After the critical and commercial success that was Daxter, many were left wanting more hot side-kick action.  The prayers of PSP fans have been answered; Secret Agent Clank is on his way and he’s looking to shake up the Ratchet and Clank formula with Bond Style action and Sam Fisher style stealth.

The game is set somewhere in between the duo’s first outing on the PSP, Size Matters, and their first PS3 title, Tools of Destruction.  As the title suggests, you play as Ratchet’s little robo side-kick, Clank.  However, their will be instances in the game where you will gain control of Captain Quark. 

The first level of the game finds Clank sneaking his way into a museum to steal a valuable known as the “Eye of Infinity”.  As Clank begins his approach, Robotic guards fly in to save the day snatching up none other than Ratchet!  A news report that followed allowed the captive “Ratchet” to speak. He announced that he was giving up the hero part and beginning a life of crime.  Not believing that it was his good buddy, Clank did a little research which showed the captured Ratchet was an impostor.

Clank’s new goal is simple; he must find a way to clear Ratchet of the charges leveled against him. So, with that in mind, the game puts players in control of Clank outside the museum.  Defeating robotic guard dogs using Clank-fu and avoiding searchlights allows the player to move forward and reach the entrance to the museum where the guard dogs are replaced by full on human-robotic guards.  Once inside the museum, empty pedestals become a kind of savior as the guards are simply too strong to defeat.  Hopping onto a pedestal using a context sensitive button allows the player to hide in plain sight.  The dim-witted robo guards will simply pass by giving the player the chance to sneak on past. 

The Ratchet and Clank series is well known for its interesting weapon set and Secret Agent Clank is no different. The game is chock full of interesting spy tools including bowtie boomerangs, exploding cuffs, and ink spewing pens.  In addition to the new weapons, the team at High Impact Games has added stealth takedowns in the vein of the stylized Bourne fights.  In order to execute one of the instant kill takedowns, the player must sneak up on a baddy and press a button which initiates a quick time event where the player must enter four buttons correctly before time runs out.  If successful, the player is treated to a short cinematic showing Clank beat the tar out of the enemy.  However, if you slip up, the bad guy will be alerted to your presence and Clank will be apprehended.

Expect alot more robot this time around.

Despite the many changes to the Ratchet and Clank franchise, Lead Designer Dave Goodrich promises that the overall experience will feel delightfully similar. The game still awards players with bolts for defeating enemies and destroyer boxes which can be traded in for new weapons in the shop. For the most part, the core gameplay is intact with the controls and puzzles being similar to the original. The game looks promsing and will almost certainly achieve the success of Size Matters.  Look for Secret Agent Clank in June, 2008.