Ratchet & Clank is a series of action-adventure video games that include platform and third-person shooter gameplay. The games were created and developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. They were originally released as a key game for Sony's PlayStation 2 console. High Impact Games made two versions for the PlayStation Portable, and other studios worked on updated versions and different platform versions of the games. The series was only available on PlayStation consoles until 2023, when a version for Windows computers was released. In 2016, an animated movie based on the series was released along with a new version of the original game for the PlayStation 4. Five years later, the most recent game, Rift Apart, was released for the PlayStation 5.
The games are set in a science fiction world and follow the adventures of Ratchet and Clank. Ratchet is a mechanic from the Lombax race, and Clank is a small, intelligent robot. Together, they travel across the universe to stop dangerous enemies. The series is known for featuring many unusual, special, and creative weapons and tools. This idea has also been used in other games made by Insomniac Games.
History
After creating Spyro: Year of the Dragon, the third game in the Spyro series, Insomniac Games wanted to develop a new original idea because the Spyro series belonged to Universal Interactive Studios. With the PlayStation 2 announced in 2000, Insomniac began testing ideas for games on this new console. One idea, called Monster Knight, was never developed further. Another idea, Girl with a Stick, aimed to mix elements from The Legend of Zelda and Tomb Raider but was canceled after six months of work. Insomniac’s CEO, Ted Price, said the team was not excited about the project.
In 2001, struggling with new ideas, Chief Creative Officer Brian Hastings suggested a character who travels between planets to collect weapons and gadgets. This idea was inspired by characters from Calvin and Hobbes and The Simpsons. The team liked this concept because it allowed them to create new worlds and characters. Artists first designed the character as a reptile but later changed it to a new species called “Lombax,” a name suggested by Ted Price. The character was named Ratchet, and he was given a robotic companion named Clank. Originally, Clank was meant to be a simple character like C-3PO from Star Wars, but the team later decided Ratchet and Clank should work together like partners in a buddy cop movie, making Clank an equal to Ratchet.
The first Ratchet & Clank game, released in 2002, was successful. For the second game, the team changed Ratchet’s character to make him more relatable after players found him too rude in the first game. They hired James Arnold Taylor to voice Ratchet. The team also focused more on creating fun weapons to improve the game’s combat. The sequel, Going Commando, and the next game, Up Your Arsenal, were well-received and considered commercial successes. Brian Allgeier said the games succeeded because the team kept updating the series to match trends in video games, where games centered around a single character had become less popular. The team adopted an “adapt or die” approach for the fourth game, Ratchet: Deadlocked (2005), making it darker and more focused on combat, similar to popular games like Halo and Grand Theft Auto. However, this change was not well-received by players, as it moved away from the buddy cop style and reduced the game’s humor and exploration. Balancing the series’ original style with the need to change remained a challenge for Insomniac.
In 2006, Insomniac helped create Resistance: Fall of Man, a launch title for the PlayStation 3. This game allowed the team to learn how to use the new console’s technology. After completing this project, Insomniac planned the fifth Ratchet & Clank game, aiming to make it feel like an animated movie. At this time, writer TJ Fixman joined the team to improve the series’ story and characters. This effort led to the Future trilogy, starting with Tools of Destruction (2007), which returned to the series’ original style and was praised by players. However, the game ended with a cliffhanger, and the team had to remove a planned co-operative mode. To address these issues, Insomniac quickly developed Quest for Booty (2008), a shorter game that tested new gameplay ideas like conversation trees. This game helped the team decide the direction for the next game, A Crack in Time (2009), which was intended to be the final game in the series and included all the elements players enjoyed.
A Crack in Time was successful, but Sony pressured Insomniac to continue the series. By this time, the developers felt tired of working on the series. Knowing that mobile games were drawing players away from family-friendly titles, Insomniac tried new ideas for future games. All 4 One (2011) was a co-operative shooter that removed some platforming elements. Full Frontal Assault (2012) added tower defense gameplay. Finally, Into the Nexus (2013) returned to the series’ core ideas but was shorter in length. Sony and Insomniac agreed to pause the series at this point.
In 2016, Sony planned a film based on the first Ratchet & Clank game. The movie’s story differed from the game, so Insomniac created a remake of the first game to match the film’s changes.
Two spin-off games, Size Matters (2007) and Secret Agent Clank (2008), were developed by High Impact Games for the PlayStation Portable.
