Taking the multiplayer elements introduced in last year’s Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal, Ratchet: Deadlocked expands them into not only a fully realized multiplayer game, but a rather engaging single-player one as well.

Deadlocked doesn’t improve on UYA’s visuals, though there probably isn’t much more room for expansion considering how great the series has always managed to look. Instead, the game’s entire mood has changed, moving from a bright universe to one that is just a little grittier (after all, Ratchet is taking part in a death sport). The slightly darker look shouldn’t deter fans of the game from picking it up since the series’ trademark style is still present. Characters still animate with fluid movements and have their own distinct personalities. These are more than nicely skinned polygons. Arenas also show off a nice variation of locales and have just as much personality as the game’s cast of characters.

When it comes to sound, Deadlocked does not disappoint – well, almost. Nearly everything you’ve come to expect from a Ratchet & Clank game is here in full force. The only downside are the annoying announcers during matches. If you thought the commentary during UYA’s arena segments was a pain to listen to, you haven’t heard anything yet since they’re given a much more prominent role here and will repeat the same two or three phrases throughout much of the game.

Ratchet: Deadlocked is a massive change of direction for the series. Nearly all of the story and platforming elements have been removed, making way for a more multiplayer oriented game similar to Epic’s Unreal Championship 2 on the Xbox. Still, for a game that builds itself for multiplayer, it does a pretty good job of crafting a fun single-player experience that doesn’t feel like the shallow, slapped-together mess seen in other games of this type.

The single-player Story mode begins with the disappearance of several of the galaxies’ greatest heroes. Ratchet and Clank soon discover that the heroes are being kidnapped and forced to compete in the galaxies’ most popular, and deadliest, game show: Dreadzone. This discovery leads the duo to the Shadow Sector, the roughest region of space, to confront media mogul Gleeman Vox, the show’s producer. While en route, the duos’ ship is hijacked and the two are taken hostage. Given Ratchet’s status as a hero, and Dreadzone’s lagging ratings due to the unpopularity of its current champion, Ace Hardlight, he is forced by Vox to compete in the game show. And, in order to make sure Ratchet complies, both he and Clank are fitted with deadlock collars that can be remotely detonated if the wearer ever becomes uncooperative or boring.

As you can see, even though the game takes a different approach to gameplay, the series’ trademark humor is still there. This helps to tie Deadlocked in with the previous three games as well as giving the single-player game, which can admittedly get a little stale at times, the added boost it needs to stay enjoyable. Fans of the series can expect to see numerous references to past games, especially during the Vox News Network’s “publicity” that takes Ratchet’s past and adds that nice bit of spin we’ve all come to expect from our major news networks.

Deadlocked is a much smaller, and shorter, game than previous installments. Each planet features a giant map that is then split up into smaller chunks making up each challenge. One challenge may have Ratchet capturing nodes to unlock a door while in the next, he’ll go through the doors and take on another challenge. Breaking up the levels makes sense in the game, though it does detract from the experience and kills the organic flow of each campaign. While it does have a few advantages (especially in later missions where you’ll find yourself hanging onto a sliver of life and no ammo), I would have liked to quickly transition between areas.

At certain points during each challenge, Ratchet will also be able to use vehicles like the Landstalker tank and a Hover Jet. These areas offer something a little different to the game and help to break up some of the monotony of performing the same few matches multiple times.

Many of the challenges Ratchet faces in the single-player game make up the multiplayer mode, which is really what the game is built for in the first place. Deadlocked includes both offline and online variations of traditional multiplayer match types like Deathmatch and Capture the Flag. One of the better multiplayer modes is the improved Siege mode that takes the node-capturing mechanic used in UYA and builds a small, objective-based “story” around it. As each team performs actions on the field, they earn points. The team with the highest score wins.

Overall, the online experience is enjoyable. Action is faster than normal multiplayer games and the unique array of weapons available helps the game to stand out among other multiplayer games coming out this year on the PS2.

The single-player side of Deadlocked isn’t that great of a challenge and can be easily finished in a few hours on Normal difficulty. It’s not until you hit the higher difficulties (especially Challenge mode) that the game begins to feel a little more like the difficulty found in past games. Even some of the Dreadzone Challenges that are unlocked after completing the main campaign for each planet can usually be completed to near perfection the first time through.

Most of the challenge instead comes from completing the numerous Skill Challenges assigned to each planet. These usually entail killing so many of a certain enemy with a certain gun or in so many seconds. Completing the challenges earns Skill Stars which can then be used to purchase unlockables like skins and cheats (which includes my personal favorite cheat, Gangsta’ Style, where Ratchet holds his guns on their side).

A major change to the game’s familiar format is that Ratchet no longer has Clank strapped to his back, taking away the “glide” function found in other games. What this means (at least for those who have played the past games) is that you no longer have that bit of a safety net provided by Clank. In other words, you have to actually be a little more adept at timing jumps. I found this to be one of the biggest adjustments I had to make during gameplay when facing off against some of the platforming elements found in the game. It’s funny how you never think about little things like that until they’re gone.

Ratchet isn’t alone on the battlefield. During most matches, a set of A.I.-controlled Bots follow him around and provide fire support as well as some gadget support. For the most part, the Bots run on their own A.I. and do a fairly good job of keeping Ratchet alive (which actually contributes to the game being so easy), though you can issue special orders. The command system is context sensitive and adapts orders based on what is going on during gameplay, with orders issued through the D-pad. Commands usually involve gadget support which includes things like shooting grappling lines (which Ratchet can then grind across), hacking computer terminals or by tightening bolts to capture nodes on the field. The bots can also be upgraded with new abilities (like a shield system), better weapons, and even some minor customization like paint schemes and heads.

Every Ratchet game finds a new way to evolve the weapons system; the same holds true in Deadlocked. Compared to past games, the weapons system in Deadlocked is deeper and a little more complex, at least on the surface.

As you use weapons during battle, they gain experience points, which eventually add up to level-up bonuses that enhance the weapon. Leveling up only enhances a weapon’s stats, which are called Alpha Mods. These Mods upgrade things like damage, speed, and ammo capacity. Omega Mods, which enhance a weapon’s attributes and add things like freeze, acid, and morph attributes to weapons, must be purchased at vendors and can only be equipped one at a time (whereas Alpha Mods build on each other). Eventually, weapons can gain enough experience that they will turn into completely new weapons by unlocking a Jackpot Mod. Unlocking these Mods take a little more playtime and will usually require that you go through the single-player game at least twice (or replay planets multiple times).

Since his two allies now act as his gadgets, Ratchet’s weapons are limited mostly to things that go bang. Aside from his trademark wrench, which can also be upgraded, his main weapons are a set of dual-wielded machine guns called Twin Vipers. By collecting bolts during matches and visiting vendors scattered across each arena, Ratchet can purchase other weapons like missile launchers, shotguns, and a sniper rifle. A few weapons, like the Turret and Shield guns, return; but for the most part all of the weapons are either amalgams of past weapon abilities or completely new.

Ratchet: Deadlocked is the natural evolution of a series that has managed to do it all. A few elements that made the past games so great have been lost in the conversion to a more multiplayer focus, though in the end Deadlocked is still an enjoyable little adventure for fans of the series or gamers looking for their next big online, multiplayer fix.