Why Everyone Loves A Crack in Time

In this video I go into some detail about Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time which launched on the PlayStation 3 back in October 2009. Insomniac changed the formula in this game much like Going Commando.
#retro #ratchetandclank #insomniacgames

[@meineweltdesentertainments]

What sets aCiT apart from all other games in the series for me is the emotionality of the plot and staging. For the first time and so far the last time, you had the feeling of having a real tension and really moving along with the characters. All the cutscenes were well staged and felt like a movie. Of course there are also negative aspects to the game. But it is precisely this emotional aspect of this game that has never been seen in this form until now. You really had the feeling that the makers wanted to really show what this series can do and can be more than just a colorful space adventure with humor.

[@deadlyjeff9106]

Best game in the serise

[@jazzratoon]

Emotion is most important when telling a story. Its in the Murch’s Rule of Six, where in the Narrative of the game 51% of the story is ran by Emotion while 23% is the story. The game clearly did a good job emotionally driving you with the characters and writting.

[@Bossu]

I just wish they brought back the space-style from ACiT. No more "just missions" space, no more "stuck on a rail" space, and certainly no more "loading screen" space.

[@dominikschummer6629]

I loved the Radio in ACiT so mutch, that i have a USB Stick with the songs from the Radio and the Comertials in my Car. I listen to it on the Roadtrip from Germany to Austria or to Rumania.

[@Redfrog1011]

A crack in time was definitely peak ratchet

[@daveprime7278]

Saying that Q4B should be a cutscene is so depressingly accurate, I couldn't be more disappointed with that commercial of a game.

[@Natquerx]

I did look it up and it was sold for $15 at the time but it just lacks any identity.

[@datguy9408]

I really liked Tools of Destruction tbh.

[@MR_HAYS1]

I did too but I still think its one of the weakest out of the main non spinoff games. The planets and atmosphere were top notch and reminded me of the first game but the enemies were so bullet spongey that it made all the weapons feel crappy to use. I still love TOD but I think that one aspect really hurts it. Like the game has this artificial difficulty to it and thats coming from someone who plays each game exclusively on the hardest difficulty when difficulty settings are an option. Then again you can also just cheese the game by getting health from vendors which is odd lol.

[@deadlyjeff9106]

I love how every game that Dr nefarious has been in has been peak

[@jackdaw1190]

This game holds a special place in my heart, and having been a fan of the series since childhood and playing through every mainline title, I think of it as being the definitive climatic chapter in the franchise. Aside from the overall good balance of gunplay and platforming, the story still holds up after these years in my opinion. The way I see it, everything ties itself to the bond between Ratchet and Clank being challenged by them being tempted to step out of each other’s shadow. In TOD, it may have seemed strange as to why Ratchet was devoted to learning more about a race of Lombaxes he’s never known. But in giving a closer look, I saw it as being rooted in insecurity. Between Qwark getting undeserved glory and Clank being the only one of the two of them to get a literal TV show, Ratchet may have felt inadequate with him only ever getting praised when he saves the galaxy in dire circumstances. We even see this kinda hinted at in Deadlocked. When the opportunity arose for him to learn about his history through the Dimensionater, he naturally became defensive when Clank and the Zoni suggested it be destroyed. In his eyes, this was a piece of his identity that he felt entitled to. However as we see after the segment on Reepor, Ratchet at heart values the companionship of his closest friend above all else, which then gives him the strength to resist Tachyon’s offer at the end of TOD. Here in ACIT, Clank is then given this opportunity, with the running theme of him being seen as a sidekick acting as a possible motivator for his desire to stay in the Great Clock. Though he wished he could fulfill the duty and inheritance left to him by Orvus, Clank’s devotion to Ratchet ultimately proves to be what makes him whole, with Orvus himself even noting that his intelligence and logic were not wasted due to his sense of honor and loyalty. All the while, Ratchet grapples with the notion that he could undo the fate of his race and family if everything Azimuth bet on was possible. In the end, he decided he was ready to possibly embrace a future without Clank and not let regret consume him as it did Alister. In retrospect, my take is that the theme of Future trilogy was never really about establishing Ratchet and Clank as “chosen one”-type heroes as many people accuse of it doing. Rather it seems centered around strengthening the dynamic of the two and helping them mature in a way that makes them realize how much they mean to each other. ACIT’s Yin-Yang way of splitting the gameplay between them reflects that. If there’s one thing I’m certain that the Future trilogy and ACIT accomplished it’s that it established Ratchet and Clank as PlayStation’s most wholesome duo, even more than dare I say the likes of Jak and Daxter.

