allseatransit
Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando is almost a classic,
There's so many platformers that, given the opportunity for a sequel, want to reinvent themselves in some way in order to create a new identity. Usually it's this identity that acts as a sort of second chance to prove to the audience that the character has something to offer that the player and the publisher maybe didn't see initially. If the gameplay shifts in some significant way, then it's likely an attempt to grow the story and world so that it gives the IP some long-term staying power. Though ultimately I don't think many would argue that the best platformers are almost always direct sequels to their original title, building on what made the first so appealing. Even within the console generation that Ratchet and Clank exist, I think you'd have a hard time making the argument that Sly 2 is a worse sequel than Jak 2, unless you really like Jak 2 and hate Sly 2. What I think makes Ratchet and Clank 2 such and interesting case study is that it kind of has it both ways.
While on the surface, especially if you haven't played in a while, this game looks and feels like a direct sequel it really does change the dynamic the player has with the characters and their mechanics. By simply adding a strafe button, more enemies and gauntlets, and a leveling mechanic the core experience has shifted from a Platformer With Guns to a Shooter With Platforming. And of course the platforming still exists and is fine, but if you play the game again after years of not touching it, seeing it mentioned for a moment in video essays, and trying to remember what it was like, it becomes super clear that while the series wasn't shifting from it's core appeal in most ways, it definitely changed the essentials enough that I think you could safely say the genre the game lies in is different now. And to me that's really exciting, I like that Ratchet and Clank 2 embraced the more gun-focused gameplay and explored that part of its identity rather than keep to its platforming roots, because to be I think the series (from a gameplay perspective) ended up being a lot more interesting in the long run. I think it's the reason I keep coming back to the series, because there's no other game that really does what Ratchet and Clank does with the same level of polish and depth. Ratchet and Clank has carved out its own little niche that I think explains fairly well why this series has continued for as long as it has while it's peers didn't. Jak strayed way too far from its core appeal and unfortunately picked a lane that already had better contemporaries. Sly chose to keep its cards so close to its chest that the series' creatives had to make the call to close the book because none of the new ideas they were throwing at the series were really working. So to see Ratchet and Clank all these years later still getting not just sequels, but sequels with thoughtfulness and effort put into them, it makes me really happy. To be honest though I believe that the peak of this still really lies with Ratchet and Clank 2.
The sense of exploration and story progression that platformers tend to do well with is still here without too much unfunny garbage and the weapons are some of the most creative in the series. Considering the year they had to work on this I think the team here created nothing short of a miracle. The planet variety is on point here as well. Places like Dobbo and Damosel really flesh out the manufactured reality that Megacorp has managed to fully realize, while it's headquarters in Yeedil puts a nice pin in the hyper-capitalistic theming the first two games orbit around. Going Commando is truly a spectacular game and still the best the series has to offer in terms of engaging gun-play, variety, and exploration. I think if it wasn't so rough around the edges re: the technical art, this could've been considered a modern classic.
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Would you get the same experience watching the game?: If you played the first game maybe, but no not really at all. The leveling mechanic for weapons is too satisfying to really get through video alone.
There's so many platformers that, given the opportunity for a sequel, want to reinvent themselves in some way in order to create a new identity. Usually it's this identity that acts as a sort of second chance to prove to the audience that the character has something to offer that the player and the publisher maybe didn't see initially. If the gameplay shifts in some significant way, then it's likely an attempt to grow the story and world so that it gives the IP some long-term staying power. Though ultimately I don't think many would argue that the best platformers are almost always direct sequels to their original title, building on what made the first so appealing. Even within the console generation that Ratchet and Clank exist, I think you'd have a hard time making the argument that Sly 2 is a worse sequel than Jak 2, unless you really like Jak 2 and hate Sly 2. What I think makes Ratchet and Clank 2 such and interesting case study is that it kind of has it both ways.
While on the surface, especially if you haven't played in a while, this game looks and feels like a direct sequel it really does change the dynamic the player has with the characters and their mechanics. By simply adding a strafe button, more enemies and gauntlets, and a leveling mechanic the core experience has shifted from a Platformer With Guns to a Shooter With Platforming. And of course the platforming still exists and is fine, but if you play the game again after years of not touching it, seeing it mentioned for a moment in video essays, and trying to remember what it was like, it becomes super clear that while the series wasn't shifting from it's core appeal in most ways, it definitely changed the essentials enough that I think you could safely say the genre the game lies in is different now. And to me that's really exciting, I like that Ratchet and Clank 2 embraced the more gun-focused gameplay and explored that part of its identity rather than keep to its platforming roots, because to be I think the series (from a gameplay perspective) ended up being a lot more interesting in the long run. I think it's the reason I keep coming back to the series, because there's no other game that really does what Ratchet and Clank does with the same level of polish and depth. Ratchet and Clank has carved out its own little niche that I think explains fairly well why this series has continued for as long as it has while it's peers didn't. Jak strayed way too far from its core appeal and unfortunately picked a lane that already had better contemporaries. Sly chose to keep its cards so close to its chest that the series' creatives had to make the call to close the book because none of the new ideas they were throwing at the series were really working. So to see Ratchet and Clank all these years later still getting not just sequels, but sequels with thoughtfulness and effort put into them, it makes me really happy. To be honest though I believe that the peak of this still really lies with Ratchet and Clank 2.
