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Kerwan is a planet in the Solana Galaxy featured in Ratchet & Clank, the 2016 re-imagined game and movie, Up Your Arsenal, Tools of Destruction, with additional appearances in Deadlocked, Full Frontal Assault as an optional map, and Issue 3: Lost and Spaced of the Ratchet & Clank comic series. It is a large, bustling, urban planet home to the gigantic city of Metropolis, known as Aleero City in the 2016 re-imagined releases. Metropolis is known for its use of flying cars in pre-designated lanes, grav-trains, and large skyscrapers dotted in green vegetation, plants, and moss. The planet is home to Big Al's Roboshack and Gaming Superstore. It is also the home of Captain Qwark, and the most prominent location in the Ratchet & Clank series.

Ratchet and Clank first came to Kerwan in search of Captain Qwark, after seeing a commercial for Al's Roboshack. While unable to locate Qwark, they were able to obtain very useful gadgets, including the Heli-Pack and Swingshot, which would be invaluable in all their subsequent adventures. The two later returned to Kerwan during Dr. Nefarious' attack with the Biobliterator, as he successfully turned the entire population of the planet into robots. Later, Ratchet and Clank had lived in Metropolis prior to Emperor Tachyon's attack with his drophyd army, and fought off the drophyds while fleeing the planet.

In Up Your Arsenal, the city features a hidden teleporter to the Insomniac Museum. Once the player defeats enemies near the ship at the center area, by going left and breaking the glass, and jumping across to the next section, a teleporter can be found. If the player's game clock is set between 3:00am and 4:00am, they can be transported to the museum.

History[]

Before Ratchet & Clank[]

Kerwan was the homeworld of Captain Qwark and Dr. Nefarious,[1][2] where they grew up and attended high school together and Qwark routinely bullied Nefarious in their 9th grade biology classes.[3] Qwark later went on to attend the Kerwan Learning Annex, where he studied to draw schematics.[4] It was also the home of heroes Quaternion X and Captain Starshield, the latter of whom had earned the title Citizen of the Millennium.[5]

Giant Green Bratwurst 3

Nefarious releasing his insectoid swarm onto Metropolis.

Documented in the Qwark vid-comic Deja Q All Over Again, while Captain Qwark was training at his fitness course at the behest of Helga von Streissenburgen, Dr. Nefarious attacked the city with an army of insectoids.[6] Qwark interrupted his fitness training session in order to fight off the insectoids, and then defeated the robotic Nefarious. Nefarious vowed to return to Metropolis and enact vengeance, and Qwark threw his detached robot head into a trash can.[7] However, Lawrence, Nefarious' butler, knocked Qwark out, recovered Nefarious' head, and took them both to Nefarious' hideout.[8]

At some point, Qwark appeared in a commercial endorsing Big Al's Roboshack. The grav-train in the city also provided scenic tours, prior to the blarg's invasion.[9]

Ratchet & Clank[]

Ratchet and Clank acquired the coordinates for Kerwan on planet Novalis, after the chairman gave the two an infobot featuring the commercial for Big Al's Roboshack.

Hey, you're that robot guy, right?

Al meeting Ratchet and Clank in his roboshack.

The two landed on the planet in search of Captain Qwark, and found it under attack by the blarg. In "Visit Al's Roboshack", Ratchet and Clank visited Al to inquire about Qwark's whereabouts. While Al was unable to help search for Qwark, he was able to upgrade Clank with the Heli-Pack for 1,000 bolts, as he recognized Clank's compatible XP-18 sisterboard hardware.[10] The two purchased the Heli-Pack, allowing them to explore the rest of the city, and eventually traveled aboard a grav-train to chase an infobot, which provided coordinates for Eudora.

Listen up you lardballs!

Helga, angry at Ratchet and Clank's performance.

The two also completed Qwark's fitness challenge, ran by Qwark's trainer Helga, who offered a prize to those who completed it.[11] Upon completing the challenge, she scolded the two for "disgracing" her obstacle course. While Qwark had asked her to reward the two with a Swingshot,[12] Helga demanded that the two pay 1,000 bolts to buy it from her instead. Though reluctant at first, the two obliged and purchased a Swingshot.

