Ratchet & Clank 1 HD Review and in-depth story anaylisis

[Simfarmguru]

So, I finished the first Ratchet and Clank game last night for the first time and though I started the second one, I REALLY want to write a review before the second game colors my thinking too much.

There will NOT be spoilers for the first part of this review, but there WILL be spoiler for the second part which will be my deeper thoughts on the story and characters. There will be a giant warning, but if you care to ever play the game and don't want to have the plot-line laid bare, stay away.

I was introduced to this series by the amazing C-Puff, who I've been following on DA for at least 7 years now. (Go see her art, NOW) About a year ago when the remastered trilogy for the PS3 came out, she started posting journals on it and then did some fan-art which she had also done before this. All of which intrigued me enough to want to try the game. I played a bit of A Crack in Time in the store once to see if I liked the game-play, which I did. So seeing it on sale for $30 at Gamestop Thursday(and spouse wanting a game as well)I picked it up.

So, the usual game review items first:

Graphics -/-- Everything looks nice, Clank is cute, Ratchet looks cool, I can see where I need to go and what I need to do...Honestly, I'm the worst person to ask about graphics. I notice them in other media, but in video games as long as it's playable I don't really give a rip how amazing it may or may not look. I did notice that Clank's idle animation when a turbo-pack is really cute That's why there's no rating though. I just don't do video game graphics.

Music 7/10-Average as in it sounds fine. I loved the music on the level for Qwark's base, but really it just sounded techno and decent enough not to bug but it didn't really stand out to me.

Sound 10/10-Ahh, I loved the sound effects for this game, weapons sound nice and destructive, metal clanks , enemies shriek/growl/groan/etc.. All very nice. What really earns it a solid 10 though are the sounds Ratchet makes when preforming tricks using Clank. It's random rare, NOT random common, meaning it happens so little it makes me smile each time I hear him cheer or w00t, or whatever for doing a Clank-powered jump of some kind. Nice touch there. Voices by the way are great. Qwark sounds like an egotistical idiot(which he is), Ratchet comes off, well, in character for this game, Clank sounds like a robot with a touching streak of naivety, and Drek sounds like a typical suave businessman.

Gameplay 9/10-Ahhh, the potatoes of the game(meat is story-line in my book, more on that later of course)Ratchet and Clank plays a lot like Spyro or maybe Dark Cloud. It's a 3-D action game, you whack enemies with you wrench or whip out a big ol' gun of choice to kill them. There is some strategy to it, as in certain weapons are better for certain mobs or long-range vs. short-range. There is only ONE melee weapon in the game, the fore-mentioned wrench. There are a few utility items as well. As well as some jumping puzzles(Nothing too scary to someone who played Maple Story)and a few logic based puzzles. There are some timed runs and plenty of variety along the way. You do more than just hop from planet to planet offing the bad guys. The magnetic strips are a pain to a klutz, but not impossible. I also struggled with the hover-board races but they are doable. But the grind rails are just FUN. Also, no death penalty, you just go back to the last check point. You even get to keep the bolts(in-game currency)you collect.

Controls 9/10-No strafe and you can fumble-finger when in a hurry, but the controls are nice and smooth. Best of all, the camera is easy to turn or center at will, no Kingdom Hearts migraine-due-to-the-evil-camera-angles syndrome.

Story-line 10/10-And HERE is the meat. This will be without spoilers. The story is simple and has it's cliques, but it passes my personal clique test by pulling them off with enough finesse I don't care. One of the things I love about this game is how it took the typical, “Oh no, I'm the hero!”, story-line and made it totally realistic. Ratchet at least is NOT doing this because of some higher moral purpose. He's doing it because he's thrown in the middle of the mess and somehow ends up having to do something. He doesn't want to, he even hates it at times, but he does it often because it needs doing(and often because it benefits him in some way...). Real heroes rarely do what they do because of some ethereal higher calling or philosophy. They do it because it's there and someone has to. They just happen to be one who does it. It really gives the game a grounded sensation. The characters are both love-able and hate-able according to allegiance for the most part, though how I feel about Ratchet is bit more complicated... Still, I love the villain in this game, he's just a smart guy taking advantage. No rants, or deeper meanings, plain simple bad guy, which are probably the worst kind. And Captain Qwark is freakin' HILARIOUS by the way.


Overall- 10/10- I don't regret the 30 bucks I spent on this for a minute, I loved this game so much I beat it in under a week. NOT counting the extras I need to go back for and pointing out the fact I was sick over the weekend and had nothing else to do. If I keep loving these games this much(trying to just play the opening of the second one and wasting another hour without realizing it has high hopes)I will be buying the rest of the PS2 and PS3 games.