The next game, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (2021), was announced at the 2020 PlayStation 5 Future of Gaming event on June 11, 2020. Initially exclusive to PlayStation 5, it was later released on Windows on July 26, 2023.
Games
Ratchet & Clank was released on November 4, 2002, in North America for the PlayStation 2. In the game, Chairman Drek plans to take parts from other planets across the Solana Galaxy to build a new planet for his people, the Blarg, whose planet has become polluted and overcrowded, making it impossible to live on. In addition to the two main characters, the game introduces Captain Qwark, who appears in later games as both an enemy and a helper.
The game added features such as the ability to buy items, weapons, and unlock gadgets as the story progresses, which became a common part of the series. The first game in the series does not include a system where players earn experience points by defeating enemies. Instead, players can buy stronger, gold-colored versions of certain weapons using a mix of hidden Gold Bolt items and regular bolts after finding a secret area in the game.
Going Commando (also known as Locked and Loaded in Europe and Australia and Ratchet & Clank 2 in Japan) was released on November 11, 2003, in North America for the PlayStation 2.
Mr. Abercrombie Fizzwidget, CEO of the Megacorp company in the Bogon Galaxy, hires Ratchet after the events of the first game, giving him commando training to retrieve the "Experiment," an artificial creature stolen by an unknown masked thief. Clank is given a job as an accountant for Megacorp.
The game takes place in the Bogon Galaxy, a different setting from the first game. In Going Commando, Ratchet can compete in hoverbike races and fight in spaceship battles. This game introduces a leveling system for weapons, which appears in all later games. Using a weapon frequently and gaining enough experience causes it to become more powerful with improved abilities. Other changes include Ratchet’s health upgrade system based on experience and the ability to move sideways for better accuracy during combat.
Up Your Arsenal (also known as Ratchet & Clank 3 in Europe and Japan and Ratchet & Clank 3: Up Your Arsenal in Australia) was released on November 3, 2004, in North America for the PlayStation 2. The story follows an invasion of the Solana Galaxy by a race of humanoid beings called the Tyhrranoids, led by Dr. Nefarious, a robotic villain determined to destroy all living life in the galaxy. The game returns with Ratchet and Clank, along with new allies such as Sasha Phyronix, captain of the Starship Phoenix, which serves as a central area for players. Captain Qwark returns and can be played as a character in "Vid Comics" throughout the main story.
The third game keeps the experience and upgrade system from the previous game, allowing weapons to become more powerful with repeated use. Combat and platforming mechanics remain similar, and the weapon purchase system stays the same, with bolts continuing as the main currency. The game keeps the series’ signature weapons dealer, "Gadgetron." It also introduces a multiplayer mode, supporting 4-player split-screen play and online play for up to 8 players, with match types like Deathmatch or Capture the Flag.
Space battles and race mini-games from earlier games are not included in Up Your Arsenal, nor are grindboots or grindrails.
Ratchet: Deadlocked (also known as Ratchet: Gladiator in Europe, Australia, and Africa and Ratchet & Clank 4 in Japan) was released on October 25, 2005, in North America for the PlayStation 2. Deadlocked differs from previous games by focusing more on combat and reducing platforming and puzzle elements. In Deadlocked, Ratchet, Clank, and Al are captured by media mogul Gleeman Vox and sent to the Shadow Sector, a lawless region of the Solana Galaxy. Ratchet must fight in an underground bloodsport called DreadZone to survive.
For the first time in the series, Clank does not accompany Ratchet for the entire single-player campaign, and he is not given any playable sequences. Multiplayer is still included, but a two-player co-op option is added for the single-player campaign, though it does not affect the story.
Although Deadlocked was not included in the retail high-definition collection of the original trilogy for PlayStation 3, a high-definition version of the game was released as a downloadable title on the PlayStation Network on May 21, 2013, in North America, and on September 5, 2013, in Europe.
Tools of Destruction (known as Ratchet & Clank: Tools of Destruction in Europe and Australia and Ratchet & Clank Future in Japan) was developed by Insomniac Games and released on October 23, 2007, for the PlayStation 3. This was the first Ratchet and Clank game for the PlayStation 3 and the first in the Future trilogy. In this game, Emperor Tachyon, a self-proclaimed crown prince of the Cragmites, claims that Ratchet is the last Lombax in the universe and pursues him. Ratchet and Clank escape to the Polaris Galaxy, where they meet Talwyn Apogee, a Markazian, and two old war bots named Cronk and Zephyr, who help them uncover the Lombax secret and Tachyon’s goal. Clank also meets the Zoni, a mysterious race that helps him at various points in the game but abducts him during the ending.
