Escape Dr. Nefarious' Clutches!, Complete Optical Calibration Test', and Follow the Caretaker's Instructions' are the first three missions in A Crack in Time, taking place in Sector One of the Great Clock. Clank was kidnapped by the Zoni after the events of Tools of Destruction, and is now under the care of 'Doctor' Nefarious as revealed through the Obsidian Eye after the events of Quest for Booty. When Nefarious is denied access to the Orvus Chamber from the Zoni, he betrays them and uses the Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler to damage the Clock, awakening Clank.
Completing the missions will unlock the bronze trophy Rude Awakening.
Walkthrough[]
A Crack in Time is one of the first games in the Ratchet & Clank series to offer specific difficulty levels (Casual, Medium, and Hard), although the differences are relatively minor. After the initial cutscene, you gain control of Clank, who falls as the glass floor is destroyed by Nefarious' attack. Clank's controls are mostly identical to previous installments, but he can now use the Heli-Pack to perform three additional mid-air jumps, called boosts.
Follow the path, destroying a few bolt crates and dodging bullets from the Nefarious Troopers, until you reach a projection sent by Sigmund. Follow his instructions and enter the vent next to him. Upon exiting the vent, you must complete the short mission "Complete Optical Calibration Test," which teaches you how to move your camera and enter Look Mode. Follow the on-screen instructions, then adjust your controls if desired. Exit the room to enter the Jasindu Planet Room, where you will continue on a linear path with the next mission "Follow the Caretaker's Instructions".
The path onwards is fairly straightforward, introducing you to light platforming mechanics like jumping, Heli-Pack boosts, and gliding. The game also introduces time anomalies, which pause objects in mid-fall, allowing you to use them as platforms. Clank will also encounter Microdrones, floating melee enemies that can be defeated with one hit. When you run into another pair of troopers, wait behind cover for the Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler to appear and cause another anomaly, slowing down time and allowing you to bypass them.
Continue through the level until you reach a cutscene, which signifies the end of the mission. Another cutscene will start, and the game continues with the next mission "Search Zolar Forest".