Investigate crash site is the first mission in Ratchet & Clank, taking place at Ratchet's home in Kyzil Plateau on planet Veldin. While operating on his newly built ship, Ratchet watched another ship crash nearby and decided to investigate.
Walkthrough[]
The basics[]
Ratchet is equipped with two weapons: an OmniWrench 8000 and a Bomb Glove. The former is automatically linked to 
, allowing for a single wrench swing. Three hits to the button trigger a multi-strike, a three-hit combo with some small maneuverability if 
is used, though it can leave your rear exposed to attacks for a split moment nonetheless. By crouching with 
and then hitting , you can perform a comet-strike, in which Ratchet throws the wrench forward and has it land back in his hand. This comes in handy for striking enemies across gaps, or out-of-reach objects, though it will restrict Ratchet's movement, making him vulnerable to attacks from other enemies. Lastly, Ratchet also has a more powerful move called a hyper-strike, which is done by pressing 
to jump and then hitting to slam the wrench downwards a short distance ahead of him.
Unlike the OmniWrench, the aforementioned Bomb Glove is equipped through either the start menu (
) or with quick select (
). It is a strong mid-ranged bomb weapon, though using it costs ammunition, which costs bolts, unlike the wrench, which is free.
Finding the shipwreck[]
Just ahead from where you start, you can see several horny toads hopping around. Since they cannot reach different ground levels, you can easily avoid them from an elevated position, though they can easily be cleared out using the wrench.
Ratchet strikes one of the toads with his wrench.
While clearing out the toads in the vicinity, also look out for bolt crates to bust (several of which can be found inside Ratchet's garage). Advancing further, you will cross a bridge and be led up to some ledges lining the rocky wall, with small gaps in between them. This is the perfect opportunity to practice the comet-strike on the lone toad that appears across the final gap. Just beyond that, you will also discover a crate containing a nanotech orb, which heals one of your hit points.
The path branches off just a few inches ahead; the main path continues left through remains of a ship, while to the right is a large number of crates for you to bust, along with several toads—defeat them first. When returning to the main path, you will encounter a new enemy, the electroid. These robots hold a position from which they will attempt to electrocute you with a mid-ranged beam of electricity. They fire in your direction for a couple of seconds before powering down, making them vulnerable to a wrench attack. Their downtime is brief, so act quickly with your attack. Nonetheless, the Bomb Glove is still capable of scoring hits from afar, given the electroids' tendency to remain still for their attack, and the weapon's range is greater than theirs.
Ammo crates are found in the area, allowing you to resupply if needed. Another group of electroids lie ahead as you get closer to the crash site. As you approach the two at the circular gateway, they will pull away to alarm their comrades, after which they will all take a position and begin attacking. Destroy them all and approach the wrecked ship to finish the mission.