"Going Commando" finds our heroes relaxing in the wake of their former success. Unfortunately, their success has been a little too good as they now find they’re out of a job since no one needs a hero anymore. Enter Ambercrombie Fizzwidget, the leader of Megacorp (a gadget and weapons manufacturer) from a distant galaxy who desperately needs Ratchet and Clank to retrieve a stolen lab experiment. During the course of their adventure they will encounter hordes of enemy beasts and robots, a story of intrigue and deception, a cameo from Captain Quark and a whole lot of fun.

Insomniac has really raised the bar in regards to platformers with R&C 2. This game has so many elements taken from other games that it really feels like something completely new. In addition to the standard 3D platforming fare, you’ll fight through several space-combat sim battles, speed through tunnels and across landscapes in the hoverbike races, stomp around Rampage-style on a true 3D spherical world and fight your way through massive gladiatorial arena battles. All of these elements have an arcade feel to them and are fairly easy to pick up. The great thing about these "maxi games" is that you can return to them at any time and earn more bolts - and you’re going to need lots of them (bolts that is) to buy the obscene number of weapons, gadgets, and armors in the game.

If Going Commando is about one thing, it’s weapons. Over the course of the game, you’ll discover 18 completely new weapons, five returning favorites from the original, and a slew of gadgets. Nearly everything is upgradeable too. The more you use a particular weapon the more experience is gains. Once you’ve gained enough experience, the weapon it will automatically upgrade into a more powerful version of its previous self. This translates into increased firepower, additional ammo, increased blast radius, or even a devastating new effect. On top of that, many of the weapons can be outfitted with mods that are purchased through the collection of special platinum bolts. Chief among these "mods" is a target lock-on feature and even secondary damage in the form of acid or arcing electricity. Ratchet’s health bar also increases with the more enemies you kill - up to a total of 80 health points. Your ship is also upgradeable. You can add new weapons, more thrusters, improved shielding and even customize the look and paintjob of your ride.

The controls have been tightened up a bit from the original. The original felt a bit clunky at times, but the controls in Going Commando are quite responsive. The addition of a strafe move is very welcome and is just one in a long list of things that Insomniac has done to improve the look and feel of this game over the original. The camera is nearly flawless and is a breeze to control.

The worlds are huge and often nonlinear, which gives a great feel of personal freedom to the game. The desert and ice tundra levels are particularly huge, so much so that you’ll be able to collect as many as 100 crystals that you can trade in for bolts. Unlike the first Ratchet and Clank, which forced the player to return to previous worlds in order to add perceived longevity to the storyline, R&C 2 allows you to return and replay through any level in the game at any time. The story progresses in a more structured fashion but still allows the player to take a break at any time and have fun with the maxi games.

The A.I. has been ramped up significantly from the original. Enemies will now attack in packs, come at you from all sides, duck and dodge behind ramparts and even jump into gun turrets to lay down some heavy cover fire. Destroy that tank and you’ll still have to contend with the three gunners that were inside it who are now using it as cover.

Not much has changed graphically from the first game, but the original looked gorgeous already. Large open landscapes, sweeping vistas, and detailed interiors have all been carefully and meticulously designed. When you add the gorgeous explosions and mayhem that the weapons dish out, the game really is a marvel to look at.

The soundtrack is complementary to the world you’re currently on, whether that be calm and relaxing on a lush world, upbeat and lively on a megalopolis, or even gloomy on the lava-filled home world of the Thugs-4-Less Headquarters. It’s nothing you’ll be humming to yourself afterwards, but the music definitely helps set the tone for whatever world you’re on.

Sound effects for the weapons are solid and believable. The whoosh of rockets, the boom of explosions, and even the distant hustle of a busy city are all here and add to the impressiveness. The voice acting is top notch in addition to the animation that accompanies it. I found myself laughing out loud at Insomniac’s sense of humor that they’ve woven so well into the characters and locales of the game. It all feels quite natural and unrehearsed.

As far as replay value goes, Going Commando definitely has lots of bang for your buck. The game is really meant to be played through a second time. On your second time through, you’ll keep all your weapons, bolts and upgrades that you’ve earned, however the enemies are a lot tougher. Fortunately, all of your weapons (including the ones from the original Ratchet & Clank) can be upgraded again to become mega-varieties of each. These are truly magnificent weapons.

There are hidden retro mini-games like "Sheep Invaders" and "Space-ish Wars" that are a throwback to the classics of the 80’s. There’s a "making-of" video, several different costumes for Ratchet, a sketchbook, a museum featuring several weapon designs that didn’t make it into the game, even the ability to play the game entirely from the first-person perspective and more! You will easily spend countless hours on this title unlocking everything there is to unlock.

Insomniac Games has done something almost unheard of in the videogame industry in making Going Commando the ultimate platformer. Simply put, they’ve made a sequel to a hit game that improves upon the original in nearly every way - all of this in less than a year. That doesn’t happen every day folks. This is definitely the best platformer I’ve played all year and quite possibly a contender for best game of the year. Insomniac Games has set the bar for future aspiring platformers.