The sense of exploration and story progression that platformers tend to do well with is still here without too much unfunny garbage and the weapons are some of the most creative in the series. Considering the year they had to work on this I think the team here created nothing short of a miracle. The planet variety is on point here as well. Places like Dobbo and Damosel really flesh out the manufactured reality that Megacorp has managed to fully realize, while it's headquarters in Yeedil puts a nice pin in the hyper-capitalistic theming the first two games orbit around. Going Commando is truly a spectacular game and still the best the series has to offer in terms of engaging gun-play, variety, and exploration. I think if it wasn't so rough around the edges re: the technical art, this could've been considered a modern classic.
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Would you get the same experience watching the game?: If you played the first game maybe, but no not really at all. The leveling mechanic for weapons is too satisfying to really get through video alone.
2007
Often is the case with day-to-day life, pinning down the exact moment when you were truly present while playing Super Mario Galaxy can be a tricky thing to do. Was is at the beginning? Was it during the first part of Rosalina's story? Was it the first boss? Megaleg? Bouldergeist? Bee Mario?? And then you try to connect all these dots and suddenly you're even more lost than you were before. Back when this game first came out and the excitement that was generating prior to its release was growing rapidly, there wasn't really anything that this game couldn't have been. But one thing was made clear in the collective consciousness of those who were excited for a new Mario game, something that Tim Rogers even mentions in his review of this very title: This was supposed to be the "Super Mario Bros. 3" of the 3D Mario games.
And in a way, sure, that's what this was. People still talk about it to this day very fondly, many of the design choices are viewed as exceptional, many still talk about the story that accentuated the game's world, and more than any of that people still come back to this game for the pure spectacle of its never ending creativity. However, there are also the reminders of why this game can never exist in the way it did ever again. The extremely present tutorials, the constant roadblocks in progression, the slower platforming, and to be honest I think many who've played this game will agree with me that the system of shooting something off screen (while novel!) really made the platforming feel like just another commodity in the game's bag of gimmicks rather than the primary feature of its design. When star bits become a way to not only assist but to outright manipulate the world for Mario, that is now a primary move and I think it super clashed with Mario's main feature as a character and game concept.
Super Mario Galaxy could and can really be anything at any given time, but I think if we were to frame its execution on the same pedestal as Super Mario Bros. 3, it would come with a lot of "don't'" alongside the "do's". Unfortunately, reviewing a game like this can only be fulfilling if you include everything around it, but then you're kind of taking away part of what made this game so special. In context, this was an immense statement from Nintendo as to their ambitions with Mario at the time. It went against its own console's logic to bring something to a huge consumer base that may have never playing something like this before, and while you can say a lot for the actual gameplay and progression, Nintendo EAD did not compromise on the fantastical and frankly beautiful nature of the world of Mario, having new environments and things to discover at every possible step was something that the EAD team could've easily backed off of (and seeing how they generally treat Mario as a property up until recently, WERE willing to do), but instead they crafted something that can't really be explained with words.
But then comes the crushing reality that this Mario game has no trust in you or its mechanics. I refuse to go into this because its been done to death, but it cannot be understated how the tutorials this game pushes onto you never end, and are by far some of the most uninteresting moments in the game as a whole. This, for me, is why replaying and remembering Mario Galaxy's beats is so difficult, and when I close my eyes I tend to see the intro letter-boxed title screen announcing the level's name and certain camera sweeps of parts of the level before I remember oh ya there's an insane galaxy where I slide around on giant beanstalks and listen to one of Nintendo's greatest music tracks of all time. Because the work I put in to get to those moments involves being stopped and reminded that this game is built for those who need to learn why Mario is so legendary. My fragmented memories come in and out of view with moment before or after these things happen, which for this game is unfortunately pretty often. If the dialogue was enjoyable I'm sure that would help but God is it just the worst. I love that recently it was explained that the Mario RPG remake is removing Mario's peace sign victory pose because in Japan, holding up the peace sign like that is mainly associated with children's characters, and they want him to be all ages. Meanwhile, Captain Toad will say the dumbest, most inane thing in all of human history that wouldn't look out of place in a Cocomelon video. This is why seriously y'all like the story is solid with Rosalina and I think it's better to have something like this than not, but it really adds almost nothing to the experience outside of having something emotional to remember the game by, which to me is spoiled by the fact that the game is just not an ideal Mario experience and that the writing is really minimal and lackluster. I get that not having something like this in Galaxy 2 is disappointing, but I think it's way more deserving of something like the Rosalina storybook time than this game, as it's way more cohesive and the platforming and variety elements are much more consistently enjoyable and paced well.
