Why the 2002 Ratchet and Clank Still Feels Better Than the Remake

Video games weren't supposed to look like Pixar movies in 2002. Not really. But when Insomniac Games dropped the original 2002 Ratchet and Clank on the PlayStation 2, it felt like a technical heist. They were doing things with the hardware that seemed impossible—massive draw distances, hundreds of bolts flying toward the screen, and a cynical, gritty universe that didn't care if you liked it or not.

It was weird.

Ratchet wasn't a hero. Honestly, he was kind of a jerk. He was a grease monkey who just wanted to get off a desert rock, and Clank was a "defective" sentry bot with a posh accent. They didn't even like each other for half the game. That friction is exactly why the 2002 Ratchet and Clank remains a masterpiece of character writing, even if the controls feel a bit stiff by modern standards.

The Anti-Hero Energy of the Original 2002 Ratchet and Clank

Most people who started with the 2016 PS4 "re-imagining" are usually shocked when they go back to the PS2 source material. In the modern versions, Ratchet is a wide-eyed fanboy who wants to save the galaxy. In the 2002 Ratchet and Clank, he’s an opportunist.

The story kicks off on Veldin. Ratchet builds a ship, realizes he’s missing a robotic ignition system, and then Clank literally crashes into his life. Their relationship isn't built on friendship; it's a contract. Ratchet helps Clank find Captain Qwark, and Clank starts the ship. That's it. When they eventually realize Qwark is a sellout working for Chairman Drek, Ratchet doesn't have a moral epiphany. He gets pissed off because he was lied to.

He spends a significant portion of the middle-game being incredibly petty. It’s brilliant.

This creates a genuine arc. You actually see them grow to trust each other over the course of twenty planets. It’s a slow burn. By the time they reach Veldin again for the final showdown, that bond feels earned. It wasn't handed to them in a cutscene five minutes in. It was forged through shared trauma and a mutual hatred for corporate greed.

The Satire was Sharp (And Kinda Mean)

Let's talk about Chairman Drek. He isn't some misunderstood villain with a complex backstory. He’s a corporate executive. His entire plan is to strip-mine planets, kill their inhabitants, and use the pieces to build a "perfect" new world because his own planet became too polluted.

It’s an environmentalist’s nightmare wrapped in a Saturday morning cartoon.

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The 2002 game leaned hard into the "everything is for sale" vibe. Want a gadget to progress? Pay up. Want information from a shady guy in an alley? Hand over those bolts. The game constantly reminds you that the galaxy is a transactional, cold place. It gave the universe a texture that the newer games, which feel more "Disney-fied," just lack.

Even the NPCs were cynical. Remember the plumber on Novalis? "I'm a plumber. I fix things. I don't give a hoot about your quest." That’s the soul of the 2002 Ratchet and Clank.

Why the Gameplay Loop Still Works (Without Strafing)

Look, we have to address the elephant in the room: there is no dedicated strafing.

If you play any modern shooter, the lack of a "lock-on" or side-stepping mechanic feels like a death sentence. In the 2002 Ratchet and Clank, you have to commit to your movement. You’re flipping. You’re jumping. You’re using the Thruster-Pack to hover-strafe, which was a skill in itself.

It changed the math of the combat.

Instead of just holding down a trigger and strafing in a circle, you had to manage the distance between you and a Blargian warrior. You had to lead your shots with the Devastator. It made the weapons feel like heavy machinery rather than just laser pointers.

The weapon variety was already insane for 2002:

• The Blaster (The reliable workhorse).
• The Glove of Doom (Which birthed those terrifying little robots).
• The Suck Cannon (Literally turning small enemies into ammo).
• The RYNO (The Rip Ya a New One—the most expensive, broken gun in gaming history).

Insomniac’s philosophy was "if it’s not weird, it’s not in the game." They weren't interested in making a standard military shooter. They wanted to see what happened if you fired a glove that spawned tiny homing mines.

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The Music You Can’t Forget

David Bergeaud’s soundtrack for the first game is a fever dream of industrial techno, jazz fusion, and ambient space synth. It doesn't sound like a movie score. It sounds like a dirty spaceport.

Tracks like "Metropolis" or "Eudora" have these driving, breakbeat rhythms that keep the energy high even when you’re just smashing crates for bolts. It’s distinctive. It’s edgy. Most modern games use orchestral swells to tell you how to feel, but the 2002 Ratchet and Clank used its music to build an atmosphere of "work." You were a mechanic in a high-tech world, and the music reflected that industrial grind.

Visuals That Pushed the PS2 to its Limit

Technically speaking, what Insomniac did on the PlayStation 2 was witchcraft.

They used a "level of detail" (LOD) system that allowed them to show massive cities stretching into the horizon without the console bursting into flames. On a planet like Kerwan, you could see thousands of flying cars zipping between skyscrapers. They weren't just textures; they were individual objects.

This sense of scale was vital. It made the galaxy feel huge. When you looked up from the ground of a forest planet and saw a massive moon in the sky, you knew you’d eventually go there.

There was no loading screens between planets—just a cool animation of your ship flying through warp space. In 2002, that was a revolution. It kept the momentum going. You never felt like the game was stopping to catch its breath.

Comparing the Legacy

Is the original the "best" one? That’s a tough debate. Going Commando fixed the controls. Up Your Arsenal perfected the combat. A Crack in Time nailed the heart.

But the 2002 Ratchet and Clank is the only one that feels truly punk rock.

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It’s the foundation. Without this game’s success, we don't get the Spider-Man games or Resistance. We don't get the decade-long evolution of the "Bolt" economy.

There is a specific grit here. A lot of fans talk about the "soullessness" of the remake, and while that might be a bit harsh (the remake is technically a great game), it does miss the point of the original's chemistry. The 2016 game is about a hero. The 2002 game is about two losers who accidentally save the world because they were in the wrong place at the right time.

What You Should Do If You Want to Play it Now

If you're looking to revisit this classic, you have a few options, but some are better than others.

1. The Original PS2 Hardware: This is the purest way. The CRT glow makes those jagged 2002 edges look soft and intentional. Plus, no input lag.
2. The PS3 HD Collection: This is generally the best way to play for most people. It ups the resolution to 720p/1080p and keeps the 60fps framerate. Just be warned there are some minor graphical bugs in the cutscenes (Ratchet’s helmet sometimes looks a bit wonky).
3. PS Plus Premium: You can stream it on PS4/PS5. It works, but if your internet jitters, it’s a nightmare.

Pro Tip: If you’re playing for the first time, don't buy every weapon immediately. Save your bolts for the Drone Device and the Devastator. You'll need the firepower for the later stages on Veldin and the Oltanis Orbit.

The 2002 Ratchet and Clank isn't just a nostalgia trip. It’s a masterclass in world-building through environmental storytelling and sharp, cynical dialogue. It’s a reminder that heroes don’t have to be perfect—they just have to show up.

Go find a copy. Smash some crates. Buy the RYNO if you have the patience to grind for 150,000 bolts. It’s worth every second.

Next Steps for Your Playthrough:

Start by focusing on the "Skill Points" menu early on. Unlike modern trophies, these are hidden objectives—like destroying all the streetlights on Kerwan—that unlock cheats and behind-the-scenes galleries. It forces you to look at the level design more closely than a standard run-through would. If you're struggling with the lack of strafing, try remapping your brain to use the "Leap" (R1 + X while moving) as your primary way to dodge projectiles. It’s much more effective than just running. Finally, make sure to find the hidden Gold Bolts on every planet; they allow you to purchase "Gold" versions of your weapons later in the game, which is the only way to survive the final boss without losing your mind._