Cartoonish action game has mild violence

Positive Messages: 4 out of 5

Positive Role Models: 4 out of 5

Ease of play: 4 out of 5

Violence: 2 out of 5

Language: 0 out of 5

Sexy stuff: 0 of 5

Drinking, drugs and smoking: 0 out of 5

Consumerism: 0 out of 5 (Are products/advertisements embedded? Is the title part of a broader marketing initiative/empire? Is the intent to sell things to kids?)

GAME DETAILS

Platform: PlayStation 4

Price: $39.99

Developer: Sony Computer Entertainment America

Release Date: April 8, 2016

Genre: Action/Adventure

ESRB Rating: E10+ for Animated blood, fantasy violence

Parents need to know that “Ratchet and Clank” is a cartoonish action game set across numerous planets as the title characters attempt to save the galaxy. Though you mostly play as a cute, fuzzy alien, and the rest of the time as an equally adorable robot, you’re still hitting some enemies with a metal wrench while killing others with a variety of guns and explosives, even though some of the weapons are humorous. But while there’s a little alien blood spilled here and there, the game is never gory or gross.

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

In “Ratchet and Clank”, we see how our heroes — the fuzzy and somewhat reckless alien Ratchet and his more cautious robotic sidekick Clank — first teamed up to save the galaxy. An updated and upgraded remake of a game from 2002, this epic science fiction adventure has our heroes traveling the galaxy, meeting new and interesting people, and getting into adventures as they try to stop the Blarg from taking over the galaxy.

IS IT ANY GOOD?

While most remakes of old games give the graphics some polish but leave the dated controls intact, this new and improved version of the PlayStation 2 classic features updated controls as well as visuals. Like the original, this version of “Ratchet and Clank” has you shooting, smacking, running, jumping, and solving physics problems as you try to save the galaxy. But while this is inspired in equally parts by the original 2002 game and the new animated movie based on that game, this is less a straight remake and more of a revamp. Not only does it feature the more intuitive controls of latter installments, but it also has a deeper version of the story, new fun and entertaining guns, as well as weapons and gameplay elements — such as weapon upgrading — that were added in later games.

But where “Ratchet and Clank” really shines is how it mixes all of its elements together seamlessly with a story that’s full of genuine humor. As a result, this is one cartoony game that really does appeal to all ages … well, ages 10 and older, anyway (you’re still shooting and smacking people, y’know). These improvements also don’t make this title as good as later ones in the series, which had a greater variety of weapons, places to use them, and ways to get around. Still, this is one remake that mostly feels like a fresh new game for a new audience of players.

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