Re-imagined[]

The 2016 re-imagined game is primarily an unreliable retelling of events by Qwark.
The re-imagined game primarily describes Captain Qwark's account of events. As Qwark is an unreliable narrator, and contradictory events are in-universe fiction (though those which correspond still apply). Please see Project:Bulletin board/Canon for the wiki's coverage of canon.
Complete fitness course from RC16 cutscene 1

Qwark offering Ratchet and Clank a new ship.

In the Ratchet & Clank movie and Qwark's retelling of its events, Kerwan is home to Aleero City, which features the Hall of Heroes, the headquarters of the Galactic Rangers. Aleero City is invaded by Chairman Drek, who sends a warbot army from a Class G Dreadship led by Victor Von Ion to destroy the Galactic Rangers and stop them from interfering with his plans. The Rangers fight the warbots from their Hall of Heroes, and are mostly unsuccessful. However, Ratchet and Clank arrive, using Mr. Micron's ship with Mag-Boosters that allow them to take down the Dreadship by throwing warbots into it. This destroys the warship and ends the assault. Shortly afterwards, Qwark, after being put on the spot by reporters, recruited Ratchet and Clank to the Rangers.

Find a route to the Hall of Heroes cutscene 1

Clank receiving the Heli-Pack upgrade from Al.

Ratchet and Clank were left stranded in the city after a blarg destroyed their ship, and had to find a route to the Hall of Heroes. This led to them fighting through blarg forces to reach Al's Roboshack, where Al upgraded Clank with a Heli-Pack for free as a gesture to the Rangers. Al then advised them that they could find a train to the Hall of Heroes, as a grav-train near his roboshack would take them straight back. They then used the Heli-Pack to travel to the grav-train station and rode a grav-train, transporting ships, statues, and dangerous animals and disconnect a bomb installed on it by the blarg. After disconnecting the bomb from the train, they then took the train to the Hall of Heroes.[13]

Ending from R&C (2016) cutscene 1

Qwark and Shiv doing community service in Aleero City.

Ratchet and Clank were then trained by the Rangers in the Hall of Heroes. Ratchet was trained by Brax Lectrus, and completed the Rangers' fitness course,[13] while Clank stayed behind with Elaris, the tactical support.

After the ordeal, Qwark was transferred to the Aleero City Penitentiary, where he told his story to fellow inmate Shiv Helix.[13]

Up Your Arsenal[]

Following Qwark's apparent death after he did not appear to escape the Leviathan, Al gave Ratchet the Qwark vid-comic Deja Q All Over Again, which had arrived in the mail for Qwark.[14] The vid-comic, which took place in Metropolis, detailed Nefarious attacking the city with an army of insectoids before Qwark stopped him. After completing the vid-comic, Ratchet believed that Metropolis would be Nefarious' next target.

Find Dr

Nefarious, Lawrence, and Clank on Metropolis.

In "Find Dr. Nefarious", Ratchet arrived on the planet with Klunk, whom he still believed to be Clank, and found the planet was already under attack by tyhrranoids. Meanwhile, Nefarious had the real Clank locked up in a cage by a grav-train. Ratchet fought through waves of tyhrranoids, before Nefarious then used the Biobliterator. This device turned all organic lifeforms in Metropolis into robots, including the tyhrranoids, aside from Ratchet who successfully dodged it. Ratchet then fought through the robonoids and found Nefarious as well as Klunk. Nefarious then teleported away while Klunk revealed himself.[15]

Defeat Giant Klunk cutscene 2

Giant Klunk.

In "Defeat Giant Klunk", Klunk transformed into Giant Klunk and fought Ratchet on the grav-train. Ratchet defeated him and then freed Clank, who lamented that it was all his fault, though Ratchet ascribed no blame to him.[16] After this, in "Destroy the robotic Tyhrranoid Forces", Ratchet and Clank assisted the Galactic Rangers elsewhere in the city in Operation: URBAN STORM. In it, Ratchet destroyed explosive charges that the tyhrranoids had placed all over the city, before then repelling the tyhrranoids in the hovership, on land, and using the turret. The Rangers after the battle awarded Ratchet the Map-o-Matic after all squad members chipped in for a gift.[17]

After Up Your Arsenal[]

Sasha Phyronix became appointed interim Mayor of Metropolis, leaving the Starship Phoenix to Ratchet, Clank and Al. According to Vox News, Sasha had been appointed after the previous mayor stepped down amid a sordid scandal involving illicit funds from an amoeboid mafia.[5]

Tools of Destruction[]

When Aren't They Heavily Armed?

