First Runner Up: Ratchet & Clank
Insomniac has been hard at work making Ratchet & Clank games for nearly 15 years. Through games both good and bad, the series has never lost sight of what it ultimately is: two dudes with a bunch of ridiculous guns exploring the galaxy and shooting everything that wants them dead. Into the Nexus in 2013 closed the door on the franchise rather effectively, but the prospect of a movie was more than enough to remaster the original 2002 game for the PS4 audience.
Only, that’s not what we got here. While Ratchet 2016 hits on most of the same story and gameplay beats as the very first game, Insomniac and Sony went above and beyond to turn it into a remake, turning the game into a love letter for everyone who has stuck by the duo all these years. The shooting mechanics from the sequels replace the floaty camera from the original, several weapons and leveling systems from later entries arrive to spice things up, and it’s all presented in beautiful new graphics to make you feel like you’re truly in the game…based on the movie…based on the game.
Admittedly, there’s some flaws; while the story is largely the same as the original, there are cutscenes and beats from the film inserted in that feel largely engineered to get you to see the actual movie. In doing so, it sadly makes the game feel less open in terms of worlds and weapons at your disposal, and the Clank sections are all over the place in terms of entertainment value and quality. Still, those are minor flaws for an excellent update of one of gaming’s hardest working duos.
