"Hello fair reader, and welcome to the most daring tale of heroism and courageous bravery in the face of impossible odds and death-defying do-gooding-deedery - a little story I like to call Captain Qwark: Saviour of the Universe. Read on to find out how I thwarted the evil Cragmite Emperor's attempts to overrun the known galaxy, saving the hapless duo of Ratchet & Clank from certain destruction on countless occasions, single-handedly taking on armies of robotic minions numbering in their thousands, armed to the teeth with more deadly weaponry than Arsenal Invader himself, a living weapon with weapons for arms and legs and a weapon where his head should be, who I defeated just last week. But this isn't the tale of Captain Qwark and the Arsenal Invader - it's about how I saved the universe from the terrible threat of..."

"Ratchet, he is doing it again."

"Who is, Clank?"

"Captain Qwark."

"What's he doing?"

"He is twisting the story of our heroic adventures to make himself the star of the show."

"Oh - nothing new then. Hey Qwark! Why don't you clear off before I tell them all about the incident with Emperor Percival's underwear drawer?"

"But I had good reason to believe there was vital intelligence in that drawer and..."

"Or how about your unrivalled talent to surrender at the first sign of danger, collaborate with mad dictators and put the universe in jeopardy on a regular basis?"

That was all circumstantial - you can't prove any of it!"

"This HoloVid account of the whole incident says different."

"I... but... oh alright. If anyone wants me, I'll be toning up my magnificent physique in the gym."

"Qwark... tell the truth."

"Fine. I'll be resting at home."

"Be honest, Qwark."

"Okay, okay! I'll be sobbing into a huge tub of chocolate chip cookie dough toffee butterscotch ice cream while watching Days of our Planet! Are you happy now?"

"Yes, Qwark, I'm happy."

"Hee hee hee! You did a good job of getting rid of him, Ratchet."

"Yeah, but I'm sure he'll be back causing trouble before you know it."

"I do not doubt it. But at least now we can hand control of this review back to its rightful owner. Over to you, Geoff."

Thanks Clank! If you didn't get the above skit then clearly you haven't been playing enough Ratchet & Clank. When developer Insomniac Games borrowed the revolutionary Jak & Daxter game engine from Naughty Dog, they took its platform-based antics and unique cartoon style and made it their own, with result being the fantastic debut of Ratchet & Clank - and things only got better from there, with Ratchet & Clank 2 improving upon the original in every way and Ratchet & Clank 3 somehow managing the near impossible task of upstaging both of its predecessors. Each game was bigger, bolder, funnier and more inventive than the last and even the spin-off title, Ratchet: Gladiator was a whole heap of fun, its extensive and varied arena-based challenges plugging the gap nicely as we waited breathlessly to see just what would happen in the transition to the PlayStation 3. Well, I'm here to tell you that not only is Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction the best game in the series so far - it's actually the best game on the PS3 so far!

Seriously folks, I'm not kidding when I say that - you might underestimate Tools of Destruction due to its kid-friendly cartoon style, but as with every game in the series it holds universal appeal that hooks gamers of all ages from the moment they pick it up, regardless of their taste. Our story begins this time in a city on the planet of Kerwan, with Ratchet tinkering around as usual, this time on his hoverbike. He's nearly done when Clank receives an incoming message from wannabe hero Captain Qwark - the embodiment of an inflated ego and one of the greatest game characters of all time - who's having a bit of trouble with some heavily armed robot soldiers. Speeding off to the rescue, what follows is an opening cut scene rendered in full CGI that wouldn't look out of place in a Pixar movie; the cut scenes always looked great, but in Tools of Destruction they're like watching a computer animated movie, with all the direction and panache of the likes of Robots and Toy Story.

Better yet, when you actually begin playing there's not a huge drop in quality between the cut scene and the in-game graphics - and what a spectacular opening level! As you make your way through the city, it comes under attack from a full scale invasion, buildings rising majestically all around you, hovering vehicles zooming all over the place as fireballs rain destruction down from above. This is how Ratchet & Clank was always meant to be - it looked great on the PS2 and always pushed the hardware to the limit, but here it looks luscious beyond belief. Screenshots don't do it justice, you simply have to see it in action - and if you're not already planning to rush out and buy the game then I urge you to download the demo from the PS3 store.

