Two buddies, two series.
The Ratchet & Clank series, developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony, has become an icon of the PlayStation lineup since its first release in 2002. In their fight against megacorporations and mad scientists, the two witty titular protagonists have taken up their various arms and gadgets to delight fans all over the world.
However, with the more modern entries failing to justify their huge budgets commercially and the development studio being acquired by Sony in 2019, it may be quite a while until we'll see them returning to their third-person shooting platformer titles. Luckily, other studios have taken it upon themselves to hold us over in the meantime.
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After Insomniac Games finished their work on the Spyro the Dragon series, they wanted a new IP, with Brian Hastings coming up with the idea of a space-traveling reptile alien collecting various weapons; a character which would later become the Lombax Ratchet. Writing and characters were generally inspired by The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books. Development ran in parallel with Naughty Dog's Jak and Daxter franchise, with the two studios sharing tech and ideas.
Ratchet, whose final design ended up more feline-like than reptilian, is usually accompanied by his small robot ally Clank as they travel through various vibrant galaxies. Blending third-person shooting, platforming and puzzles, each entry emphasizes upgrading bizarre, often comedic weapons, like sheep-inducing guns or enemies-forced-to-dance gadgets. The franchise is further known for its tongue-in-cheek humor and colorful sci-fi storytelling.
Since its debut, the series has grown into a major PlayStation franchise with numerous sequels and spin-offs, releasing regularly until 2013. After the non-canonical movie tie-in 2016, the sequel to PS3 title Into the Nexus (2013) would only come in 2021 with the standout PS5 game Rift Apart. But with Insomniac now being assigned larger licensed projects like Spider-Man and Wolverine, the next adventure may be quite some time away.
Taking Aim
Given the long absence of traditional Ratchet & Clank titles after 2013, a small group of indie developers who had previously developed the MediEvil spiritual successor Pumpkin Jack, banded together in 2020 to form the French indie studio Evil Raptor. They intended to develop a new title to capture the blend of gunplay, exploration, and platforming that defined the PS2-era platformers.
During development, Evil Raptor operated as a small team (about eight people) working carefully to balance their ambitious design goals with the constraints of an indie budget. Since one of the main appeals of the Ratchet & Clank series was its varied gameplay, replicating the many different gameplay styles (platforming, shooting, vehicle and spaceship segments and hacking mini-games) was quite challenging, leading to other aspects like optimization taking a hit.
In May 2024, the title was first announced to the public by Plaion, the Embracer Group publisher Evil Raptor had decided to partner with for the release. A free demo was issued in June of the same year and Akimbot was finally released on Windows, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in August 2024.
Shots Fired
Akimbot takes place in a futuristic galaxy where outlaw robot Exe and his witty AI sidekick Shipset are on the run after escaping prison. The story follows their journey across various planets filled with corporate-controlled machines and bizarre alien life, as they uncover a plot that threatens the universe. In this sense, the story not only clearly harkens back to the PS2 entries of Ratchet & Clank, but also tonally to the Saturday morning cartoons which inspired its writing.
Progression is structured around a sequence of levels that blend platforming, shooting, and vehicle sections. Exe uses dashes, double jumps and wall runs, moreso emphasizing his movement instead of a wild arsenal of guns, though there still are various upgradeable blasters. The game also included spaceship combat, hacking puzzles, and traversal challenges, with each stage introducing new twists to keep gameplay lively.
The combat emphasizes mobility, with Exe constantly moving, dodging, and firing to handle waves of robotic foes. Different weapons and abilities can be swapped to fit situations, encouraging experimentation much like its inspirations. While its mechanics echo the DNA of classic 3D platformers, Akimbot infuses them with the modern pacing and cinematic flair present in later Ratchet & Clank entries.
Back To Holster
At launch, Akimbot drew a mixed-to-positive reception. Critics praised its flashy visuals, fluid movement, and energetic mix of platforming and gunplay. However, many also flagged issues like the limited variety of weapons, uneven pacing (some levels overstaying their welcome), occasional performance hitches, and a story that failed to fully engage. On aggregate, the game holds moderately favorable scores but is often viewed as a promising but imperfect first outing.
Post-launch, there has been no public evidence of major sequels or sweeping expansions (as of now), with the four-person team at Evil Raptor currently on track to develop their next game – Far Far West, a co-op first-person shooter. However, small updates or patches to address Akimbot's performance or polish issues over time may still be in the cards.
Looking ahead, Ratchet & Clank's future remains cautiously optimistic, but with caveats. Insomniac Games has a heavy workload with major franchises like Spider-Man and leaks have suggested that the next Ratchet could only arrive around 2028 or 2029. But that extended development window may also yield greater results than ever before if Sony and Insomniac commit to keeping the franchise alive and evolving.