Finally jettisoning all attributes of the platforming genre comes the latest in the Ratchet and Clank series, Ratchet: Deadlocked. It’s been a long time coming, indeed, with each entry in the series leaning more and more heavily on the action. Last year’s Up Your Arsenal featured an incredibly robust and enjoyable multiplayer feature, and Deadlocked takes that feature and essentially makes an entire game out of it.

That’s not to say that you won’t find a single player mode in Deadlocked, as Insomniac has done a fair job of keeping players busy when they want to go solo. You’re just not going to find the same amount of depth and variety as you’re used to with the previous games in the series. If you remember the Annihilation Nation scenarios from the past adventures, imagine nearly an entire game built around that concept. And for those who don’t remember, Annihilation Nation is an intergalactic game show akin to either the old Arnold Schwarzenegger flick The Running Man, or the classic arcade game Smash TV, in which contestants must battle for their lives in front of a studio and televised audience. This time around, Ratchet, Clank, and their buddy Al have been kidnapped and forced to compete on a show called "DreadZone" for the pleasure of DreadZone host, Vox.

In what may come as a disappointment to fans of the series, Clank is relegated to the sidelines and only plays a role in the game’s story with no playable levels of his own. Because of this, Ratchet’s arsenal of gadgets has also been pared down to his assortment of guns. Levels are built around this run-and-gun style, and as a result, lack a lot of the variety and creativity found in previous games. There are a few moments of platforming and puzzle-solving, but for the most part, the single player mode is a frag-fest, albeit a very satisfying one.



But Deadlock’s focus is multiplayer mayhem, and that’s exactly what you’ll get. The game supports USB keyboard and headset, so you’re free to talk/type smack to your opponents. Even more importantly, you’re free to customize the rules on eleven multiplayer maps or play two-player co-op with the game’s offline modes. Beyond that, the standard fare is represented here: Capture the Flag, Deathmatch, King of the Hill, etc. And while Ratchet has a good amount of weapons at his disposal, some notable favorites (ahem…RHYNO3) have been axed. Chances are you’ll be too engrossed in ass-kicking to notice. Furthermore, the ability to power up your weapons and stats make the omissions forgivable.

Graphically, the game looks as good as ever. Insomniac knows how to present a game, and Deadlocked lives up to the legacy of its predecessors. Back are the highly amusing cut-scenes and goofball characters, and level designs range from great to absolutely brilliant. The bottom line here is, if you’ve played the past three games, this one looks just as fantastic.

Personally, while I enjoyed the multiplayer aspect of Up Your Arsenal, it was the engrossing and varied single-player experience that held my interest. The ability to play as Clank also made for some devilishly clever gameplay. With those portions having been tossed out the window, it’s hard for me to fully get behind Deadlocked. Despite the nearly 100 missions and different planets to explore and the pseudo squad-based action you get with your robotic minions, I still feel as though I’m blasting through one stage after another. That being said, the multiplayer portion of Deadlocked is the true meat of this game and is the most fun you can have fragging online with your PS2. Insomniac has chosen to ride the successful formula they created in Up Your Arsenal, and seeing how well they pulled it off, it’s hard to fault them for it. I just miss my little robotic buddy.



Article By: John