Johnny vs. Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal

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In today's episode, we're on the third game in the Ratchet and Clank line-up. I didn't know so many things could go up my rectum.
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/ somecallmejon
#Ratchet&Clank #InsomniacGames #Sony

[@genemelendez8157]

“It was mating season, how was I supposed to know she was your sister?” -Captain Quark (2004)

[@erikstensaas1202]

Is that what he used the vibrating crotchenator on? o_0

[@genemelendez8157]

@@erikstensaas1202 Clank said it was still warm when he found it, so Quark does use it regularly

[@tsyumamatsuthehavenofguard32]

O-oh no

[@tylerfindlay3774]

@@genemelendez8157 Why was Clank holding it?

[@genemelendez8157]

@@tylerfindlay3774 he found it while looking for Quark, after he faked his death and went AWOL.

[@greninjastorm6734]

The fact they included a Nefarious minion who uses sign language in his evil messages is absolutely hilarious and I love it

[@asterthehedgehog6861]

It’s funnier that he translates “life forms” by acting like a monkey or “disintegration” by faking death

[@MrGRmask]

Pretty sure Lawrence is more than a minion. He's Nefarious' right hand robot.

[@retrokoh]

@@Chad_Eldridge I'm getting flashbacks to TeamFourStar's Krillin in DBZ Abridged, asking if sign language with missing parts is a speech impediment (I forget the exact quote)

[@PsychicWars]

It's more like a pantomime than actual sign language.

[@feltonlovett7485]

@@retrokoh He wondered if it was a speech impediment or an accent

[@benwasserman8223]

Whoever comes up with the titles for Ratchet and Clank games must wholeheartedly love their job.

[@BrenoRanyere]

Betting its the same person that comes up with titles for Crunchyroll KZbin videos

[@thewikiddreamer]

Yes. Yes they did. Very much! They admitted as much in The Art of Ratchet & Clank book

[@dakotadoyle7573]

Either that or they love screwing with the censorship team

[@thewikiddreamer]

@@dakotadoyle7573 they have been known to make Sony wince with the first title name they had in mind for A Crack in Time. Clockblockers.

[@theycallmejojo6090]

Man how I missed that mid 2000s edge.

[@PatoGuzmanAd]

I highly recommend the Developer Commentary video series about this game and Going Commando, they are great pieces of information about the history behind those games, a lot of fun details and good stories. For example in UYA when the Tyhrranoids become robots, they needed to code EVERY tyhrranoid to be a robot after that event, even those in the first planets, so you can travel back and see robot Tyhrranoids in every planet to make the plot consistent. Or how the Inferno crate and 2X crate were made as a challenge for a case of beer.

[@suntannedduck2388]

Useless podcasts is great (I do forget they coded prior levels to have them appear that way for robots don't think they did the 1st change you see on Rilgar/Blackwater City to older levels I think) even besides the Dev behind the scenes stuff in video form around 2004.

[@cnibby]

I think Quark’s arc is best demonstrated in the original trilogy. The brief “you can be a hero” statement from Clank when Quark went into hiding was really touching.

[@OnDavidsBrain]

Honestly I find Dr Nefarious even more hilarious when you remember that he shares voice actors with Andrew Ryan from Bioshock.

[@gallantmon4]

I was just about to say that as its a complete 180 isn't it?

[@leithaziz2716]

LAAAAAWREEEEEEENCEEE! Would You Kindly Make Me Some Tea?

[@brandonlyon730]

Ha, and to think this was the game in original ratchet series that doesn’t make fun of rampant capitalism.

[@jlev1028]

@@brandonlyon730 It kind of still does, though. What do you think Courtney Gears was supposed to represent?

[@brandonlyon730]

@@jlev1028I thought just more making fun of popular celebrities in general and them being shoved in your face through flashy music videos.

[@BugsyFoga]

This and A crack in time are not only my favorite games in the series, but my all time favorite games period.

[@PrincessTwilightdash]

and the best villian is in both game!

[@yulikitten]

Hehe... "Crack in Time..."

[@CritikalJari]

Mine too they both have their gameplay almost perfected especially crack in time.

[@xalrons4831]

Those are also my two favorites in the series. I've probably played Up Your Arsenal a dozen times and I still never get tired of it.

[@silverauron7850]

@@yulikitten If only they had been able to go with their first choice of title, "Clock Blockers"...

