Rachet and Clank has been a popular franchise throughout the life of the PlayStation 2, and even now extending into the PlayStation 3 era; but Secret Agent Clank is a solo outing on Sony’s handheld platform for the platform hero, and it’s an entertaining, if mildly predictable outing.
In the game, Clank’s pal Rachet has been framed for a crime he didn’t commit, and the driving force of the plot is for Clank to overcome the enemies and obstacles in the way of clearing his friend’s good name and overcoming the enemy who did it all.
From action to stealth to puzzle-solving, Secret Agent Clank offers a variety of levels and gameplay styles for folks to enjoy as the action plays out. It’s an enticing recipe. Unfortunately, the game is held back by shoddy design.
In what way? Well, my wife, who poured in more time than I did, found the auto-save scheme to be very frustrating; the game operates on a series of checkpoints as you play through, and although there is a pause-menu option that allows you to play anywhere, even if you save between checkpoints, the save will only put you back to the last checkpoint you passed.
Then why even have a “save anywhere” option, if it’s not going to work that way? Stupid.
Also, the graphics were pretty much boilerplate stuff with an uninspired color scheme that stays the same a bit too much and tends to blend together, making the levels seem too much the same and lacking in any real variety.
In the end, Secret Agent Clank has some enjoyable gameplay variety, but its overall appeal is held back by its flaws. Only play this one if you’re a Rachet and Clank fanatic.
Tags: PSP, recipe, Secret Agent Clank
