As polished and regular a platforming franchise as it's possible to find in modern day videogaming - sorry Mario - Ratchet & Clank have been making frequent appearances across Sony's consoles for much of the past decade, really coming into their own on the PS3.

In the case of many franchises, that'd be something that initially attracts criticism. But then few franchises boast the spit, polish and fun factor of this one. And while it continues to fly under most people's radar, this latest instalment - A Crack In Time - keeps the quality sky high.

It's not even as if there's a radical rethinking of the formula here, and we're fully aware that we're going to praise Ratchet & Clank Future for things we'd criticise other games for. After all, this is an evolved version of how the franchise has built up over the past decade. But it's also the last that developer Insomniac is said to be making, and thus for long-time followers of the games there are lots of loose threads tied together here, with an engaging narrative running underneath everything.

However, the beauty of Ratchet & Clank has been that it matters not how familiar you are with the franchise, as it's straightforward to pick up and get going in double-quick time. And, crucially, it's such a pure videogame. That's why it's allowed to get away with things that arguably it shouldn't.

Inevitably it's mighty good fun, too, with intuitive controls, tongue-in-cheek cut-scenes and plenty to do. While generally obeying the conventions of the platform genre, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack In Time is a bright and bubbly game that mixes in platforming, action, puzzle solving and exploration. It's quite a good marriage, too. Some of the puzzling got a bit irritating as we got deeper into the game, but even at its worst, it's a title that's never less than entertaining.

For A Crack In Time is fast and exciting, there's lots happening on the screen at one time (although rarely to the point of distraction and confusion) and it's always looking to throw something different at you as you work your way through it. There's a real feeling that Insomniac has thrown the proverbial kitchen sink at the game in an attempt to tie up its work, and while we still lean towards the Ratchet sections as our favourite, A Crack In Time is a long, enthralling game. It's also a terrific looking one that's gleaming from the polish that's clearly been applied to it.

And while it is fair to level the criticism that the game itself hasn't really moved on too much from previous instalments, it's still a delight to play and you'd be hard pushed to find something out now that has the same sense of fun that you get here.

In this one exceptional case, more of the same is, therefore, a good thing. Here's hoping it really isn't the end for two of videogaming's most under-appreciated heroes.

Verdict
If it really is the end for Ratchet & Clank, then this is a very fond farewell. An excellent combination of the platform, action, puzzle solving and exploration game genres.

Company: Sony

Tags: ratchet & clank insomniac games video game sony ratchet & clank future: a crack in time puzzle platform game ratchet & clank: all 4 one