[@NoahInfinity]

Dr Nefarious is one of the best gaming villains just for how damn entertaining he is in any game he appears in

[@antanovich2039]

He’s also a racist towards blacks

[@OathKeeperRiku07]

He's hilarious and we quote everything he says

[@jonathanwilson7949]

I love that the voice actor is basically always screaming

[@austinstewart7601]

Damn right! He's also quite difficult in some games. I remember getting my ass kicked the first time I fought him.

[@Bracketmeister]

I do love Nefarious, but I still think he's at his best in the first appearance and they've been milking his presence ever since.

[@EclipsisTenebris]

For deadlocked, I DEFINITIVELY recommend playing it 2P Co-Op... it's where it really shines.

[@suntannedduck2388]

The rare moments games have them I completely agree. Never played it that way but even for just minor touches just for co-op it's great I can tell.

[@TrueZero2]

3:30 That's one joke that went right over my head, and now it's hilarious. Thanks Johnny!

[@mann-nova9392]

For Deadlocked, I'd highly recommend a second playthrough as it is pretty short. Love this series and your takes on them!

[@suntannedduck2388]

Agreed. The skill points and jackpots aren't worth it much for 100% which I did but for the 100 level guns then yep it's worth it. XD

[@bearerofbadnews1375]

That game had some awesome skins like Jak from precursor legacy even though his look in the sequel would have made more sense.

[@skibot9974]

Also make the second one co op potentially

[@FlameSoulis]

@@suntannedduck2388 That and the rainbows for level 100. I have no shame keeping maybe 5 ammo mods and the rest being the area mod on SuperNova, with the shock mod because I need even more of an excuse to not aim. To be fair, in the one where you have to prevent enemies from getting past you, that was the one I abused for leveling up the most, since I just put sheilds up and ensure the training weapons were in the quick slots.

[@luckyhokanal]

yes, considering the ryno(i forgot how it is called in deadlocked) is hard to get on first run. 2 milion bolts :/. I find this game fun. Not too interesting in the story but the gameplay is really good and i also got platinum :)

[@sparkthedog6291]

Fun fact: in order to make the online modes work, Insomniac had to *HIJACK THE EULA* since the base game's code lacked an update handler to properly handle online

[@awesometron7866]

Oh wow, really? That's crazy!

[@moho472]

​@@awesometron7866Yes, the game shipped without a way to patch code. However the EULA had the ability to download simple ASCII characters from a file server (when the EULA updated). Now, what makes this special is that they used a function called "strcpy" to copy the text. If you program in C, you'd be aware that the function stops copying data when it reaches a null terminator. The devs essentially used that exploit to update the game

[@neotricksterzero143]

7:28 I don't think anyone was ready for that one 😂

[@markmorales7958]

7:24 “Whoa, settle down Ratchet. We gotta stick to the PG rating” (DING!)

[@staticshock4239]

This and A Crack In Time are probably the most loved in the franchise. A lot of people consider those two to be the best in the franchise, even though this franchise is one that has consistently great games.

[@cd2220]

I remember being disappointed by UYA but I know that's mainly because I was so blown away by the improvements Going Commando had over the original. It makes sense that they just lightly iterated on such an excellent gameplay loop. That said I'm still not sure which I prefer.

[@snapchatsnacks3154]

I heard Ratchet fans didn't like this one. Because they feel it dumped down the game. I see their point but personally I am glad they got rid of all the mini games.

[@christophercarrasco154]

A Crack in Time was ffffffffffffiiiiiiiiiiine. I'm a bit conflicted about it story wise. On one hand, I get the appeal on the other.... why am I playing a game where Clank is space Jesus and Ratchet is the last of his kind? What happened to them just being two dudes? Why am I learning about Ratchet's relationship with his father's friend? It's like the Star Wars effect? Where I get answers to questions I never really asked or... wanted to be honest. Especially with them trying so hard to hide Angela to make the story work. Like.... why this story specifically for a Ratchet game? Same goes for the other Future games.

[@snapchatsnacks3154]

@Anti-Society What about deadlock and the reboot

[@staticshock4239]

@@snapchatsnacks3154 The reboot is only bad because the game was a movie tie in and that had to be rewritten multiple times.

[@NaruPika11]

Yay! He's posting! Ivebeen a fan for over 10 years, im now 20, thank you for everything Johnny, I hope to see more videos soon and I hooe all is well. Much Love to you!

