The double team supreme returns

As PlayStation 2 blasts off once more with another galactic outing in Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters, why not look over the many adventures of a duo that has captured imaginations everywhere...

Touching down on PlayStation 2 after a hugely popular unveiling on PSP, Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters continues the massively successful series of Lombax mechanic Ratchet and his robot sidekick, Clank. Exclusive to PlayStation, the Insomniac Games creation has thrilled players with an accessible mixture of shooting, platforming action and referential humour. The result is an unforgettable interstellar jaunt across PS2, PlayStation 3 and PSP.

With a growing number of titles available allowing us to join our space-bound heroes, here's an updated rundown of their exploits.

Ratchet & Clank

The game that launched the series with a bang on PlayStation 2, Ratchet & Clank introduced us to a fresh faced double act in a sci-fi setting full of outrageous weapons and gadgets, memorable characters and an exciting quest to battle the villainous Chairman Drek. The game also introduced the green tights clad Captain Quark, who initially starts off as a self-serving enemy of Ratchet and Clank before slowly learning the folly of his ways in the latter titles.

Ratchet & Clank 2: Locked & Loaded

A rip-roaring follow-up to the original, Locked & Loaded expanded on everything that made the first game so good, with a host of modifiable weapons (even Ratchet's spaceship could be tweaked), more environments, a wider variety of missions and even space combat battles. Naturally the sly humour was also given a boost, making the overall package a joy throughout.

Ratchet & Clank 3

This is where Insomniac Games really started to show how far ahead of the curve it was. Not only looking to improve on Locked & Loaded by offering more inventive ways to obliterate enemies with a deep weapons modification system, Ratchet & Clank 3 also featured a range of 2D side-scrolling sections and competitive online play for the first time. Simply superb stuff.

Ratchet: Gladiator

A decidedly darker adventure, this side story offered something a little bit different from its predecessors by trapping Ratchet within a deadly underground TV sport called Dreadzone where combatants fight to the death. Focusing on cinematic drama, the arena based action of Ratchet: Gladiator bumped up the combat elements of the series, with offline cooperative two player support and enhanced online multiplayer modes.

Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters

Size Matters was a return to the more jovial platform oriented roots of the series and also marked Ratchet & Clank's first PSP escapade, where they discover a forgotten race of inventors called the Technomites and a fiendish plot which has them back in their interstellar groove. A wonderful adventure for fans and newcomers alike, Size Matters is now on PS2, giving you another chance to indulge in its inspired intergalactic immensity. Only fitting for a game about size...

Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction

The galaxy spanning duo entered a new world of High Definition visuals in this breathtaking PlayStation 3 debut. Making full use of the next generation system's power, Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction made our heroes look more impressive than ever before, with intricate facial animation and remarkable attention to detail, to name but a few of many enhancements.

With redesigned space combat and weapons such as the Tornado Launcher making use of the SIXAXIS Wireless Controller's motion sensing capabilities, the stakes were well and truly raised across the action adventure genre.

Secret Agent Clank

To the future! Due in mid 2008, Secret Agent Clank continues the series on PSP with a tale which sees Clank taking the spotlight after Ratchet is wrongly imprisoned. Set between the events of Size Matters and Tools of Destruction, the game will boast a mixture of super spy style stealth, martial arts action (in the shape of Clank-Fu) and the weapons based hilarity that Ratchet & Clank is famed for. They're ready - are you?