Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters

About Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters

Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters is a 2007 action-platformer developed by High Impact Games for PlayStation 2 and PSP. It’s the first entry in the series to appear on a handheld, featuring the duo’s vacation interrupted by a kidnapping plot involving ancient robots called Technomites. The game mixes fast-paced shooting, platforming challenges, and exploration across alien worlds. With a story that leans into sci-fi twists and a focus on puzzle-solving, it aims to expand the franchise’s universe. Despite a rushed development cycle, it maintains the series’ signature humor and gadget-filled combat.

Gameplay

You control Ratchet as he zips through levels using a grapple hook, dual pistols, and an ever-growing arsenal of weapons. Combat is chaotic, balancing quick-time events with timed platforming sections. The shrink ray lets you dive into Clank’s internal systems for mini-dungeons, while the Ultra-Mech form turns Clank into a tank for boss fights. Exploration is key, hidden areas hide Rings, collectibles, and unlockable skins. Multiplayer is limited to online shooting challenges, but the single-player campaign dominates. Missions often mix shooting, stealth, and platforming, with a focus on over-the-top action. The PSP version adds motion controls for shooting, which feel gimmicky but add variety.

What Players Think

The game scores 64.6/100 on IGDB (91 ratings), reflecting a split between fans and critics. Many praise its ambition for the PSP but criticize lackluster pacing and repetitive combat. Average completion time is 15, 20 hours, with 40% of players finishing all challenges. Community moods are mixed, 40% “excited,” 30% “disappointed,” and 30% “curious.” Review snippets note the “glorified tech demo” criticism for the handheld and “fun but formulaic” core gameplay. The story’s twist about Luna is divisive, with some calling it “clever” and others “confusing.” It remains a footnote in the series but holds a cult following for its experimental mechanics.

PlayPile's Take

Size Matters is a decent entry for die-hard Ratchet & Clank fans but lacks the polish of its predecessors. At $20, $30 for physical copies or bundled in digital collections, it’s a low-risk pick for those who want to experience the series’ full history. The game’s charm lies in its gadgets and humor, but repetitive missions and dated graphics hold it back. With a 64.6 IGDB score and minimal achievements (15 total), it’s not essential but worth a glance if you’ve enjoyed the broader series. Skip it unless you’re a completionist or curious about early PSP experiments.

Storyline

While on a vacation in Pokitaru, Ratchet and Clank meet a little girl named Luna who is writing a school report on heroes. Shortly after they meet her, Luna is kidnapped by mysterious robots. Clank then stumbles upon a mysterious artefact from an ancient race, the Technomites. Although Ratchet is initially sceptical about their existence, Clank believes they do exist. Ratchet and Clank set out to save Luna and, in the process, encounter Captain Qwark, who is attempting to find his biological parents. Ratchet allows him to use his ship's computer to aid in his search to make him stop following them. On Kalidon, Ratchet is kidnapped by Luna, who faked her kidnapping, and Clank is left in a junkyard on Metalis. However, Clank transforms into his Ultra-Mech form and sets off to destroy enemy troops and save Ratchet. Meanwhile, Ratchet's DNA was taken to produce an army of clones. Emperor Otto Destruct, leader of the Technomites, has recognized Ratchet's potential and hopes to use his DNA to make the ultimate soldier. Finding out that Luna is actually a robotic puppet and ship, the duo track it down to Dayni Moon, where Luna reveals the clone plot to Ratchet and Clank and explains the Technomites are bitter for never receiving credit from the general population for their technological advances. After destroying the Luna puppet, Clank tries to get the clone factory coordinates from it but is infected with a computer virus and malfunctions, allowing the Technomite soldiers inside the puppet to enter Clank. Ratchet uses his shrink ray to go inside Clank, meeting his internal security system, and they collaborate to eliminate the intruders and restart Clank's processor. Clank reveals that he obtained the factory coordinates before being deactivated, and they head to a planet known as Quodrona. After Ratchet kills dozens of clones, Otto reveals that what Luna told them was a "cheesy story", and his real plan is to steal the intelligence of every being in the galaxy, using a special machine that transfers the intelligence from one being to another. Qwark, persuaded by Otto, thinks Otto is his father and temporarily fights on his side. Ratchet and Clank eventually beat Otto. Afterwards, they learn from Skrunch that Qwark's real parents had been killed by defective Technomite equipment. Qwark tries to use Otto's machine to give Otto his intelligence, but Skrunch interferes and causes Otto to gain his intelligence instead. Back in Ratchet and Clank's apartment, the shrunken Ratchet clones are sold as toys, and the two keep the shrunken Qwark company while watching an advertisement commercial for the new toy line.