[@Cartoonbrains]

Up Your Arsenal is easily in my top 3 favorite games in the series. I've played it a million times since i was kid and I've still never gotten sick of it. It's a game that almost failed because of the crunch in development, but it's a testament to how great of a developer Insomniac is that it turned out to be as amazing as it is.

[@IAmInfinitus208]

I still love replaying this game!

[@mistermann4163]

3 Is my 3rd Fav of the series with Deadlock and Commando being the better 2 since gameplay always kept getting mixed up in those games.

[@duuudewazzup8296]

The Insomniac team fr be Insomniacs lol they stay very true to thier name

[@BlueBlur86CP]

Me: Looking for something to watch. Johnny: Allow me to introduce myself.

[@mylittleniglit8645]

Stranger danger!!

[@Mario9919DX]

Also, I love how they made this the redemption arc for Quark after two games of his nonsense. By the end he learns not to be a traitorous, glory hogging, egotisic, cowardly jerk and help out.

[@MrRenegadeTre]

Up Your Arsenal was my entry to online console gaming. I can't begin to explain how nostalgic i get everytime this game comes up. Jak X was the other online ps2 game I got into

[@MSCLeap75]

Up Your Arsenal is definitely my favorite R&C game with Crack in Time, Going Commando, & Rift Apart following right behind it.

[@mrboo9491]

Johnny, your output has been amazing this year! You've really kicked it into high gear; hope you've been finding a good balance of work and life

[@samusaran11]

7:46 The MP for UYA was fantastic. Played it online alot back in the day.

[@alimowla3204]

i'd say, this is probably my favorite out of the trilogy, i got into ratchet & clank via the newer games (into the nexus, ps4, and rift apart), and currently playing through the ps2 games, and this is where the games start to become something i'm more familiar with, i love all the little nitpicks this game addresses, like almost all of the weapons having a lock-on by default once upgraded, being able to upgrade weapons more than once (on a first playthrough), having an additional quick-select you can put your gadgets in plus some extra weapons, the swingshot/hypershot activating automatically when you're close enough, clank being slightly faster than he was in the previous games, ect. and overall, i appreciate how unlike ratchet 2, your weapons (generally) don't become completely worthless after a certain point in the game, and can still be very viable options even late into the game, again, thanks to being able to level them up more than once, so you don't have to pick the bouncer and then not bother with everything else (kidding), which is probably one of the main reasons why i prefer this game to going commando honestly, that, and i wasn't too big on the space ship and clank sections of going commando) and of course, nefarious and lawrence, the humor, and qwark having a redemption arc is all good and great. all that being said, this game definitely could've used more development time, maybe even a rerelease with expanded content if possible, like, i don't mind the ranger missions, but i'd be lying if i said i wouldn't have preferred more actual levels instead of repurposed multiplayer maps, aridia and blackwater city being the worst offenders in this regard, least metropolis made it out okay. and while i personally don't have much of an issue with the level design, some of (if not most) of the levels could've had more exploration and especially platforming, since they do tend to feel a bit short as a result of the latter not being as prevalent as in the first two games.

[@mirage809]

Up Your Arsenal! I remember buying this one new and being super hyped from the moment I saw the cover art in a magazine. The PAL version had a hidden demo of Sly Cooper 2 in it if you held the shoulder buttons on the main menu. The slowdown was also way better on that version (maybe because of the lower frame rate or lack of progressive scan?) I only recently heard of the game's troubled development. Apparently it all came together in the last few months before launch. So the fact that it is such a consistent game is a testament to how good Insomniac are at what they do. There's also a very fun story of them using the EULA of the multiplayer to patch the multiplayer after launch. It's an absolutely insane bug exploit that would never fly on a modern game.

[@GameplayandTalk]

You had me rolling with that Breaking Bad bit, haha. I'd love to eventually see you cover Sunset Overdrive for Xbox One or PC. It's also Insomniac and seems to share a ton of DNA with the Ratchet & Clank games, such as having a huge arsenal that you can also level up. It's a ton of fun.

[@suntannedduck2388]

I was surprised by the humour as it threw me off at first but I came back to it years later and enjoyed it. It's the grinding/wall running, missions, tower defence and so on. It's one of my 2 favourite open worlds that I ACTUALLY like. The other being Gravity Rush. Nothing comes close to them for me that isn't gameplay I won't get bored with in open worlds. Spiderman PS4 kind of had it with the gadgets and the movement besides gameplay skill missions then just talking and generic mission design but not enough of it for me to enjoy it.

