Ratchet And Clank 2

BASIC INTEL:

No, we didn't just modify screens of the original Ratchet--you're looking at Ratchet & Clank 2, due out just one year after the first game. This time around, unlikely hero Ratchet and wisecracking-sidekick-robot Clank team up to save the universe from imminent doom, although Sony won't say whether our heroes face a new threat or if Chairman Drek has returned for another ass whuppin'.

SPECIALIST DATA:

Like the last Qame?Ratchet 2 borrows a cornucopia of elements from other genres and sticks 'em all under its action-platform umbrella, including exploration, racing, puzzle-solving, and role-playing. But just as you'd expect, developer Insomniac Games has cranked everything up a few notches for the sequel. (We've got our fingers crossed for more Giant Clank.) Our hero has changed a bit, too. Besides Ratchet's spiffy new green spacesuit (which may be enough on its own to scare off would-be attackers), he'll have more weapons and high-tech gadgets that you can power-up during your quest thanks to a new upgrade system.

Taking the brunt of all that firepower is a cadre of new enemies who've found a fresh way to foil Ratchet's galaxy-saving plans: They've brought shields.