Blue team invading Red team's base.
Full Frontal Assault includes a competitive multiplayer mode for up to four players, who are divided into two teams for online versus play. While it mirrors some aspects of the campaign's tower-defense gameplay, this mode is distinct from its co-operative focus.
From the main menu, players can access a single-player tutorial to learn the mechanics before heading online. The online menu provides options for ranked matches, custom games, and access to the PlayStation Network store, leaderboards, and personal stats.
Game modes[]
| Rank | Points |
|---|---|
| Rookie | Less than 80 |
| Fongoid | 80 - 159 |
| Blarg | 160 - 249 |
| Tyhrranoid | 250 - 339 |
| Agorian | 340 - 419 |
| Lombax | 420 - 500 |
In all competitive modes, the objective is for one team to destroy all generators in the opposing team's base. Players are divided into Red and Blue teams and can achieve victory either through their own direct attacks or by dispatching waves of grungarian marauders.
Ranked matches pit players against each other in games with standard, unalterable parameters and randomized maps. A player's rank is directly affected by match outcomes: a win grants 3 to 20 points, while a loss subtracts 5 to 15, with the exact amount determined by individual performance. Upon initial play, players complete five placement matches with the ??? rank. Performance in these matches determines the actual starting rank. Prematurely quitting a match will resort in a more negative rank penalty.
| Points | Unlockable parameter |
|---|---|
| 10 | Recon Time |
| 20 | Weapon Limiter |
| 30 | Rebuy Node Barriers |
| 40 | Panic Button |
| 50 | Enemy Health Bar |
| 60 | Teleport to Base |
| 70 | Defense Limiter |
| 80 | Damage Modifier |
| 90 | Squad Limiter |
| 100 | Boltiplier |
| 105 | Unlimited Ammo |
| 110 | Weapon Leveling |
Conversely, the custom mode allows players to host unranked games with full control over the rules. This includes map selection, weapon availability, phase timers, and other modifiers. These modifiers are progressively unlocked by earning skill points in the campaign. Custom mode is an ideal sandbox for practicing strategies or playing solo before entering ranked play.
Maps[]
| Maps |
|---|
| Markazia |
| Ebaro |
| Proteus VII |
| Kerwan |
| Torren IV |
Full Frontal Assault offers five multiplayer maps. Three based on the campaign locations, while two (Kerwan and Torren IV) were released as post-launch DLC.
Every map is designed with a symmetrical layout, positioning the two bases directly opposite each other. Seven nodes are distributed across the battlefield; Node 1 serves as the "major weapon node" and is often situated in an area accessible only by grind rail or versa-targets with the Swingshot. The first team to capture this node gets to choose between the Warmonger and the Plasmabomb Launcher, with the remaining weapon becoming available to the opposing team once they capture the node in turn.
Some maps also feature rare bonuses, such as a cache of bolt crates protected by a forcefield. To lower the shield and claim the reward, players must first defeat its guardian, either a patrolling Missile Minion or grungarian bomber.
Nodes[]
The nodes on the battlefield are guarded by neutral grungarians from the Green faction. Each node is always defended by four grungoid turrets, and sometimes up to three grungarian brawlers, with other stronger units being very rare. Once a player captures a node, these defenders will fight for the controlling team.
A captured node can be further fortified with up to four defensive turrets and a single protective barrier, which can be rebuilt if the node is lost and later reclaimed.
Strategic assets[]
This section details the upgrades, deployable squads, weapons, and defenses available to players during a match.
Upgrades[]
Each base contains three stations for purchasing permanent upgrades that persist for the entire match, divided into Base, Hero, and Squad categories.
Base upgrades, such as extra build pads or damage-dealing generators, are generally situational and best suited for a defense-heavy strategy. In contrast, Hero upgrades are almost universally beneficial, as the player's character is central to success. Enhancements to health, ammo capacity, and health regeneration are valuable investments, though the melee damage boost is less critical. Players can tell if an opponent has purchased hero upgrades based on the number of pips above their health bar. Finally, Squad upgrades improve a player's grungarian units to their elite variants, with the Elite Demolitionist upgrade being particularly cost-effective.