[@GameplayandTalk]

​@@suntannedduck2388 I need to try Spiderman as it looks like it follows up decently from the gameplay of Sunset Overdrive. Noted on the missions though. The movement tech in Sunset Overdrive was one of my favorite things about it. It was just fun to aimlessly wall run/grind/air dash my way through the city, and the gunplay was super fun too. I could just get lost in it without even focusing on the story missions (and even those were fun too, especially late game when things go bonkers, haha).

[@Nazo-kage]

One of the things that really helps in this game, is surprisingly the continuity. This game after all takes place in the same galaxy as the first game. And if you get to the point to where you become a GadgaTron employee. (I think it doesn’t count if you go to new game plus unless of course you make it back to becoming an employee) You can get a 10% discount on all weapons, for the whole game. Throw in the fact that you can get the weapons from the previous game and it’s really nice how playing the previous games really give some bonuses. (sadly I think this is the last of the games to do that.) Also I really liked deadlocked. And it’s kind of satire mixed with a few surprisingly raunchy jokes always have me laughing.

[@PokeMaster22222]

7:39 Oh, the multiplayer; I have such fantastic memories of this, as a kid. When friends came over, UYA Multiplayer was a certainty...and it largely revolved around who could race to a hovership first to bomb the hell out of the other person. The hovership was OP as frick. I loved UYA multiplayer; one of the few times I enjoyed something that wasn't singleplayer, honestly.

[@megasoniczxx]

Never would've thought this game had such a rushed development up until I watched GamingBrits video on it. It just makes it more amazing that, even despite that, the game still turned out as well as it did and became my favorite along with Deadlocked, the game coming up after this. Still the best weapon selection in the series too.

[@kratosgow342]

I wouldn't say they rushed it more like they went overambitious wanted the game to be even bigger than Going Commando also the multiplayer portion and expanded team that as a result they have to cut corner in a lot of stuffs due to the lack of time and budget not to mention crunch development to hell as well

[@lucinae8510]

You didn't show the last part, where the self destructed sequence skips a minute and Neferious says "What? That wasn't even close to 60 seconds!" Which I now know is likely a Spaceballs reference, and ever since you played a couple of Spaceballs clips in the past, I was waiting for this day for just that!

[@PervertedNovaxc3]

I never recall having slowdown to that degree in Up Your Arsenal, and I never played the HD versions, only the originals on PS2.

[@atasker7432]

Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal is not only my favorite game in the series, but also my favorite PS2 game, my favorite 3D platformer, & my favorite game of all time!

[@harmonicajay91]

I'm with you on Qwark getting off easy. Plus, Ratchet being treated like a total second banana didn't work with me. Funny enough, I played this before playing Going Commando.

[@skibot9974]

You’re not the only one I’m the same boat and UYA sold more than Going Commando

[@RyanB0415]

I love Ratchet and Clank’s innuendo titles it still depresses me that A Crack in Time couldn’t be named Clock Blockers and All 4 One couldn’t be named 4Play

[@donovanagee]

not gonna lie at 7:25 that got me I laugh so hard man I miss playing the old games of this series

[@quinnholleman1547]

Johnny's reaction made me stop the video just to recover my breath

[@nathanthompson6720]

5:23 she actually did appear in ratchet deadlocked but only showed up for a little bit and was just gone since than

[@skibot9974]

According to the old Insomniac forum Sasha dumped Ratchet because she didn’t vote for her father in his re-election

[@nathanthompson6720]

@@skibot9974 no wonder she hasn't appeared in a ratchet game since deadlocked

[@Errox025]

Glad you enjoyed this game, Johnny! ^^ Up Your Arsenal is my favorite of the PS2 Ratchet & Clank games and one of my Top 3 R&C games alongside A Crack in Time and Rift Apart. Dr Nefarious is not only my favorite villain in the entire series but also one of my favorite villains in all of gaming. He's a perfectly credible threat with just the perfect blend of sinister and menacing while also making you piss your pants laughing at times because of some of his lines/actions

[@solidskullz5736]

Easily one of the greatest titles for a video game

[@mistaJ.]