[@rtplukas607]

for me, this game and tools of destruction are my favourite ratchet and clank games, but thats because i grew up with them on ps3. I do have huge respect for the ones that liked ratchet and clank 1-3 the most etc :)

[@sanane66543]

for me deadlocked is best also probably because i grew up with it and the dark feeling of the game no joke probably finished that game like 15+ times

[@RemyBuxaplenty2]

There is a Ratchet and clank 4. I don't care if people call it a spinoff it's Ratchet 4 period

[@ChristianFrates1997]

A Crack in Time is the best Future game.

[@Smicklepickle]

I personally think of ACiT as the best ratchet and clank game for its weapons and how much style was put into it. My personal favourite weapon has always been the buzzblades and RYNO V (which is the best one in the series). I have thought that the ps3 age of R&C was the best for the series and have yet to play RD and IN

[@Natquerx]

You haven't played IN yet? That has got to change!

[@TerrorOfTalos]

Good vid, honestly if the series ended here idk how I'd feel even with hindsight. Sure the PS3 spin-offs were overall average and Nexus while a fine send-off for the PS3 still didn't really come close to ACiT. Then there's the whole movie snd tie-in game era which was a mixed bag as a whole. The thing is none of the 2010s RaC games are bad; they're pretty okay to decent games but there was always that comparison to the last full mainline entry. Thankfully the PS5 era is already off to a really good start and I'm hoping it at least gets one follow-up within the next few years so Insomniac can most likely justify completely moving on from the series.

[@Natquerx]

Hey there and thanks for stopping by. You have done a nice summary of the PS3 games. I see that Rift Apart is on PC now, so I am working towards that one. I do hope we get more though as the PS4 was well we don't talk about it.

[@xavigelledhair]

My honest R&C Ranking: 1) Going Commando 2) Up Your Arsenal 3) 2002 Ratchet and Clank 4) A Crack In Time 5) Tools of Destruction 6) Ratchet Deadlocked 7) Quest For Booty (Should've been a DLC) 8) Size Matters 9) Secret Agent Clank

[@broondjongen]

Going Commando and Up Your Arsenal are a tie for me

[@itanilead1200]

going comando has annoying minigames and puzzles and general tone imo

[@gabouchar9977]

​@@itanilead1200I actually really love the minigames in that game. As for the puzzle, while they are not great, they are way better than the puzzle from Up your Arsenal and Tools of Destruction. In these games (especially Up your arsenal), the puzzle was so boring to the point where I roll my eyes every time I have to do one. They drag on for so long, it's basically just waiting it out.

[@darklord9581]

What about into the nexus and rift apart?

[@ZeldaSam1]

10:48 Yeah, there're only so many innuendos you can get away w/.

[@Asaylum117]

I personally feel like Ratchet & Clank series should have ended with Crack in Time. It felt like the perfect end to the franchise, but of course greed got the best of Sony and Insomniac and they just kept on milking the franchise. While Rift Apart wasn't bad, it kind of retcons everything that the Future trilogy established. Remember when Clank mentioned to Ratchet about the dimensionator and how badly it affected things in Tools of Destruction? Well, Clank being the genius thst he is, rebuilds it and publicly tries to give to Ractchet where Nefaruous steals it and of course, things end up badly from there. Also, while I liked Dr. Nefarious in both Up Your Arsenal and Crack in Time, what I don't like is how much Insomniac keeps using him as an antagonist. Ratchet's universe is humongous, a new threatening villian would have been a nice change of pace for once. But those are just my own personal opinions though.

[@Natquerx]

I haven't gotten to Rift Apart yet though I have heard good things about it. You do make a good point though. Seems they are playing it safe versus trying to branch out.

[@reddemon6668]

Rift apart is good, the villain, although not completely unique, is at least a serious threat. He’s funny but the comedic theme doesn’t hinder the villain like how it does with Nefarious. You just can’t take him seriously when he’s throwing tantrums, or buffering. And they’ve reused him way too many times already. I’d say it’s the 1st great villain insomniac has actually made. I would love a villain with similar behaviors or personalities but with more difference in visual characteristics. Tachion is another like Nefarius, annoying voice, small and throws tantrums to add to make him seem silly or goofy but then that feeling of an imposing and threatening villain got washed out.

[@dseanm21]

Watched a video yesterday and someone is out there that liked size matters. And I saw their points.

[@AMidgetWalrus]

Size Matters was good for a PSP game. Definitely disappointing if you bought it for PS2 expecting a PS2 scale release, but at the time it came out it was INCREDIBLE to have an almost full fledged RAC game in your pocket

[@barrybobert9294]

I was 6 years old, I could barely comprehend what was happening in the game but I knew it was awesome. Now I have it on PC

[@zackfrodsham1259]

Ratchet and clank is the best franchise but in my opinion tools of destruction Is the best

[@orlandofurioso7329]

Mine as well, while it certainly had flaws like unbalanced weapons it felt a lot like an adventure, ACiT feels like a fetch quest by comparison

[@literallyeurope7911]

Yeah I just really enjoy Tools, ironically two of people's least favorite weapons in that game (Tornado Launcher and Shard Reaper) are some of my favorites lol

[@zackfrodsham1259]

@@literallyeurope7911 I liked the shard reaper not the tornado launcher

[@jazzratoon]

I like TOD but the bullet spongely enemies and some weapons feeling worthless kinda hurts my joy for it, while Crack in Time has a good balance of both.

