Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters doesn't fare nearly as well as the PSP original, due to a number of technical flaws. That's sad to admit, because the Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters for PSP game is awesome.
In it, you guide Ratchet and Clank around a tropical island as they chase after a kidnapped girl, bashing plants, robots and other terrors. As in previous games, Ratchet has numerous weapons on hand, including the highly effective Concussion Gun and more. He also turns to Clank from time to time, who wanders into smaller areas and utilizes hovering capabilities.
Taste plasma!
The core gameplay is about the same as previous games, and is clearly Size Matters' greatest asset. Control over Ratchet is accurate for the most part, as he can strafe, shoot and make use of a wrench as both a weapon and a door-opening device. It's solid, although there are times that the shooting suffers from inaccuracy, depending on what you're targeting.
Another cool aspect is the weapon power-up system. Use a certain gun often enough and it'll eventually increase in strength, letting you blast enemies with even more power. Clank has his own charming abilities, being able to command drones to attack, follow and activate switches during his stages.
With that said, most of the game's problems come from the below-average presentation. The in-game camera is jittery, sometimes twisting up to an uncontrollable view and sitting stagnant behind an object when you need it to see where enemies are. It's also too close to Ratchet, so you can't get a clear view of the stage. The environments, ranging from mechanical to tropical, also suffer from blurring textures that make the game look unpolished. Overall, the game is an average PS2 effort, falling behind previous Ratchet and Clank games.
It's not exactly paradise if a bunch of robotic terrors are roaming about, now, is it?
Sadly, what hurts Size Matters the most is the multiplayer. There are still co-op and versus options, but they're limited to two-player, local split-screen only. There's no online support whatsoever, which is unheard of considering that Up Your Arsenal has it in spades. It's fun for a little while, but hardly something you'll play over the long haul.
Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters sends the series stumbling after last year's spectacular handheld game and Tools of Destruction on the PlayStation 3. The gameplay's alright, but the flawed presentation and lacking multiplayer make it a rental at best.
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