Ratchet & Clank Playthrough Part 2

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Published on July 26, 2021 11:00:09 AM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7PH0fLbHYo

Duration: 1:56:11

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1

2002, PS2. Rating: 3 out of 4 stars

Of all the franchises that have stayed exclusively with Sony, the Lombax and his robot sidekick have lasted the longest. Kind of interesting how they’ve had the most staying power. The platforming is not the greatest and there’s nothing particularly innovative other than some of the weapons. In the end, it’s the characters, the sense of fun and the cool sci-fi setting that give this game the legs it needs.

As the first installment in the franchise, there are some rough edges as Ratchet and Clank first meet. They do the usual galaxy-hopping endeavor from planet to planet. They meet some strange and interesting characters along the way. The game’s tongue is generally wedged in its cheek and never takes itself too seriously. Sure, Chairman Drek is trying to mine planets to build one for himself, but there’s never any real peril. It’s all about fun and action. Ratchet & Clank does a terrific job on that front and developer Insomniac has fun taking a lot of the classic elements from Mario and giving them their own twist. They also do a good job by giving the game a nonlinear approach to its game design and encouraging some exploration. There’s a through-line to it all, but it works.

The platforming is a little shaky at times and menuing is not as intuitive as it should be. This can lead to some unfortunate deaths throughout. The characters are establishing themselves and the recurring ones haven’t hit their stride. It’s a little jarring to see what a self-centered jerk Ratchet is throughout. Clank is pretty much the same as he ever was and Captain Qwark’s self-centered behavior hasn’t hit peak status yet.

Better days lay ahead for the Lombax and his trusty sidekick. As a first-time effort, though, Insomniac mostly got it right and did a nice job setting the tone for future games in the franchise.

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