Insomniac Games had Spyro the Dragon as their identity. Three games in, the series had established them as the definitive PS1 platformer studio and a reliable source of enormous fun. Then they made Ratchet & Clank on PS2 in 2002, and the Spyro years became context rather than peak.
The jump to PlayStation 2 gave Insomniac room to build something more ambitious: a galaxy-spanning adventure with a proper weapon upgrade system, dialogue sharp enough to function as actual comedy, and a visual ambition that used the PS2’s power more effectively than most early-generation titles. Ratchet the Lombax and his robot companion Clank became one of gaming’s better double acts, and the franchise they launched ran for over a decade of consistent quality.
Galaxy-Sized Ambition
The planetary structure, visiting multiple worlds across a solar system with distinct environments and enemy populations, gave each area a character that Spyro’s levels gestured towards but did not fully achieve. The factory planet Quartu, the resort world Pokitaru, the urban sprawl of Metropolis: each had architecture and art direction specific to its function in the game’s world.
The weapon variety was the series’ signature from the start. The Devastator, the Blaster, the Bomb Glove, and the R.Y.N.O: each weapon occupied a different range and use case, and the game rewarded experimentation by making most of them genuinely useful rather than clearly optimal. The decision to make ammunition finite ensured you could not become dependent on a single weapon, and the bolt economy (the game’s currency, found everywhere) made purchasing new weapons and upgrades a consistent incentive.
The Writing
The script for the original Ratchet & Clank, written in an era when game dialogue was frequently wooden, is genuinely funny. Captain Qwark’s pompous villainy, Ratchet’s irreverence, and Clank’s formal precision produce comedic exchanges that have not aged. The humour is visual as much as verbal: the cutscene direction uses timing correctly, which is rarer than it should be.
The sequel, Going Commando, is widely considered a refinement on every element: deeper weapon progression, better level design, stronger story. The original established the formula and the sequels perfected it, which is the ideal franchise trajectory.
How It Holds Up
The 2016 PS4 reimagining (a retelling of the original game tied to the animated film) is visually stunning but tonally different enough to function as a separate entity. The original PS2 game is available through PlayStation 2 Classics on older PlayStation hardware.
For newcomers, the PS4 reimagining is an accessible entry. For the authentic experience of what the franchise was in 2002, the original on PS2 or via backwards compatibility is the version with the proper character: rougher edges and all.
Insomniac went on to make Marvel’s Spider-Man. The company that made Spyro and Ratchet & Clank becoming one of the most commercially successful studios in the industry is not a surprise if you played those early games with attention.
