Ratchet & Clank - Megathread

[The Last Stand]

The remake is a series of missed opportunities and unfortunate changes because it was trying to tie into the movie. Like how awesome would it have been to hear those old tracks spruced up or redone? That's like the easiest thing to accomplish, but now it's all generic orchestral.

Even more disappointing is that they HAVE redone tracks from Ratchet & Clank to Up Your Arsenal.

Metropolis is my favorite track in the game. It's so damn good. It sucks the 2016 game didn't even try remaking the soundtrack.

Metropolis for instance from UYA makes the original sounds generic. Blackwater City from the original as well.

Thank you @Duncan Hills Coffee for explaining the disappointing execution of the remade from the original. As mentioned prior, it DOES make you appreciate the charm and nuance the PS2 era games had.

Also to add, the remake likes to hold your hand. In the original, they left the player to their own devices to explore the levels. You may needed to backtrack planets to take another path to get a gadget needed to progress the game. That's the best kind of backtracking in games; levels with more than one path to explore.

In the remake, they remind you to go to X planet to achieve Y objective. It removes the sense of exploration and adventure the original had.

Another point: THEY NEVER SHUT UP in the remake. The jokes are adolescent and cringe, the game loves to remind you how to play, the dialogue during gameplay is non sequitur. It was dumbed down for a younger audience.

 

[Zbk3VmLfujjzjxBd43tL]

That's too bad about the remake since the trailer made it look pretty fun. I loved the first game since it had some real difficulty to it. Replaying the second and third game when I was in highschool (years after I first played them and about a decade ago come to think of it, shit I need to play them again) they felt very easy barring finding the secret gold/platinum bolts. The first game was hard as a kid and even when I was older still had some teeth to it in some sections.

I only really loved the first game, the second and third games, coming out only a year after one another, didn't feel as polished or as fresh as the first game to me, I mean they were good, it's just that there's something special about that first game to me.

For me that's the second game because that was the first PS2 game I had (poorfag and didn't get a PS2 until late). If anything, the third game is a little too polished even if it's technically so much better. Even though there's some shit in that game I really hated like the sewer level with the crystals. That was boring and dreary (especially the music) instead of the cool shit in the second game where you wander an icy wasteland and a desert to get the crystals.

I'm also biased because when I was younger I sucked balls at the series, and Deadlocked was the first one I could say I was "good" at. Plus the game's combat had some real intensity to it that's actually kinda impressive to think about now because it was capable of so much on PS2.

It was too easy because of one weapon, the Leviathan Flail, the extending ball and chain that shoots shock waves and has even more range if you jump before swinging it. It's fun as hell to use but beyond overpowered since it kills every enemy in the game in 2-3 hits at most and the shockwaves clear rooms easily. I remember beating the final boss by just healing up and jumping up and down right next to him since you can output more damage than he can against you.

Might actually be my favorite weapon in the series since it's pretty unique and unlike other unique weapons is basically broken.

 

[Grinrow]

Aw yeah, I loved the Ratchet and Clank series. Some of the few games I went out of my way to do 100% completion. Grinding for the RYNO's each time was no joke.

It's been a while since I played them, but I think my favorite would probably Up Your Arsenal. That had a great cast of characters, Dr Nefarious and Lawrence were fucking hilarious.

Courtney Gears had an alright song too.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=x4SsMtmcf4w
I would also recommend to any fan of the series that hasn't watched them yet to check out the developer commentaries on the PS2 games on Uselesspodcast https://www.youtube.com/user/uselesspodcasts/playlists?view=1&sort=dd&shelf_id=0

its ironic that the voice actor for Courtney gears (Melissa Disney) is a distant relative of that Disney

 

[Kane Lives]

Oh boy. Another of my childhood coming up.

Did anyone here think Ratchet was too much of a dick in the first game?

I remember that complaint. Ratchet was more snarky and selfish, but only halfway through does that complaint have merit.

Anyone who unironically complained that Ratchet was a dick in the first game is a smoothbrain and all their opinions should be disregarded. His attitude at the time was absolutely understandable, and was part of the central conflict between Ratchet and Clank for two-thirds of the game. His maturing over the game (not series, given his personality mostly solidified by R&C 2 and 3), and the same for Clank, albeit in a less obvious manner, was what elevated what was a generic video game story about a teenager going on adventures by swinging a large wrench, into something that's memorable.

The remake is a series of missed opportunities and unfortunate changes because it was trying to tie into the movie. Like how awesome would it have been to hear those old tracks spruced up or redone? That's like the easiest thing to accomplish, but now it's all generic orchestral. Beyond that, a lot of the subtlety and bite of the original is just gone. The social commentary's not really there anymore, and Ratchet himself is really fucking boring.

It's safe to say that the remake, both game and movie, completely missed the fucking point of the original game. Even disregarding the social commentary, which I honestly didn't find all that convincing, I was appalled by how generic the remake was. The blandest of the bland that somehow manages to suck even more dick than the OG video game writing. And they even bragged about hiring actual writers for this. Really makes you think on the quality of writers these days.

