Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time cover art

Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time

Time-manipulation puzzles meet the series' signature weapon-upgrade gunplay.

Here's the argument for where this game sits - disagree freely.
Match your experience?
EXECUTION5 /10READS0 /10VARIANCE2 /10OPTIMIZATION7 /10

the cheat-test profile

The four axes - the argument

Each axis is rated on its own - how far one cheat would trivialize the game here. They don't trade off; low on all four means the game is an experience, not a contest.

  1. Execution

    cheat: Aimbot - perfect inputs

    5/10

    Hoverboot movement, aiming, and time-puzzle dexterity.

  2. Reads

    cheat: Out-predict an adaptive opponent

    0/10

    Entirely scripted single-player content.

  3. Variance

    cheat: See what's hidden / map the RNG

    2/10

    First-pass unknowns in puzzles and arenas.

  4. Optimization

    cheat: A perfect solver / coach

    7/10

    Clank's time puzzles and weapon economy are solvable systems.

How to read this

Each axis is named by the cheat that would break the game along it. Execution is the hands. Reads is out-thinking an adaptive opponent. Variance is hidden information & RNG. Optimization is the solvable systems layer. A game's region is the top one or two axes.

These four aren't one rating split four ways - they're independent 0-10 questions. A 9 on one axis takes nothing from the others, and a game low on all four isn't missing data: it's telling you there's no skill here to cheat.

The basis is how the majority actually plays this game - not a niche mode or a personal run. For a game with very different modes (a story campaign versus ranked multiplayer), that's the version most people mean.

Compare with

Similar games

see all →

Ranked by shared genre first, then by how closely the cheat-test profile matches - a cross-genre tag means a pick matched on skill profile alone.

Tomb Raider cover art

Tomb Raider

Practiced Mastery · action-adventure platformer

E
R
V
O
Tomb Raider
SnowRunner cover art

SnowRunner

Practiced Mastery · off-road truck sim

E
R
V
O
SnowRunner
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night cover art

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

Pure Optimization · metroidvania RPG

E
R
V
O
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time cover art

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Practiced Mastery · acrobatic platformer

E
R
V
O
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Black Mesa cover art

Black Mesa

Practiced Mastery · story-driven FPS

E
R
V
O
Black Mesa
Overcooked cover art

Overcooked

Practiced Mastery · co-op cooking game

E
R
V
O
Overcooked

Game details

Released
2009
Developer
Insomniac Games
Franchise
Ratchet & Clank
Platforms
PS3
Modes
Single player
IGDB critics
83/100
IGDB users
80/100
ShooterPlatformAdventureArcadeActionFantasyScience fictionComedyKidsOpen world