1. Introduction

The Ratchet and Clank series has been getting a lot of buzz lately, what with the trailers for the new PS5 entry, Rift Apart. However, the series got its start way back in 2002 on the PS2, as Insomniac Games’ first entry on the platform. This particular series is, in my opinion, the single best 3D platforming series ever released, and I don’t think I’m alone in this.

1.1. Personally

I got my start with the series on the PS3. Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time was the second game I ever played on PS3, behind the original Little Big Planet. Having grown up mostly with the Nintendo Entertainment System and a relatively weak "multimedia" PC, the experience was mind-blowing to me. Watching what was essentially a computer game render visuals with particle effects everywhere, a 3D world I could run around in, the massive number of things on screen, it captivated me. As if the visuals weren’t enough, the sound design and soundtrack in that game are among the best ever made, certainly up to that point, but even now the experience still holds up remarkably well.

My first interaction with the first game, however, was much later on. The first time I played it was in the Ratchet & Clank Collection, on PS3. The graphics and sound were of course much more primitive than the technical showpieces that are the PS3 entries I had played up to that point, but nevertheless it felt like much the same game.

1.2. Game Basics

Core to the Ratchet and Clank series is the usual 3D-platforming challenges, a diverse set of enemies with different attack styles, and an enormous arsenal of weaponry in various amusing and cartoonish forms. Interspersed with this are occasional racing or puzzle sections, that require either quick thinking, mastery of a DualShock, or careful consideration and planning. Usually it’s a mix of all of this. I believe it’s for reasons of easy adaptability to new concepts and hardware that Sony chose to make another Ratchet and Clank be one of the showpieces of PS5 launch marketing.

The focus of Ratchet and Clank is combat-readiness first, platforming chops second. You’ll need both to a degree, but there’s a lot more focus on the gun- and wrench-play than on tricky camera setups and precise jumps. This, in my opinion, makes it a lot more approachable to modern (2020) audiences than many of its contemporaries.

2. Controls

So yes, as a warning, you should have an original controller for whatever PlayStation the Ratchet and Clank you’re interested came out on. Aftermarket controllers work, but they often make the game much harder to play. In the case of Ratchet and Clank 1, that would be a DualShock 2.

This, in my opinion, is one of the great strengths of the game. Most of the series, possibly all of it, shares this in common- while not every feature of the console the game launched on is used, the developers aren’t afraid to take advantage of what’s unique and special about that system. In the case of the PS2 that’s the controller, as I mentioned. However, the game does this without feeling like features got shoehorned in or slapped on for no reason- if a feature of a controller is used, for example, it’s done because whatever mechanic uses that feature is uniquely suited to it. Analog buttons, for example, are used in swimming in the game. Not only do you have the option of ascending and descending underwater, but you can control that by changing the pressure of your finger on the X and square buttons. A similar story is true for jumping, though arguably this could be done as well to a reasonable degree with a digital button.

Beyond just the featureset of the controller, the controls in Ratchet and Clank are... fine. They work, they don’t feel super awkward or silly, but they’re certainly among the roughest in the series. For example, the lack of a strafe function is annoying, even though there’s a button basically free for that.

Where the control set really seems odd is in its choice to duplicate buttons. Both sets of shoulder buttons generally do the same thing. So, while in the PS3 Ratchet and Clank games, you can use R1 to fire your equipped weapon, R1 is crouch in the original, and so is R2. There are some minor areas where one set has a different function from the other, but it’s rare.

3. Graphics

Ratchet and Clank is... inoffensive in terms of graphics. It probably won’t blow your mind, even as PS2 games go, but it’s also not hideous. It’s stylized enough that the world fits with itself, the graphics don’t get in the way of this. However, it still retains a lot of flat polygonal objects, and there are some cut corners when it comes to things like rounded edges.

As you would expect, the particle effects are rough and dated, the character models aren’t super detailed, and there’s not very much in the world that could be used to relate scale to the real world. It’s part of the charm of the game in a way, but if you’re not into that sort of thing I could see the sort of random scale of some objects being an issue. If you can play Half-Life without any issue, you’ll be fine here, too. However, when put together, what really are just technical limitations contribute immensely to the style of the game, making it feel a little bit more like you’re inside a cartoon. The basic particle effects are maybe the only thing that breaks this a little bit, but even then it’s nothing to really break the experience overall.

