Maybe porting everything isn't such a great idea guys.

Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters, makes the latest port of a PSP game to the Playstation 2. Unfortunately it's a pretty shoddy job all the way around, with tacked on camera controls that barely work, and some seriously disappointing visuals and sounds.

When Size Matters released on the PSP it received quite a bit of high praise, and rightly so, for bringing the popular platforming franchise to the small screen with the majority of the classic gameplay intact. Some lamented the lack of a second analog nub for camera control, but for the most part the experience was pretty solid, and compared nicely with Sony's other big platformer on the system, Daxter.

That said, the port of Size Matters to the PS2 hasn't made any particular changes to the original title, which could be seen as a good sign, but in reality it comes off as a lazy port job. The gameplay is pretty standard, and definitely familiar to anyone that's played an R&C; title before. You control Ratchet for the majority of the game, with a heavy emphasis on odd weapons to battle against hordes of robotic enemies, jumping from planet to planet towards the end goal of the game. It's still heavy on the bolt collection side of things, which you'll use to power up your weapons through out the game.

However, with a series that has already been long established on the PS2, Size Matters comes off as a step backwards. The visuals have definitely taken a hit from the previous console version, and while they were entirely passable on the PSP's smaller screen, their textures and models don't hold up well on a regular TV set at all. Especially considering that the PS2 is capable of pulling off a better-looking game, and has in this series alone, the whole game is pretty ugly to look at.

The same issue holds true with the sound. The soundtrack itself is passable, but there's still some type of miniaturization that's going on with the music in the game, as if it's still geared for the PSP's smaller set-up. Running it thru a stereo system sounds even worse, so if you're dead-set on playing the game you'll probably want to switch to your basic TV speakers.

The game itself plays alright for the most part, but the frustrating camera system from the original release is still prevalent here, which is disappointing considering that the PS2 controller set-up should have fixed any previous issues with the game. Indeed, you can control the camera with the right analog stick now, but often times it'll warp itself right back to where it wants to go, and no amount of adjusting will help you see over oddly placed obstacles. The camera tends to get stuck easily, which can be the death of fun in a game that has a particular focus on platforming.

Size Matters just doesn't hold up well on the PS2, and the things that made it a unique experience on the PSP don't quite cut it on the system that the series started on. There are far better Ratchet and Clank titles available on the PS2, not even considering the superior release on the PS3 from last year. If you really want to play Size Matters, then I can only suggest checking it out on the PSP. This port is bound to leave a bad taste in anyone's mouth, and I can't suggest checking it out at all.