Ratchet and Clank building their rocket sled.

Ratchet and Clank resided on Metropolis, with Ratchet occupied by working on a rocket sled while disregarding Clank's warnings about the defective ion thrusters. While Ratchet was planning a trip, Captain Qwark called from the Planetary Defense Center, alerting them about an invasion by Emperor Tachyon's Imperial Army, prompting Ratchet to fly over. The ion thrusters failed, although the auxiliary thrusters allowed Ratchet to proceed far enough into the city, where Ratchet encountered the drophyd forces.[18]

Your Name's Percival? 2

Tachyon meeting Ratchet and Clank.

In "Go to the Defense Center!", the city suffered severe damage while Ratchet and Clank fought their way through drophyds to reach the center, only to find it vacant, before a drophyd attack forced Ratchet to escape on the mag rail.[19] They failed to flee however as they were chased down by an Imperial cruiser, whereafter Tachyon introduced himself, and promised to leave Metropolis alone if Ratchet surrendered and allowed Tachyon to kill him. Ratchet fooled them into thinking Clank was a deathbot and broke one of his walker's legs, enabling them to escape using Tachyon's ship, fleeing to the Polaris Galaxy.[20] Qwark, meanwhile, swore allegiance to Tachyon's army, working thereafter as a double agent.[21]

Qwark's Heroic Tale

Qwark fleeing from a group of drophyds.

After Tachyon left, a portion of the Imperial Army then combed the city in search of the Dimensionator before leaving. The city then underwent reconstruction, and the inhabitants were stuck watching repeat holovision screenings of Big Al's Bot Wars.[22]

After Tools of Destruction[]

During the events of A Crack in Time, Al expanded and relaunched Big Al's Roboshack as a roboshack and gaming superstore hybrid, with an announcement on space radio.[23]

In Lost and Spaced, Kerwan is mentioned as one of the planets that were stolen by Artemis Zogg and taken to his Artemis Galaxy. After Zogg was defeated, the planet was later returned to its original location.

Geography[]

Overview[]

Metropolis from R&C (2002) screen 1

The Metropolis cityscape.

Metropolis is a sprawling cityscape characterized by towering skyscrapers adorned with lush vegetation, with busy skyways crisscrossing through the air. The skyscrapers reach such heights that peering down from the top reveals nothing but a thick blanket of fog, obscuring the view below. These impressive structures are crowned with bronze caps topped by elegant spires. Sky bridges, platforms, and open areas within the skyscrapers allow for local and small-scale foot traffic. These areas often feature various flora such as trees, plants, grassy terrain, and are often lit by street lamps.

Several brightly colored billboards with logos and imagery are found throughout the city (particularly prominent in the re-imagined release).

Big Al's Roboshack[]

Al's RoboShack exterior from R&C (2002)

Big Al's Roboshack.

Big Al's Roboshack is visited in Ratchet & Clank, the 2016 re-imagined game, and mentioned in A Crack in Time and All 4 One. It is a large store run by Al, which provides repairs and upgrades for technology. It is a grey store on top of a skyscraper, identified by a large, rotating, gold robot statue carrying a wrench on top of store's entrance on the skybridge. Inside, the store is home to several robotic parts, along with Al's workbench. Behind the back exit of the store is a storage area with many stacked crates that lead towards other skybridges eventually towards a grav-train station.

Big Al's Roboshack supplied several repairs for Captain Qwark's equipment during his adventuring,[24] and also supplied the Heli-Pack upgrade for Clank. Qwark filmed an ad for Al's Roboshack before Ratchet and Clank arrived. The Roboshack was relaunched years later as Big Al's Roboshack and Gaming Superstore, expanded to sell videogames, and advertised over Space Radio commercials.[25][26]

Al's roboshack (re-imagined)

Al's roboshack in the re-imagined release.