Tools of Destruction’s weapon upgrade system requires Raritanium, a rare resource mentioned in previous games, to exchange for certain upgrades. Weapons also automatically upgrade with continued use.
Quest for Booty is a short game developed by Insomniac Games and digitally released on August 21, 2008, on the PlayStation Network Store. It was later released physically in Europe and Asia but not in North America. It is also known as Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty in most PAL regions and as Ratchet & Clank Future Gaiden: Kaizoku Dark Water no Hihou in Japan.
Set after Tools of Destruction, the game follows Ratchet and Talwyn’s search for Clank. After encountering pirates from Tools of Destruction, they activate a device called the Obsidian Eye to communicate with the Zoni. However, the device requires a reusable black hole
Setting
Ratchet & Clank takes place in a fictional universe that includes travel between planets in many different galaxies. These planets are home to a variety of living and robotic species. The environments range from highly advanced cities to untouched natural worlds. The Future series added time travel and travel between different dimensions in some parts of the game.
The Lombax is a fictional species from the series. Lombaxes come from the planet Fastoon and look like two-legged, cat-like creatures with a tail similar to a lion’s. Unlike most other living species in the game’s universe, which have two fingers and a thumb on each hand, Lombaxes have the same hand structure as humans (four fingers and a thumb on each hand). This species naturally enjoys working with gadgets and machines. The only Lombaxes shown in the series are Ratchet, Angela Cross, Alister Azimuth, and Rivet. Ratchet’s father is mentioned by Azimuth but never appears in the games. A news broadcast in A Crack in Time states that Angela Cross is a Lombax who has been missing for three years and does not have a tail, as female Lombaxes lack one. However, in the game Rift Apart, the character Rivet has a tail that looks more like a fox’s or raccoon’s tail than a lion’s. After A Crack in Time, Ratchet becomes the last known Lombax in his dimension because Azimuth dies and Angela is missing. Her current location is unknown.
Major characters
The main characters in the series are Ratchet, a Lombax mechanic from the planet Veldin, and his robotic best friend Clank, who was built in a robot factory on Quartu. In Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time, it is revealed that Clank has a Zoni father named Orvus, who created Clank intentionally. Players usually control Ratchet during most parts of the games (except Secret Agent Clank), though some missions require direct control of Clank. Otherwise, Clank sits on Ratchet’s back (like a backpack) and helps with abilities such as jumping, hovering, and diving through upgrades. These upgrades are earned in the first game and remain available in later ones. Throughout the series, Ratchet and Clank often meet Captain Qwark, a self-important, green-costumed superhero who sometimes helps or causes problems for the duo. Dr. Nefarious, the main robot villain, often appears to try to take over the universe. Other villains include Chairman Alonzo Drek (owner of Clank’s robot factory), Emperor Percival Tachyon, Gleeman Vox, Captain Romulus Slag, Lord Flint Vorselon, Vendra & Neftin Prog, and the Thugs-4-Less (or Goons-4-Less) group. "The Plumber," a minor recurring character, has appeared in most games in some form.
Captain Copernicus Leslie Qwark (voiced by Jim Ward from 2002–2021 and Scott Whyte since 2021) is the self-proclaimed superhero of the Solana Galaxy. In reality, he is a cowardly, egotistical person whose actions often create more problems for Ratchet and Clank. Before becoming an ally in Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal and later games, Qwark was the secondary antagonist in the original Ratchet & Clank and the main villain in its sequel, Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando.
The Plumber (voiced by Neil Flynn in the first three games and Jess Harnell in later games) is a regular character in the series. He is often seen sticking his rear end out of whatever he is working on and can be surprisingly helpful. In Ratchet & Clank and Going Commando, he appears as an NPC on separate occasions. Later in Going Commando, he sells Ratchet an item in exchange for another. In Up Your Arsenal, he asks Ratchet to find Sewer Crystals, which he trades for bolts.
