Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time (2009): The Review

Overview

Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time is one of the franchise’s finest adventures, blending fast-paced combat, clever puzzles, and an engaging story that explores the bond between its iconic duo. With refined gameplay, a compelling villain, and thrilling space exploration, this entry pushes the series forward while retaining its signature charm. Though some elements feel a bit familiar, the game’s polish, humor, and variety make it a standout in the franchise.

Score: 8.5 out of 10

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The Positives ✅

A Crack in Time brings tight, satisfying combat to the forefront, with a wild variety of inventive weapons and flashy upgrades that keep every encounter fun and explosive. The controls and platforming are incredibly smooth, making movement and traversal a joy across each colorful, enemy-filled level. There’s a confident rhythm to how it all plays: fluid, punchy, and polished.

Beyond the action, the game delivers a surprisingly engaging storyline, giving real emotional depth to Ratchet and Clank’s bond. Their journey carries more weight than usual, with personal stakes that elevate the narrative beyond the usual galaxy-hopping hijinks. The ability to explore space freely, jumping between planets and taking on side missions, adds a real sense of scale and adventure to the campaign.

But it’s Clank’s solo sections that quietly steal the show. His time-based puzzles are brilliantly designed, clever, layered, and satisfying in a way the series hadn’t hit before. All of this is wrapped in fantastic presentation, with vivid visuals, punchy sound design, and consistently strong voice acting. This entry doesn't just stick the landing, it launches the series into one of its finest hours.

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The Negatives ⚠️

For all its polish, A Crack in Time doesn’t shake up the formula much. The core gameplay: combat and platforming, feels familiar, and while it’s undeniably refined, longtime fans may find the lack of major innovation a little underwhelming. It’s more of a confident evolution than a bold step forward.

The space exploration, while a welcome addition, doesn’t quite reach its full potential. It’s fun to bounce between planets and dogfight in orbit, but the mechanics feel surface-level, lacking the depth or complexity that could’ve turned it into a true game-changer. On top of that, a few side missions fall flat, acting more like checklist filler than meaningful or memorable detours. These are minor dings on an otherwise stellar package, but they’re there.

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The Experience 🎮

Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time is a high point for the series: a vibrant, polished adventure that strikes a near-perfect balance between explosive action, clever puzzles, and emotional storytelling. It doesn’t rewrite the rules of the franchise, but it plays to its strengths with confidence and flair. The time manipulation mechanics feel fresh, the space traversal adds a satisfying sense of scale, and the narrative lands with surprising heart.

It took me around 30 hours to fully beat, and every one of those hours was packed with satisfying combat, witty banter, and galaxy-spanning fun. Whether you’re in it for the weapons, the worlds, or the emotional arc between its two heroes, A Crack in Time delivers a full package that fans, new and old,  shouldn’t miss.