In the re-imagined release, upon visiting the store (named "Big Al's Roboshack and Gaming Superstore), it also sold My Blaster Runs Hot, Fongoid with a Stick, Speero the Space Mouse, and Intransigence: Fall of Blarg, for which the Mega-Limited Ultra Edition release was available. Posters for each of these could be seen in the store, along with items including Captain Qwark books and a Qwark clock. The outside of the Roboshack is different, as it is a red structure lacking the golden rotating robot statue, instead featuring a billboard sign to the left. The building was also closed off when the blarg attacked.

Captain Qwark fitness course[]

Qwark's fitness course appears in Ratchet & Clank, the 2016 re-imagined game, and in Up Your Arsenal during the vid-comic Deja Q All Over Again. It is a fitness course ran by Qwark's fitness trainer, Helga von Streissenburgen, and advertised by a Qwark bot with a spring for legs. A prize was offered to those who could successfully traverse the course.[11] The course contains expanding and retracting platforms to jump on and wall jumps to get across, with the goal being for the participant to reach the top of an island and then use a zip wire to reach the next. The first island contains a rocky hill with some built-in jump slots to be climbed, while the second holds a large, yellow and black structure.

Qwark used the fitness course himself during the vid-comics, and Ratchet and Clank beat the challenge only to be scolded by Helga. In the re-imagined release, the Captain Qwark fitness course instead located in the Hall of Heroes and is used by the Rangers, with a similar structure though the first island features a metal structure rather than a hill, and islands are not connected by zip lines. This version requires the Ranger to reach the top of the first island, the "Summit of Justice", and climb the structure on the second island, the "Tower of Power", and features Qwark bots throughout the course, at the bottom and top of the first two islands, and on the final island.

Planetary Defense Center[]

Radioactive Amoeboids Please Press Two

The entrance to the Planetary Defense Center.

The Planetary Defense Center for planet Kerwan is visited in Tools of Destruction. It is ran by Captain Qwark, serving to defend Kerwan against external threats, and is not open to the public. Qwark was known to have been put in charge of running the massive facility, as part of his automated message system options included being attacked by radioactive amoeboids, or to report ingestion by a mutant space eel.[27]

Hall of Heroes[]

The Hall of Heroes appears in the 2016 re-imagined release of Ratchet & Clank. It is the headquarters of the Galactic Rangers, located on a large, grassy, floating island. The Hall's island has a gate leading towards a long stretch of land before a tall building, in which the Rangers reside. It is home to their VR training deck, used to train Ratchet, a small central control room ran by Elaris that exists within a broom closet, and a cafeteria for food. The island is connected to a grav-train, and in this release, is home to the Captain Qwark fitness course.

Society[]

Metropolis is a large, bustling city, with huge amounts of dense skyway traffic can be seen, and there are many forms of transportation, including a grav-train transit system, suggesting the city is constantly active. The city also appears very commercialized, with blimps in the sky advertising logos, and brightly colored billboards are seen through (most prominent in the re-imagined releases). The entire population of the city were transformed into robots, following Dr. Nefarious' use of the Biobliterator.

Metropolis is the home and birthplace of many galactic heroes. Aside from Captain Qwark, it is also home to named heroes Quaternion X, the Brown Ranger, and Captain Starshield, though all of them were kidnapped to compete in DreadZone.[5] Qwark's logos and imagery appear throughout the city, suggesting he is popular among residents.

Metropolis has a mayor, presumably elected, as interim mayors are appointed by the President when a sitting mayor steps down.[5] The Planetary Defense Center featured in the city is used to defend against external threats.

Metropolis is home to two known schools: the Kerwan Learning Annex, where Qwark learned to draw schematics,[4] and the Kerwan School of Quantum Mechanics, where Skrunch attended.[22]

Transportation[]

Grav-train from R&C (2002) render

Grav-trains from Ratchet & Clank.

Various means of transportation are used around Metropolis. Most prominently, flying cars in pre-designated lanes make up the dense skyway traffic seen in the air at all times, while a transit system of red grav-trains connect many parts of the city. Grav-trains, red hovering freight trains flying throughout Metropolis, also provided scenic tours of the city, prior to the blarg invasion.[9] Some trains can also be seen on rail tracks. Blimps with logos can also be seen in the sky, used for advertisement.

