Insomniac Games has been a major developer for many years, releasing popular games such as Ratchet & Clank and Marvel's Spider-Man. The company was founded by Ted Price in 1994 and has seen huge success. Even though many of their games were exclusive to PlayStation, they were not owned by Sony until 2019.
Not only do they make good games, but they are a good place to work. They won FORTUNE'S best place to work 12 times. This list is a celebration of what Insomniac has done in eager anticipation for what they are going to do next. It is based on the critic scores on Metacritic with user scores breaking up any ties. Enjoy!
10 Sunset Overdrive - 83
The only non-PlayStation game on this list. Sunset Overdrive is an open-world post-apocalyptic game about grinding on rails and shooting mutants. The inhabitants of Sunset City were transformed by OverCharge Delirium XT, an energy drink, and it's the player's job to escape.
It was an average game on most accounts and did not pique the interest of gamers for too long. It was good enough to be one of Insomniac's top games but, so far, Sunset Overdrive has not initiated a franchise like most other Insomniac games. The nostalgia factor and fun gameplay of these next games managed to beat out Sunset Overdrive.
9 Ratchet & Clank Collection for PS3 - 83
This collection featured the PlayStation 2 games: Ratchet and Clack, Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando, and Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal remastered for the PlayStation 3. It brought the games to 720p HD and offered a voucher code for the Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time demo.
It was a great way for fans to spend more time with the lombax, Ratchet, and his robot companion Clank as they attack enemies with a large variety of unique weapons. This collection offers some great games but some individual Ratchet & Clank entries ranked higher on this list.
8 Ratchet & Clank for PS4 - 85
Ratchet & Clank keeps jumping from console to console. This remake of the original game is everything a remaster should be. It successfully brings the 14-year-old game into the modern-day. Not only are the visuals upgraded but the gameplay as well.
The remaster also adds all-new sections to the game, such as a full-blown ship battle. It was released alongside the Ratchet & Clank movie and tried it's best to tie into the big-screen counterpart. The movie was not very successful, earning 22% on Rotten Tomatoes. Let's just say the game was a whole lot better than the movie as per usual.
7 Resistance: Fall of Man - 86
Let's transition to shooting aliens in the face with an auger rifle. Resistance: Fall of Man was a PlayStation 3 launch title and the start of a game series. It follows Sergeant Nathan Hale in an alternative history where humans are attacked by aliens, the Chimera. It was widely known for using the same imaginary weaponry seen in Ratchet & Clank.
Even with cool guns, the Chimera were difficult to take down and they were frightening. Resistance: Fall of Man helped cement the series as one of PlayStation's premier exclusives. That is until Resistance disappeared from home consoles after the third entry.
6 Resistance 2 - 87
Resistance 2 is highly regarded as the best entry in the series. The improvements to the sequel's gameplay make the first game look like child's play. Not only that but the story is much more emotional, pitting Nathan Hale in a fight for survival against a disease plaguing his body.
Resistance 2 was followed by one final main entry. It was a decent game but did not score high enough to make this list. The series also had two spin-offs, including a PlayStation Vita game in 2012. Resistance was definitely a highlight of Insomniac's history and there are quite a few fans hoping for a resurrection of the series.
5 Marvel's Spider-Man - 87
This is the most recent entry on the list and proves that Insomniac can still make some excellent games. With the Marvel Cinematic Universe hyping Spider-Man up to great heights, this PlayStation exclusive came at the exact right time. It offered a reimagined look at an experienced Spider-Man and a great New York City to explore.
Marvel's Spider-Man was one of the best games of 2018 even though it was overshadowed by juggernauts like Red Dead Redemption 2 and God of War. One of its biggest accomplishments was being the best selling superhero game ever. Right after its release, Sony bought Insomniac. Sorry Xbox fans.
4 Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time - 87
We took a brief break from Ratchet & Clank but they are coming back strong. There is only one entry going forward that is not in the series. This PlayStation 3 game served as the sequel to Tools of Destruction and Quest for Booty.
A Crack in Time is the seventh installment in the series and still managed to keep fans intrigued by its established gameplay. Clank has his own sections with unique gameplay, including time-manipulation platforming. A Crack in Time proved that Ratchet & Clank can still deliver stellar games and that Insomniac has successfully created one of Sony's best game franchises.
3 Ratchet & Clank - 88
This is where it all began. Ratchet & Clank's success set the stage for one of the most beloved PlayStation exclusives franchises. This game introduced the franchise's blend of platforming, puzzle-solving, and combat with a large variety of weapons.
It also introduced famous characters such as Chairman Drek, Captian Qwark, Clank, and Ratchet himself. The original Ratchet & Clank may be a great game but it's not at the top of this list. It may have started a franchise but one subsequent release has cemented itself as a fan-favorite and critically acclaimed entry.
2 Spyro: Year of the Dragon - 91
The oldest game on this list is also one of the best games on this list. Year of the Dragon is Insomniac's third and last installment in the franchise before they moved on to Ratchet & Clank. Spyro featured the famous purple dragon as he travels worlds in search of dragon eggs.
Spyro has since cemented himself as an iconic video game character. Even though Year of the Dragon was Insomniac's last Spyro game, the series continued with Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly, which was developed by Check Six Studios and Equinoxe Digital Entertainment. While Year of the Dragon is tied for first place, the user score was enough to drop it down a spot.
1 Ratchet & Clank: Up your Arsenal - 91
A Ratchet & Clank game takes the number one spot, no surprises there. Though Ratchet & Clank is arguably Insomniac's best franchise, Up Your Arsenal rises above every other entry. This PlayStation 2 game was the first Ratchet & Clank entry to feature multiplayer, which was tied into its single-player experience.
It also proved that Insomniac can improve upon earlier releases while keeping the fun of the series intact. Insomniac is clearly one of the best developers out there making some of the most iconic video game franchises. Now we just have to patiently wait for their next game, hopefully, it's another Marvel game or new Resistance entry.