Clank steps out on his own for the first time on the Playstation Portable. Freed from the backpack, Clank mechanical swagger takes him through a meshed up super sleuth adventure.

“The Turkey is in the Dishwasher” spits mechanical Clank as he tracks down the reason why his best friend in the whole wide world, Ratchet. You see Ratchet has been wrongfully imprisoned in a galactic high security lockdown facility and its up to Clank to become the star this time around. Deviating from the popular 'Ratchet & Clank' franchise, Clank is freed from his normal attached form of being Ratchet’s all purpose sidekick. Out on his own Clank still finds himself stuck to Ratchet in one way or another, I guess these two are truly inseparable. In 'Secret Agent Clank', Clank takes the role of the hero and has the gigantic task of figuring out the mysterious reason behind his best friends imprisonment while he saves him from a very unstable situation.

Clank-Fu
If you have played a Ratchet & Clank game in the past you will know exactly what you are up against in Secret Agent Clank. The gameplay is still centered on platforming, action, and adventure with a touch of everything else mixed into the spread. Besides Clanks new found prowess in hand-to-hand combat called Clank-Fu, he also finds himself sharing a number of gadgets like his Lomak friend. In the introductory levels of Secret Agent Clank you will get access to a tie-a-rang, a bow tie that doubles as a deadly metal shuriken and shortly after you will get your own version of a goo-gun that spits a black mess to cover up obstacles in your path. These are only two weapons out a list of eight toys that prove that Ratchet isn’t the only one with a few tricks up his sleeve.

Shhh... Robot Stealth
Aside from the dual purpose weapons/gadgets, Clank shows off some athletic ability with deadly acrobatic skill.  The controls in the game play off the same as Ratchet & Clank Size Matters and will feel instantly familiar during the game. The camera is the only aspect that is a little conspicuous in Secret Agent Clank; however the camera can always be adjusted with use of the shoulder buttons. For a normal R&C adventure this wouldn’t even be worth mentioning, however Clanks' adventure is somewhat focused on stealth where control over the camera is more important. The camera problems are workable and don't halt the fun within Secret Agent Clank, it just makes a little harder to lessen the thump of your metal foot.

Stealth is the biggest concept that has been pushed in Clank’s solo adventure. Beyond the punching and kicking Clank shows a more sophisticated side of himself using his CPU to outsmart the enemy by slipping and sliding behind the veil of conflict. Secret Agent Clank reuses simple stealth gameplay aspects like sneaking past spotlights and hiding behind objects to convey the imagery of stealth. Stealthy gameplay is rewards the player by helping them conserve health and by giving them a bonus when you successful bypass an area without being seen.

Combat can also be done in a stealthful manor by using a stealth takedown maneuver that is available when you catch an enemy off guard and successful match a number of button presses under a timed limit. Then Clank will go into the 1-2-3 knockout punch for bolts and stealth points. Stealth is a big part of the adventure, but it’s not the only activity you will be participating in as High Impact Games switches it up every chance they get. Fundamentally, I had a good time with the stealth elements in the game, even if they feel a little forced a times. It is great to see Clank step out with more of his own identity, the stealthy detective role isn't the one I would have pictured Clank in, but in its own twisted logic, it works.

Captain, Our Friends Have Arrived
Besides Ratchet's robotic sidekick you will be able to play as Ratchet himself along with the always entertaining Captain Qwark who adds more variety than I expected. The cameo roles from the other characters from R&C universe really help Secret Agent Clank come alive. Breaking up the gameplay from the Clank was a great idea, even if it steals some of the little guys thunder. The missions as Ratchet placed in an area like 'Future' for the PS3 are extremely fun with Ratchet a sized down version of his normal arsenal. Still blowing ice-shards in hundreds of marching enemies is fun and an excellent way to earn more bolts. Qwark bit part is also added into fun episodes that tent to fall on the humours side. Qwarks shoot em’ up attitude and giant sized ego seem to be bigger than ever on the portable.

There is another new entry to Clanks world with the addition of the playable Gadgebots. The Gadgebot segments consist of three miniature clank look-a-likes that have to use team work to progress through their challenges. These little fellows put their minds together to make it through levels that are impossible to do without switching between each bot to work as one to reach unattainable levels, or activate switches though self sacrifice. Like the other spots from the additional characters the Gadgebots help break up the gameplay, helping you through any moments of doubt in Clanks solo adventure.

Wow, That's a Lottabolts!
From Casino resorts to dancing off with Countessa Lottabolts, Clank has a lot of diversity along with a lot of the run-of-the-mill experiences you'd expect from Ratchet & Clank. It’s the type of Ratcheting experience you had before, but in the new shell of Clank things seem a little bit rejuvenated and interesting. Clank shows he has what it takes to be a star in his own and High Impact Games did an admirable job with mixing in great audio production with the high standard we are used to in Ratchet & Clank games. The only minor drawback in Clank is the recycled look of the game that didn’t do anything to improve from the styling's of Size Matters on the PSP. It would have been nice to see something new visually to give Clank a little more swagger to very first IP, however the standard R&C look gets things done while looking the part.

Clank's first solo run proves to be a lot of fun with enough action to live up the standard set in Ratchet & Clank's last PSP outing. Secret Agent Clank doesn't re-invent the platforming genre or try to be a revolutionary leap in the Ratchet & Clank franchise, what it does is create a fun little adventure with a lot of great gaming moments. Secret Agent Clank is a good accent to the rest of the Ratchet & Clank franchise hit list of games, and a great excuse to blow away a few hours in the always refreshing Ratchet & Clank universe. If you have enjoyed a previous Ratchet & Clank title then Secret Agent Clank is a must have, and if you are new to the franchise, Secret Agent Clank is a safe purchase, but I'd rewind a little further first.

Gameplay: 8, Graphics: 7.5, Sound: 8, Innovation: 7, Mojo: 8. Final: 7.7 / 10