Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (2004)

I played the PS3 version (the trilogy) and had a good time. If I were to choose which games from the trilogy to replay it would probably be 2,1,3. I don't know why, there is something about this game that didn't hook me as well as the previous ones, but I still finished it twice.

I strongly recommend playing through the Challenge mode, so much fun to be overpowered and just rip through enemies. I focused a bit on upgrading most of my weapons, and it's super fun, keeps things fresh.

Even if I wasn't as hooked as I was on the second game, it's still very solid, high quality. Definitely recommend playing

Playing these past ratchet and clank games have been a joy, it really gives you an idea of how good a dev Insomniac actually is. This game is on par with the previous titles but ultimately feels like more of the same. They do add a couple of new ideas into the game with 2D side scrolling but is also missing some gameplay mechanics used previously. I definitely recommend playing if you're into the series or shooters / platforming.

PROS

1. Large selection of cool weapons like always, includes weapons from past games
2. Good characters with some being brought back from past games, as well as the introduction of a repeating villain of future games
3. Great level design, environments (like always) , music and sound effects
4. Great gameplay mixture of shooting and platforming

CONS

1.Great gameplay, but very similar to past games. Felt like more of the same with not alot of new added, but that's not always a bad thing.

1. Quick select gun menu doesn't pause anymore in game so changing weapons can be pretty difficult in the heat of battle, does have a 3 slot quick swap though which is useful

2. New weapons added didn't feel too different than what we've seen before.

Revisiting Up Your Arsenal for the first time since its release, and it mostly holds up! A bit shallow, a bit repetitive, but it's very smooth to play and rotating through all your guns and leveling them is a compulsive thrill.

Delighted to see as well that the optional sewer dungeon is exactly as devious as I remembered, an enormous mess of twisty little pipes where gravity and direction lose all meaning. An almost sort of meditative joy trying to keep the whole thing mapped out coherently in my head without losing focus.

(Also, PCSX2 has completely overhauled its UI in the last year or so with help from the DuckStation guy, and it's much less obnoxious now!)