Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time

General information
Developer	Insomniac Games
Publisher	Sony Interactive Entertainment
Release date	NA 27 October 2009 AU 5 November 2009 EU 6 November 2009 JP 19 November 2009
Genre	Action-adventure
Modes	Single player
Ratings	ESRB Everyone (E10+) PEGI 7 PG
Platforms	PlayStation 3, PlayStation Now
Media	Blu-ray, digital, streaming
Preceded by	Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty
Followed by	Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One

Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time (known as Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time in Europe) is the third installment in the Future trilogy of the Ratchet & Clank series developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was released in August 2009 for the PlayStation 3. It was also added to the PlayStation Now streaming service library of games.

The game takes place after Quest for Booty, with Ratchet searching the Breegus System of the Polaris Galaxy for Clank with the help of Captain Qwark, who is located in the Great Clock. Clank is being held captive by the villainous Dr. Nefarious, who claimed to be helping the Zoni repair Clank, but is actually seeking to use the Great Clock for his own ends. Ratchet and Clank must reunite to stop Nefarious from taking control of time, and along the way learn more about their own pasts.

A Crack in Time is a third person action adventure game with elements of shooting, role playing, platforming, puzzle solving and open space exploration. It allows Ratchet to explore several areas in space with the Aphelion, completing side missions on moons and travelling to planets within star sectors. Ratchet is able to wield several new weapons in battle, including customizable constructo weapons. Some devices from Tools of Destruction are repurposed as weapons that can be upgraded. Clank has completely new gameplay based around his own time powers, using his temporal recordings to solve puzzles and the Chronoscepter to defeat enemies, rather than simply commanding units as in previous games.

Gameplay

Overview

Ratchet using the Hoverboots.

A Crack in Time is a third person three dimensional action game with elements of platforming, shooting, role playing, puzzle solving and open exploration. The player controls Ratchet, a lombax who wields an arsenal of weapons, gadgets, and flies a sentient starship known as the Aphelion, and Clank, a robot trainee for the role of Caretaker in the Great Clock who can make use of his Chronoscepter to manipulate time. Ratchet retains much of his core moveset, as well as make use of the OmniWrench Millennium 12 ability to manipulate objects, with the main new addition being the hoverboots that allow him to traverse environments very quickly. Clank's use of the Chronoscepter and ability to create temporal recordings make his puzzle-solving gameplay vastly different from previous titles.

Piloting the Aphelion during a space combat challenge.

Gameplay is split between the duo, with Ratchet exploring the open segments of the Breegus System using the Aphelion, which can land on planets and moons to complete main and side objectives, which normally involve either platforming through linear sections or combat sections shooting enemies. Between planets and moons, Ratchet will fly the Aphelion in space combat, speak to new individuals to be set different objectives, and can also compete in the Agorian Battleplex arena to defeat waves of enemies. Main objectives completed continue the story, while side objectives award prizes in the form of bolts (currency used to purchase new weapons and armor), Zoni (used to upgrade the Aphelion), constructo mods (used to modify functionality of constructo weapons), gold bolts (used to unlock extras such as skins), or holo-plans for the RYNO V (which will grant Ratchet the weapon once all are collected).

Clank repairing time using the Chronoscepter.

Control will often switch to Clank, who is undergoing training to become the Senior Caretaker of the Great Clock. Clank must complete puzzle-solving objectives using temporal recordings to unlock paths forward, and also use the Chronoscepter in planet rooms to stop temporal anomalies on a planet. These are required both for main objectives to proceed with the story, and side objectives to unlock areas both for Ratchet and Clank to find hidden items.

After completing the game, the player can choose either to warp back before defeating the final boss, or proceed to replay the game in challenge mode, which allows Ratchet to keep all weapons with their respective upgrades and all Aphelion upgrades, and fight more powerful enemies. In this mode, Ratchet can purchase the Omega version of his weapons to upgrade them beyond the maximum. As these weapons are much more expensive, challenge mode has a bolt multiplier for enemies that were destroyed before Ratchet takes a hit.

