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Ratchet and Clank, the lombax/robot duo now starring in their ninth video game, may not be as famous as some other lovable mascots, such as Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog. They haven't gotten their own Saturday morning cartoon show, cereals or plush toys. And they haven't been spun off into sports games, kart racers or pinball games.

What they have done since 2002 is anchor one of the most dependably entertaining franchises in video-game history. From the original PlayStation 2 release to last year's download-only "Quest for Booty," developer Insomniac Games has continually upped the ante, with fresh gameplay gimmicks, more ambitious storytelling and more sumptuous graphics.

"Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time" is their best game yet.

It picks up where "Booty" left off, with Ratchet scouring the galaxy for signs of Clank, who has been abducted by a mysterious race called the Zoni. Ratchet is also learning things about his own home planet, hoping to unravel the mystery of why he appears to be the last lombax (a sort of anthropomorphic cat).

The dual mysteries send Ratchet hopping from one star system to another, battling the minions of the incorrigible Dr. Nefarious and enduring the interference of the egomaniacal Captain Qwark. Ratchet's adventures encompass a startling variety of game play types, from on-planet firefights to outer space shoot-'em-ups to running-and-jumping platform sequences.

As usual, the lombax does get a few new toys. Most enjoyable are his hoverboots, which let him zip across roads, up ramps and over obstacles at blur-inducing speeds. New weapons include the Tesla Spikes, which shoot electricity through approaching enemies; the Sonic Eruptor, a belching monster attached to a trigger; and the charmingly named Spiral of Death.

Clank, meanwhile, has found himself inside The Big Clock, a gigantic structure at the center of the universe that keeps the whole thing from disintegrating. The robot has a few chores, like restoring rifts in the space-time continuum or exploring his own subconscious for clues to his origin.

But the main attraction is an assortment of mind-bending time puzzles, in which Clank has to record multiple versions of himself flipping switches and leaping platforms - and coordinate them all in order to move onto the next room. The puzzles in the game are just challenging enough, but masochists can subject themselves to a more demanding set of bonus rooms.

With tight gameplay, superb production and irresistible humor, Insomniac has set a very high standard with the "Ratchet & Clank" series. If you aren't a fan already, "A Crack in Time" will make you one.

Four stars out of four.

'Ratchet

& Clank

Future:

A Crack

in Time'

Sony, for the PlayStation 3, $59.99. Rated E10+

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