Ratchet and Clank (2002)

The only way for me to start a blog on video games is by talking a bit about the one that started off my favourite game franchise of all time. This is decidedly not about the reboot released in 2016 (which I intend to cover later) but about the PS2 game released in 2002.

Is there some nostalgia associated with a game that feels undeniably dated in terms of gameplay? Oh yes. R&C1 was the first PlayStation game I owned (no PSOne for me till much later) and I’m sure I love it as much for introducing me to gaming as I do for the game itself. Nonetheless R&C1 shines as a perfect example of the third person platformer boom of the time. It was, at the time, relatively attractive, handled well, and had characters and a story that kept people engaged and caring about the fate of the galaxy.

The overarching story element (and that of the first four games: 1, Going Commando, Up Your Arsenal/Locked and Loaded, Deadlocked/Gladiator) is a comment on capitalism, indeed the big bad of the game is a corporate chairman content to destroy worlds for profit and his own people. This is carried through well, yet subtly with repeated comments about the price of proceeding and Chairman Drek’s constant business pitches. I know I said this wasn’t about the 2016 game but when a game is remade to sell a movie with the villain changed to one that was more popular in order to move more units…it rather misses the point of the original?

However the driving force of the game is the initial antagonism that later develops into a firm friendship based on mutual respect between the titular heroes. A lombax working a dead end job who dreams of adventure finds a defective robot on the run. They leave together in search of a hero who can save the galaxy before (shocker, I know) realising they’re the only ones who can do it. Initially Ratchet is too selfish whereas Clank is too selfless and it’s their journey to understand each other as much as the journey to save Solana that keeps the story engaging.

Gameplay-wise it’s aged. There was a definite split between platformers and shooters back in the day and R&C1 labels itself as a platformer (as it well should) at the expense of intuitive weapons controls. Controls, weapons and otherwise, improve with every series entry though here a lack of strafe, quick select pause, and having the circle button as shoot with the X button as jump makes fast paced combat clumsier than we’re used to these days. Back in 2002 I just got on with it. It works. But I’ve been spoilt and am now too used to using triggers to shoot and strafe leaving the jump button accessible at all times.

I LOVE this game. I have no doubt I’ve poured personal bias into this post. But it’s a fun game. It’s aged. But it’s still more than worth playing and the story is so beautifully done.

8/10