New to the game, players can record their in-game statistics and showcase their preferred and customized constructo weapon using PlayStation Network.

Ratchet equipment

Ratchet begins with ten units of nanotech, representing his health. This is can be increased by earning experience points from defeating enemies, up to 199. Ratchet can also purchase armor from a GrummelNet armor vendor which can reduce the amount of damage taken.

The Sonic Eruptor in action.

A Crack in Time features 18 weapons, of which 12 are new (though two, the RYNO V and the Rift Inducer 5000, are iterations of the RYNO and Rift Inducer respectively) and 6 return from Tools of Destruction and Quest for Booty. All weapons can be upgraded up to level 5, and purchasing their Omega upgrade allows them to be upgraded five times more. This includes Groovitron and Mr. Zurkon, which were previously available in Tools of Destruction as combat devices which could not upgrade. The primary addition to the arsenal are three constructo weapons: the Constructo Pistol, Constructo Bomb and the Constructo Shotgun. These can be modified in terms of both appearance and functionality when constructo mods are found. A returning customer discount on weapons returning from tools of destruction bought from Grummelnet if you have a tools of destruction save file.

Ratchet using the OmniSoaker on tetramites.

Seven gadgets are featured, of which four can be equipped using the directional pad: the Swingshot, the OmniSoaker, the hoverboots and the Time Bomb. The returning Gravity Boots, Grind Boots and Heli-Pack are summoned when required. The Swingshot, Gravity Boots and Grind Boots are initially available, while all other gadgets are unlocked throughout the story. The hoverboots are the most significant addition, allowing Ratchet to traverse quickly through areas and to glide in the air without the Heli-Pack (before reuniting with Clank). Several locations will feature speed boosts that the hoverboots can take advantage of to reach otherwise inaccessible areas. Ratchet also retains his OmniWrench Millennium 12 from Quest for Booty, and can pick up and throw objects with it.

Spaceship and minigames

Ratchet exploring a moon.

Ratchet can fly the Aphelion in space combat on a two dimensional ecliptic between planets and moons. The ship can fire selectable blasters and missiles to defeat enemies during missions and casual exploration in which it can destroy asteroids and ships for bolts. These weapons and its armor can be upgraded by acquiring more Zoni.

Ratchet can also play the arcade game, My Blaster Runs Hot.

Clank gameplay

Clank using temporal recording.

Clank's gameplay primarily involves his use of the Chronoscepter. With the weapon, Clank can not only attack enemies, but reflect projectiles at enemies by reversing them in time, causing them to destroy enemies from a distance. Clank can also throw Time Bombs to significantly slow enemies or objects for a limited time. Much of his gameplay involves platforming and combat similar to Ratchet's.

To solve puzzles, Clank can create temporal recordings of himself on colored time pads. These allow him to record his actions and proceed through a room, and once he has unlocked the door and proceeds through it, he gains access. Several temporal recordings are used at once, simultaneously, in order to keep certain pads pressed to unlock the key. These allow Clank to complete main and bonus objectives.

Clank can also make use of planet rooms, in which he can use the Chronoscepter to destroy time anomalies in a time fixing mini-game. The Chronoscepter fires a beam at anomalies, which appear either red, orange or yellow, with the intent on turning them all blue. Clank must also destroy seekers to prevent them from damaging anomalies further, and can collect power-ups to speed up the process.

Synopsis

Setting

Ratchet speaking with a fongoid on Zanifar.

A Crack in Time is set in the Breegus System of the Polaris Galaxy, a remote and lawless area at the galaxy's edge. This region has minimal connections to the rest of the galaxy, though GrummelNet Industries still operates here. The area is home to several distinct species: the peaceful tribe-dwelling fongoids, the industrial junk-trading vullards, the aggressive war-like agorians, the highly intelligent terachnoids, and the female robotic race known as the valkyries. These species are found not only on planets but also aboard spaceships and scattered across moons with varied environments. Dr. Nefarious has also extended his influence here, with many of his robotic forces present throughout the System.

An overview of the Great Clock.

