Hot on the heels of Jak II, the PlayStation 2's second platforming partnership is back for a sequel. Dubbed Locked and Loaded - possibly because the US name Going Commando was labelled too risqué for us up-tight Brits - Ratchet and Clank 2 sees the two unlikely heroes team up once again for another dose of sci-fi adventuring. As is often the case of late, the game is all-encompassing with regard to genre, combining elements of action-platform, exploration, adventure, puzzle-solving, strategy, role-playing and racing.
Having thwarted the world-dominating plans of the evil Chairman Drek in the first game, the two protagonists soon find that the resulting peaceful lifestyle is not about to last very long, and they're almost immediately kidnapped and taken far away to the Bogon Galaxy. Here they're met by the amusingly-titled Abercrombie Fitzwidget, who convinces them - through a combination of real estate, cool weapons and other assorted bribes - to investigate the whereabouts of a promising new experimental product from Megacorp.
What follows is an amusing adventure to save another galaxy, set across 20 all-new planets, themselves populated by a diverse set of characters. As well as the usual mix of platforming and shooting, the game also includes a host of new gameplay elements, such as upgradeable weapons and armour, a more dynamic economic system, as well as various new modes like gladiatorial arenas, space combat and what are known as 'Spherical Worlds'. Delving into RPG territory a little, the game also includes a character growth system that allows you to earn more hit points by defeating enemies, accumulating up to 80 by the end of the game. Likewise, however, enemies also grow in strength and, in later levels, can take up to 120 hit points of damage.
There are a total of 20 cool new weapons for you to unlock as you gain skill and experience. As mentioned before, the weapons can be upgraded along the way, offering you more power, more variety and, ultimately, more ways in which to, erm, blow stuff up. Not wanting to stop there, developer Insomniac has also included a load of 'maxi-games' throughout the adventure, which can be played repeatedly in order to earn experience, money and prizes.
If you've played the original Ratchet and Clank then you'll probably know what to expect from this title - because you'll probably be expecting a bigger, more involving game, with more action, strategy and, above all, fun. Well, you'd be right.