The Hydro-Pack is a gadget in Ratchet & Clank, Going Commando, Up Your Arsenal, Tools of Destruction, and Ratchet & Clank (2016 game). It is a black market upgrade for Clank not endorsed by Gadgetron[2], due to licensing issues with company Minton Incorporated,[1] that grants him jets to propel Ratchet underwater and swim faster (by holding or ).
In the original Ratchet & Clank, the player must obtain the Hydro-Pack from Edwina on Hoven. It is used to swim against currents and reach otherwise inaccessible areas. In subsequent releases in which it appears (including the 2016 re-imagined release), it is initially available with Clank, and is not mandatory.
In Quest for Booty, Ratchet was now capable of swimming at high speeds without the need for the Hydro-Pack.
History[]
The Hydro-Pack was installed by Edwina on planet Hoven for 2,000 bolts during the mission "Buy Hydro-Pack from Ed". It allowed Ratchet to reach a gold bolt in Tobruk Crater, planet Novalis, by swimming against the river currents to reach a secret area, though the river currents in the 2016 reboot no longer lead to such a place. He also used it on Quartu to explore the coolant system and look for any interesting items, finding a Bolt Grabber as a result.[3] Later on he used it again for the same reason to swim through the water tanker on Drek's fleet, after which he found a CodeBot.[4]
After this, Clank kept the Hydro-Pack, and Ratchet used it various times while swimming. As of Tools of Destruction, The Hydro-pack has been remodeled to a smaller design, which is later used in the 2016 re-imagining.
Behind the scenes[]
In Going Commando, one gadget that would have been included was a modification for the Hydro-Pack called the Gunsled. This would have attached two torpedo launches next to the Hydro-Pack to fight underwater, and would have been used in the "Scout the ruined machinery" route on Barlow.[5] This would have been obtained at the end of the "Explore the Promenade" section in Canal City on Notak, though its removal led to a nanotech boost being added as a reward at the end in its place.[6]
In Tools of Destruction, the Hydro-Pack has the same functionality as the Thruster-Pack when used on land, but the thruster fires come from nowhere.
Citations[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ratchet & Clank (2002 game), game manual (PAL), p. 9
- ↑ Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) menu § "Hydro-Pack"
- ↑ Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) menu § "Explore the coolant system"
- ↑ Ratchet & Clank (2002 game) menu § "Swim through the water tanker"
- ↑ Stout, Garcia June 2011 0:18
- ↑ Stout, Garcia July 2011 3:19
References[]
- Video games
- Insomniac Games (2002). Ratchet & Clank [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation 2.
- Insomniac Games (2003). Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation 2.
- Insomniac Games (2004). Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal [Game]. PlayStation 2.
- Insomniac Games (2007). Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation 3.
- Insomniac Games (2016). Ratchet & Clank [Game]. Sony Interactive Entertainment. PlayStation 4.
- Videos
- Stout, Mike; Garcia, Tony [@uselesspodcasts] (2011, June 29). Ratchet & Clank 2 Dev Commentary: 7 - Hydropack / Thermanator [Video]. YouTube.
- Stout, Mike; Garcia, Tony [@uselesspodcasts] (2011, July 6). Ratchet & Clank 2 Dev Commentary: 9A - Notak 1 [Video]. YouTube.