Clank begins his journey and spends much of his time within the Great Clock, a Zoni construct located at the center of the universe. This vast structure regulates time throughout the universe and is overseen by caretakers and the Zoni. The Great Clock features several planet rooms that monitor planets across the universe, where time anomalies can be repaired. Due to Dr. Nefarious' damage to the Clock using the Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler, most of the Zoni have evacuated, leaving only Clank and a Junior Caretaker, Sigmund, in charge.

Plot

Nefarious trying to find access to the Orvus Chamber through Clank.

During the events of Quest for Booty, Dr. Nefarious was tasked by the Zoni with repairing Clank. However, the doctor had ulterior motives and used this opportunity to search Clank's memories for the key to the "Orvus Chamber." When the Zoni refused him access, Nefarious betrayed them, driving them away with his robotic forces and the Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler, inadvertently allowing Clank to escape. Eventually, Nefarious caught up to Clank and revealed that he had been taken to a place known as the Great Clock, a Zoni creation that regulated time and was located at the center of the universe, before rendering him immobile.

Ratchet encountering Vorselon for the first time.

Meanwhile, Ratchet and Captain Qwark encountered a strange anomaly that forced them to crash-land on the planet Quantos during their search for Clank. Lord Vorselon, Nefarious' personal assassin, attacked the planet's fongoid inhabitants while hunting for someone named Alister Azimuth, mistakenly identifying Ratchet as this person. After the fongoids and Qwark were captured, Ratchet repaired his ship with the help of the Zoni and headed to Vorselon's warship to free the hostages. Recognizing that Azimuth could be a valuable ally, Ratchet decided to track him down as well.

Clank being repaired and modified by Sigmund.

Simultaneously, Clank was revived by Sigmund, the Junior Caretaker of the Great Clock, who educated him on the Clock's purpose—to maintain temporal stability across the universe—and asked for his assistance in fixing the temporal damage caused by Nefarious. Clank also met Orvus, the Zoni leader and architect of the Clock, who appeared to Clank as a digital entity in his subconscious. Orvus revealed himself as Clank's father and true creator, and entrusted the Clock to his care.

Azimuth introducing himself to Ratchet.

On planet Torren IV, with guidance from Qwark, Ratchet located Azimuth, who was revealed to be another lombax left behind when the species fled Tachyon's genocide. Azimuth was also a close friend of Ratchet's father, Kaden. Based on his research, Azimuth suspected that Clank had been taken to the Great Clock, and the two lombaxes teamed up to find another Obsidian Eye in hopes of contacting Clank. While at the Clock, Clank overheard Sigmund discussing Orvus' mysterious disappearance two years prior, after agreeing to meet with Dr. Nefarious.

Azimuth telling Ratchet about the fall of the lombaxes.

As they searched for the Eye on planet Lumos, Azimuth reluctantly confessed that he had inadvertently caused the near-extinction of the lombaxes by sharing their technology with Tachyon, leading to his exile. He now sought to use the Clock to rewrite history, giving Ratchet a chance to reunite with his family. When they finally found the Eye, they used it to communicate with Clank, who updated them on Orvus' situation and urged them to travel to planet Zanifar to rescue his father.

Nefarious attempting to get the location of the Great Clock from Orvus.

On Zanifar, Ratchet used a time portal created by Sigmund to travel into the past and attempt to save Orvus, who was being tortured by Nefarious for information on accessing the Orvus Chamber, the central control room of the Clock. Orvus warned Nefarious that the Clock was not a time machine and vanished when the doctor tried to strike him. Upon returning to the present, Ratchet learned that Vorselon had captured Azimuth, forcing Ratchet to rescue him. Although initially angered that Ratchet prioritized a rescue mission over finding the Clock, Azimuth softened after learning about Ratchet's time travel experience, reassuring him that using the Clock was worth the risk.

Ratchet, Clank, and Azimuth discussing their next step after freeing Clank.

