Ratchet and clank
Published by; Sony
Developed by; Insomnic
Release date; 08/11/2002
Format; PS2
You can sum up Ratchet and Clank in three words; Weapons, Gadgets and Bolts. However, this does not do the game any justice as there is much more to this simple yet addictive platformer. Following the story of a Mechanic called Ratchet and a specially created little robot called Clank, (obvious really) you travel between several beautiful worlds collecting an arsenal of weapons to defeat Chairman Drek. A charismatic man, desperate to find a new home for his people no matter the cost.
Along the way you met a lot of interesting and fun characters. This is by no means a serious game and plays on that fact. The cut scenes are some of the funniest I’ve seen. Even if some seem a little forced and if they were real actors I would say wooden performances. There are quite a few awkward moments where you’re left wondering why they would say such a thing to one another. But these are few and the rest is top quality. Graphics and quality wise the game looks great, all the worlds are beautifully designed and busting with life, even the dead ones. Each has their own character and different ways of playing. Some aspects are replicated, but these are necessities to the game and for your enjoyment. Good job really because you will not just visit each world once. Having to meet different people and find certain items means you will have to planet hop a fair amount and have to visit a world two or three times before you can safety say it’s finished. Some paths in the worlds will require a certain gadget to proceed; to acquire this you need to trade another item but you must first find this on the planet where you started. It can feel like you’re doing everyone’s dirty work. But the ends justifies the means, Ratchet is no badass Space Cowboy. He’s kind and polite and a little cocky at times, but will always be the good guy.
Revisiting planets more than once is by on way a bad thing here. The currency of the galaxy is Bolts, random screws and nuts lying around, in wooden boxes and every enemy you destroy. They may be plentiful, but everything costs and the high end weapons are expensive. You will find yourself replaying an easier world just so you can afford the next weapon to add to your massive armoury more than once, trust me. As the story progress and you discover the plans of Chainman Drek, you also battle to save planets, big bad monsters and strike at Drek’s forces. You can quite easily say its Ratchets story of him becoming a hero. There may not be choices to make and everything is laid out in front of you. But there is a sense of freedom in this game. I’ve already mentioned the planet hopping but each world will have two or three different paths to battle thou. One nets you the main objective and allows you to continue. The other paths are not necessary worth a play though. It will net you rewards of a gadget or weapon that will make life easier. Plus the extra bolts will always help. I’d strongly recommend finding every last nock and cranny because there are lots of hidden extras to discover and empathizes the point to revisiting each world.
Every hero needs a side kick, enter Clank, A little robot whose purpose is to stop Drek. Along the way you discover more of Clanks creation and why he is important. But he’s not merely on your back like a pack. He brings unique uses to the table. Once upgraded Clank can make Ratchet jump higher, longer, glide and even swim faster. He is much more use than a strange looking Meercat always glued to your side offing only a quirky comment or two. He even gets to explaor parts of worlds rachet cant ge to himself. This offers something completely different to Rachets shoot everything. Clank can control little helpper bots, to defeat and open doors. You will have to protect and lead them throu areas but never fear if you loose one, just retrace your steps and it'l be right where you initally found them. Weapons one of the best aspect of this game and as you will be battling giant bosses and ankle biters to robots. You will need a weapon or two. Luckily you have plentiful to choose from. All supplied by a Gadetron vendor placed at the start of every planet, you have normal Blasters and Rocket Launchers to Bomb Gloves and Tesla Claws. Each new world will unlock a new weapon for purchase. Although plenty full, each offers something different to the other. Want a straight forward launcher, pick the Devastator or want one you can manually steer and guild to difficult to reach targets, Pick the Visibomb. All require ammunition that can all too quicky be depleted. You can find Gadetron boxes mixed in with the wooden bolt ones. However, these will only resupply a few bullets or Bombs. Requiring either to use a different weapon for the rest of the level or a visit to Vendor to resupply. Which brings me to one of my first faults of the game. You can acquire a PDA, near the end of the game, which means you can buy Ammo mid-level for more cost. But until then, you will struggle finding and buying the ammo you need to complete the world you’re on. Until your confident using your Omiwrench melee weapon, you will have to max ammo all your current weapons before you start each world. This is expensive and so your endless grind for Bolts begins.
