History YMMV / RatchetAndClankUpYourArsenal

** The Infector. While its a neat idea to have a weapon to brainwash enemies, the execution is so so. Its only consistently useful against small enemies (big enemies are a crapshoot to try it on, and its useless on creatures like Amoeboids) the brainwashing only last about 5 seconds and barely improves with the upgrades, it has low ammo and it is quite difficult to actually kill an enemy with it due to its mediocre damage (also, enemies attacking each other does not cause as much damage to them as it would you). This understandably makes it a tedious weapon to use and upgrade and it is outclassed by many of the game's other weapons. And to add insult to injury, it's useless in boss fights. The Mega weapon upgrade eventually does turn it into a decent weapon, but you don't get access to that until [[NewGamePlus Challenge Mode.]]
** The Plasma Whip. It's a borderline JokeWeapon when you start with it, and only becomes remotely practical to use it once its upgraded to the Quantum Whip, and even there its still pales in comparison to the rest of the games arsenal. To begin with, its a melee weapon that inexplicably requires ammo to use, it has a small ammo capacity and chews it up fast, its range is only marginally better than the Omniwrench, and the game is largely designed around ranged combat anyway, making it impractical to use in situations where enemies are fairly spread out and numerous (any mission based level or segment of a level). You'd think it would make a great crowd control weapon, but the animation of swinging the whip leaves Ratchet a sitting duck for any enemy or attack not in front of him. And on top of that, its damage is easily the worst out of all the weapons, even moreso than the Infector (to give an idea of just how pathetic the Whip is, the Infector near fully upgraded can kill a [[EliteMook Mega Bot]] in three hits, while the Whip can unload its ''entire ammo stock'' on it and barely even leave a dent). However, the Mega Weapon upgrade in Challenge Mode also turns it into a decent weapon that deals impressive damage.

** Also, Angela Cross appears in the cinema audience at the end of the game [[spoiler: in her thief disguise]]. She's later confirmed to be a Lombax, so there's an in-story explanation on why she just didn't appear in her normal attire.

* PowerUpLetdown:
** While the Tyhrra-Guise is a big improvement over the Hologuise, its use is extremely situational and the minigames with it can't be replayed unless you start Challenge Mode. In normal gameplay, its only effective on the tiny One-Eyed Tyhrranoids ([[ArtificialStupidity who will be fooled even if you transform out in the open]])--everything else will not be fooled. And to add insult to injury, if you take damage wearing the disguise, it wont account for the armor you're wearing, meaning you'll take even more damage than normal.
** The final upgrade to the [=RY3NO=]. Instead of shooting a volley of energy blasts, it simply obliterates everything onscreen. This creates a problem when you swing the camera, because when an enemy disappears from your view he isn't destroyed. Another letdown is that the upgraded version isn't useful against bosses. At least its ammo is cheaper than the [[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankGoingCommando Zodiac's]].

* ContestedSequel: While in its initial release it was near unanimously acclaimed as an EvenBetterSequel to the already beloved ''Going Commando'' and still has a similar reputation today, there are some who argue that for all of its merits, the game [[{{Sequelitis}} is a major step down from the previous two games]], often for the same reasons that the game is beloved--namely, streamlining the main gameplay to the point to where the platforming is almost nil compared to the combat, the blatant amount of development corner cutting due to the overly linear or just generic level designs, very repetitive enemy roster, and shorter length (to the extent that the game recycles multiplayer maps to pad out the single player campaigns length). The story, while still well loved, is likewise contested due to its less cohesive feel.

* CatharsisFactor: For those who think Qwark got off too easy in the first two games, getting to fight him personally with your weapons at the beginning of this game totally counts as this.

* AntiClimaxBoss: The final phase of the final boss, which can be fought using a hovership. The problem is all of the boss's attacks are telegraphed and are slow-moving projectiles, so they're easily avoided with the same strafing and dodging techniques you've used in previous hovership missions. Might have been intended as a BreatherBoss, since the phases before it are anything but (see BestBossEver).