No it’s not lmao

[@solidskullz5736]

Stick it right up your arsenal

[@Jdb63]

Absolutely. Going commando isn't bad either 😂

[@Akechi_The_Phantom_Detective]

I think the reason you don’t hear about Gladiator much is because like UYA it took a step back in certain gameplay elements favouring action more than ever. Johnny I think if you like those additional modes the PS3 trilogy specifically tools of destruction and a crack in time may have more of those refinements you might be looking for.

[@Kitsurubari]

Interesting fact, Armin Shimerman, the voice of Nefarious was also the voice of Andrew Ryan in Bioshock

[@DeadOmega]

Appreciate the continued quality content you’ve produced over the years, Johnny. Your reviews are always a deeply insightful, easy viewing that I will never shy away from clicking. Keep being awesome dude.

[@therock238360]

Captain Quark really is the Zapp Brannigan of Ratchet and Clank

[@SuperDarkHalo]

I speak for everyone when I say, Johnny is a legendary reviewer.

[@CallMePaco]

Even though there are some games that I don’t see interested in, it’s because of him that I tried mostly every game he reviewed

[@mysteriousfigure5313]

Facts

[@mylittleniglit8645]

I agree. No one is better at surface level reviews like Juan. I love this man too!

[@highvoltage7797]

@@mylittleniglit8645 Sounds like a back handed compliment lol

[@SHSLCosmo]

Easily one of my favorite games of all time! I could never get tired of it (or the rest of the PS2 lineup really) and it'll always hold a special place in my heart! Had a blast watching your experience with this one in particular for that reason and I am super enjoying the marathon! Cannot wait to see how you feel about Deadlocked next time and just want to say as both a long-time viewer of the channel and a long-time fan of R&C this marathon has been super enjoyable and entertaining so far!!

[@Comkill117]

I love Clunk during Captain Quark’s funera thing, “What a load of bullshi-“ before Ratchet shuts him up.

[@DonutSwordsman]

Ratchet doing the Courtney gears dance was hilarious

[@NanaKyoto]

This was the game that introduced me to the Ratchet & Clank series, but because I was playing off my cousin's save file (they had the game, not me), I had absolutely no idea where to go, and even felt like I softlocked the game on occasion. But once I was able to start a fresh save when I got my own copy, it went much better. However, my favorite in the trilogy might have to go to Going Commando, sure, Up Your Arsenal may have streamlined a lot of the gameplay, but because of the game being another annual release, and the demand of incorporating a multiplayer mode into the game, the game's level design definitely suffered, as most planets were relegated to going from point A to point B. As of this post, I have not yet played Ratchet: Deadlocked (first off, I don't even have a copy of the game) or any of the PlayStation 3 Ratchet & Clank Future titles (and second, I have yet to even acquire a PlayStation 3), so my experience with this franchise is still somewhat limited.

[@carlbloke8797]

I like that you used Ratchet & Clank moments in your ad as good foreshadowing of what to expect in your review!

[@koxsuper5]

Up your arsenal does have a private server btw. Accessible through emulation and official hardware

[@pixelbomb97]

This is one of my favorite games of all time. It still forever lives in my PS2 and every now and again I still boot it up for a quick playthrough if I've got a couple hours to kill. I know it so well that I think I can play through it in my sleep.

[@RetroChaos]

I played this game so much as a kid. TGB bought up some good points why it could be considered a step down compared to 2 and especially 1 but... This game is so fun and funny. All three are. There's a reason why they're so beloved. Deadlock is much more of a thir-person shooter, barely any platforming, but the story is just as good as the others.

[@burek8557]

Once again, I'm happy to see Johnny enjoy the series well so far. I find myself struggling to say whether 2 or 3 is the best of the PS2 games. I'd say 3 is easier to replay from the nonstop fast paced action, whereas 2's mission variety makes a somewhat more cluttered experience. I also don't mind the deemphasis on platforming. I'd argue it was only good for the 1st game and felt less and less necessary for the series as it went on. Deadlocked is also great from what I've played and has the funniest story imo.

[@daytonchris8351]

courtney gears might be the most clever pun on a name that i've ever heard in video game history...

[@Akechi_The_Phantom_Detective]

You my friend I think would love the next game as well if that's the case. Deadlocked isn't shy when it comes to it's parodies either as long as they're done well enough.