[@jazzratoon]

@@literallyeurope7911 Tornado is just bad because of early motion controlls feeling off. Its not a bad tho, I just prefer CiT's presentation.

[@ritorodidaskalos6873]

about the intro, do people ( besides the memes ) actually hate quest for booty? I remember getting it as a christmas gift when i was in elementary and i played the living hell out of it. I have replayed it at least 30 times by now. Its just a chill, tropical, scary, funny, beautiful adventure filled with suspence and robotic ghost space pirates, what's there t hate?!

[@Natquerx]

I'm not aware of Quest for Booty having a hate train or anything. It was more so just for a transition to ACiT for this video at least.

[@badjetgamer8102]

The small planets are first introduced in RaC 2

[@Natquerx]

Thank you for the clarification. I missed that detail.

[@stratosfire1943]

Absolutely loved the future games. Legit still feel tools of destruction was the best

[@phantasyryder]

The difficulty of this game is awesome and frustrating.

[@Neptun246]

For me is A Crack in Time the best ratchet and clank game and it will always be my favorite, no matter what comes next. Unfortunately I haven't played the PS2 games or Nexus yet. Rift Apart is also great. Rift Apart had the best gameplay and the shooting was the most fun. Still, it doesn't come close to ACIT. Somehow the game felt commercial. Why did they leave out space travel? That was so cool, exploring all the moons. I think it's really a shame. I think I even like Tod better than Rift apart although I also think QFB is great.

[@Natquerx]

I haven't played RA yet but I am glad to hear that its at least okay even after the reboot in 2016. Do you have any plans on playing Nexus in the future?

[@Neptun246]

I'm currently playing it via streaming, the only problem is that my internet connection is poor and it crashes often. But at least the game doesn't make a bad impression. I'm excited to see what happens next.

[@dupedick]

This game is second only to going commando in terms of best in the series. Going Commando and A Crack in Time innovated so much with the gameplay and I love them so much for that. ACiT has my favorite space mechanics, easily the best clank sections, and has one of the best stories in the series. Gameplay introductions like the hoverboots are awesome too. Great game. Part of me wishes that this was the end of the series as it just fits. Ratchet realizes he is happy with the time he spent with Clank, and Clank realizes that he values his found family(Ratchet) more than his natural family(Orvus and his new found responsibility). Would have been a perfect end to the series imo.

[@maciejsotysik5909]

Clank segments are not challenging? These puzzles at the end for gold bolts were difficult

[@Natquerx]

Fair enough. My comment was towards the mandatory ones.

[@charKT-7461]

Having only played Tools of Destruction, A Crack in Time, the 2016 reimagining, and Rift Apart, ACiT sits at number 3 on my overall ranking of the games. If you're curious, the whole list is, in ascending order: 2016 reimagining, ACiT, ToD, Rift Apart. I played ACiT for the first time in Christmas of 2022 when I had leftover money in my wallet and thought, "you know what? I'm gonna digitally buy ACiT and play it for the first time". Afterwards, I 100% completed the game over the course of about three days. I'm not the kind of guy who looks deeply into story at all - I focus all of my attention to how fun a game is to play, and it's a bit sad for me to say that ACiT was pretty far from as fun as ToD or Rift Apart for me. It has good parts, but in the grand scheme, I had a lot more fun with ToD and especially Rift Apart. A lot of aspects in the game are very overrated in my opinion. The space gameplay is a good example of this. The idea of flying around "freely" between planets is cool, but it's so barebones that I saw it more as a "get it over with" kind of thing. The space combat is boring and not engaging at all, the side quests have little incentive to complete outside of that one trophy, and getting the RYNO, and the moons scattered around are nice distractions, but they are also very barebones and lacking in quality in my opinion. The story and writing and characters are mostly top notch in ACiT, that's for sure, but I'm not gonna give a game a high rating if its fun factor isn't good enough, and ACiT's fun factor, to me, is just not good enough to warrant it being anything more than "another game in the series", of all four games in the series that I've played lol I could honestly go on for hours about my gripes with A Crack in Time and about what I think is overrated, but in the end, it's a great game. I had fun, I enjoyed it, I would definitely recommend it. However, it falls short of most other R&C games I've played unfortunately. To end on a more positive note, the Spiral of Death is one of my favorite weapons in the whole franchise, and ACiT's arena, the Agorian Battleplex, is the best arena in the series in my opinion.