Super Mario Galaxy is something that makes me feel very connected to the larger community that plays games, not because of the game itself but mainly because of the culture around the game and what the game represents now as a high point in Nintendo's creative visual output.
To me, this game is ideally played emulated with a higher resolution set, as well as any enhancements within the emulator that can speed up the saving and loading times. Your next best option is the 3D All-Stars Collection which technically isn't for sale anymore so
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Would you get the same experience watching the game?: Absolutely not, but I think you can just play Super Mario Galaxy 2 and then just remember what that feels like and watch 1 if for nothing else the storybook moments Rosalina has. At least then you can fast forward through the tutorial dialogue
And in a way, sure, that's what this was. People still talk about it to this day very fondly, many of the design choices are viewed as exceptional, many still talk about the story that accentuated the game's world, and more than any of that people still come back to this game for the pure spectacle of its never ending creativity. However, there are also the reminders of why this game can never exist in the way it did ever again. The extremely present tutorials, the constant roadblocks in progression, the slower platforming, and to be honest I think many who've played this game will agree with me that the system of shooting something off screen (while novel!) really made the platforming feel like just another commodity in the game's bag of gimmicks rather than the primary feature of its design. When star bits become a way to not only assist but to outright manipulate the world for Mario, that is now a primary move and I think it super clashed with Mario's main feature as a character and game concept.
Super Mario Galaxy could and can really be anything at any given time, but I think if we were to frame its execution on the same pedestal as Super Mario Bros. 3, it would come with a lot of "don't'" alongside the "do's". Unfortunately, reviewing a game like this can only be fulfilling if you include everything around it, but then you're kind of taking away part of what made this game so special. In context, this was an immense statement from Nintendo as to their ambitions with Mario at the time. It went against its own console's logic to bring something to a huge consumer base that may have never playing something like this before, and while you can say a lot for the actual gameplay and progression, Nintendo EAD did not compromise on the fantastical and frankly beautiful nature of the world of Mario, having new environments and things to discover at every possible step was something that the EAD team could've easily backed off of (and seeing how they generally treat Mario as a property up until recently, WERE willing to do), but instead they crafted something that can't really be explained with words.
But then comes the crushing reality that this Mario game has no trust in you or its mechanics. I refuse to go into this because its been done to death, but it cannot be understated how the tutorials this game pushes onto you never end, and are by far some of the most uninteresting moments in the game as a whole. This, for me, is why replaying and remembering Mario Galaxy's beats is so difficult, and when I close my eyes I tend to see the intro letter-boxed title screen announcing the level's name and certain camera sweeps of parts of the level before I remember oh ya there's an insane galaxy where I slide around on giant beanstalks and listen to one of Nintendo's greatest music tracks of all time. Because the work I put in to get to those moments involves being stopped and reminded that this game is built for those who need to learn why Mario is so legendary. My fragmented memories come in and out of view with moment before or after these things happen, which for this game is unfortunately pretty often. If the dialogue was enjoyable I'm sure that would help but God is it just the worst. I love that recently it was explained that the Mario RPG remake is removing Mario's peace sign victory pose because in Japan, holding up the peace sign like that is mainly associated with children's characters, and they want him to be all ages. Meanwhile, Captain Toad will say the dumbest, most inane thing in all of human history that wouldn't look out of place in a Cocomelon video. This is why seriously y'all like the story is solid with Rosalina and I think it's better to have something like this than not, but it really adds almost nothing to the experience outside of having something emotional to remember the game by, which to me is spoiled by the fact that the game is just not an ideal Mario experience and that the writing is really minimal and lackluster. I get that not having something like this in Galaxy 2 is disappointing, but I think it's way more deserving of something like the Rosalina storybook time than this game, as it's way more cohesive and the platforming and variety elements are much more consistently enjoyable and paced well.
Super Mario Galaxy is something that makes me feel very connected to the larger community that plays games, not because of the game itself but mainly because of the culture around the game and what the game represents now as a high point in Nintendo's creative visual output.
To me, this game is ideally played emulated with a higher resolution set, as well as any enhancements within the emulator that can speed up the saving and loading times. Your next best option is the 3D All-Stars Collection which technically isn't for sale anymore so
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Would you get the same experience watching the game?: Absolutely not, but I think you can just play Super Mario Galaxy 2 and then just remember what that feels like and watch 1 if for nothing else the storybook moments Rosalina has. At least then you can fast forward through the tutorial dialogue