** The Holoshield Glove. On paper, it sounds good, being a deployable shield that actually heals you after you upgrade it enough. However, its awkward shape means it will not block as much as it should, the shields disappear without warning after taking enough damage, and the Shield Charger is superior to it on every way as it creates a shield ''around'' Ratchet and damages nearby enemies on max level.

* ReviewsAreTheGospel: A decade after release a review of the game came out by a popular Youtuber that criticized the game's more linear structure and called the game's plot less cohesive than Ratchet 1 and 2s. Fan reception to the game in many circles changed overnight, and now many people call the game lesser than its predecessors due to these elements despite it making several improvements in gameplay. Interestingly, this is closer to what Insomniac themselves thought the reaction would be at launch.

* CatharsisFactor:
** Again, the battle with Courtney Gears. She tricked Clank into letting her guest-star in his show, and captures him right after filming, leaving a decoy behind to lure Ratchet to the Dreadnaught Leviathan. But then she abducts Skidd, and turns him into a robot, her MoralEventHorizon. And then when Ratchet finds out, he's captured too, and realizes she's a pure sadist and [[TheSociopath sociopath]]. Fighting and killing her will bring a major satisfaction for players.

* DisappointingLastLevel: After the crazy fun Koros, the game caps off with the rather underwhelming Mylon, which is a rather short and straightforward level that consists of a couple Tyhrraguise segments and a basic Refractor puzzle, with a few enemy segments sandwiched in. While tough, its not particularly inspired in design compared to the rest of the game, and the enemy lineup is nowhere as action packed or overwhelming as Sasha makes it out to be on Koros. Fortunately, it caps off with a [[BestBossEver truly awesome final boss]] as a consolation prize.

* DisappointingLastLevel: After the crazy fun Koros, the game caps off with the rather underwhelming Mylon, which is a rather short and straightforward level that consists of a couple Tyhrraguise segments and a basic Refractor puzzle, with a few enemy segments sandwiched in. While tough, its not particularly inspired in design compared to the rest of the game. Fortunately, it caps off with a [[BestBossEver truly awesome final boss]] as a consolation prize.

* DissapointingLastLevel: After the crazy fun Koros, the game caps off with the rather underwhelming Mylon, which is a rather short and straightforward level that consists of a couple Tyhrraguise segments and a basic Refractor puzzle, with a few enemy segments sandwiched in. While tough, its not particularly inspired in design compared to the rest of the game. Fortunately, it caps off with a [[BestBossEver truly awesome final boss]] as a consolation prize.

** The returning OldSaveBonus weapons, in stark contrast to how useless they are throughout the bulk of ''Going Commando'', are every bit as powerful if not more in this game than the previous one.
** The widely disliked Meteor Gun upgrade for the Lava Gun from ''Going Commando'' is replaced with the Liquid Nitrogen Gun, which keeps the original purpose of the weapon intact while making it both a stronger and [[{{Pun}} cooler]] weapon.

** The widely reviled {{Cash Gate}}s from the previous two games were finally dropped from the series for good starting with this game, meaning a player doesn't have to waste as much time grinding for bolts just to make progress and can focus save up for more weapons instead.

* ContestedSequel: While in its initial release it was near unanimously acclaimed as an EvenBetterSequel to the already beloved ''Going Commando'' and still has a similar reputation today, there are some who argue that for all of its merits, the game [[{{Sequelitis}} is a major step down from the previous two games]], often for the same reasons that the game is beloved--namely, streamling the main gameplay to the point to where the platforming is almost nil compared to combat, the blatant amount of development corner cutting due to the overly linear or just generic level designs, very repetitive enemy roster, and shorter length (to the extent that the game recycles multiplayer maps to pad out the single player campaigns length). The story, while still well loved, is likewise contested due to its less cohesive feel.

