Game #1188: Ratchet & Clank

 Spyro died for this. And I don't mind it one bit. 

 I'm not gonna lie, among the three original PS2 mascots, Ratchet & Clank was the one I spent the least time with back when I was younger, and also the one I was the least interested in playing again. Well, now that I'm done with it... I can't wait to play the others.

 Ratchet & Clank is not just another platformer, oh no, as it has a very strong emphasis on combat and guns. You'll be jump from platform to platform as much as you'll be using your various weapons to lay waste to enemies that dare stand in your way. There are about 30 different guns, as well as gold variations of a few of them/

 The main gameplay loop is fairly simple but enjoyable. You drop onto a new planet and you usually have at least two different paths before you, each path will take you towards a something, this could be an NPC selling something, an NPC that needs something from another planet, an upgrade or an Infobot, which will open up another planet. This means that you are constantly being rewarded with stuff as you advance through the game. Interspersed between planets you'll get treated to in-game cutscenes, and these are pretty good. While it's a very early PS2 game, and it shows, it's very cinematic, with very expressive character models and top notch voice acting.

 Ratchet, the Lombax, carries Clank, the robot, on his back, which at first means nothing, but eventually Clank gets upgrades, allowing Ratchet to glide and perform higher and/or longer jumps. The moment you get the first movement upgrade the game becomes even more fun to play. Mind you, I was enjoying the game a lot, but being able to zip around with the long-jump reminded me of Super Mario 64, which made me more comfortable with the game. Alongside different jumps, you also get to fight with a wrench, which can be thrown by crouching, and while you'll be battling a lot of enemies... you'll also be breaking every crate you find, because every crate has nuts and bolts, which are currency in this game. Currency you need to buy story-related gadgets as well as new guns. Thankfully, collecting nuts and bolts feels extremely satisfying, so breaking everything in sight, and destroying every enemy in your way, becomes fun if only just to hear the jingle.

 There's a lot of variety in the guns, and while the wrench is perfectly capable in most combat scenarios, guns makes it easier, and when it comes to bosses, necessary. That said, using guns can be a bit cumbersome. There's no hard lock-on, just a soft-lock that happens when you are facing an enemy that's close to you, which makes aiming some guns kind of a chore. Adding to this, is the fact that there's no strafing. Technically, you gain the ability to strafe later in the game, but it's poorly implemented and very clunky, as you must enter a hovering mode, not allowing you to jump or otherwise aim higher as you strafe.

 Not just that, alongside your 30 or so weapons, there are also 6 exploration-based gadgets, and these 36 weapons and tools hare the same 8-slot quick access wheel. You'll definitely want the Swingshot in this wheel at all times, and then there's the Disguise, the Water suction and the Trespasser tools that also see semi-regular use. There simply isn't enough room in the quick-select wheel for everything that you'd like. And add to this how cumbersome it is to use in the midst of battle, as you must hold down triangle and pick the item with the left analog stick, in real time. This means that you must stop in your tracks to swap weapons.

 It's a bit saddening, because just a few tweaks could've made it just perfect. For instance, the Tresspasser and the Water tool could've perfectly been context-sensitive actions. As for the swing-shot... both R1 and R2 make you crouch, so either of those could've worked as the Swing-shot button.

 It's funny how gun combat is what receives the most praise in Ratchet and Clank, and yet, it's probably the weakest element in an otherwise phenomenal game. There are also a couple of Clank-only segments in which you can control an army of small robots to aid you, and these aren't half-bad. They are sparse and brief enough as not to wear out their welcome.

 I think Ratchet & Clank more than earned its status as a PS2 classic, as the game as an incredible adventure all the way through. Even though gun combat is a bit clunky, it's still serviceable, and every other aspect about the game is just excellent, brilliant level design, very creative art-direction, solid platforming... I love Ratchet & Clank, I can only hope Sly Cooper has held up this well.

 9.0