During the PS2 and PS3 eras,Ratchet & Clankwas inaccessible. Insomniac’s franchise seemed to produce a new entry each year, and while they were not all fantastic, quite a few of these releases sat comfortably among the best 3D platformers of their respective consoles. As, nowadays, Insomniac is mostly focusing on Marvel projects,it might be awhile before Ratchet and Clank go on another adventure, presuming 2021’sRift Apartdoes not end up being the duo’s final journey.
Underwhelming spin-offs and oversaturation aside, mostRatchet & Clankgames are, at the bare minimum, playable. If Insomniac (or another developer) got it right, the resulting title was far more than just serviceable. Let’s run down thebestRatchet & Clankgames.
Updated July 02, 2025 by Mark Sammut:At this point, it is difficult to say when a new Ratchet & Clank game might materialize. Fortunately, most of the franchise’s projects are relatively accessible and, crucially, still awesome to play. This article has been expanded with galleries and more specs for each title.
Click on one of the belowRatchet & Clankgames to jump to its ranking. The list is in chronological order.
Released before 2013’sInto the Nexus, the franchise’s final PS3 entry,Before the Nexuswas the second timeRatchet & Clankheaded to mobile. It is also worse than 2005’sGoing Mobile. The main issue withBefore the Nexusis that it does not do enough to capture the spirit of the console games.
An endless runner, this game finds Ratchet chasing after Vendra and Neftin Prog. Clank also comes along for the ride but the robot does not add anything to the gameplay beyond his presence. Surprisingly,Ratchet & Clankis not a bad fit for the endless runner genre, andBefore the Nexusdoes a decent job of incorporating mechanics synonymous with the main game. Unfortunately, the game’s controls leave a lot to be desired, particularly the shooting. The fact the license has consistently excelled in this area makesBefore the Nexusan even harder pill to stomach.
Although this game escaped frombeing included in the worst PS3 exclusives for the 2010s, it definitely qualifies as one of the most disappointing.Full Frontal Assault’s main criticism comes from the tower defense system. Having to defend something is almost always boring, and this game brings that to excess. Another complaint from critics is the lack of a coherent story. Mostly, it just seems like a free-to-play title rather than a legit entry. Co-op can be fun, but the absence of depth in level design means the fun doesn’t begin.
Full Frontal Assaultarguably represents the ultimate low point for the franchise.Ratchet & Clankhad been beaten to the ground by 2012, overstaying its welcome through a series of underwhelming projects that lacked the charm of the original PS2 trilogy. By the time this entry dropped, the series was completely overexposed.
Arguably the most forgottenRatchet & Clankgame,Going Mobileis not just notable for its platform but also the fact that it is the only 2D entry in the series. Insomniac’s series has developed into a third-person shooter with platforming sections, but there was a time whenRatchet & Clankwas predominantly a platformer.Going Mobilebelongs to the latter era, and it is a worthy addition to the franchise.
Most of the elements that defined the license’s PS2 games are represented inGoing Mobile, albeit naturally streamlined to fit the hardware. Although good for its time, this spin-off can be hard to revisit in this day and age sincemobile gaminghas come very far since 2005.
By the time of this game’s release, the series seemed to have become more of a gimmick. In this entry, players are given four choices between characters to choose from. While this idea was new, the execution wasn’t, as critics complained it felt the same only with different playable characters.
Another common issue is the presence of multiple glitches that suck the fun out. The biggest issue, though, is the horrible AI partners, who become more of a nuisance than assistance.
Although this title isn’t exactly revolutionary, it might beone of the more underrated platformers out there.Secret Agent Clankmakes Ratchet take a backseat while Clank is the playable character. Here, the espionage theme is both funny and creative.
The downside is that Clank’s special abilities aren’t really utilized. Instead, most of Ratchet’s moves have been transferred to him. Still, the game does present a different viewpoint from the rest of the series that should be appreciated.
The PS3 era was rife with compilations that provided slightly remastered or tweaked versions of masterpieces from yesteryear. TheRatchet & Clank Collectiontook Insomniac’s iconic PS2 trilogy and presented them in 720p and 60 FPS, which was the minimum this type of release could do. The package also went the extra mile by incorporating 3D support, which players can activate if they do not mind a performance hit.
In terms of content, theRatchet & Clank Collectiondelivers three of the greatest action-platformers of all time, all of which are still fun to play all these years later. However, as a product, it does not bring too much to the plate.
Despite not exactly being a bad game,Quest for Booty’s legacy has been blighted due to its extremely short length. This is the standardRatchet & Clankgame, only without much Clank and a campaign that ends in about three hours.
Quest for Bootymaintains a fun quick pace throughout its runtime. This allows it to keep players invested throughout, although the story ends on a cliffhanger at the worst moment. Its gameplay was also praised due to the removal of useless weapons, streamlining the process to focus on just the high points.Quest for Bootydistills the coreRatchet & Clankformula to provide a highly entertaining way to spend a few hours; however, the game also foreshadowed the franchise’s direction for the PS3 era.
Insomniac Games’ series lost its way somewhat during the PS3 era, resulting in a string of disappointing games that ventured away from what madeRatchet & Clanksuccessful. While the return to the franchise’s roots might or might not be related to that,Into the Nexuswasn’t a complete success.
The graphics were pretty fantastic for the era, with the game making full use of its exotic locations. However, the story is arguably among the weakest in the series, to the point where it seems completely unneeded. Although not terrible by any means,Into the Nexusdoes not stand out from the crowd, offering another “Future” style adventure that mostly sought to steady the ship following a couple of polarizing entries. Die-hard fans will likely enjoy the ride since this is ultimately just anotherRatchet & Clankgame, but the franchise was running on fumes at this point.
Out of all the games in the series,Ratchet: Deadlockedfeels the most different. Filled with impressive weapons for players to try out,Deadlockedismore of a survival gamethan a platformer. While it’s no doubt enjoyable, the game lacks the series’ spirit and, consequently, is one of the harder entries to revisit in this day and age.
Unlike otherRatchet & Clankgames, this one has players fighting for their lives in gladiatorial arenas. It’s darker than most, but there’s no denying that every level is packed with action.Deadlockedcertainly would’ve made a bigger impact had it been a standalone feature.
Sometimes goofiness can be charming, withSize Mattersfulfilling this aspect. The game is on the lighter side of things, featuring more of the same only on a smaller scale. A PSP title, this lower scope actually allows the game to be special.
The story, while not flashy, does highlight the protagonists’ characterizations. Boss fights require a certain sense of strategy, which makes beating the game even more rewarding. Finally, traveling to multiple worlds with distinct features bolsters the replay value.