So off you go, with only a couple of weapons in tow, the blaster type Combuster and a Fusion Grenade glove that launches powerful bombs, taking the fight to the robot invaders that attack you before leaping onto a grind rail and speeding along with your trusty Grindboots, vaulting from one rail to the next to dodge oncoming trains, avoid falls from the end of rails and leap out of the way of enemy fire. You'll soon notice that the robot invaders are actually controlled by little fish-type creatures in bowls, who drop to the ground and flap around helplessly when you destroy their metallic exoskeletons. You can run over them to squish them flat for a few extra nuts and bolts too, the returning currency of the game that comes out of every defeated foe and many destructible items in the many varied environments.

After finally reaching Qwark, you discover that the alien invasion fleet is led by a particularly unpleasant looking little insect-like creature who announces himself as the Cragmite Emperor Percival Tachyon, and he's here to capture Ratchet. For some reason he has a vendetta against all Lombaxes, the furry, pointy-eared race to which Ratchet belongs, and as the fun and intriguing story unfolds we finally get to learn more about the origin of the Lombax race and why there aren't more of them around. Will Ratchet finally find his home world and be reunited with his people? Only time will tell - and the way the story ends might just surprise you, with a couple of twists to the tale that make it very clear this isn't the last we've heard from the inimitable duo... thankfully!

As per usual, Ratchet & Clank are joined by a cast of quirky characters, although Qwark is pretty much the only one who reprises a full role, with some of the previous cast mentioned in throwaway lines (listen carefully to the female tannoy operator in the Zordoon Prison), one returning for a brief and highly amusing cameo. This time around, Ratchet is joined by female heroine Talwyn Apogee who looks like she might just have some Lombax DNA in her, accompanied by two old-timer robots, Cronk and Zephyr, who get loads of hilarious lines that will have you chuckling whenever they're backing you up in combat. There's also a smuggler who turns up on various planets to sell you gadgets that are vital to your progression, and to buy the souls of Leviathans you've hunted, who come in the form of huge, floating dragon-like worms and big dinosaur style creatures.

Best of all however is the secondary antagonist of the game, the brilliant Pirate Captain Slag. If there's one thing cooler than pirates, it's space pirates, and if there's one thing cooler than space pirates, it's robot space pirates! Accompanied by his mandatory sidekick, Rusty Pete, Captain Slag is always popping up to throw a spanner in the works and there are several levels where you must infiltrate his pirate strongholds, fighting off his robotic crew who are armed with swords and blasters. The pirate levels like the base on the tropical Ardolis are brilliantly well conceived, with floating galleons (complete with planks to walk) and a multi-themed soundtrack that at one point sounds almost exactly like the Pirates of the Caribbean theme, which will raise a laugh if you've seen the films. There's even a subtle reference to classic family film The Princess Bride - see if you can spot it.

However, as great as this cast of characters is, as usual the weapons are so amazing that they almost steal the show. Beyond the Combustor and Fusion Grenade you'll build up an arsenal of twenty-seven weapons, gadgets and devices that all aid you in blitzing through enemies, navigating engaging platform sections and discovering secret areas. Let's start with a few of the weapons though. There's a glove that throws Plasma Beasts, slimy creatures from a previous R&C game, which bury themselves in the ground then leap up and attack enemies when they're in range. There's the Nano-Swarmers, a deployable turret that launches lethal streams of homing nanites to attack enemies, and a super cool shotgun style weapon, the Reaper, which inflicts lethal damage with shredding shrapnel. You've got a rocket launcher known as the Negotiator, the Alpha Disruptor, which can knock out all but the toughest enemies in one hit with its super powered railgun style beam, the Predator with its homing drones that can lock onto multiple targets and even a Tornado Launcher, whose tornados sweep around the level pulling in enemies and destroying them. Other favourites including the whip-like Shock Ravager make a triumphant return too, but but I'm not about to spoil all the surprises - discover the rest for yourself and grin with glee each time you try out your latest death-dealing device!