SPOILERS ALERT-Beneath this paragraph are my in depth thoughts on story-line and characters, if you don't want to know, DON'T LOOK. Those who care to know, keep going, I hope you enjoy .

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Now, into the story-line.

First of all, I love how Clank drags Ratchet into this. Hilarious.

I loved the trap scene with Qwark. Although I was completely with Ratchet on this one, I was struck by how much my hubbie and I fit this. He's all, “Think it over, I'm not sure” while I'm all, “Let's just do it already!” Kind of funny I saw it coming this time.

Reconciliation for Ratchet and Clank was kind of...weak. I guess now that the blind need for revenge isn't coloring Ratchet's view he CAN see the bigger picture but still...

Clank's interaction with his “Mom” is cute, I like they went with supportive in this case rather than against. And Ratchet's reaction to Veldine's imminent destruction, though expected, was quite impressive. My first reaction was, “Well, he's going to be pissed.” then, “Woah, make that VERY pissed!” Great animating there. I could see this coming, seriously, Ratchet's planet just “happens” to have the perfect orbit? Call me a skeptic or maybe I over-analysis, but I think something else went into that selection. Still, a great example of using a clique so well I don't feel jaded watching it.

Giant Clank with Clank's tiny head, LOL. Love how Ratchet is hanging on for the ride for a change of pace, BTW.

Drek is a bit scary, not that it isn't satisfying to beat him, and I'm glad they went down a different path with motive, but there ARE people in the world just like this. That scares me, makes for a certain darker undertone. A nice touch, but glad to say good bye to this creep.




Favorite scenes-
Qwark selling the PDA. That made the trip over there TOTALLY worth it. I was cracking up the whole time. Seriously Qwark, we know it's you, and that stand would make a 5 year old selling lemonade ashamed!

The opening for Olantis, when Clank gets struck by lightening. Why Ratchet, is that concern I hear in your voice? Seriously I loved this scene it was so cute.

The final boss dialogue in which Clank still thinks the Blarg just need help...I swear I immediately said “You evil little so-n-so!”. Cue same thoughts by Clank. I honestly like how he reacts to Drek's pure greed and evil, I think that's the first time in the game he sounded REALLY mad.




Characters-

Qwark- Love this guy, at least to laugh at. He reminds me of Zap Brannigan from Futurama. Same Egotistical Space Captain mentality coupled with total incompetence. Actually, they'd probably be best friends or mortal enemies if they ever met. Before the universe imploded due to the occupation of two such massive egos in the same sphere. I was cracking up the whole boss fight with him due to his comments. Which made a nice break from cursing my bad piloting skills and his love of mines... His ending as “Steve” is too much.

Clank-Is hands down my favorite character of the game. His mix of pure logic with a touch of naivety reminds me of a friend from college, which adds a sense of nostalgia to him. It also keep the writers from going down the old “robot needs to learn emotions” route. Seriously, there's just enough emotions in Clank to give him a different feel. I love that he honestly WANTS to help the Blarg at the end, not knowing of course what a slime-ball Drek is.

Ratchet-Ahh, yes. I'm withholding final judgment on Ratchet until I play the rest of the games, or at least some of them. So far I understood he wasn't happy about getting tricked by Qwark(no one likes being suckered) especially after he WARNED Clank, but talk about one track mind. Then there was scene in which he makes yet another scathing remark about it...and poor Clank looks so guilty. Having been in Clank's place before, I lost all patience with Ratchet after that. He does come around, and I wasn't so irritated with him by the end, but for now I feel ambivalent towards him. A point in his favor is he does see the bigger picture eventually. And he does seem concerned for a moment when Clank gets struck by lightening. Enough so he takes care of Hoven by himself. (BTW, I never knew how much I counted on you for dodging enemies Clank, until I no longer had you. I still dub that as “the Planet from hell”. I didn't even bother getting the morph-o-ray because I got so sick of dying on the path to it, I finally said, “Eff this, I'm leaving”.) The major problem with Ratchet, is I see in him the same character flaws I possess myself. I guess I'm a bit disturbed to see them in a fictional character. The bad temper and stubborn side are one thing, I'll acknowledge those openly. The last one though is one I never talk about, my habit of CHOOSING selfishness knowingly. It's where, due leaning toward the “light side of the force” or “the side of good” if you will, causes me to actually see what I SHOULD do, and then selfishly choose not to do. Even though I know I really should. I honestly think part of Ratchet's choice to ignore the needs of an entire galaxy was part of this. When confronted with it again after beating Qwark, his better nature, if you will, lead him to choose to help. Still, I'm again withholding judgment until I play more of the games.

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And that's it, except if you ever play this game and read that you need to do tricks to beat the second hover-board race, that's BS, just learn the track, take the shortcuts, and you'll win.