Ratchet & Clank - Megathread

[TheArtilleryman]

https://youtube.com/watch?v=gx_pWZkeO20
Rewatching Ratchet & Clank cutscenes made me realize how the reimagining completely missed the mark of what made the original trilogy charming and beloved from their characters. Recall that the trilogy was written on the fly by programmers and art designers in Insomniac. Yet, each planet has different NPCs and interactions that gives life to the galaxy.

Bathos, that's the term I'm looking for. It's where there are serious stakes within a plot or character arc, but the media still incorporates humor without either element clashing against each other. I do think the trilogy handles that technique quite well, especially given the experience of its writing team. I could sense how evil Drek is, while still laughing at the in-universe jabs against consumerism or Ratchet's teenage like angst despite the looming threat from Drek.

The problem is that the 2016 version sanitized the hell out the original game, Ratchet and Clank are immediately on good terms, Ratchet wants to a hero, instead of a snarky kid jumping at the chance to explore and all of the NPC's are safe quirky. Critics said Ratchet was apparently too mean, but it makes for a great character arc in the midpoint where he's raging at being betrayed by Quark and taking it out on Clank just to straighten up once he becomes aware of the scope of the damage Drek was actually causing.

It's a long one and I honestly don't remember most of it, its been so long, but I remember this video making it make sense, why the remake just isn't as good in so many small ways that sound insignificant and nitpicky when looked at individually, but ultimately lead to a forgettable game and an inferior remake.

TL: DW (IIRC) it's mainly because it's an old fashioned movie tie in game, where the story and the character development happen in the movie and the game is just meant to be supplementary to that, not bothering with those aspect as much itself. The cutscenes are scenes from the movie. This and the sanitisation and rounding out of the edges @KingofSomething describes. Ratchet and Clank don't really have character arcs in the game. They are a happy go lucky team who work well together from the start, and by the end of the game nothing about that has changed.

 

[The Last Stand]

TL: DW (IIRC) it's mainly because it's an old fashioned movie tie in game, where the story and the character development happen in the movie and the game is just meant to be supplementary to that, not bothering with those aspect as much itself. The cutscenes are scenes from the movie. This and the sanitisation and rounding out of the edges @KingofSomething describes. Ratchet and Clank don't really have character arcs in the game. They are a happy go lucky team who work well together from the start, and by the end of the game nothing about that has changed.

I remember that video. It was well done. As you and King said, the gameplay is sound but everything surrounding the remake lacks impact and weight. I believe it initially ran at 30fps, which makes it feel slower compared to the PS2 trilogy.

Perhaps the worst thing about it as I mentioned before is the cutscenes. They just stand there without much expression. The writing is weak; everybody is goody goody with no deviation, making current year pop culture jokes to be relatable.

Especially if you played the original, you can tell it’s a functional, generic game at best.

 

[TheArtilleryman]

I remember that video. It was well done. As you and King said, the gameplay is sound but everything surrounding the remake lacks impact and weight. I believe it initially ran at 30fps, which makes it feel slower compared to the PS2 trilogy.

Perhaps the worst thing about it as I mentioned before is the cutscenes. They just stand there without much expression. The writing is weak; everybody is goody goody with no deviation, making current year pop culture jokes to be relatable.

Especially if you played the original, you can tell it’s a functional, generic game at best.

The worst thing is that it does feel good to play, it is a well made game mechanically, it's just hollow and the writing isn't there. Soulless is the best word TBH.

 

[The Last Stand]

The worst thing is that it does feel good to play, it is a well made game mechanically, it's just hollow and the writing isn't there. Soulless is the best word TBH.

The movie based on the game was worse. Nothing happens for about 90 minutes. It came and went as soon as it hit theaters. I believe some cutscenes in the game were from the movie.

The Future saga did a better job with being a movie like experience than the actual remake of the movie. Hell, you'd be better off just watching the original's cutscenes for a better understand of the plot.

 

[The Last Stand]

The whole strategy between the remake and the movie was terribly executed. I believe they were concurrently developed with some overlap between the executives and Insomniac. There was NO marketing for the movie. No trailers, no posters, you'd have to FIND that information online if you were mildly curious. Most I remember from the movie was its big-name talent, even then, who ARE these people?

You know how most movie licensed games would take place AFTER the film as supplementary material? R&C (2016) did not do that. The movie plot is the game plot, however there are snippets missing from both materials that make the overarching story feel incomplete. I heard the movie was delayed before the game as well.

I'm on a gaming laptop. If you're on a Mac, it probably won't be enough

I see that RSPC3 is supported on Mac, so it doesn't hurt for me to try at least for Tools of Destruction.

 

[Buzz Killington]

Most I remember from the movie was its big-name talent, even then, who ARE these people?

Shoutout to Insomniac replacing them with stand-in voice actors for the game, except for one of them, that being the chick you escort on Batalia. She really sounds like she's phoning it in hard lmao

 

[The Last Stand]

Give it a shot and report back!

Okay, I played through Metropolis and Cobalia after meeting the Smuggler. Setting up RPCS3 was straightforward. Under default settings, it ran at 60fps with a 720p resolution, but gameplay looks more pixelated. Upping the resolution to 1080p helped smooth it out, but now there's a black bar on the bottom of the screen after cutscenes. I heard lowering the resolution to 720p would resolve it.

