Where's Clank? The flawed new origin story...

So this is a very weird problem to have. The new Ratchet & Clank game has been out, and I've really enjoyed it. Its not a new best of the franchise, but then again I can't say I was expecting such. Its just really great. If I slapped some meaningless number score on it, I'd probably say 8/10 and "Awesome", and I will get to a review of some form later after I also watch the movie (and tie in a review for it as well). The franchise has come a long way, and I'm very happy to have a good entry on the latest PlayStation console. You can also think back to a lot of the adventures, and just how much these two characters have done. They started off bickering and fighting only to find a common goal in the end and unite on their first story. Then they felt like excited agents going into Going Commando only to have a really big adventure unfold on them that really gave them a lot of drama. Then by the 3rd game, they had their own television show where clank was kind of ironically a star, and was tested against his friend Ratchet when Nefarious tried to take over with robots. Clank helped and operated on the phone line for Ratchet in Deadlocked, giving him vital intel and even an escape plan in the end that set everyone free. Their times were troubled again in Tools of destruction where Clank kept seeing weird things. Despite some dispute, they made up for it, when suddenly Clank was snatched out of the air by those mysterious companions. The next two games Ratchet spent searching for him, where they wound up stumbling upon each of their major origins, and had to make sacrifices as they clashed.

The Duo has stayed strong through many games, often serving at each other's sides in interesting ways, and then.... then you play the remake and ask yourself at the end just what the heck made them friends? Like actual friends? In the original 2002 Game they grew to hate each other, but at least it was a relationship and they patched it up in the end. Here they're just together because... the franchise demands it, and they make smaller comments off each other, but that's really it. This was the perfect chance for an awkward start, for them to learn and goof around with their obvious differences, and for them to each realize their strengths and weaknesses on their first big adventure. Instead they meet, get a sense of their mission, and simply go at it. Ratchet even flat out lies to Clank and Clank never brings it up 3 or so levels later when it should be. Heck if I were to nitpick, Ratchet also has a line that reverses his old "ew, nerd!" stance to more of an enthusiastic "I'm in nerd heaven!" style. Maybe it makes a slight bit more sense given he loves his gadgets and mechanics, but that's less of a contradicting style with his buddy that made them who they were for the last ton of games.



Hello!?

In the end though, this hurts Clank way more than it does Ratchet. Ratchet has a clear start, a clear goal, and does most of the actual work, has his dream happen, and is the player's character for 90% of the game. He's always sort of been in that position as the true main star, and that's fine. However Clank was always given his own time, his own conflicts, and had those interesting moments defining his place in the story. I admittedly have a bit of trouble putting my finger on his Going Commando and Nexus presence, but they weren't such big offenders. An origin story though? Yeah, there's something wrong if you choose to just slap the two together like this for a first time galaxy saving adventure. As a fan its not as obvious because you know their true history, heroics, and character, but once I seized the moment and remembered this was the start... I was kind of disappointed. Clank just doesn't have a strong presence here to call his own. He still has playable portions, still talks like clank, and as a long time fan and gamer I was happy enough that he acts like normal; Its just that when it came to the plot writing itself, he was just tossed into the mix and told to follow Ratchet's adventure to becoming and saving the Galactic Rangers.

On top of that, with the sudden serious surge of deeper plot elements in the later series, none of it is present or even teased here. Clank is still treated exactly like he was at the start where he was just a robot out of a robot factory. Nothing more to it, except at least this time he gets a short level bit there. How he was made as the guardian of the great clock and wound up there is still entirely a mystery. No supernatural robots, no mention that Ratchet is the last of his race, and heck Dr.Nefarious basically died alone as the way it was left off (no robot tease or buttler). For an origin story, it not only missed the point of building a better friendship between the two at their start, but it also just missed any purpose in adding anything after all the hard work they had done to the framework of the story. The major plot changes basically boil down to Dr.Nefarious being added, The Galactic Rangers rather than just Quark, and... well, obvious visual improvements. Of all things, ironically the protopets only old fans know are teased rather than something like the Zonni that would actually add to the origin plot. Its just a really weird oversight. Maybe the movie holds the answers, but that shouldn't be the case for a game that has more room, scope, and is the true medium and heart for the franchise. It should all be here within the game, and the story that it tells. I guess I'm just shocked that they had this big opportunity, and just didn't do much with it. Of course, none of this stops the fact that the game is still a lot of fun, a great value, and that I'm very excited to jump onto challenge mode and play it while anticipating the movie.