Celebrating 23 Years of Ratchet & Clank (2002), an Adventure That Produced One of PlayStation's Greatest Duos

"Thank you, and have a Qwarktastic day."

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I love Ratchet & Clank. It's been one of my favourite games ever since I played the original at Christmas in 2002. Since then, the series has continued to evolve with each new entry, bringing even more creative weaponry, bigger adventures and plenty of the series' staple humour that helped cement Insomniac's heroic duo as one of PlayStation's longstanding Icons.

But this post isn't about all those space-faring adventures; it's about the original tale that started it all, way back in 2002. When Insomniac unleashed a Lombax and his robotic companion on the gaming world, it introduced PlayStation gamers to one of the best shooter/platformers of the generation. Now, in 2025, that very same game celebrated its 23rd birthday last month (November 4th, to be exact). As a huge fan of the series, I wanted to write a little something about what made Ratchet & Clank's first foray into gaming such an excellent comedic Sci-Fi tale.

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Origins of Greatness

Every great story has to start somewhere. For one Lombax and his robotic pal, it was a fateful crash on Veldin that led the unlikely pair to team up and save the galaxy. The duo's origins have since been refined in recent instalments (as well as a so-so animated movie), and their personalities streamlined a bit, with Ratchet becoming softer and Clank remaining pretty much the same. The pair's personalities complemented each other, and it was great to see their relationship flourish as they bounced off each other throughout their heroic adventure. They made a great team, one that could stand alongside the other great PlayStation pairings of the PS2 era, such as Jak & Dexter or Kratos and his rage.

The adventure itself was rather simple and to the point, with Chairman Drek serving as a functional if forgettable villain, doing what he needed to do by keeping the adventure moving forward. The real standout support came from Captain Qwark, a 'heroic' buffon that has easily become one of the most liked characters in the series due to his stupidity and charm.

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Worlds Apart

There were over 15 planets in Ratchet & Clank, each presenting a new challenge. They weren't simple reskins; every planet felt unique, with its own personality and obstacles for Ratchet & Clank to overcome. There are the likes of Aridia, a construction site littered with sand sharks and quick sand, the towering skylines of Metropolis, or Qwark's cadet training planet, Umbris, to name a few. It's tough for any game to include that many locations and make each feel unique, but Insomniac managed it beautifully. Giving gamers plenty to do as they gawped at each new planet while exploring every nook and cranny in search of secrets and bolts.

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What Came First, The Gun or the Chicken?

If there's one thing Ratchet & Clank has become known for, it's its inventive weaponry. Players begin their adventure with typical shooter weaponry, Blasters, a Flamethrower and Rocket Launchers. Not too long into the adventure, Insomniac introduces its more inventive weapon types like the Tesla Coil, Suck Cannon, and of course, the Moprh-o-Ray. A weapon so beloved it's gone on to see new iterations in each new adventure, as players continue to enjoy morphing enemies into chickens, sheep, Snowmen and even topiary bushes.

The arsenal remains one of Ratchet & Clank's greatest strengths, and it's a constant joy to mix up your play style as you dispatch enemies. Whether that's sucking up smaller enemies and hurling them out at the bigger bosses with the Suck Cannon, or just obliterating everything on screen with the excessive power of the R.Y.N.O., there's no end of fun to be had.

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Holding Firm 20+ Years On

There will always be elements of nostalgia when replaying old childhood games, but that doesn't guarantee a replay will live up to the hype of your treasured memories. I'm sure we've all loved a game/film as kids, only to revisit it years later, and be disappointed or left uttering the infamous phrase, 'I'm sure this used to be better.' Yet Ratchet & Clank (2002) doesn't coast on nostalgia; it's an excellent PlayStation 2 adventure, and whilst it does have its odd shortcomings, such as its slightly dated controls or the lack of strafing (It does eventually unlock once you acquire the jetpack, but even then it doesn't feel great). They never prevent the title from remaining an excellent game this many years on.

That all comes down to everything above. There are plenty of games that'll be great at the time, but fail to remain that good years down the line. But you can tell with Insomniac's Ratchet & Clank, they made something special. From its varied locations, fun space-faring adventure and well-realised combat and characters, there was never any doubt that Ratchet & Clank (2002) would remain a game worth replaying/playing this many years on.

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Although 23 isn't the milestone most people celebrate, it's a lucky number to me, and I wanted to write about Ratchet & Clank, so who's going to stop me? But seriously, Insomniac did a truly incredible job when crafting Ratchet & Clank (2002). The series has continued to grow and cement the pair as one of PlayStation's most beloved heroes, but none of that would have happened had their first outing not been the gaming triumph it was.