It's time to play the first game in a long-running series which, unlike some series that started on the PlayStation 2, is still running strong today. This one is a blast (pun not intended) to play, and I'm glad that I dived into this one.
The game starts on Planet Veldin. A cat-like creature named Ratchet is working on a ship in Kyzil Plateau, and needs a robot ignition system to get it started. Upon the disappointment of not having one, Ratchet looks up at the sky above, hoping to get off the planet.
Meanwhile, in a factory on a nearby planet, robots are being manufactured. A defect is found, and a much smaller robot is shot out of the conveyor belt. When this robot finds a nearby Infobot and sees what is on it, the robot is shocked and makes an escape for another planet. Two other ships chase after the robot and successfully shoot them down, leading to a crash landing on Veldin. Ratchet decides to check it out.
From here, you have control of Ratchet. Use the left analog stick or D-Pad to move around. X lets you jump and double jump. Square lets you attack with your wrench for close-range combat, while Circle lets you switch to and use a gun. Right now, you only have the Bomb Glove, which will throw an explosive bomb near you where the white target reticle on the ground is. You'll get more guns on the way, however.
There are Bolts that you can pick up out in the open. Bolts act as the currency for this game. By destroying crates and enemies, you will get Bolts, and you will need them to buy guns and ammunition as well as other items off of other people. Be sure to check the garage near the start for Bolts. You'll need them.
If you hold R1 or R2, you can crouch. While crouching, you can press Square to throw the wrench like a boomerang and hit things from a short distance. If you touch an item with the boomerang attack, it will go to you.
The hopping frogs will move towards you to bite you, but they can be taken down with the wrench. The green robots that you see will try to shock you, but they can only fire continuously in one direction and their tasers won't be able to go very far before hitting the ground. You can hit them with the Bomb Glove, but you can also get in front of them and hit them by jumping and then pressing Square in mid-air to smash your wrench downwards at them. Unlike other strikes with the wrench, the mid-air strike does deals the equivalent of two hits with the wrench as opposed to one.
The glass boxes with the blue ball of energy contain Nanotech. You can take up to four hits before dying and being forced back to either the start or a checkpoint. If you are at less than full health, you'll be able to take it; otherwise, you won't.
When you encounter three of the green robots with the tasers, you'll learn how to use the Bomb Glove. Press Circle to equip it, then press Circle again to fire. You can also hold L1 to go into first person mode. While holding L1, you can look around and aim with the left stick or D-Pad and press Circle to fire your current gun. You can use this to aim a little better. Also, jumping before shooting a bomb with the Bomb Glove lets you throw a bomb a little farther.
The boxes with the G in them are full ammo. If you need ammo for one of your guns, you can easily break it and get the ammunition inside. If it becomes transparent when you get near it.
When you reach the crash landing site, Ratchet will find the robot, bringing the robot out of harm's way. As Ratchet fixes his ship, the robot re-activates and comes to live, nearly scaring Ratchet out of his wits before explaining that intergalactically famous superhero Captain Qwark must be found due to a plot by someone known as Supreme Executive Chairman Drek. The robot shows the content of the Infobot, which shows a message from Drek. He wants to take parts of planets in order to create one of his own for his own people, the Blarg, as their planet has become so polluted and over-populated that it has become uninhabitable. Unfortunately, the changes is mass caused by taking parts of these planets will wreck these planets and send them out of their orbits, moving freely about the galaxy until they run into a nearby sun (or something). One of these planets is Novalis, which is seen in the beginning of the Infobot message.
Ratchet mentions that he could help, but unfortunately, he needs a robot ignition system to get his ship started, but luckily, the robot has a built-in ignition system that allows any ship to be started. Soon after this, two more ships looking for the robot show up. Ratchet immediately decides to get the robot to wherever Captain Qwark might be in exchange for the robot being the ignition system for his ship.
Meanwhile, outside of Veldin, Drek sends someone to take care of Ratchet and the robot. On the way off the planet, Ratchet sees the planet he has been on for a long time. Ratchet introduces himself, then calls the robot "Clank" for short. As they head to Novalis, Drek meets with the mayor of one of the city, which is in the part of the planet Drek wants to take. The mayor wants none of this, and says that Captain Qwark could dispose of Drek without blinking an eye. Drek has one of his guards take the mayor away.
Meanwhile, in Planet Novalis, Ratchet and Clank's ship crash-lands, leaving them shipless and in need of another ship from the people on the planet.
From here, you'll learn about the save icon, which is a memory card graphic with a revolving arrow. When the icon is on-screen, wait for it to disappear before removing the memory card or turning the game off. From here, we have work to do.
Controls
Control Pad/Left Analog Stick: move
Right analog stick: move camera
X: Jump and double jump
Square: strike with wrench
Circle: pull out/shoot currently equipped gun
Triangle: quick select (hold and use in conjunction with Control Pad or left stick to switch guns; menu can be customized in Quick Select on the pause menu
Start: Pause menu
- Control Pad: select option
- X: confirm option choice
L1: first-person view (hold button and use left stick or D-Pad to look around; let go of L1 to move camera back behind Ratchet)
- Square: wrench boomerang
- Circle: fire gun
L3: see health and Bolt totals
R1/R2: crouch (hold down)
- Square: wrench boomerang
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