Grav-trains feature prominently in Ratchet & Clank, the 2016 re-imagined game, and Up Your Arsenal. These carriages have flat platforms in the carts on which Ratchet can stand, and carry luggage. In the original and re-imagined release, Ratchet fought blarg forces while running across the train, with the re-imagined release also transporting killer fish, construction materials, and a large bomb that the blarg attempted to use to destroy the Hall of Heroes. In Up Your Arsenal, Ratchet fought Giant Klunk on a grav-train.

Trains on mag rails appear in Tools of Destruction, with Ratchet grinding across the rails while many came at him full speed during Tachyon's invasion.

Blimp from R&C (2002) render

Blimps from Ratchet & Clank.

Blimps were seen in the original Ratchet & Clank and Up Your Arsenal, with a large Qwark logo. These blimps appear to be mainly used for transport. Destroying these blimps earns the skill points "Blimpy" and "2002 was a good year in the city" in the respective first and third games.

Gameplay[]

Ratchet & Clank 2002[]

Metropolis from R&C (2002) map

Map layout of Metropolis.

In Ratchet & Clank, the city divides into two paths that sees three major landmarks, after entering through a tunnel from the landing pad. The path on the left leads to Qwark's fitness course for "Complete fitness course". The path on the right leads to Al's roboshack for "Visit Al's Roboshack", followed by a path onto a grav-train station for "Ride the Robot Train".

Qwark's fitness course in Ratchet & Clank consists of three islands, with the first two each leading to a summit on which a zip line to the next island is located. The first of these, with a Qwark bot greeting players at the entrance, has a large, rocky hill to climb, while the second is a metal black and yellow structure, and the third is a smaller island with only a few platforms. This is where Helga is found.

The path on the right leads to a series of sky bridges connecting several buildings, eventually leading to Al's Roboshack where Clank purchases the Heli-Pack. Behind the roboshack is an open concrete area with stacked boxes, followed by a series of buildings leading up to the grav-train station. Riding the grav-train ultimately leads to a train station above the starting area.

Up Your Arsenal[]

Metropolis from UYA 1

The landing area of Metropolis in Up Your Arsenal.

In Up Your Arsenal, Metropolis features in four distinct forms: as the location of the Qwark vid-comic Deja Q All Over Again, as a main location visited by Ratchet for the mission "Find Dr. Nefarious", as the location for the Galactic Rangers missions for Operation: URBAN STORM, and as a multiplayer map that supports all modes. Deja Q All Over Again revisits the fitness course, while the main mission revisits the grav-train.

Deja Q All Over Again gameplay 4

Metropolis in Deja Q All Over Again in Up Your Arsenal.

Deja Q All Over Again begins on Qwark's fitness course, in which Qwark himself must train there. Following a ride of the grav-train at the end of the course, the path then takes Qwark through a series of buildings as he fights off Nefarious' invasion, culminating atop one of the skyscrapers with a battle with Dr. Nefarious.

Metropolis from UYA 2

Another area of Metropolis in Up Your Arsenal.

The main area seen in the mission "Find Dr. Nefarious" is a linear path across a set of towers connected by skybridges, leading to a plaza where the grav-train stops. The Star Explorer lands on a flat rooftop, a bridge connecting to the first of the towers. To the left of the first tower is another adjacent tower which can be reached by hopping across a balcony, where the teleporter for the Insomniac Museum is located on one of its balconies. Further along the linear mission path, the path makes use of grav-ramps across the city skyscrapers before ultimately leading to the grav-train stop.

Metropolis from UYA 3

Operation: URBAN STORM area.

Both Operation: URBAN STORM and the multiplayer map visit the same area. This is a symmetrical set of rooftops and towers connected by bridges, with one long bridge in the center from northeast to southwest. It has four tall towers, of which two on the northeast and southwest respectively are connected to identical circular rooftop plazas linked to the main bridge in the center, while the other two are disconnected from the main bridge and are linked by smaller bridges to two lower rooftops.

The multiplayer map supports all game modes and is designed for Siege. The main difference from Operation: URBAN STORM is that the towers in the top-right and bottom-left are replaced with flat rooftops on which the bases are located. The map features hoverships and versa-targets are used to traverse the different islands of the maps.

Tools of Destruction[]

Kerwan is the first planet in Tools of Destruction, and comprises a linear path through the city as it is invaded by Tachyon. The path leads Ratchet to use meteor pads to move between various skyscrapers, while using skybridges, platforms, balconies, and mag rails to move around. All of these features are often partially damaged or are shot down while Ratchet is on-top or nearby. Several skyscrapers are destroyed and visibly collapse during the invasion as well. He only reaches the defense center by skydiving from up high, and then uses a set of mag rails to grind to a rooftop where he is caught.