The Plumber does not appear in Ratchet: Deadlocked, though the credits mention he was called away for a "sump pump emergency" in the Rygylian Nebula. He appears briefly as a memory in a dream-like level in Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters and helps fix showers in Secret Agent Clank.
In Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, the Plumber has a new design, including glasses, and gives Ratchet a spare part for the Dimensionator that helps during the game’s climax. He later appears in A Crack in Time in Clank’s memory banks. When Clank arrives, the Plumber says he "must’ve taken a wrong turn" and thought it was Qwark’s mind because of its emptiness. He advises Clank not to spend more than six minutes in Qwark’s mind, which helps Clank save Ratchet by reversing time.
The Plumber appears in All 4 One to fix a transport that allows Ratchet and his allies to reach Uzo City. When Ratchet asks for advice to stop Nevo, the Plumber admits he has none. In Full Frontal Assault, Stuart Zurgo impersonates him to damage the Starship Phoenix II. The real Plumber later contacts Ratchet, Clank, and Qwark for help after being stranded on a planet. After Ratchet repairs his vehicle, the Plumber is confused when he sees Ratchet on the starship. Later, Ratchet and the others realize they were tricked by Stuart.
In Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus, the Plumber is the creator of the RYNO VII, a version of the RYNO super weapon. He splits the blueprints to prevent misuse. Players can collect the pieces and have the Plumber build the weapon for them.
In the 2016 Ratchet & Clank, the Plumber appears in the Novalis sewers. His final words to Ratchet and Clank are, "See you in the next reboot." He also appears in the credits of the Ratchet & Clank film.
In the comics, the Plumber appears in Issue 6: Bros Before Foes. He saves Ratchet, Talwyn Apogee, and Vorn Garblak from drowning in an aqueduct by unlocking a door and warning them not to swim there.
In Rift Apart, Gary, the Plumber’s son, briefly mentions him while talking to Clank in a Dimensional Anomaly.
Big Al (voiced by Chris Hatfield) is a recurring character who first appears in the original Ratchet & Clank. He is a computer geek from Kerwan who loves electronics and Captain Qwark. Ratchet often struggles to understand Al’s technical jargon and relies on Clank to translate. He owns "Big Al’s Robo Shack" and provides Clank with a Heli-Pack. His siblings, Bob and Edwina, also run similar shops that offer upgrades for Clank.
In Up Your Arsenal, Big Al joins Captain Qwark’s "Q-Force" for his electronics skills, though he plays a small role in the story. In Ratchet: Deadlocked, he is captured and forced to work for Ratchet’s DreadZone support crew. He is shot by Ace Hardlight as a warning to Ratchet but later returns with cybernetic parts to help escape. He has not appeared in the main series since but is occasionally mentioned in Tools of Destruction and appears in a radio ad in A Crack in Time. In the comics, he helps return Veldin to its normal orbit after Artemis Zogg moves it.
In the 2016 Ratchet & Clank, Big Al serves the same role as in the original game and later appears on Pokitaru, helping Ratchet and Clank by upgrading their ship.
Angela Cross (voiced by Kath Soucie) is a Lombax who appears in Going Commando. She shares Ratchet’s interest in gadgets but is clumsy and forgetful. She worked for Megacorp on a secret project to create an artificial "Protopet" but quit when her boss pushed for an early release. The creature had flaws, including a large appetite and aggressive behavior. Angela stole the prototype to stop it, and when Megacorp hired Ratchet to retrieve it, she used Clank as bait and hired Thugs-4-Less to protect her. Both plans failed, and Thugs-4-Less was bought out by a third party.
Gameplay
The Ratchet & Clank games combine jumping, climbing, fighting, and role-playing elements. Players view the action from behind the character, using special tools and weapons that Ratchet collects during each game. At the start of each game, Ratchet has a tool called the Omniwrench for close combat. New weapons become available by completing missions or buying them from vendors. Most weapons have limited ammo, so players must use them wisely to avoid running out. Ammo can be refilled by visiting vendors or breaking boxes found in levels. In later games, weapons can be improved by using them repeatedly or purchasing upgrades. Weapons range from common types like machine guns and sniper rifles to unique tools like transformation guns and decoy launchers. Each game includes both new weapons and some from earlier games. For example, in Going Commando (2003) and Up Your Arsenal (2004), players can buy weapons from previous games or use their save files to get them for free or at a discount.