At the Clock, Clank tested a piece of equipment and encountered the Plumber in his subconscious, who cryptically advised him not to "risk any more than six minutes". Clank and Sigmund then unlocked the Orvus Chamber, but they were paralyzed by Lawrence, who had been tracking them on Nefarious' orders. Meanwhile, Ratchet and Azimuth responded to a fake distress signal from Clank on planet Vapedia, where they defeated the Nefarious-allied valkyries and rescued Clank. After Clank reiterated Orvus' warning about the dangers of misusing the Clock, Ratchet abandoned the idea of using it to save his family and the lombaxes, causing Azimuth to leave in frustration.

Nefarious after being defeated at his station.

Ratchet, Clank, and Qwark collaborated to infiltrate Nefarious' space station and destroy his armada, preventing him from reaching the Clock. Their plan was thwarted when Nefarious confronted them, revealing his scheme to alter time and create a perfect universe where heroes always lose, as revenge for his previous defeat in Up Your Arsenal. Nefarious launched Ratchet and Clank to the desolate planet Morklon to stop them from interfering, but with Sigmund's help, they used a time portal to secure a working ship and return. Ratchet and Clank fought and seemingly killed Nefarious, narrowly escaping with Azimuth's help as the doctor's malfunctioning ship destroyed the station.

Azimuth shooting at and killing Ratchet.

Back at the Clock, Clank declared his intention to stay and fulfill his father's wishes, a decision Ratchet reluctantly accepted. However, Azimuth remained determined to use the Clock to turn back time, which Ratchet refused. Enraged by this denial from a fellow lombax, Azimuth struck and killed Ratchet before racing to the Orvus Chamber, where Clank barely managed to lock him out. Torn on how to proceed, Clank recalled the Plumber's advice and used the Clock to rewind time by six minutes, saving Ratchet's life.

Azimuth after sacrificing himself to save the Great Clock.

In this altered timeline, Azimuth reached the Chamber before Ratchet and Clank and initiated a time shift to save the lombaxes. As the Clock began to collapse, Ratchet injured Azimuth and accidentally damaged the controls while trying to stop the shift. Feeling guilty for endangering existence itself, Azimuth sacrificed himself to prevent the Clock from completely breaking.

Qwark and Snowball on an asteroid near the remains of the Nefarious Space Station.

Afterwards, Ratchet assisted the Zoni in repairing the remaining damage and bid Clank farewell as he prepared to leave. However, Clank realized that his bond with Ratchet was more important than his duties at the Clock and promoted Sigmund to Senior Caretaker, reuniting with his friend before departing. A message from Orvus played, encouraging Clank to follow his heart, even if it meant leaving the Clock. In a post-credits scene, Qwark was stranded on the remnants of Nefarious' station, desperately calling for help as his pet war grok eyed him hungrily.

Development

Background

A diorama created during pre-production of the game showing an unknown level.

For A Crack in Time, Insomniac wanted a game that was innovative yet retained the qualities fans had enjoyed about the series. As such, developers mostly kept core gameplay consistent with Tools of Destruction, while focusing on several key tent pole features. These were kept around the theme of time, allowing them both to tell a new story, but also build several gameplay mechanics around in Clank gameplay and in time travel levels.

The title for the game was voted on by Insomniac employees after narrowing down the choices. As time travel is a part of the storyline, "A Crack in Time" was deemed an appropriate title. The original name for the game was "Clock Blockers", but Sony Computer Entertainment scrapped the idea.

Concept artwork

Creature design explorations for A Crack in Time were uniquely inspired, featuring unexpected mechanical elements, very contrasting shapes, and big thick-to-think transitions.

The beta version of A Crack In Time featured an unknown planet (possibly Zanifar), and a darker, more intimidating Nefarious Space Station design. Ratchet was intended to original wear the Scavenger Suit, and use the OmniWrench 3000.

Writing

Insomniac wanted to deliver a more thoughtful and engaging story. Feeling they had approached Pixar in terms of visuals, they took on the challenge of developing characters that the audience would have an emotional bond. This added a significant amount of development complexity as allies would be interacted with not only on a cinematic movie and audio level, but also in a meaningful sense throughout the game.

Approximately 10,000 lines of dialogue had been written by writer T.J. Fixman for A Crack in Time, while a further 10,000 had been cut.

