots, Gloves), Sludge Mk. 9 (Helmet)

Effect(s): Hyper-Strikes create rapidly expanding gas bubbles which explode, scattering flammable acid everywhere. Only one bubble can exist at a time.

Triple Wave

Parts: Wildfire (Helmet), Sludge Mk. 9 (Gloves), Electroshock (Body Armor, Boots)

Effect(s): Hyper-Strikes create a small node that generates a series of elemental waves.

Ice II

Parts: Crystallix (Helmet), Hyperborean (Body Armor, Gloves, Boots)

Effect(s): Hyper-Strikes create a wall of ice crystals that protect Ratchet from harm.

Stalker

Parts: Wildfire (Helmet), Sludge Mk. 9 (Gloves), Chameleon (Body Armor, Boots)

Effect(s): The Omniwrench 10k is rendered ethereal, preventing it from dealing direct damage, but it poisons enemies and engulfs them in flame.

Multiplayer
The multiplayer for Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters features a 4-Player Ad-Hoc mode and a 4-Player Infrastructure mode. It includes:
 * Deathmatch
 * Team DeathMatch
 * Capture the Flag
 * Iron Lombax Challenge (Brand New to the series)

In the new "Iron Lombax Challenge" mode, there are level-specific goals for the player to complete, such as loading cows into a giant meat truck, and collecting power cells for the player's team.

Plot


While on a vacation in Pokitaru, Ratchet and Clank meet a little girl named Luna, who's writing a school report on heroes. Shortly after meeting Luna she is kidnapped by mysterious robots. Clank then stumbles upon a mysterious technomite artifact from an ancient race. Ratchet and Clank then set out to save Luna. In the process, they discover a forgotten race of smart, but diminutive, inventors known as the Technomites.

Later on in the game, when Ratchet and Clank finally catch up with Luna, she turns on them, ordering robots to knock Ratchet out and send Clank off to fight for his life in a robot battle arena. Clank escapes and makes his way to find Ratchet, who has a dream about 2 Qwarks (seen are doctors having to kill Ratchet with a chainsaw), the Nightmare Clank appeared, and Ratchet finally wakes. Clank frees Ratchet, and the two destroy the station, and determine that Luna herself is just a robot used by the Technomites specifically to lure Ratchet into a trap, all controlled by the Technomite Emperor Otto. Otto's goal is to create an army of Ratchet clones, using the DNA he was able to extract, then grow them to full size as to capture the most intelligent people in the galaxy and use a brain transference machine to gain their intelligence for himself. However, Ratchet and Clank are able to stop his plan, and thanks to the help of a rather confused Captain Qwark, they're able to reduce Otto's intelligence down to that of a chimp, rendering him non-threatening.

Reception
Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters received overall positive reviews. Game Informer rated it 9 out of 10 and awarded it the "Handheld Game of the Month" for April 2007. Metacritic has it rated at 85 out of 100 with users ratings at 9.3 out of 10.

Trivia

 * One of the Clank challenges description says The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny, which is a reference to the internet flash comic of the same name.
 * This is the first game which features Clank becoming Giant Clank without Ratchet