In this sequel, Ratchet and Clank are savouring the celebration given them at the end of the original title, when a new mission falls into their laps. A space conglomerate has suffered a heinous act of industrial espionage, and our heroes are hired for retrieval purposes. Cue the zany antics, interplanetary travel, and Nickelodeon-style one-liners.

R&C 2: Going Commando is a hell of a good looking game. The environments are sharp and bright - primary colours abound. Transitions between indoor and outdoor levels are seamless, and the engine draw distance is impressive, especially considering how hard the original pushed the PlayStation 2 hardware. The camera control suffers from some of the idiosyncracies native to 3-D adventure gaming, but it's not the worst out there by a long shot. The right analog stick snaps the camera angles into place easily enough, so corrections aren't difficult.

Insomniac does a good job of pacing the gameplay while gradually introducing new elements as the storyline moves forward. The initial gun gives way to tracor beams, bomb launchers, transforming weapons, and more - teaching you how to work each new weapon as it becomes available while adding it to your arsenal. Judicious use of ammo and each weapon is paramount, because you'll find that certain enemies will be more susceptible to one weapon over another. It's well-balanced, and offers enough differences between the weapons that it makes sense to switch them around, as opposed to just being "bigger and louder" guns. The upgrade system allows you to collect multiple armors, upping your nanotech while vanquishing enemies. So while you're collecting gears, you're actually putting yourself in a position to choose the kind of reward you're going to receive. At times, the pacing can flag a bit, which is unfortunate, but there are always mini-games that you can play to alleviate the tedium. Hoverbike racing, space battles between planets (didn't we see this in Knights of the Old Republic?), arena dueling - all serve to mix things up a bit. There are Skill Points you can earn for unlocking secrets, which serve as an inducement to play again. Not everyone will find that enough of an incentive, though.

The sound effects, music and voice acting is all top notch - pay attention during the cutscenes and you may recognize some of the actors involved. The musical score is crisp and exciting, matching the environments perfectly. Enemies yell, electronics hum and hiss, rockets fire - clearly presented and well done.

So, how does Ratchet and Clank 2: Going Commando compare to the standard-bearer, Mario 64? Quite favorably, if not quite on equal footing. There was enough here to keep me interested, and as someone who burned out on platformers during the last console generation, that's saying a lot. Despite the flagging pace towards the end, the presentation, engine and gameplay in Going Commando is tight as a drum, and Insomniac should be congratulated on a damn good game.