One of the first things I discovered about Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One is that the ‘4’ in the title wasn’t just for street cred. It was also indicative of the number of players who could join in at once. I approached this title thinking it would be a party game in the vein of the Crash Bash or Mario Party (think: stacks of mini games that are fun to bust out for brief intervals but not quite as interesting during extended play). My expectations turned out to be more than a little off the mark. All 4 One pleasantly surprised me in a number of ways. It was funnier than I thought it would be and despite it being a far cry from the genres I usually inhabited, it offered a very entertaining experience.

As a puzzle platformer with some RPG elements (I could level up my character and upgrade my weapons), the primary strength of this title lay in the combat. I fought monsters, collected bolts and solved puzzles as I made my way through each level before being confronted by a boss. Ratchet and Clank were the obvious character choices, with the hysterically goofy Captain Qwark and super villain Doctor Nefarious making up the remainder of the playable cast. The dynamic relationship between Qwark and Nefarious was a particularly amusing highlight.

Despite developer Insomniac Games’ efforts to tap into the genre, I wouldn’t describe All 4 One as a conventional party game. It carried with it a plot that had to be encountered chronologically in order to be understood. This was complimented by pre-rendered cinematics. These cut scenes were something I enjoyed immensely for their ability to progress the story while keeping me laughing. The humour was reminiscent of family-friendly animated films.

One frustrating aspect of the cinematic content was the inability to skip it. This was annoying when restarting levels after dying in particularly difficult areas, especially after multiple attempts. Given that the game also contained a theatre which allowed me to watch unlocked cut scenes at my leisure, this was perplexing. To make matters worse, players who joined me mid-game were also subjected to watching them even though they were unable to grasp the context because they weren’t at the same level of progression as I was.

Puzzles encouraged me to work with others, while timing my attacks with those of my teammates enhanced the destructive power of my weapons. This leads me to what was the most compelling aspect of All 4 One. As is customary in Ratchet and Clank games, the latest instalment included a huge arsenal. Guns, electrical whips and flame throwers were among the more traditional fare, but there were, of course, some more unusual offerings. My favourite weapon, the Critter Strike, transformed adversaries into cute little animals. Evidently, a lot of effort went into providing assorted means of eliminating enemies. Weapon upgrades were also available to reward veterans and add some replayability without alienating newcomers.

All four characters appeared on the same screen. This, coupled with the explosive nature of both guns and enemies, made for some hilarious moments of chaos. I enjoyed cracking the game open with friends as it offered some cooperative fun with a minimal learning curve.  If my buddies wanted to jump in or leave mid-game they could do so with ease. That said, the ability to switch between multiplayer and single player modes in a flash made little sense given the nature of the cut scene enforced story.

Although the title carried an obvious emphasis on cooperative play, it was also reasonably enjoyable in single player. The AI skilfully controlled a character who was able to jump in and assist in crucial battles and puzzle solving. Despite this, there were still moments of confusion when the AI exhibited strange behaviour, such as running into walls for a good ten seconds. Fortunately such encounters were rare and overall the computer provided enough assistance for me to make it through what was clearly a multiplayer focused game. The realisation that I was solving a puzzle meant for several people by myself could not be ignored and really added a sad sting of loneliness!

The level design was something to be praised. Each new area made the most out of its gameplay mechanics to produce an experience as agreeable as it was diverse. The game saw me sail rafts, dodge explosions, grind pipes, water-ski, jetpack underground, and then some. No two levels were the same and each had its own defining ‘mini game’, a term I am loathe to use in this instance, as these nuggets certainly didn’t strike me as tacked on distractions. Levels struck a good balance between logical puzzle solving and action-packed gunfights. The later clashes could be quite challenging if I didn’t approach them strategically.

Unfortunately the length of the game left something to be desired. The ability to purchase additional weapons and upgrades did prolong the running time a little, but I was able to collect enough bolts during my first run through to purchase every weapon. This didn’t leave me with much incentive to continue playing.

A light-hearted storyline and vibrant gameplay made Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One a great game to partake in with friends. As short-lived as it was, I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of the game, although my time with it was likely enhanced by the cooperative human players I had by my side. While it scarcely made its mark as an entertaining single player game, having friends join in really saw it shine.