Every Ratchet & Clank Game, Ranked Worst to Best
Created nearly 20 years ago by Insomniac Games, the combat-laced buddy platformer franchise Ratchet & Clank has been charming gamers on Sony platforms ever since with its mix of humor, heart, story development, and over-the-top, cartoon-style action spanning multiple genres, outliving its main rival, Naughty Dog's similar Jak and Daxter series.
In the gallery on this page, we rank every* Ratchet & Clank game to date by Metascore, from worst- to best-reviewed. Some R&C games were issued on multiple platforms, and rather than clutter our list with countless versions of the same game, we limited our selection as follows:
• In general, the first release of each title is included.
• If a title was released simultaneously on multiple platforms, we only included the version that received the highest quantity of reviews from professional critics.
• If a title was later ported to other platforms, those ports are not included ...
• ... but if a title was substantially remade for another later-generation platform, the remake is treated as a separate game and included in our rankings. (We're looking at you, PS4 version of Ratchet & Clank.)
* We have omitted the 2005 cellphone (but not smartphone) game Going Mobile, which was not covered on Metacritic. (GameSpot has a review if you are curious.)
All photos courtesy of Sony Interactive Entertainment unless otherwise indicated.
PlayStation 4, 2016
Surprisingly the only Ratchet & Clank game released for the PlayStation 4 console, this 2016 release served as a series reboot by reimagining the story from the original 2002 game and incorporating gameplay elements, characters (like Dr. Nefarious), and weapons from other titles in the franchise, as well as some new weapons and locations. The game was a huge hit for Sony and received very positive reviews despite some complaints that the reboot played it too safe.
“If you've never had the pleasure of enjoying this series' brand of third-person blasting before, then this is the perfect chance to see just why the property has remained popular for over a decade. Meanwhile, if you're already a fan, then this remake is a truly worthy entry in the franchise, and while it doesn't do anything particularly new of note, it's a greatest hits compilation so compelling that you won't want to skip it.” —Push Square