This is one of the best adventure/platformer game in the ps2, but I would be lying about it saying it's the best, when the late half of it have some big glaring issues. But I can say this. It does have it's heart in the right place.
Story
It's a simple, I want to see outside world! And help my alien robot partner in his quest to take down this money hungry garbage corporation! Kinda story.
It's cliche yes, but fun dialogue that is about forced friendship to slowly loving friendship writing makes it enjoyable to experience in my opinion, especially compared to the botched marvel like dialogues of it's "reboot" that I couldn't bring myself to finish to this day.
But unfortunately writing is not perfect. There is one section that where Clank makes a big mistake because of someone unknowingly and Ratchet doesn't forgive him for a bit toooo long time and that section really bothered me unfortunately. I know every cliche story have a no hope section at the middle but I felt like they kinda take it too far with taking too long to resolve that issue.
But other than that section I enjoyed the rest of it with how both of them starts as a constantly arguing couple because their preferences are completely opposite to each other, then slowly becomes best friends ever with settling their differences. A straight buddy buddy story this is after all.
Gameplay
Gameplay wise beginning wasn't that engaging, you have the basic guns, a melee wrench and jumping abilities. Also using guns felt weird to me because Ratchet uses guns like fire flower from Mario.
What I mean is there is no aim reticle so when you press the shoot weapon, he shoots where he looks and that's for the every weapon other than weapons that have scopes
But I used to that after couple of sections because it's really not that important to be accurate after all. Enemies are mostly basic running to your face kinda enemies so you are rarely required to be accurate and spamming guns like fire flower for Mario is enough to destroy enemies
But after that I realized actually gameplay is really enjoyable because of it's variety! There are so many worlds and every world has it's own buyable or obtainable exclusive weapons, enemies and gadgets to find!
Not just that, there is a slight metroidvania feeling injected onto it. What I mean is, you can go other planets as long as you have to coordiantes and if you found the neccessary gadget for exploration of that world before, you can explore that world early! It's not common in every part of it but still It made me suprised!
Actually the most engaging part for me was realizing every worlds have shorcuts that takes you back to the entrance of it something like dark souls! Unfortunately sometimes it cheats with putting teleporters or convoluted elevators but still, rest was enough for me to make me realize this game's level design is really perfectly handmade from start to finish and that's what I liked about it.
Unfortunately it's not all perfect tho, like I said I have some big issues for the late half of the game.
Late level equipment and gadget prices are off the chards and forcing you to grind money for progressing for them sucks.
Platforming fun and all but movement speed feels a bit tad slow for my liking.
Sections that you need to use Clank to command robots are also really damn slow
Ice levels are not fun platforming levels in this game.
Near the end enemies become bullet spongy in a bad way
Yeah that's about it. I enjoyed this game but some problems of this game unfortunately holds this game back in my opinion. Some of the problems I counted really at times soured me from continuing because of it messes up the pacing. But still in my opinion it's still worth trying this game because highs are really high especially for the first half.
Story
It's a simple, I want to see outside world! And help my alien robot partner in his quest to take down this money hungry garbage corporation! Kinda story.
It's cliche yes, but fun dialogue that is about forced friendship to slowly loving friendship writing makes it enjoyable to experience in my opinion, especially compared to the botched marvel like dialogues of it's "reboot" that I couldn't bring myself to finish to this day.
But unfortunately writing is not perfect. There is one section that where Clank makes a big mistake because of someone unknowingly and Ratchet doesn't forgive him for a bit toooo long time and that section really bothered me unfortunately. I know every cliche story have a no hope section at the middle but I felt like they kinda take it too far with taking too long to resolve that issue.
But other than that section I enjoyed the rest of it with how both of them starts as a constantly arguing couple because their preferences are completely opposite to each other, then slowly becomes best friends ever with settling their differences. A straight buddy buddy story this is after all.
Gameplay
Gameplay wise beginning wasn't that engaging, you have the basic guns, a melee wrench and jumping abilities. Also using guns felt weird to me because Ratchet uses guns like fire flower from Mario.
What I mean is there is no aim reticle so when you press the shoot weapon, he shoots where he looks and that's for the every weapon other than weapons that have scopes
But I used to that after couple of sections because it's really not that important to be accurate after all. Enemies are mostly basic running to your face kinda enemies so you are rarely required to be accurate and spamming guns like fire flower for Mario is enough to destroy enemies
But after that I realized actually gameplay is really enjoyable because of it's variety! There are so many worlds and every world has it's own buyable or obtainable exclusive weapons, enemies and gadgets to find!
Not just that, there is a slight metroidvania feeling injected onto it. What I mean is, you can go other planets as long as you have to coordiantes and if you found the neccessary gadget for exploration of that world before, you can explore that world early! It's not common in every part of it but still It made me suprised!
Actually the most engaging part for me was realizing every worlds have shorcuts that takes you back to the entrance of it something like dark souls! Unfortunately sometimes it cheats with putting teleporters or convoluted elevators but still, rest was enough for me to make me realize this game's level design is really perfectly handmade from start to finish and that's what I liked about it.
Unfortunately it's not all perfect tho, like I said I have some big issues for the late half of the game.
Late level equipment and gadget prices are off the chards and forcing you to grind money for progressing for them sucks.
Platforming fun and all but movement speed feels a bit tad slow for my liking.
Sections that you need to use Clank to command robots are also really damn slow
Ice levels are not fun platforming levels in this game.
Near the end enemies become bullet spongy in a bad way
Yeah that's about it. I enjoyed this game but some problems of this game unfortunately holds this game back in my opinion. Some of the problems I counted really at times soured me from continuing because of it messes up the pacing. But still in my opinion it's still worth trying this game because highs are really high especially for the first half.