Spanning over 19 years, 16 games (including remakes), and eight platforms, the Ratchet & Clank series has been a beloved PlayStation franchise ever since its debut on the PS2 in 2002. The action-platformer and third-person shooter hybrid has appeared less often since the mid-2010s, but gamers are still attached to the dynamic Lombax and Robot duo.
As successful and lauded as the series has come to be, not every game has managed to hit the heights set by titles such as Going Commando and Tools of Destruction. Let's look at how each title in the franchise has fared over the years according to their Metacritic score.
Updated June 10th, 2021 by Tom Heath: With Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart releasing as the latest game in the series, we take another comprehensive look at how the franchise is doing. How does this latest title stand against some of the duo's other popular adventures? Does it hold up well with new gameplay mechanics? Does it still adhere to the classic formula that made the series so beloved?
14 Ratchet & Clank: Before The Nexus
- Platforms: Android / IOS
- Release Date: 12/19/2013
- Metacritic Score: 54
The outlier of the Ratchet & Clank series, Before the Nexus is an endless runner in which the duo have to avoid incoming enemies and obstacles. Before the Nexus was released to promote the upcoming PS3 game Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus. It features a unique story and acts as a prequel to Into the Nexus.
13 Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters
- Platforms: PS2
- Release Date: 3/11/2008
- Metacritic Score: 62
Size Matters was the first spin-off game in the series having been developed by High Impact Games. The gameplay is similar to the main games, with features such as weapon upgrading and space combat present.
It includes a challenge mode which acts as a form of new game+, adding higher difficulty and new unlocks to the main game.
12 Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault
- Platforms: PS3
- Release Date: 11/27/2012
- Metacritic Score: 64
Full Front Assault holds a reputation as a distinctly average Ratchet & Clank game. It includes tower-defense segments alongside the standard third-person gameplay in previous entries. It also includes a great multiplayer mode.
11 Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One
- Platforms: PS3
- Release Date: 10/18/2011
- Metacritic Score: 70
Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One is primarily focused on a 4 player co-op experience.
Players have to work together in order to pass through levels and complete objectives. The main gameplay is the same third-person shooting seen throughout the series.
10 Ratchet & Clank: Into The Nexus
- Platforms: PS3
- Release Date: 11/12/2013
- Metacritic Score: 76
Into the Nexus is the epilogue to the Future saga of Ratchet & Clank on the PS3. Most of the new gameplay elements in Into the Nexus focus on manipulating gravity and interacting with the Netherverse. It also brought 2D gameplay to the series for the first time.
9 Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest For Booty
- Platforms: PS3
- Release Date: 8/21/2008
- Metacritic Score: 76
Quest for Booty is one of the only games in the series to not include Clank. The game's plot involves searching for the missing robot, and the typical gameplay of the franchise is also changed based on his absence. Quest for Booty is also a lot shorter than most Ratchet & Clank games, coming in at only 3-4 hours.
8 Ratchet & Clank Collection
- Platforms: PS3
- Release Date: 8/28/2012
- Metacritic Score: 83
A collection of the original three games, the original trilogy is finally at 1080P 60FPS. It also features a rather impressive stereoscopic 3D mode.
The collection also brought back the multiplayer mode from Up Your Arsenal, including the online modes supported by PlayStation Network.
7 Ratchet & Clank
- Platforms: PS4
- Release Date: 04/12/2016
- Metacritic Score: 85
In possibly the strangest circumstances, to accompany a new film under the same name, 2016's Ratchet & Clank was a reimagining of the first game in the series. This version expands the worlds of the original game with new areas and missions. This was the only Ratchet & Clank game released for the PS4, having had the largest gap in releases for the series.
6 Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack In Time
- Platforms: PS3
- Release Date: 08/27/09
- Metacritic Score: 87
A Crack In Time continued the story established from Quest for Booty. The game brings back Dr. Nefarious, a beloved villain by fans of the franchise. The story and player's perspective alternate between Ratchet and Clank, the two perspectives also have unique gameplay from one another.
5 Ratchet & Clank
- Platforms: PS2
- Release Date: 11/04/2002
- Metacritic Score: 88
The game which started it all, the original Ratchet & Clank established a formula that is still used to this day. This game sets the comical tone used throughout the series, especially the banter between Ratchet and Clank.
The game remains enjoyable even to this day, and it's obvious how it was able to spawn such a successful series.
4 Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools Of Destruction
- Platforms: PS3
- Release Date: 08/23/2008
- Metacritic Score: 89
Tools of Destruction was one of the best titles in the early years of the PS3, as well as being one of the first games to support the DualShock 3 rumble on the system. The new generation of systems allowed Insomniac to produce the most expansive game in the series, with 16 planets to explore and three combat missions.
3 Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
- Platforms: PS5
- Release Date: 07/11/2021
- Metacritic Score: 89
The newest entry in the series, Rift Apart is considered one of the best looking games on the system and offers some of the most interesting and creative gameplay seen in the series.
The rift mechanic, which makes use of the PS5s SSD, allows players to seamlessly switch between completely different locales.
2 Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando
- Platforms: PS2
- Release Date: 11/11/2003
- Metacritic Score: 90
Going Commando was the first in the series to implement RPG-lite elements such as upgrading health and weapons. Going Commando is largely seen as a refinement of the first game, with performance and graphics being a major improvement over the original.
1 Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal
- Platforms: PS2
- Release Date: 11/03/2004
- Metacritic Score: 91
The highest-rated game in the series and one of the best titles on the PS2, Up Your Arsenal, was the first entry in the franchise to add online multiplayer alongside the main story campaign. Other new additions include larger worlds, better graphics, and drivable vehicles.