Full Frontal Assault[]

Ratchet & Clank Full Frontal Assault Metropolis Postcard

Metropolis during Full Frontal Assault

Metropolis features as a downloadable map for Full Frontal Assault, and does not appear in the main story.

Ratchet & Clank 2016[]

The 2016 re-imagined game is primarily an unreliable retelling of events by Qwark.
The re-imagined game primarily describes Captain Qwark's account of events. As Qwark is an unreliable narrator, and contradictory events are in-universe fiction (though those which correspond still apply). Please see Project:Bulletin board/Canon for the wiki's coverage of canon.
Hall of Heroes

The Hall of Heroes.

Planet Kerwan is visited in Ratchet & Clank 2016 for an air combat section followed by a linear path that leads across landmarks from the original Ratchet & Clank (Al's roboshack, the fitness course, and the grav-train station), albeit with an altered layout and with a new landmark, the Hall of Heroes. The air combat first mission, "Destroy the Blarg Armored Transports", is simply an area of floating buildings off from the Hall of Heroes.

Al's Roboshack from R&C (2016) screen

Exterior of Al's Roboshack.

After the air combat mission, in "Find a route to the Hall of Heroes", Downtown Aleero City is visited, more closely resembling the original game (but featuring notably more advertisement billboards throughout the city). The path begins through the familiar tunnel to the circular area that formed the start of the original game, but no path leads to Qwark's fitness course, which was instead moved to the Hall of Heroes. The path right still leads to a familiar path to Al's Roboshack, named Big Al's Roboshack and Gaming Superstore, and the path behind it leads to the grav-train station.

Grav-train station from R&C (2016) screen

Grav-train station.

The grav-train riding segment is greatly expanded from the original, with significantly more train cars visited as Ratchet must reach the front car. It stops at the Hall of Heroes, where the Qwark fitness course, comprising three floating islands similar to the course in the original game. A Qwark bot greets players at the summit of the first island, known as the "Summit of Justice", containing another Qwark bot greeting those who reach it. Swingshot targets are used to the second, featuring the "Tower of Power", a larger grey and orange structure with retracting metal platforms and jump slots, as well as another Qwark bot greeting it. The top of the Tower of Power has another Qwark bot and an edge leading to the third island, the smallest island with only one smaller structure and a final Qwark bot, and a taxi leading back to the beginning.

Other appearances[]

Metropolis was also used in both PlayStation Move Heroes and PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale.

Behind the scenes[]

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Development[]

Kerwan from R&C (2002) concept art

Concept art of a tower in the original game.

Metropolis was one of the first big levels in Ratchet & Clank that Insomniac Games created, and almost "started a war" between the designers and the artists. The goal was to have lots of greenery built into retro science fiction buildings to create a unique contrast. Many of the bronze caps on top of buildings was removed because they clashed with the rest of the city.[28]

Civilian robots[citation needed][29] were originally going to appear on this planet in Tools of Destruction, they appeared in the GDC 2006 trailer but not the final game.[30] The civilian robots eventually made an appearance in the 2016 re-imagined film and game.

Unused dialogue in Tools of Destruction reveals that Captain Qwark and Emperor Tachyon would have had voiced lines throughout the opening level, which were cut. Tachyon's lines are directed both at troopers to offer incentive to kill Ratchet and at Kerwan's citizens to order their obedience. Qwark's lines include mention of an amusement park named Qwarkland, a law prohibiting nuclear-powered rocket sleds, discussion of the grav-trains as an "eco-friendly" alternative to protoplasmic emissions that offered non-stop travel to the beetlegrub rainforest, mentions of the city's "hall of jellies", and a notice inviting single female refugees from the morning invasion to report to Qwark's personal quarters.[31]

Concept art[]

The Art Deco, retrofuturism artstyle of Metropolis was heavily influenced by the 1927 science-fiction film of the same name. This retrofuturism influence would also become prominent in the general artstyle itself of the Ratchet & Clank series.