In addition to weapons, Ratchet uses gadgets with different purposes. Some gadgets help Ratchet move through levels, such as "Grind Boots" for sliding along rails or a "Swingshot" (a portable grappling hook) for swinging across gaps. Other gadgets help in battles by distracting enemies, or they are needed to unlock doors by solving puzzles.
Each game is divided into missions set on different planets across the galaxy. Some missions must be completed in a specific order to advance the story, while others are optional but offer rewards. After finishing a mission on a planet, players can return to previous planets to retry missions they previously failed. Missions may also include mini-games like races or combat challenges. Some of these mini-games are required for the story, while others are optional and reward players with "bolts," the game's currency. Some missions focus on Clank, who controls small robots called Gadgebots to explore areas Ratchet cannot reach. After 2007, Clank's sections in mainline games often use more creative gameplay styles.
Players can also find special gold bolts hidden in levels to upgrade or buy powerful weapons. Skill Points are earned by completing specific tasks and can be used to unlock extra content, such as artwork or new outfits for Ratchet. Most games (except Quest for Booty, All 4 One, and Full Frontal Assault) include a "Challenge Mode" after finishing the main story. In this mode, players replay the game with harder enemies for greater rewards, like more bolts or stronger weapon upgrades.
Reception
Games in the Ratchet & Clank series have received mixed to very positive reviews. Scores from review websites range from 54/100 to 91/100 on Metacritic and from 57% to 92% on GameRankings. The first three games—Ratchet & Clank, Going Commando, and Up Your Arsenal—have been highly praised by critics. All main games in the series (Ratchet & Clank to Deadlocked, the Future series, the PS4 game, and Rift Apart) have scores of at least 76/100 on Metacritic. The 2016 game, Ratchet & Clank, sold the most copies quickly compared to other games in the franchise.
Other media
A manga titled Ratchet & Clank: Bang Bang Bang! Critical Danger of the Galaxy Legend was published in parts beginning in February 2004 in the bi-monthly edition of the Japanese magazine CoroCoro Comic. The manga was created by Shinbo Nomura and completed in the February 2008 edition of the magazine.
A theatrical animated film adaptation of Ratchet & Clank was announced in April 2013. It was originally planned to release in 2015 but was delayed until 2016. The film was released on April 29, 2016. It was developed by Blockade Entertainment Studios and Rainmaker Entertainment, the same company that made the first fully computer-animated television series, ReBoot. The film was distributed by Focus Features and Gramercy Pictures, with support from Sony Interactive Entertainment and Insomniac Games. The film uses 3D computer animation and incorporates in-game models during the early planning stages. T.J. Fixman, a writer from Insomniac Games, wrote the script. James Arnold Taylor, David Kaye, Jim Ward, and Armin Shimerman returned as voice actors for Ratchet, Clank, Qwark, and Nefarious, respectively. Other actors in the film included Paul Giamatti, John Goodman, Bella Thorne, Rosario Dawson, and Sylvester Stallone. The film tells the story of how Ratchet and Clank first met and their battle against Chairman Drek.
A short film titled Ratchet & Clank: Life of Pie was released exclusively on Crave TV in Canada. It was produced by Mainframe Studios, which was previously known as Rainmaker Entertainment when they made the 2016 film. This film marked the final time Jim Ward voiced Captain Qwark before his retirement in 2021 and his death in 2025.
Official strategy guide books, published by Prima Games or Brady Games, have been released for most games in the Ratchet & Clank series. A comic book series with six issues was written by T.J. Fixman and illustrated by Adam Archer. It was released by Wildstorm from September 2010 to February 2011. The entire series was later compiled into one book in July 2011. Other merchandise includes action figures, statues, plush toys, and clothing sold through various vendors, conventions, promotions, or employee-only events.
Since the series began, extra content, Easter eggs, and references to Ratchet & Clank have appeared in other Sony Computer Entertainment-licensed games, such as Jak and Daxter, Sly Cooper, LittleBigPlanet, and Resistance. The characters Ratchet and Clank have been playable in Sony games like PlayStation Home, PlayStation Move Heroes, and PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale. They have also appeared in non-Sony games, such as Fall Guys and Among Us. In Borderlands 3, some weapons, like the rocket launcher named R.Y.N.A.H., reference the iconic R.Y.N.O. weapons from Ratchet & Clank.