[@Natquerx]

Fair enough. Also I am curious as to why the 2016 reimaging is your favorite out of the bunch. Do you mind elaborating more?

[@charKT-7461]

@@Natquerx oh, you misunderstood what I wrote. I said the list was in ascending order, so from the bottom up. 2016 is my least favorite, Rift Apart is my favorite

[@alumlovescake]

8:520 Yes everything even the framerate

[@aymanrajeb5227]

Because of alister azmlith in it, Dr nefarious and the picture corlet too you know what I mean huh mm 😊🤔🤨

[@diesakuma367]

Good review I agree that ACIT is better than TOD But nexus for me is better The only very good games ever since ps2 era are ACIT and nexus TOD and QFB are mediocre at best(altho i much prefer Booty) After nexus all the games are bad(yes even Rift apart for me is bad)

[@Natquerx]

I haven't played Rift Apart yet but what about All 4 One or FFA?

[@montanajackson3713]

This game will always be one of my favorites in the series. The best RAC games in my book are going commando, a crack in time, rift apart and into the nexus.

[@reddemon6668]

I personally disliked the story, it felt watered down from ToD. It suffers from having nefarious as the main villain, and Vorzolon. Most of it is trying to find Clank, but not much else happens between planets until you get to the one with the invasions happening. Azimuth is the only interesting character and he plays a side role for the most part, going in and out of the action, till the end which he directly becomes an antagonist. Personally, I’d prolong this moment as I feel he could have been a much bigger threat to the duo. The story just seems too slow paced for my liking. Without the Moons, this game is actually one of the shortest main R&C games which is such a shame considering how fun the gameplay was. This isn’t even taking into consideration the amount of times that the game has you going back through the same exact stages like Forzolons ship being used 3 times. That’s not to say I hated the moons,” themselves, I found them fun, but only as a side mission type of thing. As a consequence, worlds also felt less expansive due to not many side missions providing new expansive exploration of the planet. Zoni seemed to be these strong mystical creatures but we barely see them do anything but run away in this game and become upgrade fuel. The constructor weapons were really cool but aside from the grenade, these weapons fall off quick in terms of damage. The shotgun itself, isn’t very viable by the time one collects it (compared to other weapons at the time). The weapons and hoverboots were a staple for sure, it just didn’t go that extra mile it needed to do.

[@Zodiac3107]

ACiT is definitely overrated! But... Alright first, I grew up with the PS2 titles. R&C, R&C:GC, R&C:UYA, Deadlocked/Gladiator, SAC, and R&C:SM. The first ever PS3 Ratchet title I played was ITN, and I actually love that game! Despite how short it is. I don't count the HD Collection as PS3 Titles because they're really just ports. Now, I had plat (2016) Ratchet & Clank on PS4, and I had plat the HD Collection on PS3. You see, ACiT would be the second ever PS3 title I'd play. And I choose it because of how hyped it was amongst the community. So I made the purchase, and downloaded the game. I'd find myself about an hour into the game, and called a quits. Why? Because I just found it ridiculously boring. So I put the game aside for awhile as life started to get ahead of me. I'd eventually find myself back at it wanting the plat. I played the game and didn't start enjoying it until Axiom City. From there the game started picking up in pace, and there was substance to be enjoyed. I continued to play up until you get the Constructo Shotgun, and from there I was really enjoying the game. I'd eventually make it to the end, and my final thoughts on the game as it came to a close were... "that was alright!". Why? Because it was very slow, and once it picked up it was over. I enjoyed the Zoni collectibles, and I like the Constructo weapon concept. But aside from that, there isn't all much else I can say about it that I remember from playing back in 2021. The PS3 Ratchet games aren't all too special. So I can see why people rave on about ACiT. Absolutely I can! But it's overrated in the sense that better R&C games exist outside of the PS3's respective library. And I've played them.

[@este_marco]

7:47 *insert miguel o'hara theme*

[@LogicalMarcochip]

Nice clickbait to cover up a pretty run of the mill review.

[@imafreakinninja12]

Crack In Time is when the series really started to go downhill. Eye-rolling, predictable, insipid story, some useless Lombax gets captured and then yells at you after you save his sorry ass, and unskippable cutscenes. The skill points could have been better. Jokes weren't that great. Robot soldiers were too cartoony, nowhere near as good as the security robots on Daxx. Awful controls like Ratchet automatically strafing for no reason when you equip a weapon. Challenge mode was awful since there's no reason to visit the moons after you collect everything, so Challenge Mode is like reduced to a third of game time compared to regular mode. Weapons take forever in some cases to reach Level 10. And the games suffers from bugs. Music wasn't that great, especially in the museum. The best thing about the game is probably the Hydra-tanks.