[@jakeconer]

12:10 Your Wrench power does increase when you level up your health. And it actually ends up being more powerful then the plasma whip

[@suntannedduck2388]

Agreed. It's minor but there. Deadlocked making it purchase-able upgrades made it clear also then going back to check and yeah it does in the entries before.

[@jakeconer]

I love how one of my favorite KZbinr is talking about one of my favorite games of all time and I’m here talking about the wrench upgrade system

[@CaptainCJ97]

I will always stand by that the first 4 r & c games music is so unique

[@shadow-scope-fsm7165]

Dr Nefarious is absolutely the funniest video game villain I have ever seen. Not only his over-exaggerated screaming, but just how animated he is. It's almost like a Looney Tunes character was rendered in 3D. And this game had some awesome weapons, along with some of the better ones from 2 returning. But I will admit the sewer crystal hunting was tedious, and very grating with the enemies all making the same noise.

[@legomuzza]

Ah yes one of my Favourite games of all time. I could play it a 100 times and just not get tired of it.

[@crcoghill]

Up Your Arsenal is one of my all time favorite games ever made. i just had a blast playing it and having 4 other siblings and relatives growing up: playing multiplayer was a blast! lord knows i spent more time playing as a Robot looking player model than i did playing the main story but even then i remember loving Dr. Nefarious and just blasting through the game with a smile on my face. absolutely must play for fans of the series or those who liked some of the newer games.

[@gamingwithfriends30]

Great to see you reviewing and enjoying my favorite game of all time

[@dreadnaught2448]

7:20 Jonny's reaction pricelss.

[@marsil602the2nd]

Having a blast with your reviews and glad youre having fun with ratchet!!

[@FredrIQ]

I don't recall this game having any slowdowns at all. But I'm a Swede, and thus might have had a later more refined build of the game, being the PAL version.

[@Joshua_Quinzel_Isley]

Brilliant review on Up Your Arsenal! After the PS4 remake and the PS5 exclusive Rift Apart for quite some time and being amazed by them, I now kind of want to actually play this entry and Going Commando in the franchise and have such a great time on those.

[@dapperfan44]

ALL of my best and most favorite online gaming memories are from playing RC3 online. I had a headset before I accidentally stepped on it. Man, those were the days. As for the control modes I only use lock-strafe during multi-player and Deadlocked, but I stick to platformer controls during the main game.

[@VaalArc]

Ohhh Johnny, you'll love where you see quark eventually. Trust me, it's hilarious.

[@nathanthompson6720]

6:09 it seems like johhny is the only KZbinr reviewing a ratchet and clank game I can think of that actually looks at captain qwark in a negative light

[@NerdyTransformed]

That sponsorship was hilarious

[@heartless2147]

The Rift Inducer is one of the best guns in the series, just shoot a black hole to kill everything. Best part is if more then 1 portal is near each other they will go to each other and make a bigger and stronger one. So for bigger enemies just shoot 2 or 3 shots and entire hordes will just be consumed and die, I wish it could come back one day.

[@collinhalverson4681]

Literally was just rewatching the Metal Gear videos when this got posted. Just finished MGS2's video as well so here's a good escape from the Patriots.

[@Aberyyyy]

Y'know with how much space travel Ratchet and Clank get up to I wouldn't be surprised if the next game after A Rift in Time is called "Ratchet and Clank: Ships and Giggles"

[@CatMarshall908]

It's really nice to watch Johnny play these games for the first time and just be like "Yo! These are good games!"

[@nickhughes3684]

Really enjoying the review series Johnny, good work like always

[@marcellosilva9286]

Johnny inadvertently went down a rabbit hole when it comes to the delopment history of the R&C games, like, 90% of them had some hefty crunch going on behind the scenes. Even my favourite one, Crack in Time, had a _lot_ of cut content. I recently finished Up Your Arsenal again a few weeks ago and I'm glad you liked it Johnny, you can really tell how much of a difference having a dedicated writer on board made - Not only is the plot more consistent but for me personally, it's the funniest of the PS2 titles as well. Hope you enjoy Deadlocked, I replayed that one last year and had tons of fun, still has the best lockstrafe controls in my opinion, the weapon mod system was a blast to play around with, and the bite-sized mission structure helped a lot with the pacing. I still truly believe it's THE easiest R&C game to pick up and play. Vehicles controlled great as well, actually wish there were more missions with them.