Throughout its appearances, planet Kerwan as seen from space has changed in appearance dramatically. In the original Ratchet & Clank, the appearance from space resembles Coruscant from Star Wars, implying its surface to be a worldwide city. In Up Your Arsenal, Kerwan from space is instead a lush, vegetated world covered in vast oceans and in fact it's identical to Todano from the previous installment, implying there is more to the planet beyond Metropolis' urban landscapes. In subsequent appearances, Kerwan similarly looked different from space, but more closely resembled the Up Your Arsenal version.

Tech demo features[]

Metropolis was later the first level of Ratchet & Clank that Insomniac prototyped and presented to Sony to showcase the game, before the game engine had been developed, in which buildings were merely cardboard cutouts of their final appearance, and Ratchet had a Pyrocitor and a Suck Cannon. Vegetation (suggested by Mark Cerny) and flying cars were added to the city to make it feel alive. It was shown as the "Metropolis" diorama.[32][33] While the name "Metropolis" for the city was constant throughout, in the beta, planet Kerwan was originally named "Planet Caldera".[34]

Kerwan was later used as a tech demo for Tools of Destruction, as the team began development by recreating a diorama of Metropolis in the Resistance: Fall of Man engine to visualize what a Ratchet & Clank game would look like. A camera was sent through it and audio effects were added, which was shown at the 2006 Game Developers Conference.[35]

Citations[]

  1. ā†‘ Ratchet & Clank (2016 game) menu § "Qwark"
  2. ā†‘ Ratchet & Clank (2016 game) menu § "Dr. Nefarious"
  3. ā†‘ Up Your Arsenal script § "9th Grade Biology Class"
  4. ā†‘ 4.0 4.1 Tools of Destruction script § "Zordoom Prison, Viceron"
  5. ā†‘ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Insomniac Games 2005
  6. ā†‘ Up Your Arsenal script § "Giant Green Bratwurst"
  7. ā†‘ Up Your Arsenal script § "Quit While You're a Head"
  8. ā†‘ Up Your Arsenal script § "Redecorating the Torture Chamber"
  9. ā†‘ 9.0 9.1 Ratchet & Clank (2002 game), "Ride the Robot Train"
  10. ā†‘ Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) script § "Hey, you're that robot guy, right?"
  11. ā†‘ 11.0 11.1 Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) script § "Welcome!"
  12. ā†‘ Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) script § "Listen up you lardballs!"
  13. ā†‘ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Ratchet & Clank (2016 game)
  14. ā†‘ Up Your Arsenal script § "Phoenix 6"
  15. ā†‘ Up Your Arsenal script § "Find Dr. Nefarious (gameplay)"
  16. ā†‘ Up Your Arsenal script § "Defeat Giant Klunk (gameplay)"
  17. ā†‘ Up Your Arsenal script § "Turret Command (gameplay)"
  18. ā†‘ Tools of Destruction script § "When Aren't They Heavily Armed?"
  19. ā†‘ Tools of Destruction script § "Radioactive Amoeboids... Please Press Two"
  20. ā†‘ Tools of Destruction script § "Your Name's Percival?"
  21. ā†‘ Tools of Destruction script § "Qwark's Heroic Tale"
  22. ā†‘ 22.0 22.1 Tools of Destruction script § "IRIS Questions and Answers"
  23. ā†‘ A Crack in Time script § "Big Al's Roboshack and Gaming Superstore"
  24. ā†‘ Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) script § "infobot - Ad for Al's Roboshack"
  25. ā†‘ A Crack in Time
  26. ā†‘ All 4 One
  27. ā†‘ Tools of Destruction script § "Go to the Defense Center!"
  28. ā†‘ Ratchet & Clank (2002 game), Goodies § "Sketchbook"
  29. ā†‘ CreatureBox
  30. ā†‘ GDC 2006 Ratchet & Clank Future teaser trailer
  31. ā†‘ Tools of Destruction unused dialogue § "Metropolis"
  32. ā†‘ Stevenson, Price 2017 26:28
  33. ā†‘ Allgeier, Fixman 2018 10:50
  34. ā†‘ Ratchet & Clank (2002 game), E3 demo
  35. ā†‘ Fiorito 2008 p .34

References[]

Video games
Bibliography
  • Fiorito, John (2008). Game Developer: The Leading Game Industry Magazine. Game Developer.
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