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| Ratchet in the middle of an arena battle. |
Ratchet, Clank, and their friend Al have been kidnapped and forced to compete in the DreadZone, an intergalactic television show that forces heroes through various challenges. Ratchet, along with two robot companions, has to compete and rise up through the increasingly dangerous ranks of DreadZone while waiting for Clank and Al to find a way to escape.
The players controls Ratchet as he goes through various death courses on different planets. Each course has several objectives that have to be completed in order before Ratchet can proceed to the next level. Usually the objectives are simple tasks like get to the end of the level, or get to the end of the level in a vehicle, or fight off several enemies in an arena. Very rarely are the objectives any more complicated. Along the way Ratchet has to fight off dozens of robots and monsters, usually several at once.
After completing the main objectives, Ratchet can participate in smaller challenges. These are somewhat harder. Challenges like shooting several targets before time runs out, or fighting off several large monsters in an equally large vehicle.
Among the big and small challenges are even tinier challenges, like using a certain weapon a number of times or kill an enemy a certain way. But the difficulties of these do not match up with the reward, making them mostly a waste of time, though some can be completed incidentally.
Completing both the big and small challenges awards Ratchet points, which are needed to open the next planet. But the point’s requisites are so low that they never present a real problem.
As usual for a Ratchet & Clank game, Ratchet has at his disposal a wrench and several incredibly destructive weapons, like shotguns, miniature turrets launchers, rifles, and rocket launchers. When Ratchet uses a weapon enough times, it becomes more powerful, or faster, or holds more ammo. The ways the weapons cause damage do not differ too much; it is theoretically possible to rely on one weapon. Whoever is playing though, will probably have to switch weapons anyway so that they level up evenly, or because a weapon has run out of ammo (which can be replenished, but not all the time). This is not a bad thing as it leads to more variety in the many fights Ratchet will be in, something that is really needed.
Weapons can be equipped with modifications. Some mods, like the acid mod, are helpful, while other mods, like the morph mod, are not.
Ratchet has two robotic companions that help him along the way. They can also attack enemies, as well as open doors and throw EMPs that disable turrets. A number of challenges involve Ratchet defending the two robots while they do something like hack a computer, or blow up a tower. It is a good thing that they can do these tasks, as their attacks are not impressive.
Weapons and upgrades for the robots are purchased with bolts, the game’s currency. Bolts are picked up from defeated enemies and completing challenges. Usually there are just enough bolts picked up to buy the next weapon.
If there was one serious flaw with Ratchet: Deadlocked is that it is a bit formulaic. Every level is relatively small, and completing the objectives for each one means going back and forth across the level a lot. The objectives are usually a variation of going to a place, and killing/fixing something. And while it is important for the player to know what they are doing, having the objectives spelled out does take away a lot of surprise. Thankfully, each planet provides enough variations, along with the changing weapons and enemies that the game never actually gets boring.
The story is told through cut scenes in between each level, dealing with Ratchet’s growing popularity and the reactions of his kidnapper. All the scenes are well written and funny. The game keeps the feel of a television show by having two announcers comment on Ratchet’s during each level. It does get annoying though when the announcers start to repeat themselves.
Ratchet: Deadlocked is a step down in the Ratchet & Clank series, due to its somewhat repetitive nature. But it is still a fun game that should entertain both fans of the series and newcomers with its constant firefights.
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