[@eatanotherzio6811]

Just don't play the PS3 version of Deadlocked Its atrocious

[@marcellosilva9286]

@@eatanotherzio6811 Bad news, my first playthrough of Deadlocked was the PS3 version. But relax, I corrected that on the replay, even on a PS2 emulator it felt a lot better. Looked really nice upscaled to 4k too.

[@HeyRyanLetsPlay]

One of the main reasons I keep coming back to this series is to know more about the Lance and Janice Soap Opera. If it were ever to be made real, I'd watch all 47 seasons

[@suntannedduck2388]

Just a simple short would be nice. But yeah not into Soap Operas but the way they do Lance and Janice is so great.

[@TheEclipto21]

Ah yes, R&C3, the introduction to the greatest character in the franchise and his bumbling idiot boss. God bless you Lawrence, you are the robot I wish I could be. Really looking forward to seeing what Johnny thinks of Deadlocked/Gladiator. I always really liked it but I've always heard mixed stuff so it'll be interesting. Has a better RYNO alternative tho

[@thanatos_razl]

I recently finished my first playthrough of Deadlocked/Gladiator. I thought it was fun.

[@marcellosilva9286]

I replayed Deadlocked last year and had a blast.

[@hattoripool1533]

I really wish future Ratchet and Clank game kept some of this games concepts like using vehicles in levels

[@suntannedduck2388]

Completely agree. Heli-pack/Charge boots only do so much and walking around places. But then again I think most people hate vehicles I like them and vehicular games.

[@JumpHigherVA]

So far, it's really interesting to see the perspective of someone who is not only playing these games for the first time, but also back to back, making the analysis much more detailed and refreshing than someone who would've otherwise been influenced by nostalgia. Personally I started with this game, and I believe it's a perfect introduction to the series. Maybe it doesn't have as many things as GC but I think that helps keep it a refined experience, what with the simplified story and condensed mechanics. In a way you could also consider the concept of ignorance is bliss. What you consider a sour spot with having only one Hulk Clank section I originally found exhilarating as like a one-time event in the game. I also wasn't aware of all the extra vehicles that were cut, so it wasn't a factor for me while it was for you, and that I find really neat, again referencing the fact that you're going in order of these games releases. I love the idea of the inferno upgrade, which led to the idea of Deadlocked appealing to me (the full body suit of armor was really cool to me as a kid) so I'm really curious about your take on that considering it's so one of my favorites despite hearing its criticisms much later in life. Really looking forward to this next review!!

[@TheWaffleFactory]

Such a quality trilogy! I do think each game has its strengths and I love that about these games

[@tipulsar85]

I want to point out that Dr. Nefarious is voiced by Star trek Alum Armin Shimmerman. His most well known character there was the Ferengi barkeep Quark. So plenty of time for Insomniac over the years to make light of that.

[@DaimoHope]

You can hear it when he gets shrieky

[@VintageLizard486]

This video really was fun to watch for all the right reasons.

[@attulo8310]

I'm pretty sure that the slowdown isn't supposed to be nearly that bad. I can't recall the game looking like that for me and I've never seen the same issues in other videos. This leads me to conclude that the disc might be damaged or something similar.

[@GenAqua]

Doesn't hurt that Nefarious is voiced by Armin Shimerman, AKA Qwark from Star Trek: Deep Space 9.

[@Akechi_The_Phantom_Detective]

Finally someone actually noted that. Armin Shimmerman really does outdo himself in this series I always love his performances.

[@GenAqua]

@@Akechi_The_Phantom_Detective Agreed.

[@FlashaniMan247]

I liked when Johnny had to correct himself when saying the word "arsenal".

[@chesterlockett4002]

Here we go my favorite game of the entire series

[@ShrapnelStars]

Deadlocked is a bit more polarizing since the whole game is focused around the arena challenges and that kind of atmosphere. Personally, I loved it, but I can understand why some other players might not. You don't get Clank at all in that game. It's designated as a spin-off, but still feels like a main series entry in a few ways. Get your fill of the old style of comedy from Deadlocked while you can, because once that game ends and the series moves to the PS3, the mood of the series changes drastically, and it becomes more Pixar-like, with next to no bite to the jokes. (A Crack in Time is still my favorite of the PS3 games, however.)

[@beeniecat9411]

I'm looking forward to seeing Johnny's review of Ratchet and Clank Deadlocked. That game for whatever reason is one of the few games I 100% completed.