Release

A Crack in Time was announced at the Game Developers Conference 2009, with the first trailer and title revealed.

Insomniac had originally believed that A Crack in Time would be the last game in the series. However, it sold well enough that the franchise continued at Sony's request.

"My Blaster Runs Hot" weapon contest

A poster for the "My Blaster Runs Hot" weapons contest

Main article: My Blaster Runs Hot weapon contest

A contest called "My Blaster Runs Hot" was held before the release of A Crack in Time, where fans could create weapons. The weapon that won was to be included in the game. Five finalists were chosen, and fans voted on the best weapon.

The finalists were:

• Bubble Shot
• Plasma Sprinkler Glove
• Qwark Machine
• Spiral of Death
• Super-Sized Sticky Hand Toy

At San Diego Comic-Con 2009, the Spiral of Death was announced as the winning weapon.

PlayStation Home

To market the game, a Ratchet & Clank-themed game space was included in PlayStation Home. It contained three levels, including a firing range game based on the past, present and future series enemies. A Ratchet & Clank personal living space was made available for purchase, named "Ratchet & Clank: Home Sweet Home", along with a Ratchet costume, Nefarious helmet and Slag gloves were made available for purchase.

Pre-order content

Special pre-order packages awarded bonus content to players who pre-ordered A Crack in Time. The four packages available were the power package, space package, discovery package, and bolt package. Each of these packages were specific to a specific retailer. These packages did not add exclusive content, rather, they unlocked it earlier in the game.

The pre-order packages available were as follows:

• The bolt package was a pre-order package that allowed the player to start with the Bolt Grabber, Box Basher 2000 and five thousand bolts.
• The discovery package was a pre-order package that allowed the player to explore the Insomniac Moon where cut content from the game is shown.
• The power package was a pre-order package that allowed the player to start with extra health and the CryoMine Glove.
• The space package was a pre-order package that gave the player a hotrod skin for the Aphelion as well as five thousand starting bolts and a PlayStation Home avatar skin.

Bolt package logo

Discovery package logo

Power package logo

Space package logo

Collector's edition

A collector's edition was announced, exclusive to the PAL regions (inclding Europe and Oceania), released November 6, 2009. It featured 3D lenticular cover art, a concept art book, and a code enclosed unlocking the discovery package for access to the Insomniac Moon through PlayStation Network.

Cut content

The Phoenix Launcher

See also: Insomniac Museum (A Crack in Time)

A number of weapons and gadgets were set to appear in A Crack in Time, and cut before release. Two examples were the weapons known as the Phoenix Launcher and Razor Talons, simialr to the Predator Launcher and Razor Claws from previous titles. One such gadget, the "NanoRatchet", would allow players to send a miniature Ratchet to investigate small areas, while two other gadgets included the "Babel Horn" that would allow Ratchet to hack into Nefarious Troopers, and the "Grav-Sphere" that would alter gravity.

Though Insomniac originally intended to include swimming sections for Ratchet as in prior games, they were removed to focus on other areas. A plan was made to include hoverboot racing, but due to the resources that it would have taken to complete, it was not included.

Audio

The same core voice cast from Tools of Destruction returned for A Crack in Time with the addition of Armin Shimerman, who voiced of Dr. Nefarious in previous games.

The game's score was composed by Boris Salchow, who also wrote the score for Resistance 2.

Reception

Critical reception

Aggregator	Score
GameRankings	87.88% (based on 70 reviews)
Metacritic	87 (based on 85 reviews)
Publication	Score
1UP.com	A
Destructoid	9/10
Eurogamer	7/10
Game Informer	9.25/10
GameSpot	8.5/10
GameSpy	4.5/5
IGN	9/10

A Crack in Time received positive reviews. Reviewers praised the combat, Clank gameplay, story, and the visuals (which many compared to Pixar movies), though they criticized repetitive space battles and were divided on its lack of huge deviation from the series formula.

