Forever the loyal robotic sidekick, Clank has finally landed his very own game.

During most of the Ratchet and Clank adventures, Clank has had to play second fiddle to Ratchet's cocky, galaxy saving heroics. Now the tables have turned, and the lovable, gullible robotic sidekick has come out of his shell to star in a variety-filled platformer on the PSP. While not quite as consistent as either Daxter or Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters, Clank's first adventure provides enough portable enjoyment to satisfy.

In Secret Agent Clank, Ratchet has been framed by a ruthless enemy and jailed for a crime he apparently did not commit. With no one to vouch for his innocence, it's up to Clank to solve the mystery behind who or what is behind his friend's incarceration.

I like the R&C; series and I've always been a fan of Clank and his logical little quips and humor. So like Daxter, he definitely deserved his own game sooner or later. Secret Agent Clank is a more James Bond 007/Sly Cooper take on the usual run-and-gun Ratchet platformer with a variety of gameplay styles and even other playable supporting characters including Captain Qwark and Ratchet.

R&C; games have always had a little variation in terms of level design and such, but SAC takes it a step further by really mixing up the stages and gameplay types. Along with the traditional gadget-driven platforming shooter segments (with a stealthy twist), High Impact Games dreamt up some other scenarios which include Guitar Hero-like rhythm games, God of War QTEs, vehicle racing/combat stages, some bizarre Captain Qwark dream sequences, block dropping puzzles, etc. There will pretty much never be two stages of the same type in a row, which is both good and bad. Most of the modes work well and are easy enough to get a hang of and enjoy. The rhythm parts in particular, I could have done without. The idea itself, with your skills (or lack thereof) influencing Clank's actions during a pre-scripted path, is OK, but the execution leaves a little to be desired. The note charts move a bit choppily, and the button presses don't seem to register properly on occasion. They are also fairly long in parts, can be mixed in with action segments, and can cause you to start the entire stage upon failure.

As for controls, without a second analog stick on the PSP, there is always some type of control/camera issue to overcome in this type of game. The default scheme is difficult to deal with since the camera can sometimes swing out of place, and thankfully there are alternatives. Just like in Size Matters, change the control scheme right away to allow for strafing on the analog stick and the L and R shoulder buttons to manually control the camera rotation. It's worth the effort, as the control and camera issues almost instantly melt away. Overall, besides the few flow-breaking gameplay hiccups, the stage designs and controls in Secret Agent Clank are usually inventive and fun and work well within a portable title.

Visually, Secret Agent Clank can be best compared to R&C;: Size Matters, which isn't a surprise since the games are handled by the same developer and possibly the same base engine. In other words, SAC is a really nice looking PSP game with some often spectacular effects (particles especially). The characters, art, interface and designs are consistent with the rest of the series so those familiar with earlier games should feel at home. The weapons and gadgets for Clank are more "secret agent"-like, with briefcase flamethrowers, bowtie-a-rangs, and holo-disguises. Even with a number of fancy effects and swarming, exploding enemies the game holds a very steady framerate throughout. Don't judge the game on screenshots however, it looks way better than you would think. As for audio, the game is fully voiced and Clank, Ratchet & Qwark are well written and amusing as always. The soundtrack is also spy themed, with takes on some of the classic James Bond tunes.

Besides the story, there are a number of optional stages within the game which occasionally become available, such as Ratchet arena, racing, and whatnot. These are mostly used for earning massive amounts of bolts which can then be used to purchase bigger and better weapons/upgrades. As with most Insomniac Games-created series', SAC also has hidden Skill Points (the original "Achievements") which are unlocked upon satisfying certain requirements. These can be used to activate cheats and other game features. There are also well hidden Gold Bolts that can be used to unlock new player skins. Additionally, certain other skins can be unlocked if there is a R&C;: Size Matters save on the Memory Stick. There is definitely a good amount of content to keep most players busy.

With the somewhat disappointing upcoming PSP lineup, Secret Agent Clank, along with Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 2 seems to be everyone's best bets for the Summer. It has a few minor problems but it's generally a fun little variety-filled adventure. As usual, at the very least, give the demo a try via the PlayStation Store.