That’s not to say I don’t enjoy the graphics in this game. I think what’s especially impressive is that they managed to get long, detailed, winding stages all to fit into memory on the PS2 without awkward loading screens in the middle of a planet or a path. Once you’ve landed, you aren’t waiting for anything to load off of disk, which contributes immensely to the feeling of immersion that the game’s world provides. Given that the game was released two years in to the lifespan of the PS2 (which itself is notoriously difficult to develop for) and that this is Insomniac’s first PS2 title, what they pulled off with the hardware is still impressive, despite its shortcomings.

4. Sound

4.1. Sound Effects

This is one area where the collection falls flat. If you care a lot about audio in your PS2 games for some reason, play this on the PS2. The PS3 gets the pitch wrong in a bunch of places, which renders some features of a couple gadgets useless (most affected being the metal detector).

Sound on the PS2 is fine for a PS2 game. It won’t win any awards, it’s dated at best and has a few harsh sounds that some people will find annoying, like a lot of (especially older) games, but it’s no so bad as to ruin the experience. Again, it fits with the style of the game, and where in history it belongs.

Sound effects are generally basic. There’s quite a lot of pitch shifting involved, which can sometimes make the different sounds sound interesting, but usually the developers use this for an over-exaggerated Doppler effect.

4.2. Music

The soundtrack to the original is very much computer generated. It wears this proudly on its sleeve, and while it does occasionally try to mimic a real instrument, it generally doesn’t do this in a totally blatant, tasteless way, and once again the way that instruments are used contributes somewhat to the aesthetic of the game. Of course there are ups and downs in this one, just like any soundtrack, but by the time the game is done very few of the tracks should have worn out their welcome, and if one did it won’t have probably played for all that long past that point.

However, that’s something I should also put in context. Relative to what most other soundtracks of the time were like, this one is a great example of well-composed music matched excellently to each environment. The music beautifully complements the game world, both of them feeling dated, but in a pleasant, nostalgic kind of way for a modern audience, rather than a tacky, tasteless way. Despite any minor complaints I make about the soundtrack, I wouldn’t switch it for anything, even at its weakest.

5. Game World

5.1. Story

I’m going to try my best not to spoil anything here, but the "Save the solar system" premise presented within the first 10 minutes of the game is fairly true to what the game is. It does require some suspension of disbelief, since the hero of the story is basically a kid who made a starship using a wiki in his backyard, not some galactic authority. However, overlooking this the story is sufficient to keep the game engaging, and to give some stakes to everything the character does in that world.

The writing is generally pretty smart, and while not every joke in the game is going to be to everyone’s taste, the game is overall very lighthearted, especially considering one of the core tools the character has is an enormous arsenal of insane weaponry and various other massive mayhem making mechanisms. In fact, I would go so far as to say that even given that it was the original in the series, Ratchet and Clank has some of the better writing of all of the games in the series. It has its rough edges, and unfortunately portrays Ratchet as a whiny teenager, rather than the level-headed awkward fun-guy from the later games. However, the way this story is told makes Ratchet and Clank’s friendship in the later games make a lot more sense. In this early game, they start out as total strangers. Ratchet especially views his relationship with Clank at first as transactional, and doesn’t seem to be seeking companionship at all.

I want to note briefly here that in this respect, I think the original game far outpaces the 2016 remake. The new game is good as well, but story-wise the original introduces the characters and knits them together in a much more logical way. You know why Ratchet and Clank stick together, it’s not something that just happens out of nowhere with no explanation or story behind it other than just pure availability of another character in the vicinity when robots attack. While we’re on the subject, the tone of the original is, at least in my opinion, much more suited to the kind of game that any Ratchet and Clank really is.