Developed by; Insomnic
Release date; 08/11/2002
Format; PS2
You can sum up Ratchet and Clank in three words; Weapons, Gadgets and Bolts. However, this does not do the game any justice as there is much more to this simple yet addictive platformer. Following the story of a Mechanic called Ratchet and a specially created little robot called Clank, (obvious really) you travel between several beautiful worlds collecting an arsenal of weapons to defeat Chairman Drek. A charismatic man, desperate to find a new home for his people no matter the cost.
Along the way you met a lot of interesting and fun characters. This is by no means a serious game and plays on that fact. The cut scenes are some of the funniest I’ve seen. Even if some seem a little forced and if they were real actors I would say wooden performances. There are quite a few awkward moments where you’re left wondering why they would say such a thing to one another. But these are few and the rest is top quality. Graphics and quality wise the game looks great, all the worlds are beautifully designed and busting with life, even the dead ones. Each has their own character and different ways of playing. Some aspects are replicated, but these are necessities to the game and for your enjoyment. Good job really because you will not just visit each world once. Having to meet different people and find certain items means you will have to planet hop a fair amount and have to visit a world two or three times before you can safety say it’s finished. Some paths in the worlds will require a certain gadget to proceed; to acquire this you need to trade another item but you must first find this on the planet where you started. It can feel like you’re doing everyone’s dirty work. But the ends justifies the means, Ratchet is no badass Space Cowboy. He’s kind and polite and a little cocky at times, but will always be the good guy.
Revisiting planets more than once is by on way a bad thing here. The currency of the galaxy is Bolts, random screws and nuts lying around, in wooden boxes and every enemy you destroy. They may be plentiful, but everything costs and the high end weapons are expensive. You will find yourself replaying an easier world just so you can afford the next weapon to add to your massive armoury more than once, trust me. As the story progress and you discover the plans of Chainman Drek, you also battle to save planets, big bad monsters and strike at Drek’s forces. You can quite easily say its Ratchets story of him becoming a hero. There may not be choices to make and everything is laid out in front of you. But there is a sense of freedom in this game. I’ve already mentioned the planet hopping but each world will have two or three different paths to battle thou. One nets you the main objective and allows you to continue. The other paths are not necessary worth a play though. It will net you rewards of a gadget or weapon that will make life easier. Plus the extra bolts will always help. I’d strongly recommend finding every last nock and cranny because there are lots of hidden extras to discover and empathizes the point to revisiting each world.
Every hero needs a side kick, enter Clank, A little robot whose purpose is to stop Drek. Along the way you discover more of Clanks creation and why he is important. But he’s not merely on your back like a pack. He brings unique uses to the table. Once upgraded Clank can make Ratchet jump higher, longer, glide and even swim faster. He is much more use than a strange looking Meercat always glued to your side offing only a quirky comment or two. He even gets to explaor parts of worlds rachet cant ge to himself. This offers something completely different to Rachets shoot everything. Clank can control little helpper bots, to defeat and open doors. You will have to protect and lead them throu areas but never fear if you loose one, just retrace your steps and it'l be right where you initally found them. Weapons one of the best aspect of this game and as you will be battling giant bosses and ankle biters to robots. You will need a weapon or two. Luckily you have plentiful to choose from. All supplied by a Gadetron vendor placed at the start of every planet, you have normal Blasters and Rocket Launchers to Bomb Gloves and Tesla Claws. Each new world will unlock a new weapon for purchase. Although plenty full, each offers something different to the other. Want a straight forward launcher, pick the Devastator or want one you can manually steer and guild to difficult to reach targets, Pick the Visibomb. All require ammunition that can all too quicky be depleted. You can find Gadetron boxes mixed in with the wooden bolt ones. However, these will only resupply a few bullets or Bombs. Requiring either to use a different weapon for the rest of the level or a visit to Vendor to resupply. Which brings me to one of my first faults of the game. You can acquire a PDA, near the end of the game, which means you can buy Ammo mid-level for more cost. But until then, you will struggle finding and buying the ammo you need to complete the world you’re on. Until your confident using your Omiwrench melee weapon, you will have to max ammo all your current weapons before you start each world. This is expensive and so your endless grind for Bolts begins.
Gameplay is nice and easy, no complicated HUD. The Suck cannon, one of the more FUN weapns from Rachets arsenal. And the now infamous capt Qwark, but this career is not as plain sailing as you would expect.
