Ratchet & Clank: Ranger Rumble beginner's guide - Five tips to help you impress the esteemed Captain Qwark

To anyone who's played any entry in the Ratchet & Clank series, Ranger Rumble will feel instantly familiar. While the gameplay isn't spot on, it's pretty close. It's fast, frantic and sees you using a comparatively limited arsenal of zany weapons to take out your enemies. The difference here is that those enemies might be human-controlled. Or they're bots. Sometimes, there are bots.

Anyway, while Ratchet & Clank has had multiplayer modes over the years, it's predominantly a single-player experience. So, I decided to make a Ratchet & Clank: Ranger Rumble beginner's guide to lend a helping wrench to those boldly stepping into the multiplayer realm because they love the bolt-collecting duo.

Tip #1 – Keep checking over your shoulder

Ranger Rumble is an arena shooter played in teeny, tiny spaces, since there's only a small number of players per match. Combined with terrible spawning locations, that means it's very easy for an opponent to appear behind you at any moment. So, act as if the government has something on you, checking over your shoulder constantly to stop someone from sneaking up on you and chunking away too much health before you can respond. It might lead to sore fingers, but it'll also mean fewer deaths, which is pretty helpful if winning is your aim.

Tip #2 – Be willing to switch between Heroes

As I mentioned in my Ratchet & Clank: Ranger Rumble tier list, none of the Heroes are dreadful (with one exception). Whoever you pick, you can win whatever mode you find yourself in. And, in the name of progression, it's good to flit between them. This is because the daily quests (sorry, Captain Qwark, I mean Qwests) sometimes require you to use certain Heroes to earn Qwark Pass XP. Ranger Rumble is fairly stingy with its progression, so don't neglect earning whatever XP you can, since the Pass can give you Reebo's, Qredits and other useful resources. Plus, if you play enough Heroes, you'll be familiar with their weaknesses. Similarly, level up everyone for this very reason. You don't want to be forced to use Lump and go in with an under-levelled version.

Tip #3 – Don't be afraid to Dash and use Gadgets

In some arena shooters or if you're from a MOBA background, it can be tempting to hold onto abilities for the right moment or when in a pinch. Here, with the Dash and Gadgets, that's not particularly worthwhile. Neither do overly long cooldowns, which means you're only stopping yourself from dealing additional damage over the course of a game. The Ultimates are different, with some having fairly lengthy cooldowns. However, given the short-paced nature of each match, it's still not worth sitting on it. If it'll help you win a one-on-one there and then, use it.

Tip #4 – Play the mode you're in

Perhaps an obvious tip, but it bears mentioning, particularly since I've seen plenty of people not doing this. Ranger Rumble has several game modes, most of which are good, and some of which are Blast Ball. While the others are all fairly similar, you want to approach them differently. In Bolt Race, the goal is to collect 300 Bolts first, so don't get caught out headhunting and not collecting. Likewise, don't neglect the boss that appears near the end either, since it can be the difference between finishing first and second.

Similarly, playing a little cautiously in Last Stand is sensible since you only get one life and making sure you're picking up any attack boosts or shields scattered around the map is vital in Total Rumble, as it can give you an edge. Then, naturally, stick with your pals in Team Total Rumble, because a lack of coordination might cost you if your opponents are well-organised.

Tip #5 – Customise the HUD

Blissfully, Ranger Rumble allows you to tweak the touch controls to suit your preferences. If you find yourself misclicking now and then, shift the buttons around to avoid doing so! When I first started playing, I kept accidentally tapping the jump button when I wanted to swivel the camera around, which led to more deaths to gravity than I'd care to admit. And if touch controls aren't for you, a controller works well. Just be aware that it doesn't remove the touch UI just yet, though I'm sure that'll come in a future update.

To adjust the touch controls, tap the hamburger menu (the three horizontal lines) in the top right, then Settings. From there, tap the Customise HUD option and adjust it to your heart's content.

And that concludes our Ratchet & Clank: Ranger Rumble beginner's guide. It's a simple case of mixing things up and not being afraid to spam your various abilities. I've had quite a lot of success, and I'm not the best multiplayer gamer ever, so I'm sure you can do well too!