5.2. Environments

The different planets the characters explore, and overall the setting in general is something that contributes a lot to the game. Starting off in the middle of nowhere, then proceeding to explore nearly abandoned spaceships and stations, toxic worlds filled with poisonous gas, worlds covered in ocean, ice worlds, each with their own challenges unique to that world adds a great amount of depth to the game. A lot of the puzzle of the game is simply figuring out the best way to conquer an environment. Graphically, most of these areas are fairly primitive, and some of them feel mechanically similar, but it almost always feels like there’s something unique about each place. It’s also unique to see flying chainsaws that aren’t trying to kill your character, and find yourself not really questioning it. This may be the ultimate test of a game world- can you believe it? If not, do you need to? By the way, I feel I can spoil this much safely- if you manage to shoot down one of those flying chainsaws, it gives you a bolt- while not worth much, it’s still kind of fun to see if you can manage.

5.3. Side Missions

On the whole, this is a linear game. Side missions aren’t the focus here at all. However, there are some alternate paths you can take. Sometimes these are more obvious than others, but the side areas and the main quest path feel incredibly similar. This means that it’s easy to choose the wrong one in some cases, and travel down the side path thinking it was the story path. Unfortunately for those who like a quick, linear game, the only way to know that all paths are completed is to travel through the start menu for a minute and find the missions page.

There generally aren’t side missions per se, as a result. However, there are gadgets and items that can be collected by visiting side paths. They usually come with mission items in the missions screen marked as just "Explore the Destroyed City" and things along those lines. If there’s something major to explore (as in not a gold bolt, etc.) then there will be a mission item for it marked in the missions page.

Each of these side paths result in a reward of some sort, and the vast majority end up being well worth it. Unlike future games, for example, gold bolts are not just used for unlocking cosmetics in-game, but are instead used to buy gold weapons. This becomes incredibly useful, especially in late game or in new game+ (which is NOT challenge mode in this entry).

Overall, my advice in most Ratchet and Clank games is to follow all of the side paths completely. Even if you don’t want the reward at the end, one of the common tasks in the game is grinding for bolts. It’s not strictly required, you can get by without doing it, however there’s almost always some weapon or item that would make the game that much more fun that requires a great sum of bolts (or later other currencies) to obtain.

Usually, Ratchet and Clank games have some specific mini-game challenges, and in this game that’s just hoverboard racing. Everything else is generally just the usual platforming.

5.3.1. Hoverboard Races

Being perfectly honest, I’m a little bit conflicted about these. The races control like a kart racer just as much as anything. There’s in-air steering, powerups, accelerator pads, etc. etc. There’s no such thing as a twitch reaction due to the heavy use of slow tank controls, and there’s a heavy penalty for missing an accelerator pad, or crashing. Given that both of these are easy to do, the races certainly take some practice and patience.

These races usually also have crates all over the place, which can make for a fun additional target. Participation in races isn’t a terribly great way to earn bolts, but at least the first few times through a course there’s something to be collected if you have built up the skill to do it.

There are two courses in the game, one in Blackwater City on Rilgar, fairly early in the game, and a required race on Kalebo later in the game. While the Blackwater City race is strictly optional, I strongly suggest everyone play it. Between the two courses, this is the easier one, and the prize for first place, while not strictly required, makes the later race MUCH easier. It’s hard to understate this- while the prize you get only matters in races, you’ll spend a similar amount of time racing either way, you’ll enjoy it a lot more if you win the first race.

6. Conclusions

In conversation I don’t give people number scores for a game, I don’t think that really gives a good impression of a game on its own. However, I’m going to bury one way down at the bottom here, to sort of give my overall impressions. I give Ratchet and Clank a 56/64. It was a solid start to an even more solid game, and despite my nitpicks with it, it’s not a case where having played the later games the original is no longer playable or enjoyable. The earliest games in the series hold up almost as well as the later entries, and is certainly worth playing if you can get your hands on a copy.

7. A Note on the Ratchet and Clank Collection

If this is the way you find the game, it’s still worth picking up. However, it runs only at 720p, not 1080 like you might expect for a simpler game running on PS3. Also, it does have a few more framerate dips than the original. That said, the first game is fine here, at any rate. I would advise getting the PS2 original for any of the later games, however. At my best guess, the engine from the first game was ported, and all of the newer games run on that. This is fine to simply play the games, but with my experience with the third game, even running on an HDTV it looks far better on the PS2. There are various blur and depth of field effects that sell some environments (like underwater) where in the collection it looks like a cheap PS2 game. This isn’t a case where that should stop you from trying the game, again, but bear it in mind when playing through.