Secret Agent Clank is not the series' first foray on the PSP, but it certainly changes the playing field. While it attempts to cling to the franchise's renowned sense of humor and outrageous gadgets and weapons, it sheds much of its hyperactive shooting and platforming for a more solemn, stealthy approach. It succeeds in some regards, but ends up a few nuts and bolts shy of a masterpiece.

Clank's stealth maneuvers aren't as much fun as good old fashioned blasting.

Dressed to kill in his spiffy robo-tux, Clank is ready for his 15 minutes of fame. Sneakily making his way through villain-infested corridors, it's up to Ratchet's lone robotic sidekick to clear his name after being accused of a crime.

Given that Secret Agent Clank was created by the same developer who brought us last year's Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters, we didn't expect to see that game's issues in this one, but problems with the camera and controls are immediately recognizable. The camera is zoomed far too close to Clank, especially when he gets close to walls and other obstacles. Somewhat sluggish controls further aggravate the situation when you need to make quick turns or platforming decisions. It's certainly not unplayable, but being coupled with the inability to aim vertically (without switching to a static, first person perspective) makes the game feel incredibly past its prime.

Because this adventure rewards you more for sneaking past enemies than blowing them to bits (although you are still welcome to do so), the developers geared the weapons list more toward pacifying than destroying. There are noteworthy inclusions, such as the tie-a-rang and the blowtorch briefcase, as well as cool gadgets like the blackout pen and hypnowatch, but none of them carry the same "umph" as in previous games. You'll perform more hand-to-hand, Clank-fu combat than using a blaster. Quick-time events break up the action from time to time as a fast reaction replacement for minigames.

Granted, Clank is not the only playable character in the game, with smaller portions dedicated to other series favorites, but stealth gameplay prevails. That said, Secret Agent Clank, with its slower pace, feels out of place, as if it were catering to an audience other than its normal fan base. Evolution is good, but this feels more like a regression.

Even though we're spoiled by the gorgeous visuals of the PS3's Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, Secret Agent Clank holds up well on the PSP. Using the same engine as its predecessor, the game plods along at a steady pace, with a framerate that rarely stumbles and a host of intriguing locations to visit, from a museum to a secret laboratory. In addition, the voice acting is on par with the rest of the series, with loads of jokes and witty one-liners that fans will appreciate.

Given the resounding success of Sony's first party franchises brought to the small screen (Daxter, God of War), it raised the bar for what the PSP is capable of. Unfortunately, Ratchet and Clank lags behind the others in terms of sheer quality and fun. There is an enjoyable game here, but it's marred by technical shortcomings and seems to be unsure of its target audience. Fans will likely feel the game has been gimped, and newcomers will be hard pressed to understand why the series has such a rabid following. Whichever way you look at it, Secret Agent Clank does not live up to the stature of its namesake as a must-have game, but is worthy of a rental.

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Secret Agent Clank

Our Final ScoreMediocre

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