ratchet and clank's dial ticks just a tad toward their cousins jak and daxter's level of edginess, finding a balance that allows them to remain fully recognizable as ratchet and clank while still having a more serious and realized plot. i LOVED the writing in this one. the gameplay was good too, acting as an obviously halo-inspired take on the annihilation nation challenges from up your arsenal.
confused by the random and not tone-fitting transphobic joke in the post-credits scene, though. what was up with that?

i'd rank this second-place of the first three ratchet & clank games (with r&c 1 on top and going commando on the bottom.)
the gameplay is improved over the second, but the writing is mixed. we've reached the second R&C that introduces a brand new love interest for ratchet for absolutely no reason. that said, there are a lot of funny jokes! so i'd say it's a pro on the comedy and a con on the plot. having started with the 2016 R&C and then going backwards, i can say that by the third entry i'm definitely getting tired of 2000s kinda-edgy jerkass ratchet.