There is a fascination with collections and HD collections this console generation. I feel as the systems age, the developers are getting a little more cautious about releasing any new IPs, so a lot of them are remastering some of their classics. Are these a cash grab? I think so, however, I also think that it's a great way to introduce players to some of last generation's (or before) great games without having to have an old console. I've purchased and played several of these HD collections in my time, and I do get annoyed because I'm buying something I've already played. However the nostalgic memories that the games bring back make up for my anger.
I've recently purchased the Ratchet and Clank HD collection, and the games are still great. They are what set up the same mechanics used in the Ratchet and Clank Future titles and the game play is still great, even ten years later. There are some hitches, in the graphics department, such as a couple framerate drops in some strange places that I noticed, but other than that the game ran fairly smoothly. The cartoonish smoothness of the environments does look a little odd, but the games are from last generation and did not receive a total graphical overhaul to meet up to todays standards. That said, they do look better than they did back in the day. As the series progresses from the first Ratchet and Clank through the second and into the third, there are improvements in the graphics that help to bring them closer to the modern style.
The sound quality is just as good as it was back on the PlayStation 2. The characters were voiced well and did not seem to need to be updated. The dialogue is well written and it's nice to see a back to back to back view of how the characters evolve throughout the series. There are a lot of jokes between characters, and a lot of humor that I did not pick up on when I was younger. Music is varied and well designed for each planet, setting a tone of mystery, but fun quirkyness as well. The enemies make various robotic noises that are expected and gunshots and explosions sound as cartoony and science fictiony as they should.
The gameplay is just like it was back in the early 2000's. Ratchet's wrench and the blaster are still the two most reliable weapons. Platforming is great, and the upgrade system remain unchanged. The games are still the same as they were, just remastered in glorious HD. Players must explore the levels and collect bolts to buy new weapons, gadgets, and upgrades. There are hoverboard races to play through, and as the games progress, the worlds get bigger, and more challenging. There are gold bolts for the player to collect throughout their travels, and often the worlds have the bolts hidden behind something that requires a new weapon or upgrade, forcing the player to come back and revisit worlds.Each game has a number of different weapons available to use and purchase, and quite a few different gadgets to help the players along their way. Also, starting with the second game, there is an upgrading system to the weapons that helps make them more useful in the later levels depending on how much they are used. The beautiful thing about the Ratchet and Clank games is that they allow the player to take down their enemies using just about any weapon they want, including hypnotizing and turning them into chickens. The games are great because while they tackle semi-serious issues (world domination and such) they do it while making jokes and having a good time.
This may seem like a very short review for three games, but I'm not 100% sure on how to write a review for a collection of something that has already been released. There's a good chance that most people have played one, two, or all three of the games in this collection so on one hand it's hard for me to recommend the purchase. On the other hand, it's Ratchet and Clank. I give the collection as a whole a solid 8.5/10. If you are the kind of person who enjoys having three games for half the price of one, this is a great deal. Also, if you are looking for a nice blast of nostalgia, or have never played the original Ratchet and Clank trilogy, get this. This is just like any other HD collection, so go and buy it. It'll look great next to the Jak and Daxter Collection and The Sly Collection.
Keep an eye out for our next review, probably Madden '13, followed by Borderlands 2. Thanks guys and as always, See You Online.