 

[The Last Stand]

Glad it's working for you. It was more pixelated for me now if I recall, even with A Crack in Time. I'm sorry, it's been awhile and I'm not really an emulation expert. A lot of it is trial and error, at least for me. Hopefully you can see the light and keep heading towards it

Right now, I just wish to revisit Ratchet & Clank. Currently, it’s the Future saga. I would think the PS2 games would be easier to do so.

 

[BiggestKai]

I'm curious if the clone/spiritual successor/mod scene for R&C ever took off. I vaguely remember Akimbot and another game being massive disappointments but I'm curious if there's anything else.
I have played Bears in Space which had the whole weapon upgrades system and I liked that, and there was this co-op game I had my eye on called Revenge of the Savage Planet which judging superficially(the trailer) reminds me a bit of R&C.

 

[The Last Stand]

I'm curious if the clone/spiritual successor/mod scene for R&C ever took off. I vaguely remember Akimbot and another game being massive disappointments but I'm curious if there's anything else.
I have played Bears in Space which had the whole weapon upgrades system and I liked that, and there was this co-op game I had my eye on called Revenge of the Savage Planet which judging superficially(the trailer) reminds me a bit of R&C.

There’s a modding scene for R&C? Most I know would be a Randomizer mod where gadgets and weapons are randomly assigned?

Oh yeah, for real. I have no trouble emulating them on PCSX2. RPCS3 is still kinda hit or miss. I've beaten games on it without issues, and some games won't even launch. I'm just saying the option may be available to you. Seeing is believing!

To be fair, my Mac is an M1 MacBook Air. I plan on upgrading it soon. Tools of Destruction was the reason I wanted a PS3 for years. As you know, they were crazy expensive in 2007.

I’m not looking forward to the skill points, particularly with the Groovitron and RYNO part hunting.

 

[BiggestKai]

There’s a modding scene for R&C? Most I know would be a Randomizer mod where gadgets and weapons are randomly assigned?

I don't know. I assumed some Ratchet autist somewhere would have made one of those Spyro/Mario 64-esque vanilla+ mods by now but I guess that hasn't yet reached the PS2 generation of games.

 

[The Last Stand]

How many people know of the Future saga regarding Ratchet & Clank’s origins?

 

[The Doom Slayer]

Been replaying these again on PS3 and for the most part they've aged very gracefully. It's insanity to me that Sony has their classics program sitting right there and they've still ported none of them except the PSP ones.

 

[The Last Stand]

I'm still surprised with how taking a breather and going back to a game would overcome a challenge.

Been replaying these again on PS3 and for the most part they've aged very gracefully. It's insanity to me that Sony has their classics program sitting right there and they've still ported none of them except the PSP ones.

There's a skill point in Tools of Destruction on Planet Mukow called "The Fast and the Fiery-ous" where you have to pass though fire traps at a bridge with Charge Boots without getting hit. I tried for two hours to get the timing right, nothing. Next day, I tried it once and got it first try.

 

[DeadwastePrime]

id rather the god of war ragnarok solution instead and they just gave you the answer immediately

 

[The Last Stand]

id rather the god of war ragnarok solution instead and they just gave you the answer immediately

Then the R&C (2016) game based on the movie based on the series would be up your alley.

There's even a skip button to bypass Trespasser puzzles. Add insult to injury, there's a trophy for doing them as expected.

 

[KingofSomething]

There's even a skip button to bypass Trespasser puzzles. Add insult to injury, there's a trophy for doing them as expected.

I really hate that features like this are becoming more and more normalized. We gotta stop rewarding a lack of skill, If you're not good enough to beat it, then you don't deserve to progress

 

[The Last Stand]

There's even a skip button to bypass Trespasser puzzles. Add insult to injury, there's a trophy for doing them as expected.

I won't lie; I hate having to do those puzzles to unlock doors in Ratchet & Clank games, but that's besides the point.

We gotta stop rewarding a lack of skill, If you're not good enough to beat it, then you don't deserve to progress

If it's any consolation, there was "adaptive difficulty" in earlier R&C titles where frequent deaths would provide you with more ammo drops or dumb down the AI a bit. Unless you're talking about having the game play itself.

 

[KingofSomething]

I won't lie; I hate having to do those puzzles to unlock doors in Ratchet & Clank games, but that's besides the point

Funnily enough, of the door puzzles I played from the original trilogy, the Trespasser were my favorite. I thought the laser puzzles were a fun short distraction. The one I didn't much care for was the Hacker from Up Your Arsenal because it was just a shooting minigame which is admittedly an amusing complaint to have about a game focused on blasting everything to hell.

If it's any consolation, there was "adaptive difficulty" in earlier R&C titles where frequent deaths would provide you with more ammo drops or dumb down the AI a bit. Unless you're talking about having the game play itself.

Yeah I knew about the adaptive difficulty and I think that's fine. You still have to use your own abilities to progress, they just slowly give you more resources until you succeed. I just think it's stupid for a game to straight up give you the ability to skip gameplay because it's too hard for someone

 

[The Last Stand]

I thought the laser puzzles were a fun short distraction. The one I didn't much care for was the Hacker from Up Your Arsenal because it was just a shooting minigame which is admittedly an amusing complaint to have about a game focused on blasting everything to hell.

I know Going Commando had TWO door puzzles. One with a sphere to guide lasers, another with plasma dots and rotating pipes. Tools of Destruction has a 3D puzzle where you guide a ball through a circuit board while electricity passes through.