* ContestedSequel: While in its initial release it was near unanimously acclaimed as an EvenBetterSequel and still has a similar reputation today, there are some who argue that for all of its merits, the game [[{{Sequelitis}} is a major step down from the previous two games]], often for the same reasons that the game is beloved--namely, streamling the gameplay to the point to where the platforming is almost nil compared to combat, the blatant amount of corner cutting due to the overly linear or just generic level designs, very repetitive enemy roster, and shorter length (to the extent that the game recycles multiplayer maps to pad out the single player campaigns length. The story, while still well loved, is likewise contested due to its less cohesive feel.

** The widely reviled CashGates from the previous two games were finally dropped from the series for good starting with this game, meaning a player doesnt have to waste as much time grinding for bolts just to make progress and can focus save up for more weapons instead.
** The Quickselect has two menus instead of just one, allowing players to equip gadgets on the spot instead of having to constantly pause and search for the right gadget.
** The widely disliked Meteor Gun upgrade for the Lava Gun from Going Commando is replaced with the Liquid Nitrogen Gun, which keeps the original purpose of the weapon intact while making it both a stronger and [[{{Pun}} cooler]] weapon.

** The widely disliked Magma Cannon upgrade for the Lava Gun from Going Commando is replaced with the Liquid Nitrogen Gun, which keeps the original purpose of the weapon intact while making it both a stronger and [[{{Pun}} cooler]] weapon.

* CatharsisFactor: Again, the battle with Courtney Gears. She tricked Clank into letting her guest-star in his show, and captures him right after filming, leaving a decoy behind to lure Ratchet to the Dreadnaught Leviathan. But then she abducts Skidd, and turns him into a robot, her MoralEventHorizon. And then when Ratchet finds out, he's captured too, and realizes she's a pure sadist and [[TheSociopath sociopath]]. Fighting and killing her will bring a major satisfaction for players.

** The Holoshield glove. On paper, it sounds good, being a deployable shield that actually heals you after you upgrade it enough. However, it's awkward shape means it will not block as much as it should, the shields disappear without warning after taking enough damage, and the Shield Charger is superior to it on every way as it creates a shield ''around'' Ratchet and damages nearby enemies on max level.

* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: The Hacker segments. In both of the [[VideoGame/RatchetAndClank2002 previous]] [[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankGoingCommando two games]], there was a gadget specifically meant for furthering your progression through a level, either by (literally) unlocking a new area or path or by fixing an electronic device that you needed to use. Whereas the previous games incorporated puzzles into the hacking minigames (Tresspasser, Infiltrator), or at least were over fairly quickly (Electrolyser), using the hacker isn't ''nearly'' as interesting or fun; in fact, you may find it to be pretty damn annoying. Even worse, in most instances each Hacker segment has multiple stages, meaning you'll have to beat the mini-game more than once to open most roadblocks.

* EarWorm: Just try to get that Courtney Gears song out of your head. It doesn't help that it gets both a Boss Remix and a Groovitron remix in Tools Of Destruction (which is only in the Japanese version, though).

* ReviewsAreTheGospel: A decade after release a review of the game came out by a popular Youtuber that criticized the game's more linear structure and called the game's plot less cohesive than Ratchet 1 and 2s. Fan reception to the game in many circles changed overnight, and now many people call the game lesser than its predecessors due to these elements despite it making several improvements in gameplay.

* AndYouThoughtItWouldFail: The game's [[TroubledProduction turbulent production]] and [[ChristmasRushed rushed content]] made the staff at Insomniac Games genuinely worried that the game would be a flop, with one staffer saying it was seen as a disaster just two weeks before it went gold. They were [[DidntSeeThatComing completely blindsided]] by the game being a huge critical and commercial success.

* MemeticMutation: "[[MachineMonotone Yo no. Tengo vertigo. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.]]" These lines from the Galactic Ranger robot during the first HALO jump in Spanish have become a meme due to a combination of [[{{Narm}} awkwardness]] and speedrunners running the game in Spanish to save time. Since the line occurs not even a whole minute into every speedrun category for ''Up Your Arsenal'', you can expect to see the Ranger's lines pop up in chat a lot.