Our adventures with one of the most iconic duos of the PS2 era continue, and in a manner that is perfectly legal, using my original copy and PS2 hardware.
So let us join them in their incredible teamwork. Truly, it is marvel how well Ratchet and Clank get along.
You can find the glitch I referred to for bolt farming here.
Now that we’re here, it’s time to talk about one of the most controversial aspects of the first game, which was the relationship between Ratchet and Clank. Specifically, how their interactions make Ratchet, our protagonist, look like an incredible jerk.
And while I agree that he’s a tool, I don’t think that’s a bad thing. Every character has to start somewhere, and for them to have meaningful development they need flaws that they can work towards fixing or correcting. For Ratchet, it’s his hedonistic impulse to do what immediately feels good, whether that’s blowing things up or taking revenge, ignoring the long-term damage and consequences of those actions. The intent isn’t to leave him there, though. As we’ll see later, as he starts to recognize and correct his behavior, growing as a person.
Which is part of why the reboot of this same story, through the movie and its tie-in game, rubbed me the wrong way. In an effort to make it more palatable, they made that version of Ratchet significantly more altruistic from the start. By doing that, they inadvertently removed part of the bite and flavor that drew me into the series in the first place. TheGamingBritShow actually did produced a strong video essay on the two games here.
It’s a shame, but that’s part of what one expects of a series that’s gone on this long.
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