Secret Agent Clank
Clank is even clunkier on the PS2
Tags: Secret Agent Clank Categories: PS2 Reviews, Reviews
Posted by Jake McNeill on Jun 24th, 2009
Secret Agent Clank is the latest PSP title to receive the PSP-to-PS2 port treatment, previously seen in games such as Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror and Silent Hill: Origins. Whether this is due to a lack of faith in the PSP or a desire to milk the PS2 for every last penny is a question that I’ll leave to you, but when it comes to the games themselves, this often seems to leave to problems in the port. The PSP’s lack of dual-analog, lack of a second set of shoulder buttons and reduced graphical prowess often leads to PS2 ports that look that look bad and play bad, both compared to other titles on the PS2 as well as the original PSP version of the game. Sadly, Secret Agent Clank is no different, and what’s more, the game wasn’t all that spectacular to began with.
The latest title in the long running Ratchet and Clank series, Secret Agent Clank follows in the footsteps of early PSP title Daxter by placing players in the role of the series’ diminutive sidekick. Adapting a pseudo-James Bond theme, the game has players guiding Clank though more stealth-centric gameplay than fans of the series are used to as Clank attempts to solve a mystery of a stolen MacGuffin and clear the name of his framed buddy, Ratchet. And while there is some weapon-collecting (the series’ mainstay), it is also a far cry from what series fans are probably used to.
This would not be a huge problem in and of itself if the game’s stealth elements were worthwhile, but they are simple at best, and ham-handed and clumsy at worst. The PS2 version of the game amplifies this problem with extremely stiff and often unresponsive controls. Minutes into the game, I had to stop using the analog controls because the game kept slowing my movement to a walk, even as I tried desperately to push the analog stick to its extremities. Design issues like this extend to other areas of the game as well, from moving the camera to aiming projectile items.
The stealth game play is frequently broken up by Simon Says-style button pressing minigames. While it is nice to have a break from wrestling with the controls, you probably don’t need me to tell you that these minigames are pretty damn boring. However, as if that wasn’t bad enough, the only interesting part of these sections, the actions going on in the background, only serve to be a distraction, and if you find yourself slipping up one time too many, you will be forced to redo the entire section all over again.
What’s more, as I previously alluded to, while the graphics may have looked good on the PSP, they are downright ugly on the PS2. Simple environments, muddy textures, and underwhelming level of detail make this game far less impressive to look at than even the first Ratchet and Clank game from years and years ago.
Series fans who never sprung for a PSP may be under the impression that the PS2 port of Secret Agent Clank offers them a great opportunity to enjoy another title in their beloved series. Unfortunately, whatever enjoyment was to be had in the PSP version can no longer be found here. All you’ll find here is disappointment.
| What Works | Score |
|---|---|
| + Well, Clank is still as likeable as ever | 3.0 |
| What Doesn't | |
|
- Absolutely terrible controls - Mundane, repetitive gameplay - Extremely underwhelming graphics |
|
| Under the Shrink-wrap | |
| What parts of the Ratchet and Clank series Secret Agent Clank doesn't dispose of from the outset it mangles with poor controls and repetitive gameplay, and anything worthwhile in the PSP game has been largely demolished in this shoddy port. | |
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Tags: Secret Agent Clank
Posted by Jake McNeill on Jun 24th, 2009 and is filed under PS2 Reviews, Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can post a comment, or trackback from your own site.