EDIT: Also,

H A S H T A G G A D G E T R O N.

 

[KingofNothing]

I found image rips of the weapons and gadgets from the original trilogy, so I'm gonna dump them here. Let me know what some of your favorites were.


The wrench is amazingly useful in the first game. Compared to the sequels, it is actually quite feasible to fight your way through several planets using mainly the wrench if you're good at dodging since it does a decent amount of damage. After my choice would weaponry would be the blaster, yeah it's basic, but it's reliable, had tons of ammo and had a good range when you need some distance. I don't know what they were thinking with the Walloper though, it forces you into a dash that isn't that strong and the recovery time just leaves you open to getting smacked in the back



The Plasma Storm was absolutely broken in this game and I loved it. Combine it with the Bouncer and you just had a gigantic kill field to work with while you sat back and watched things die. I think it actually killed the framerate a few times from all the electricity and explosions going off


My favorite here would have to be the Rift Ripper. You can't tell me a black hole gun isn't cool. Then you can stack the black holes to make them bigger to do more damage AND suck up bigger guys, awesome. The Quack-O-Ray was cool too. Nothing wrong with turning enemies into fowls of destruction

The first game's interesting in that you really had to scrounge for money. If you're playing the game normally, you can only barely afford the more expensive stuff like the Tesla Claw, and that's not even getting into the RYNO which I've never been able to afford. Hell even ammo was pricey; buying Devastator rounds and Tesla Claw ammo could easily clean you out. Not to mention that grinding was heavily discouraged. As I recall, repeat trips to planets give you fewer bolts, so you had to make most of your purchases count.

That's when you use the Blackwater City race glitch to farm up the bolts. I have done it legit because I didn't know about the glitch at the time, took me hours. Was worth it though because the RYNO completely breaks the game.

I would definitely list those as reasons on why the first game was harder than the others though. Combine that with the very low health you have compared to the sequels and you had a rough time near the endgame if you weren't careful with your ammo since there were a ton of guys that hit like trucks or flew.

It's safe to say that the remake, both game and movie, completely missed the fucking point of the original game. Even disregarding the social commentary, which I honestly didn't find all that convincing, I was appalled by how generic the remake was. The blandest of the bland that somehow manages to suck even more dick than the OG video game writing. And they even bragged about hiring actual writers for this. Really makes you think on the quality of writers these days.

My sister went to see the movie with some friends since she was so excited about them getting a movie. She told me it was one of the most tedious movies she ever saw and it actually put them to sleep. Like people here have said, Ratchet needs to be a bit of a dick to get that interest going. Generic nice guy doesn't cut it.

 

[Duncan Hills Coffee]

That's when you use the Blackwater City race glitch to farm up the bolts. I have done it legit because I didn't know about the glitch at the time, took me hours. Was worth it though because the RYNO completely breaks the game.

Even with the glitch, the process of gaining the bolts is a lot slower than you'd think. You basically have to do it overnight.

 

[KingofNothing]

Even with the glitch, the process of gaining the bolts is a lot slower than you'd think. You basically have to do it overnight.

Looked at a youtube vid and yeah you're right, it's incredibly slow. Not sure why I thought it was faster. Must have had multipliers on the mind from the sequels since I only tried the glitch out once as a novelty.

 

[The Last Stand]

That's when you use the Blackwater City race glitch to farm up the bolts. I have done it legit because I didn't know about the glitch at the time, took me hours. Was worth it though because the RYNO completely breaks the game.

I knew about the glitch. Not sure if I did it before or after unlocking the RYNO. That was a grind.

I found image rips of the weapons and gadgets from the original trilogy, so I'm gonna dump them here. Let me know what some of your favorites were.

I mentioned the Tesla Claw from R&C 1. A standout weapon for me would be the black hole gun from UYA, the Dual Vipers from Deadlocked & the Bouncer from Going Commando.

I know the Groovitron isn't a "weapon" per se, but that was a nifty gimmick. Making your enemies dance, leaving them exposed. I think it was a weapon in the remake.

 

[KingofNothing]

I know the Groovitron isn't a "weapon" per se, but that was a nifty gimmick. Making your enemies dance, leaving them exposed. I think it was a weapon in the remake.

I think the Groovitron was in a Crack in Time, if not that, one of the others in the PS3 trilogy games. Never played them, but I heard good things about them. I remember it being one of the new gadgets announced that caught my eye when I was still reading GameInformer magazines.

 

[Duncan Hills Coffee]

I think the Groovitron was in a Crack in Time, if not that, one of the others in the PS3 trilogy games. Never played them, but I heard good things about them. I remember it being one of the new gadgets announced that caught my eye when I was still reading GameInformer magazines.

It was put in as early as Tools of Destruction. I remember because that was the only one on PS3 I played for a long time. I only tried Crack in Time about last year I think.

I haven't played Tools in years but I remember liking it. It was one of the best games in the early days of the PS3.

