Re-something or other

You know how most generations of console have a direct mascot that everyone thinks of? Sega has Sonic; Nintendo has Mario; Xbox has Master Chief. But I can't think of just one mascot for PlayStation.

Over the Generations there have been a wonderful plethora of characters that would be considered their Iconic Mascot, from Crash Bandicoot, to Jak and Daxter, to Sackboy/girl/person.

One that rips a new one into my heart is Ratchet and Clank, which is why I bought the 2016 reboot over Doom (4).

I've seen all manner of Re-descriptives over the last generation and now and I go into it with cautious skepticism since my first venture, Splinter Cell, which came out with some smooth polygonal edges and higher resolution textures, but coupled with controls that were not improved and the same FMVs from the original game, stretched out and very poor quality from even the time it came from.

A few years have passed since then and I have retained that cautious eye as I loaded the disc, thinking back fondly on the 10 playthroughs I made just to earn the R.Y.N.O.

Then I was thrown straight back into that world again, dodging enemy lasers, slamming the Omniwrench on mutant critters, firing off all manner of quirky weapons into the fray. I was having a fantastic time, until I had a sudden realisation.

It's exactly the same. Every level, every secret, every enemy, every weapon... Exactly the same, but prettier.

This was my fault. I came into this hearing the word reboot and made an arse out of me and me by assuming that meant things were going to be different, that while it would have its similarities, I would be playing different levels and a new twist would occur somewhere in the game that would have me storing away cash for the (surely) coming sequel that would give them the creative rights to make their own original sequel.

Now I exaggerate (such is my want) on that the game is exactly the same. It certainly isn't, it is a product of refinement. They took notes from all the previous games and applied what worked while keeping it simple.

Like the weapon leveling system, whereby you collect Raritanium to give your weapons increased abilities, from Ammo Capacity to higher rate of fire, all of which are laid out on a pattern made of hexagons. And if certain hexes were surrounded, you were provided with a more unique feature to the weapon, such as mini predator rockets that track more targets. Then once you have maxed out their level, it turns into a better gun with another new and unique aspect.

But small changes do not make a new game. A new character here, a new level there, it isn't enough to call it a new game but will be enough to change the future of Ratchet and Clank. Those changes do make enough for the future, but the now is where I am disappointed. Sure keep the locations the same, give the general plot a roll in the same direction, but I would have liked new maps to roam around in and explore, not the same places I visited almost 15 years ago.