The upgrades Build Pads and Barriers have the added benefit of automatically spawning two free Fusion Turrets and Heavy Barriers, respectively.
| Upgrade | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Base upgrades | ||
| Build Pads | 1,000 | Additional defensive build pads are available for purchase. |
| Barriers | 600 | Inside lane barrier is available for purchase. |
| Warmonger Turrets | 2,500 | Warmonger Turrets are available for purchase. |
| Overcharged Generators | 250 | Base generators will damage enemies and opponents who get too close. WARNING: This will slightly reduce your generators' health. |
| Hero upgrades | ||
| Health | 1,750 | 50% additional health for heroes. |
| Ammo | 1,000 | Increased ammo capacity for all weapons. |
| Regen | 1,500 | Regenerate health over time. |
| Melee | 750 | Melee attacks do more damage. |
| Squad upgrades | ||
| Elite Grungoids | 750 | Elite Grungoid is available for purchase. |
| Wrecking Drones | 1,200 | Wrecking Drone is available for purchase. |
| Elite Demolitionist | 1,500 | Elite Demolitionist is available for purchase. |
| Elite Tanks | 7,500 | Elite Tank is available for purchase. |
Squads[]
| Unit | Price |
|---|---|
| Grungoid | 500 |
| Grungarian brawler | 800 |
| Grungarian demolitionist | 1,000 |
| Grungarian tank | 5,000 |
Players can purchase and deploy four types of units during the Squad and Full Frontal Assault Phases. The cheap grungoids (squad of six) and brawlers (squad of two) are weak melee attackers, best used as disposable fodder to absorb damage and distract enemy defenses. In contrast, the demolitionist (squad of two) is a far more strategic choice, able to destroy defenses from a safe distance while being durable enough to survive return fire.
The grungarian tank is the ultimate siege unit, boasting immense durability at a steep price. Its slow speed is partially offset by its forward spawn point near the enemy base. While it can soak up incredible amounts of damage, it is vulnerable to being stalled by Chrono and Groovitron Mines. Given its high cost, sending in a tank without a coordinated push in the other lane is a risky investment if the enemy team can counter it effectively.
Upgrading squads unlocks their elite versions, which are direct statistical improvements over the standard units. The one exception is the brawler squad, which is replaced by a single, powerful wrecking drone. While much stronger, it is often a priority target for attentive players. Care should also be taken not to deploy it behind a tank, as its pathfinding can cause it to get stuck.
Weapons and defenses[]
| Name | Price |
|---|---|
| Turrets | |
| Pyro Turret | 500 |
| Fusion Turret | 700 |
| Warmonger Turret | 1,500 |
| Cryo Turret | 2,000 |
| Mines | |
| Chrono-Mine | 300 |
| Plasma Mine | 250 |
| Groovitron Mine | 500 |
| Barriers | |
| Standard Barrier | 150 |
| Heavy Barrier | 300 |
| Electro Barrier | 800 |
The arsenal of weapons and defenses is largely shared with the campaign, but with several key balance changes for competitive play. Weapons can only be upgraded to V2, though they still receive the statistical bonuses and alpha modifications of a V3 weapon. The one exception is the Alpha Warmonger, whose missile volley is reduced from five to three. Certain weapons from the campaign—namely the Groovitron Glove, Buzz Blades, and Transmorpher Mine—are entirely absent in multiplayer.
Defenses are functionally identical to their campaign versions but have significantly lower bolt costs. However, bases have fewer build pads initially, requiring players to purchase upgrades to unlock more. The powerful Warmonger Turret is also locked behind a 2,500-bolt upgrade.
Strategy[]
While the Pyro Blaster is a reliable counter to lone tanks, it can be overwhelmed when facing multiple elite units (a common late-game scenario if an opponent has amassed enough bolts). In these situations, the V2 Plasmabomb Launcher or Warmonger deals damage more quickly when used alongside Hyperstrikes with the melee damage upgrade.
The Cryoshot and Cryo Turret are also situational, as they cannot slow enemy players, leaving crowd control primarily to mines and barriers. However, they excel in numbers; a battery of three or more Cryo Turrets coupled with focused Cryoshot fire can collectively slow, freeze, and destroy even elite tanks very quickly. Cryo Turrets also deal more damage to players than Warmonger Turrets; the Cryoshot hits similarly hard on its own.
For offensive pressure, deployable aids like Mr. Zurkon, the Doppelbanger, and the Thundersmack are highly effective for area denial and autonomous attacks.