 

[Reverend]

Best part of these games: MISTER ZURKON IS HERE FOR YOU FURBALL!

I did everything possible to get him in every game as quickly as possible as his lines were some of the best that reminded me of HK-47(LITE).

 

[Officer Eradicate]

I remember having a demo disk with a playable demo of the first game.

 

[The Last Stand]

It was put in as early as Tools of Destruction. I remember because that was the only one on PS3 I played for a long time. I only tried Crack in Time about last year I think.

I haven't played Tools in years but I remember liking it. It was one of the best games in the early days of the PS3.

PS3s were expensive then, so I didn't have the luxury of having my own. But I have a copy of Tools of Destruction. I was such a R&C fan.

The opening level was a spectacular introduction to Tools of Destruction and a PS3. I've never seen a game so beautiful and lively before. I still think it looks good to this day.

Metropolis looked so immersive. From the enemy invasion, to the grind rail section to the destruction of the city around you.

The Groovitron was a great gadget; if you lock the camera behind, you'd notice Ratchet & Clank dancing to the beat as well.

It had funny moments, but even I noticed that they wanted to go more cinematic with their storytelling. It felt more mature than previous games. Mature, not edgy (a la Deadlocked).

I never got to finish it, but it was one of my favorite PS3 games ever. I wish they would release the Future trilogy on PS4 so I could experience it again.

 

[TFT-A9]

The Bouncer/Heavy Bouncer from GC is an utter monster of a weapon. On GC there are these massive ice-dragons on the one ice world where Angela's lab/home is. Normally they take a lot of punishment and while their attacks aren't that hard to avoid, they do hurt. If you've upgraded your Bouncer, though, you just run up, lob a Heavy Bouncer shot at them and let it do its thing. The Bouncer/Heavy Bouncer is so good they brought it back for UYA and it's one of the best weapons there, too. Other standouts are the Plasma Storm (but NOT the base Plasma Coil) which I think ALSO returns in UYA, the Chopper/Multi-Star (literally the only drawback it has is that you can't strafe/move while firing it, if you can deal with that it's really fucking nuts), the Minirocket Tube/Megarocket Cannon and the Hoverbomb Gun/Tetrabomb Gun. The Blitz Gun/Blitz Cannon is good in early to midgame but simply cannot keep up in late game or postgame challenge.

EDIT: The Zodiac is expensive and boring and I pretty much never used it.
EDIT 2: Another indicator the Heavy Bouncer is utterly ludicrous - I managed to take down the game's final boss before he even broke through any floors largely by pulverizing him with Heavy Bouncer shots. Once it's upgraded to Omega the damage it does is astronomical.

 

[The Last Stand]

On GC there are these massive ice-dragons on the one ice world where Angela's lab/home is.

I despise that level. Aside from Angela's home, there's no point to it. Those yeti bears or whatever are so annoying. It's another collect a thon level.

 

[Bender]

Courtney Gears had an alright song too.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=x4SsMtmcf4w

But this was the best part of that cutscene.

I despise that level. Aside from Angela's home, there's no point to it. Those yeti bears or whatever are so annoying. It's another collect a thon level.

Easy money.
That's the level where I upgraded my lava gun to the fucking useless meteor gun, that was the worst upgrade in the series.

 

[Duncan Hills Coffee]

Easy money.
That's the level where I upgraded my lava gun to the fucking useless meteor gun, that was the worst upgrade in the series.

I upgraded mine at the second arena, which was also the place where I found the most use for the lava gun.

 

[KingofNothing]

I despise that level. Aside from Angela's home, there's no point to it. Those yeti bears or whatever are so annoying. It's another collect a thon level.

Yeah, just about no one likes that level, not even the guys at Insomniac. When the team itself makes an award just to dunk on you, you dun fucked up. I think they still give out Snowbeast Awards when someone makes a really shitty area

Easy money.
That's the level where I upgraded my lava gun to the fucking useless meteor gun, that was the worst upgrade in the series.

I've slightly turned around about the meteor gun after seeing it chew through the beefiest boss in the game because it is admittedly strong as fuck, but I still can't enjoy it after they got rid of the original function.

 

[Bender]

I've slightly turned around about the meteor gun after seeing it chew through the beefiest boss in the game because it is admittedly strong as fuck, but I still can't enjoy it after they got rid of the original function.

To be honest after that "upgrade" I never used it again, so I have no idea how much damage it did to the Protopet. The R&C3 version with that liquid nitrogen gun was far more useful, I pretty much only used that to clean out the sewers.

 

[KingofNothing]

To be honest after that "upgrade" I never used it again, so I have no idea how much damage it did to the Protopet. The R&C3 version with that liquid nitrogen gun was far more useful, I pretty much only used that to clean out the sewers.

Didn't see it use on the Protopet, is was the thing you fight to get the Boxbreaker item, it's possible to kill that health sponge with just that. Still takes a while though. But if you want to see some crazy damage, look at speedrunners killing the Protopet with the hoverbomb. That thing melts in seconds if you shove the gun right up its ass. Fucking insane