Release Date: August 29, 2024
Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC
Ratchet & Clank fans, rejoice, Akimbot is coming later this summer and bringing with it a whole shoebox full of love letters addressed to the PlayStation platformer. Evil Raptor, the team behind the MediEvil-inspired Pumpkin Jack, has proven once again that they can take a winning formula, replicate it, and add some extra toppings to sweeten the deal. Akimbot follows two robots, Exe and Shipset, who have just escaped the clutches of the Roboglioni mafia family and are on the run from the very Italian-coded ‘bots (they even wear funny little old-school hats).
The platforming is incredibly fluid and seamless, with a double-jump and dash allowing you to move through the beachy environment with relative ease. It’s simplistic, but effective, and the level design feels like it’s gently nudging you in a direction rather than strapping you to rails. Combat is similarly simple: Exe can melee enemies with a blade, shoot them with an AR, and pick from one of four special attacks from a merchant I encountered almost immediately in my demo. You’ll need some firepower here, too, as one set piece where a giant, turreted ship rained hell down upon me was quite difficult.
Akimbot is fast and fun, and feels like the perfect game for Ratchet & Clank fans looking for some light platforming, fluid combat, and an unlikely duo leading the way. — Alyssa