Match structures[]
A standard match is structured into six rounds, with each round divided into three distinct phases: Recon, Squad, and Assault. If no winner is decided after six rounds, the match culminates in a Full Frontal Assault phase, where all phases become active simultaneously.
Recon Phase[]
Lasting 150 seconds, the Recon Phase is the primary opportunity for players to capture nodes. Controlling nodes is crucial, as they provide a steady income of bolts and each new node unlocks a new weapon. The bolt income from nodes increases over time, supplementing bolts earned from defeating enemies and players, and destroying bolt crates. However, players lose a portion of their bolts upon death.
Squad Phase[]
The squad phase.
After the Recon Phase, a 60-second Squad Phase begins, during which players can purchase squads of grungarian marauders. Each base contains two rows of four deployment pads, allowing for up to eight squads to be queued for the attack. The rows directly correspond to the lanes the units will traverse to assault the enemy base.
While nodes cannot be captured, this phase is an ideal time to clear neutral enemies, fortify defenses, and purchase upgrades.
Assault Phase[]
Once the Squad Phase ends, the purchased grungarian squads spawn and advance on the enemy base, supported by a default wave of grungoids in each lane. With base forcefields down, players face a strategic choice: defend against the incoming assault, join their own troops on the offensive, or attempt a direct strike on the enemy generators. This high-risk strategy is tempered by several factors: players cannot collect nanotech or ammo from crates within an enemy's base, and barriers can significantly slow their advance.
For a last-ditch defense, each team can activate a single-use 'panic button' (a Slambot) that hides all generators for 30 seconds while also teleporting enemy players out of the base, allowing the assailed team to clear it from enemy squads. The phase ends when all attacking squads are defeated and enemy players are cleared, leading into the next Recon Phase.
Full Frontal Assault Phase[]
If the match is undecided after the sixth round, it enters the final Full Frontal Assault Phase. In this mode, building new defenses is disabled, forcing teams to rely on their existing fortifications. To expedite a conclusion, both bases become permanently vulnerable, and two squad pads at each base are available to spawn new units.
An FFA-only ranked mode was added post-launch by Insomniac, allowing players to bypass the standard rounds and jump directly into the Full Frontal Assault phase.
Skins[]
Full Frontal Assault features the largest amount of skins available out of any game in the series, although most are locked by paid downloadable content. A number is unlocked and available by default, with another set unlocked by acquiring gold bolts, as well as reaching certain milestones in the campaign.
All of the Captain Qwark skins use the Qwark bot model as the basis of their design, whereas the Clank skins use his model from the campaign, based on the original Alpha Clank skin.
| Skins | How to acquire |
|---|---|
| Ratchet, Talwyn, Clank, Qwark | Available by default |
| Armored Ratchet, Armored Clank, Armored Qwark | ??? |
| Demolitionist, Cronk, Grungarian soldier, Zephyr, Grungarian brawler, Snowman, Young Zurgo | Collect respectively 1, 3, 5, 8, 12, 15, and 20 gold bolts. |
| Zurgo | ??? |
| Dan Johnson | ??? |
| Slorg, King Sepiad, Tharpod | Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One Pack |
| Vullard, Fongoid, Sigmund | Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time Pack |
| Plushy Ratchet, Plushy Clank, Plushy Qwark | Plushy Pack |
| Drophyd, Blarg Elite, Kerchu | Intergalactic Foot Soldier Pack |
| Grim, Rags, Jacko | Monsters Pack |
| Great White, Grizzly Bear,[a] T-Rex | Predators Pack |
| Chairman Drek, Dr. Nefarious, Emperor Tachyon | Villain Pack |
| Scurvy, Scallywag, Gultch | Pirates Pack |
| Helga, Plumber, Hot Bot | Classic Pack |
| Smuggler, Skrunch, Nurse Qwark | NPC Pack |
| Bleep, Bloop, Blip | Robot Pack |
| Azimuth, Rusty Pete, Agorian | Future Pack |
| Chainblade, B2 Brawler, Tyhrranoid | Miniboss Pack |
Gallery[]
_skin_from_FFA.png "Ratchet (armored) skin from FFA.png (42 KB)")
_skin_from_FFA.png "Alpha Clank (armored) skin from FFA.png (45 KB)")
_skin_from_FFA.png "Captain Qwark (armored) skin from FFA.png (35 KB)")
Notes[]
- ↑ If playing as the red team, the Grizzly Bear skin changes to that of a polar bear instead.