Don’t call the new Ratchet & Clank — and its movie — a reboot

Given Insomniac Games’ prolific output of Ratchet & Clank games across the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3, it’s hard to blame the studio for taking a break from the demands and expectations of another sequel. Its upcoming bold entry on the PlayStation 4 is a two-pronged approach, with a game that is about as newbie-friendly as you can imagine for a Ratchet & Clank release and a matching feature film from Rainmaker Entertainment due out in April 2016.

The Burbank, Calif.-based game studio has steered clear of classifications like “remake” or “reboot” and sees this latest installment as a “reimagining” of the first game in the series. Although Insomniac has been excited to develop this new Ratchet & Clank with a clean-slate mentality, you shouldn’t fear drastic changes to the series’ core appeal. It’s not a darker tale nor is it grittier or less cartoony. So, yes, Captain Qwark is charming and charismatic as ever. And since this is going to be on the PlayStation 4, expect a detailed art style that you could almost mistake for a Pixar production. It’s hard to ignore, let alone admire, the enhanced peach fuzz on the edges of Ratchet’s ears.