There are also a bunch of devices that have offensive and defensive capabilities, like the floating robot Mr. Zurkon, the remote control Visi-Copter with a gun and a self-destruct mechanism, the Confuzzler that turns enemies against each other, a Leech Bomb that steals health to top up your own and more - but best of all is the Groovitron, which is without doubt the coolest weapon every created in any game, ever! When you see it in action you'll understand why, because firing the Groovitron produces a floating disco ball, complete with multi-coloured lights and one of a range of disco tunes, which causes all enemies in the area to stop attacking you and start dancing! The first time you use this you will just crack up - and you'll be using it time and time again just to see how the different enemies dance, because every single type (and there are dozens throughout the game) has their own unique dance routine, including the bosses, which often have the best and funniest dance moves and grooves. This is just one example of how ingenious and creative the folks at Insomniac Games are - no one else would ever have though of this brilliant, brilliant little device.

Coming onto the devices and the Swingshot returns, although it is automatically selected whenever you need it, so you don't need to worry about getting it ready at a vital moment. New gadgets include the Gelanator, a gun that fires blocks of green, bouncy gel that you can jump off like a trampoline to reach high areas, although this can only be used in certain places, and a little helicopter device, the Heli-Pod, which lifts certain ledges and opens certain doors, leading to a bunch of puzzles and platform sections that can require you to be quite dextrous to make it through them. Then there's the Gyro-Cycle, a single-wheeled bike with a forcefield that you ride, again a gadget that is only used in a couple of segments but is a lot of fun, hurtling through the tunnels of the Lava Refineries of Rykan V and navigating the crumbling sky high ledges of the construction zone in Meridian City.

Of course Clank is still just as useful as ever, with his retractable Heli-Pack blades to extend your jumps and allow you to hover down, plus his Hydro Pack for speeding around underwater. This time he also gains a pair of Robo-Wings and in the levels where you can use them, you can launch off and glide around the entire level as you desire. The first time you take off for a flight around the whole of Stratos City, an immense floating city full of spectacular buildings that's bustling with all manner of air traffic including cars, trucks and trains flying in lines all around you, it's a landmark gaming moment - you can tell that Clank's new ability most likely came about because Insomniac Games wanted you to be able to see their work in its full glory, but it's also a great gameplay feature. You steer Ratchet by tilting the SIXAXIS controller, which is effective and intuitive to do, as are the moments when you airdrop into a level and watch it scale in perfectly as you glide down, avoiding the homing missiles that come at you from below.

Clank also gets to go off on his own sometimes, accompanied by the mysterious Zoni, bizarre little floating robots that only Clank can see. You learn very little about them but they actually end up playing quite a significant role in the plot, as well as granting Clank the ability to slow time and levitate in his platform-based segments, as well as attacking enemies, repairing lifts and ledges, and charging up doors to open them. Clank's levels aren't perhaps quite as fun as they have been in the past, and his super-sized robot levels on satellites aren't here any more, but this is a minor complaint and his sections are still enjoyable, making for a nice change of pace.

Speaking of which, there's always something new to do in Tools of Destruction. There are jump pads that launch you flying very high into the air on a set course, tumbling back down to land on your feet. The now obligatory arena makes its returns, with some very amusing commentary from Captain Qwark and a host of challenges such as using only a certain weapon, completing a battle within a time limit, not taking a single hit and defeating a couple of fun bosses. Then there are the old-school style space battles where you're flying through some of the coolest space scenery you've ever seen, like the Voron Asteroid Belt and the pirate outpost in the Kylon Star Cluster, blasting at the huge pirate galleons that attack you and the many smaller ships that launch missiles and laser shots your way. Featuring some truly old-school bosses, your craft's route is on-rails and you use the left thumbstick to move your ship around the screen to dodge incoming fire while using the right thumbstick to move your crosshairs and blast the enemies. It's a system that takes a little getting used to but works pretty well and feels suitably retro, while special targets to shoot and plenty of enemies to dodge and destroy give it an element of challenge.

Then there's the Decryptor, a device that leads to a puzzle game where you tilt a charged ball around a circuit board to link nodes together to allow a spark of energy to reach the end point, with multiple end points in the trickier latter puzzles, again using the SIXAXIS motion controls to tilt the board. There's even a fairground of death to navigate, complete with a Ferris Wheel with damaging energy fields and a rotating tunnel of saws and spikes! This is by no means a comprehensive list either - the amount of side quests on offer is staggering, while the hidden Gold Bolts return, along with the cryptically named Skill Points on each level for achieving certain things, where working out what to do is half the challenge and very rewarding when you finally figure it out!