[@Akechi_The_Phantom_Detective]

To be fair Ratchet Gladiator is well designed for 100% completion. I know people compare it to Halo but it's got a very arcade style set-up it's very fast paced getting high scores in it's stages is quite fun. I've only played Gladiator once and I remember not being as invested as I was with UYA or GC but still very much having a good time.

[@jlev1028]

Honestly, from the cutscenes I've watched, Nefarious seems at his best in this game. He doesn't constantly scream and there are times when he sounds absolutely creepy.

[@toamatoro570]

I'm glad you loved this one. This was probably my most anticipated Johnny Vs. video of all time. I grabbed a beer for this review. On a work night. That's how you know I'm excited.

[@uhobme2028]

Actually delayed jumping to next-gen at the time because of this game, lost count of how many times I've completed it. Great way to see out the PS2 era and still such a quotable gem

[@Saxdude26]

YES! My first ever game on the PS2, came with our console when we got it mid-way through high school. And yes, because we live in Australia and not "Europe", we got a PAL release that was STILL called "Up Your Arsenal". What a game, so glad you've been checking these out, and when it comes to the PS2 trilogy, this is by far my favourite. 7:31 ... yeah. Hmmhmm, that's fair, it was dumb. DUMBER in NG+ when you have the Infernox armour on.

[@Akechi_The_Phantom_Detective]

^ Always nice to hear good things from the Aussie fans about this game.

[@FCV0511]

Going Commando and A Crack in Time are probably my favorites of the franchise, though I never had the chance to play much of Up Your Arsenal. Looks like I'll have to give it a go sometime. Here's hoping you cover the Sly Cooper games sometime in the future. They're my favorites of the PS2 mascot games.

[@Akechi_The_Phantom_Detective]

Respect for Sly Cooper the only thief I can respect besides the Phantom Thieves.

[@jackbluepirate87]

First, Helluva Boss... Then, Miles Guy... And then JOHNNY We're being spoiled at this point!

[@Dishamonpow]

11:22 lol the callout. Meant no ill with bringing it up. I am looking forward to the Deadlock review later down the road as well anything else you do. You always seem to be a kewl dude.

[@NinjaRed5000]

While I ultimately enjoyed Up Your Arsenal slightly more than Going Commando, its similar to the Mega Man 2 or 3 arguments you hear online. Yeah, Going Commando had more platforming than Up Your Arsenal, but the fun consistent gameplay of the latter more than made up for it. I didn't get to experience the R&C games until about 2 years ago (2020) and I agree; despite being 20 years old, the games hold up incredibly well.

[@Akechi_The_Phantom_Detective]

Bless you bud, glad to see you enjoyed it.

[@SSJWolverine]

6:31 My thinking is that Qwark is a commentary on celebrity culture. How many times have we heard of a celebrity getting into hot water and getting off light, if not scot free? That's basically Qwark in a nutshell. He's hailed as a galactic hero, regardless of whether he earned it or not, and gets special treatment. The only people who see him for who he really is are our heroes, Ratchet and Clank.

[@alchemistofsteel8099]

Idk why I've always seen Qwark as the intergalactic Krusty the Clown

[@asterthehedgehog6861]

Do you know Nefarious essentially becomes the future overall main antagonist of the entire series? Even in the movie, he steals the show from Drek. His plan is pretty similar on most occasions to Dr. Eggman/Robotnik

[@SkywalkerAni]

And here it is: my personal favorite game of all time. It just came into my life at the right time, and I have replayed it so many times.

[@Road_to_Dawn]

I always enjoyed Up Your Arsenal, I LOVED Nefarious, but there was just something about it when I played it that I just couldn’t put my finger on that I didn’t like as much as the previous game. Going Commando was definitely my favorite of the original PS2 games. I’ve really appreciated this look back at the series! I only played each of them once, back around 15 years ago, so my memory of them is largely gone. I wanna give them another go-round sometime.

[@Akechi_The_Phantom_Detective]

You should play them again my friend these games never stop delivering on the memories.

[@deandomino6732]

Oddly enough, when I was a kid, I never played a game much again after finishing it the first time. But when I finished up your arsenal, I played it through 4 or 5 more times back to back

[@4nimeJax]

I hope you continue onto the future entries. A Crack in Time might be my favorite besides Up Your Arsenal