Reviewers praised the combat and platforming, as well as the puzzle section gameplay. Game Informer said the game was "filled to the brim with inventive weapons, stellar production value, and top-notch platforming" and called the Clank sections "incredibly clever" and the "best puzzles in the series to date", wishing that a standalone DLC title expanded upon them.

Many critics pointed to the similarities that the game had with previous titles. IGN called the similarity to previous titles the "one real complaint", saying that it "relies heavily on the tried and true Ratchet Formula", and that some gamers satisfied with older titles "might not have enough reasons to come back". Eurogamer went further with this criticism, giving the analogy "I still want a meat feast pizza, I just want it to have a stuffed crust", and summarizing with, "time for a change". However, GameSpot contradicted this, saying that thought it does not "drastically change the formula of the series", that's "not a big problem" as the "core gameplay is still rock solid" and the "few tweaks and additions help to differentiate this from previous iterations".

Game Informer claimed that A Crack in Time "surpasses both Tools of Destruction and Quest for Booty as the best R&C experience on the PS3".

In 2023, IGN included A Crack in Time as 9 in its list of the best PlayStation 3 games of all time.

Accolades

A Crack in Time was named the sixth-best game of the year by the Associated Press in 2009.

Gallery

North American box art.

European box art.

Japanese box art of Ratchet & Clank Future 2: Future.

Korean box art of Ratchet & Clank: Future 12.

A Crack in Time.

American manual

References

• Insomniac Games (2009). Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time [Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment. PlayStation 3.

Books

• Sony Interactive Entertainment (2018). The Art of Ratchet & Clank [Book]. Dark Horse Comics. ISBN 978-1506705729.

Websites

• (n.d.) . "Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time". From Metacritic. Archived from the original on August 12, 2024.
• Morell, Chris (2009, April 2). "Ratchet & Clank Live Q&A with Insomniac Games". From PlayStation Blog. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023.
• Cardona, Cristian (2009, July 2). "Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time Pre-Order Goodies". From PlayStation Blog. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023.
• Gibson, Ellie (2009, October 7). "Ratchet & Clank Special Edition unveiled". From Eurogamer. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023.
• Locust_Star (2009, October 14). "Ratchet & Clank Come to PlayStation Home + Deadquarters Personal Space". From PlayStation Blog. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023.
• Clements, Ryan (2009, October 20). "Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time Review". From IGN. Archived from the original on August 12, 2024.
• Dolge, Adam (2009, October 27). "Interview with Insomniac Games: Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time". From PlayStation Universe. Archived from the original on August 12, 2024.
• McShea, Tom (2009, October 27). "Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time Review". From GameSpot. Archived from the original on August 12, 2024.
• Chester, Nick (2009, October 22). "Review: Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time". From Destructoid. Archived from the original on August 12, 2024.
• Kennedy, Sam (2009, October 23). "Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time Review". From 1UP. Accessed January 14, 2018. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012.
• {{ref|id=Rybicki 2009 |first=Joe |last=Rybicki |day=26 |month=10 |year=2009 |url=http://ps3.gamespy.com/playstation-3/ratchet-clank-next/1038916p1.html |entry=The Consensus: Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time Review |title=GameSpy |access-date=January 14, 2018}
• Reiner, Andrew (2009, October 27). "Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time Review". From Game Informer. Accessed August 12, 2024. Archived from the original on June 3 2023.
• Sterling, James Stephanie (2009, December 9). "The Associated Press’ top ten games of 2009". From Destructoid. Archived from the original on August 12, 2024.
• Gibson, Ellie (2010, January 5). "Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time". From Eurogamer. Archived from the original on August 12, 2024.
• Valdes, Giancarlo (2018, March 24). "Adapt or Die: The 15-Year History of 'Ratchet & Clank'". From "Rolling Stone". Archived from the original on January 21, 2018.
• Anderson, Lark; McShea, Tom (2019, October 25). "Now Playing: Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time". From GameSpot. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023.
• (n.d.) . "Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time for PlayStation 3". From GameRankings. Accessed August 12, 2024. Archived from the original on December 6, 2019.
• IGN Staff (2023, November 2). "The Best PS3 Games of All Time". From IGN. Archived from the original on August 12, 2024.