As well as all this, the weapons feature a brand new customisation mode that is the best ever in an R&C game - and that's saying something! Each weapon has a grid with hexagons that are linked together and you must use the Raritanium you've gathered from treasure chests and enemies to pay for upgrades. Each weapon features four areas to upgrade, which can include more bolts from enemies, more raritanium from enemies, wider area of effect, increased damage, faster rate of fire and increased ammo capacity. As well as this, in the centre of the grid (and unavailable until you've plotted a route of unlocked hexagons to both sides of it) is an extra upgrade, granting a new power. For example, the Nano-Swarmers gain the power to freeze enemies on contact, making it even more deadly than before. Not only this, but weapons level up as you use them, starting at V1 and transforming into a brand new modification with new powers at the maximum V5 - the Nano-Swarmers gain the ability to poison enemies as well as freeze and damage them, as just one example! With every weapon transforming itself as you upgrade its grid and level it up, the incentive to use every single one is sky high, although you will find your favourites and often choose them depending on the situation. The Quick Select menu returns to make switching weapons a cinch - hold Triangle and then use the left thumbstick to flick to the weapon you want, with eight weapons on screen and the press of R1 or L1 giving you two more selections of eight, with the content of these three pages fully definable.

The end result of these weapons is that Tools of Destruction is one of the most colourful and spectacular games you've ever seen. On any given level you've got the intricately detailed environment, a multitude of varied enemies firing their weapons at you and charging in to attack, your weapons are firing and exploding all over the place with some of the grandest and coolest effects you've ever seen, and bolts and raritantium are bouncing everywhere as each enemy explodes. The HD rendering is the best I've ever seen - even on a standard definition TV there are NO JAGGIES WHATSOEVER! Incredibly, the edges of everything, from Ratchet and Clank themselves to all the enemies and the scenery have been completely smoothed out, giving it a quality that's not far off an animated movie in the graphics engine. And on HD, well, you just won't believe your eyes. The animation is smooth and the planets you visit are varied, from the frozen Kreeli Comet that houses the IRIS supercomputer and the Apogee Space Station with a bunch of asteroids you can hop around on, to the swamps of Corbolia, the luscious prehistoric landscape of Outpost L51 on Sargasso and the rainy port of Mukow where the Imperial Fight Festival is held. Each planet looks unique and is very visually appealing, with more going on in the background than you've ever seen in a game of this type.

Backing all this up is some of the best sound you've ever heard too - everything is perfect, from the growls and grunts of enemies to the distinctive noise of each weapon and their effects and explosions. The voice acting is, as always, movie quality, the dialogue is consistently genuinely funny, the gags are endless and even the background speech like the conversations of pirates you observe while disguised as one, the messages from Emperor Tachyon that appear on vidscreens across the worlds he controls and particularly the unhelpful chatter of Captain Qwark as he talks you through the mission he's sent you on, where he's given you the codename of Dead Meat. It's such classic, funny stuff that you'll want to watch the cut scenes over again - and indeed play through the whole game once more in Challenge Mode, where the enemies are tougher and you get more bolts, while carrying all your weapons and gadgets over from your first run through, extending the already lengthy game well beyond expectations for this genre. There's no online multiplayer this time around, but this is a small omission and with the work now done on recreating Ratchet & Clank on PS3 I'm sure Insomniac have something along these lines planned for their next release. But coming back to the sound, the only thing that can make it even more perfect is the array of brilliant music that accompanies each level, sounding just like the series has always done, with a range of melodic themes, some dramatic, some slightly techno or dance in style, all of them perfect for the current level and the onscreen action.

There is so much more that I could say about Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction - but I've already said far too much, because it's such a complete joy to play that you really need to experience it and discover all that it has to offer for yourself. Quite simply, it's as perfect as a game can be - state of the art in every respect, from graphics and animation to sound, music and voice acting, to story and script, to level design and environment themes, to puzzles and action, to weapons and gadgets, to hidden items and lifespan-prolonging side missions and collectibles. Truly this is a game that has it all, and the definitive PlayStation 3 title so far. It's not very often I ask this question, but I'm going to ask it now - are we sure that I can't give it 11 out of 10?

Reviewed by Geoff Holland for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).