Ratchet & Clank (series)
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- For the first game in this series of video games, see Ratchet & Clank.
Ratchet & Clank is a video game franchise. The four main games in the series, Ratchet and Clank; Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando (otherwise known as Locked and Loaded); Ratchet and Clank: Up your arsenal; and Ratchet: Deadlocked™ (or Gladiator) are all for the Sony PlayStation 2. They are 3D platform/shooters developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment.
The main characters in the series are Ratchet, a Lombax mechanic from the planet Veldin, and his robot sidekick Clank, who was originally designed for destruction but works for the good side because of an error in his construction process and is basically a complete genius in most cases. Players control Ratchet for a majority of the game. Sometimes players will directly control Clank. The gameplay is similar to many 3D platformers, in that Ratchet must explore vast worlds spread across many individual planets, collecting items, solving tasks, and defeating enemies. The game distinguishes itself in the genre because it requires the player to use a large variety of weapons and gadgets.
In both graphics and gameplay, it is similar to the Jak and Daxter series, also published by Sony. All of the PlayStation 2 Ratchet & Clank games run on a modified version of the engine used in Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy.
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[edit] Games
[edit] Ratchet & Clank
Ratchet & Clank was released on November 4, 2002 in North America and Europe. In the game, Chairman Drek plans to take pieces of different planets across the Solana Galaxy and create one new planet for his people, the Blarg. Aside from the two protagonists, the game also introduces Captain Qwark, who appears in the following games.
Ratchet & Clank was the first Western game to be bundled in with the PlayStation 2 in Japan, but there were a few changes made to make it more popular. Ratchet's eyes are more of an anime style, and he was given large eyebrows.
[edit] Going Commando
The sequel, Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando (Ratchet & Clank 2: Locked & Loaded, in the UK, Europe and Australia), was released on November 11, 2003 in North America. There are many improvements over the first game, in that weapons, and also Ratchet's spaceship, can be modified. Going Commando also introduced strafing to gameplay. The game takes place in a different setting than the first game, this time in the Bogon Galaxy.
Ratchet's personality is drastically different in Going Commando, since many people complained about his attitude in the first game.
[edit] Up Your Arsenal
The third game in the series, Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (Ratchet & Clank 3 in the UK and Europe) was released on November 2, 2004 in North America. Up Your Arsenal is still considered the best game in the Ratchet & Clank series. UYA improves on Going Commando by adding more weapons and mods, the upgrade system was modified so that weapons upgraded four times through their first playthrough. The weapons in this game inspire more imagination for the player providing many ways to obliterate your enemies. the huge amount of secrets thoughout the game, like the hidden trophies, golden bolts, and more, add excitement to the gameplay. In UYA, Ratchet and Clank take on Dr. Nefarious in his plan to turn all of the Solana Galaxy population into robots. With the help of Sasha, Captain Qwark, & his "Q-Force" team they battle against the forces of Dr. Nefarious.
Up Your Arsenal is also the first game in the series to offer online competitive multiplayer.
[edit] Deadlocked
Released on October 25, 2005 in North America, Ratchet: Deadlocked (Ratchet: Gladiator in New Zealand, Australia, the UK and Europe) deviates from the previous installments of the series by removing the platforming and puzzle elements and focusing on the shooting aspects. In Deadlocked, Ratchet and Clank are captured and forced to compete in an underground sport call run by the media mogul Gleeman Vox. Deadlocked supports online play and a cooperative mode.
In Deadlocked, Clank is reduced to a supporting character, reflected in the game's title, which became a huge upset in the Ratchet & Clank series.
[edit] Going Mobile
Going Mobile was released in November 2005 only for mobile phones. A 2D platformer, it was not developed by Insomniac, but by the company Handheld Games. Ratchet & Clank are transported into your mobile phone and have to fight their way back out. There are seven weapons available, and twelve levels (including an Arena). Finally, they have to defeat Maximillian, Secret Agent Clank's nemesis. Going Mobile is the first 2D Ratchet & Clank installment, specially made for mobile phones.
[edit] Clone Home
The sequel to Going Mobile. This game starts off at the end of the Going Mobile, as the duo gets sent to a place where clones are dominant.
[edit] Size Matters
Another R&C game, this time for the PlayStation Portable, is in development by High Impact Games, composed of former Insomniac Games employees, for an early 2007 release. While on a much needed vacation, Ratchet and Clank's rest and relaxation time is suddenly cut short as they soon find themselves lured into a mysterious quest. Following the trail of a kidnapped girl, Ratchet and Clank rediscover a forgotten race of genius inventors known as the Technomites. They soon uncover a plot more dangerous than they could have imagined. A select few have been able to start beta testing the online multiplayer portion of this game as of October 2006.
[edit] Ratchet & Clank (PS3)
At the 2006 Game Developers Conference, a Ratchet & Clank tech demonstation was shown for the PlayStation 3, as a tour around the series planet of Metropolis. It will be developed by Insomniac once again, and released after the upcoming Resistance: Fall of Man sometime in 2007.
[edit] Cameos
- Jak II - Ratchet and Clank appear on some of the walls in Haven City.
- Jak 3 - Ratchet and Clank appear as targets in a secret gun course.
- Ape Escape 3 - In the Japanese and European versions of the game if the password "RATCH" or "ginganoraihousha" (depending on which version you have) is typed in a monkey dressed up as Ratchet called "Ape Ratchet" will appear in the TV Space Station level in the secret room.
- Hot Shots Golf Fore! - Ratchet and Clank and Jak and Daxter appear as additional characters.
- Jak X: Combat Racing - Ratchet appears as a secret racer.
- Sly 2: Band of Thieves - Ratchet and Clank appear on a poster on one of the walls.
- Daxter - Ratchet and Clank masks can be worn throughout the game once found.
- Everybody's Golf - Ratchet and Jak appear as golfers, and Clank and Daxter appear as caddies.
[edit] Lombaxes
A Lombax is a fictional species from the series. So far, only two characters from the series have been confirmed to be Lombaxes: Ratchet and Angela Cross. Lombaxes are completely covered in yellow, velvety fur, with orange stripes running down much of the body. They are bipedal but their facial features are similar to those of a domestic cat. Lombaxes have large triangular feet with three claws on each foot, as well as large hands with four fingers and a thumb on each. This makes them different from most other species in the Ratchet & Clank universe, such as the Blarg, which traditionally have two fingers and a thumb per hand. Male Lombaxes have two large ears, while females have smaller ears.
Contrary to speculation Captain Sasha (who appears as a one of the main characters in Ratchet & Clank 3, and briefly in Ratchet: Deadlocked as the new mayor of Metropolis) and her father are not Lombaxes.
Sasha and The Galactic President are called Cazares (Pronounced Sa-ZAR-uz). A single one of them would be a Cazar (pronounced SA-zar).
Cazares are native to Marcadia, but have spread beyond that planet since the discovery of space travel. They possess an innate aptitude for leadership and civil service and are generally known for being the ruling class of the galaxy (seeing as most, but not all, civil servant positions in the galactic government are staffed by Cazares).[1]
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- The Insomniac Games official website
- Official page (redirects to Sony site)
- The Ratchet & Clank series at NeoSeeker
- Kyzil Plateau (fan website)
- Ratchet and Clank fansite (Ratchet and clank artwork and extras site)
- Planet Veldin (Ratchet and clank community and discussions)
- Ratchet Gamers (Ratchet & Clank community and discussion)
- Lombax-Max (Ratchet and Ratcom website)
[edit] Wiki Guide
- The Ratchet & Clank Wiki A Wikia dedicated to Ratchet & Clank.
