Ratchet & Clank

Game review by Paul Semel, Common Sense Media
Ratchet & Clank Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 10+

Cartoonish action with mild violence for (almost) all ages.

PlayStation 4 2016
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Parents say

age 9+

Based on 2 reviews

Kids say

age 9+

Based on 11 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this game.

Stands out for and .

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Ratchet & Clank is a cartoonish action game set across numerous planets as the title characters attempt to save the galaxy. Though you mostly play as a cute, fuzzy alien, and the rest of the time as an equally adorable robot, you're still hitting some enemies with a metal wrench while killing others with a variety of guns and explosives, even though some of the weapons are humorous. But while there's a little alien blood spilled here and there, the game is never gory or gross.

Community Reviews

Game Review Expert
Game Review Expert Adult
August 13, 2018
age 4+

Just Read

This game can be played by a 4 year old with ease. The game barley has any bad substance as in things that would make it 10 plus age. If you say its for age above 10 plus please look at the original Ratchet and Clank on the PS2 that was meant for 10 plus this is just a kidde adventure that was a horrible remake made for kids younger that 5 with how easy the story is to read. When kids look at this game all there seeing hyped up graphics and cool colors while saving a galaxy from evil. Simple and to the point making this game for a very young audience. I would like to say this game can go from 4 to about 10 year olds without losing their interest for the game and being family friendly.

This title has:

Great role models
Easy to play/use
Cooling C.
Cooling C. Adult
January 10, 2018
age 13+

Really fun game with beautiful graphics but has drug references...

I cannot really specify a precise age of the kid old enough to play this alone, it is ralgerly subjective, I think (the 13+ I gave it, is more of a placeholder). The main thing is- at first they should know all about the negatives of drugs and weed, and be strong minded enough to not be persuaded by anyone that doing drugs is allright. While playing a level: Planet Aridia, you meet a character named Skid Mcmarx who keeps referencing marijuana/drug usage and sale during the course of the level. He is portrayed like a stereotypical young star trying to persuade people that this kind of stuff is cool. For instance, one of his lines are: ...."Hey! Skid Mcmarx here and as you know I am a naturally talented hoverboarder. You know what else is natural about me? Find out visiting our "Herbal Supplements" department. You will thank me later man. No, seriously, you will." ... Since this game is lagerly targeted at kids, promoting this type of content in it is really innapropriate. What's worse, neither PEGI, nor ESRB mention this in their rating- so it leaves people who buy the game for kids without a chance to be aware of this content and possibly talking about it with them.

This title has:

Easy to play/use
Too much violence
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 2 parent reviews

What’s It About?

In RATCHET & CLANK, we see how our heroes -- the fuzzy and somewhat reckless alien Ratchet and his more cautious robotic sidekick, Clank -- first teamed up to save the galaxy. An updated and upgraded remake of a game from 2002, this epic science-fiction adventure has our heroes traveling the galaxy, meeting new and interesting people, and getting into adventures as they try to stop the Blarg from taking over the galaxy.

Is It Any Good?

While most remakes of old games give the graphics some polish but leave the dated controls intact, this new and improved version of the PlayStation 2 classic features updated controls as well as visuals. As with the original, this version of Ratchet & Clank has you shooting, smacking, running, jumping, and solving physics problems as you try to save the galaxy. But while this is inspired in equal parts by the original 2002 game and the animated movie based on that game, this is less a straight remake and more of a revamp. Not only does it feature the more intuitive controls of latter installments, but it also has a deeper version of the story, new fun and entertaining guns, as well as weapons and gameplay elements -- such as weapon upgrading -- that were added in later games.

But where Ratchet & Clank really shines is how it mixes all of its elements together seamlessly with a story that's full of genuine humor. As a result, this is one cartoony game that really does appeal to all ages ... well, ages over 10, anyway (you're still shooting and smacking people, y'know). These improvements also don't make this title as good as later ones in the series, which had a greater variety of weapons, places to use them, and ways to get around. Still, this is one remake that mostly feels like a fresh new game for a new audience.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about violence in games. Does the fact of Ratchet and Clank being cute, and the world being cartoony, make you feel different about the game's violence?

  • Talk about working together. What can we learn from watching Ratchet and Clank collaborating, and how does it helps them achieve their goals?

  • Discuss logic. What does this game teach us about using the right tools for the right job and how we sometimes have to look at a problem logically to figure out how to solve it?

Game Details

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