My only main other fault is aiming your weapons to the enemy. You can manually aim, but Ratchet remains stationary in the line of fire. There is auto aim to gun and run, but unless you’re running straight at you intended target your shots will not connect. The problem is there is NO strafe button. Sounds like nothing but it seriously changes the pace of the game from action shooter to take your time platformer. Weapon select also is heartache. By pressing and holding triangle it brings up the quick select wheel where you can pre-set eight weapons or gadgets. Handy, yes but the game won’t pause while you decide which weapon to defeat your foes as they continue shooting or charging at you. Another annoying problem is the fact you can only pick eight for the quick select. You have four times the available weapons and gadgets. Needing you to pause to the main menu and select your desired weapon. Not all your gadgets have a use that you will require often but it can start to feel like an RPG having to keep pausing every so often to use the tools you need. Anyway, gadgets are another great addiction to this title. From the Swingshot to reach areas normally out of reach. To the Hydropisplacer, able to carry massive amounts of water and flood areas of the level. These are all easy to use and you instantly know which to use, but offers some really great but simple puzzle’s. Some may try and trick you, but once you know the correct outcome you can easily back track and set things right. These break up the action and offer the real platforming of the game, some may annoy you more so than the enemies as you fall to your death the tenth time and have to restart the level again. Some checkpoints have been missed out; you restart right at the beginning of the level after almost reaching your goal. Everything is possible with a little trail and error.
The health system has its faults, but can play to your advantage. Instead of tough enemies dealing more damage per shot than smaller enemies, every hit will take away one of your four Nanotech. This does seem bizarre when playing, that four small bites from Anklebiters can cause death when you can survive three rocket hits. But it’s just how the game is. Later you can upgrade to eight Nanotech and by this stage you feel invulnerable able to soak up hit after hit. Get enough bolts and you can buy the signature weapon of the game, the Rip Ya a New One, or RYNO for short. Once this is acquired the game is a breeze, however, don’t expect to get this on your first playthou. Yes, to fully get a sense of achievement from the game its worth playing twice. Once you finish the story you’re given the option to restart before the final battle. Allowing you to finish any missed missions or start the game again with all your current bolts and weapons. Doing the latter unlocks the GOLD weapons available to be purchased with the nice big Gold bolts you’ve collected throughout your first play thou. You earn normal bolts twice as fast too, allowing the purchase of one super-duper RYNO and the rather expensive Gold weapons dealing more damage. Down side the enemies require more of a beating too, a challenge mode if you will.
Although not a master class game you would expect, this is epic none the less. Its characters are all great even the bad ones, you will not find such a good and fun platformer that will keep you glued as you admire the beautiful created worlds you explore and battle. If your not battling Giant Snagglebeasts your rail grinding, flying spaceships and leading Giant Clank as he destoys 10 feet high mechs. There is plenty to see and do, the weapons and gadgets steal the show while our heroes save the day. Despite its one main flaw; this game is still easily playable and leaves you wanting more.
By Chris Sowry 8/10
The health system has its faults, but can play to your advantage. Instead of tough enemies dealing more damage per shot than smaller enemies, every hit will take away one of your four Nanotech. This does seem bizarre when playing, that four small bites from Anklebiters can cause death when you can survive three rocket hits. But it’s just how the game is. Later you can upgrade to eight Nanotech and by this stage you feel invulnerable able to soak up hit after hit. Get enough bolts and you can buy the signature weapon of the game, the Rip Ya a New One, or RYNO for short. Once this is acquired the game is a breeze, however, don’t expect to get this on your first playthou. Yes, to fully get a sense of achievement from the game its worth playing twice. Once you finish the story you’re given the option to restart before the final battle. Allowing you to finish any missed missions or start the game again with all your current bolts and weapons. Doing the latter unlocks the GOLD weapons available to be purchased with the nice big Gold bolts you’ve collected throughout your first play thou. You earn normal bolts twice as fast too, allowing the purchase of one super-duper RYNO and the rather expensive Gold weapons dealing more damage. Down side the enemies require more of a beating too, a challenge mode if you will.
Although not a master class game you would expect, this is epic none the less. Its characters are all great even the bad ones, you will not find such a good and fun platformer that will keep you glued as you admire the beautiful created worlds you explore and battle. If your not battling Giant Snagglebeasts your rail grinding, flying spaceships and leading Giant Clank as he destoys 10 feet high mechs. There is plenty to see and do, the weapons and gadgets steal the show while our heroes save the day. Despite its one main flaw; this game is still easily playable and leaves you wanting more.
By Chris Sowry 8/10
