Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crackin Time
SONY (PS3) Rating: 3 out of 3 stars

When it comes to blowing shit up, Ratchet’s your man. This triggerhappy cat has always been equipped with an impressive arsenal of wea pons and gadgets, and he doesn’t dis appoint here. He has to rescue his robot buddy Clank, who’s been abducted by the menacing Dr. Nefarious, but there are other citizens to be saved before Ratchet can make his way to the center of the universe, where Clank is being held. Along the way, you play as Ratchet and Clank; you’ll manipulate time to solve puzzles, use Ratchet’s antigravity boots to walk on the ceiling, and defeat plenty of bosses using his time-honored strafing technique. And while the devel opers could have provided more ground to explore within the vibrant land scape, they came through with the weapons. Old classics made the cut—the bloated Sonic Eruptor, which belches out poisonous gas, is back—along with a host of newcomers, in cluding the fan-designed Spiral of Death, which propels enemies away, causing damage as they go. Ratchet fans should be pleased with this addition to the franchise, though we wish it had been a bit more difficult.