Ratchet & Clank (2002 game)

Ratchet & Clank is a three-dimensional platformer/shooter game for the PlayStation 2, developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony. It is the first game in the Ratchet & Clank series. It was released in North America on November 6, 2002, and received positive reviews in the gaming press. It won PlayStation 2 Game of the Year in 2002.

Overview
Chairman Drek was creating a planet for his race, the Blarg, by breaking off a large quantity of other surrounding planets and using them to form the new Blarg planet. He didn't seem to have any concern for those currently living on those planets (because those planets would hurl into the sun). To stop him, Ratchet had to try to contact Captain Qwark, the greatest hero the galaxy had ever known.

Gameplay
The game was one of the first to try to shake up the platformer genre by focusing the game not only on making difficult jumps, but also on action and shooting aspects as well. In addition to shooting, the game includes space dogfights, hoverboard races, Grindboot courses, Magneboot courses, giant robot battles, and Swingshot courses (courses where Ratchet swings from node to node (called "Versa-targets") using a special hookshot-type gadget).

Plot
The story began on a backwater planet in the Solana galaxy, known as Veldin. Ratchet, was seen working on a space ship. Ratchet then checked what else needed to be done to complete his ship from "HelpDesk". A robotic ignition system was needed. Meanwhile at a robot manufacturing plant elsewhere in the galaxy, the computer instead of creating a Sentry-bot accidently created Clank, a tiny robot who discovered that his creator, Chairman Drek, planned to create a new planet by destroying other planets in the galaxy. He was spotted as he fled the planet and was shot down over Veldin. Ratchet struck a deal with Clank. If Clank would start his ship, he would agree to help Clank locate Captain Qwark to save the galaxy from Drek. The two began an adventure. They explored planets which Drek attacked such as Novalis and Eudora before meeting Captain Qwark on Rilgar. Captain Qwark tricked them into doing a deathcourse on Umbris. They eventually finished the deathcourse only to discover Captain Qwark was working for Drek. Captain Qwark then left, forcing Ratchet and Clank to defeat a Blargian Snagglebeast. The two then flew to save Batalia but Ratchet vowed to 'pay him back' while Clank tried to convince him that Drek was the bigger issue. Ratchet finally came to his senses with he discovered Drek was planing to destroy an entire planet with the PlanetBuster Maximus which Ratchet later destroyed. They then went to Drek's Gemlik Moonbase. Ratchet finally got his revenge when Drek made Qwark ambush Ratchet and Clank, but Ratchet destroyed Qwark's ship forcing him to crashland on planet Oltanis. The two went on to save the galaxy from Drek by destroying his newly constructed planet. The two became instant celebrities and were featured on many magazine covers and television shows. They settled on Veldin to wait for their next adventure.



Limited edition poster
Like each game to come out in the future, Ratchet & Clank had its own limited edition game poster before its release. The poster shows Ratchet shredding from the edge of a rail and Clank standing by.

Characters

 * Big Al
 * Bob
 * Clank
 * Clank's mother
 * Commando
 * Deserter
 * Drek
 * Edwina
 * Fred
 * Gadgetron CEO
 * Gratch, Darla
 * HelpDesk Girl
 * Jowai Resort Owner
 * McMarx, Skid
 * Miner
 * Novalis Chairman
 * Plumber
 * Qwark, Copernicus Leslie
 * Qwark's Bouncer
 * Race Girl
 * Ratchet
 * Robot lieutenant
 * Sam
 * Shady Salesman
 * Skid's Agent
 * Ultra-Mech Scientist
 * Scientist

Weapons

 * OmniWrench 8000
 * Bomb Glove
 * Pyrocitor
 * Blaster
 * Glove of Doom
 * Suck Cannon
 * Taunter
 * Mine Glove
 * RYNO
 * Devastator
 * Walloper
 * Visibomb Gun
 * Decoy Glove
 * Drone Device
 * Tesla Claw
 * Morph-o-Ray

Note: Not all of these weapons have Gold upgrades, but there are just enough gold bolts to buy all the Gold Weapons (which are the only things that could be counted for as weapon upgrades in Ratchet & Clank) that are only available after beating the game, unless you want to spend all your gold bolts on Gemlik Base.

Gadgets



 * Helipack
 * Swingshot
 * Trespasser
 * Grindboots
 * Hydrodisplacer
 * Sonic Summoner
 * Pilot's Helmet
 * Magneboots
 * Metal Detector
 * Thrusterpack
 * O2 Mask
 * Hydropack
 * Gadgetron PDA
 * Hologuise



Items

 * Gold bolts
 * Hoverboard
 * Platinum Zoomerator
 * Premium Nanotech
 * Ultra Nanotech
 * Raritanium
 * Persuader
 * Bolt Grabber
 * Map-o-Matic

Drivable vehicles

 * Hoverboard
 * Jet Fighter

Ships

 * Ratchet's Ship
 * Courier ship
 * Qwark's tour shuttle
 * Blarg Starfighter

Planets and locations

 * Novalis - Tobruk Crater
 * Kerwan - Metropolis
 * Aridia - Outpost X11
 * Eudora - Logging Site
 * Nebula G34 - Blarg Tactical Research Station
 * Rilgar - Blackwater City
 * Umbris - Qwark's HQ
 * Batalia - Fort Krontos
 * Gaspar - Blarg Depot
 * Orxon - Kogor Refinery
 * Pokitaru - Jowai Resort
 * Hoven - Bomb Factory
 * Oltanis Orbit - Gemlik Base
 * Oltanis - Gorda City Ruins
 * Quartu - Robot Factory
 * Kalebo III - Gadgetron Site
 * Veldin Orbit - Drek's Fleet
 * Veldin - Kyzil Plateau

Critical reaction
Before its release, GameSpot received two preview builds of Ratchet & Clank. After previewing it for the second time, GameSpot described "excellent graphics, varied gameplay, and tight control(s)". IGN had similar views after seeing it in action at E3 2002, stating it would rival Naughty Dog's Jak and Daxter.

At release, Ratchet & Clank was met with positive reviews and scores, earning an 88 out of 100 at Metacritic. It was praised for its high quality graphics and wide range of weapons and gadgets. Some criticisms were aimed at the story and characters, GameSpy feeling that Ratchet was an unlikable main character and that the game became predictable, boring and "just bland". GameSpot on the other hand felt that the variety in the gameplay, although easier than most games, kept the player interested and moving at a good pace.

Trivia

 * According to the magazine promo image, Ratchet & Clank took place in the year of 5354. However, the months that appeared on the magazine were called Octogus, which is a fictional name; and there were over 100 days in a month. This obviously implied that Ratchet and Clank lived in a different universe.
 * In Ratchet & Clank, one of the skill points was named "Going Commando", the name of the game's sequel.
 * All the characters in the game have two fingers. This changed later on, however, the only character who had more fingers was Ratchet.
 * In the hit Video game Jak II, a poster for this game is seen in Haven City.