Ratchet & Clank is 20 years old. I don't know how to feel about that.

Ratchet & Clank for the Playstation 2 released on the 4th of November, 2002. That's 20 years ago today, and I don't know how to feel about that fact.

Some Speedrunning links for you to have a look at:
Some GDQ runs to have a look at:

0:00 - Intro
1:58 - Foreword
3:00 - The Franchise
7:55 - Gotta Go Fast
12:18 - About Me
15:52 - The End
17:30 - Outtakes

References

[deleno]

the ratchet speedrunning shoutout is so good. it truly is one of the most underrated speedruns in all of gaming.

[AlryFireBlade]

For me it shows how time flies.
When i was 7 years old, I played first the Demo of the Game, and then the full release, with my Vather.

It brings back so much memorys from my childhood. It is insane how fast these years went by.

[Bounccy]

My brother was about 4 years old when the game released and beat it. He is now 24.

[gamingcobra]

i would deadass pay to talk to this man.

[fakesmile]

It's a very special game to me, even if I didn't beat it until I was around 13 (I couldn't beat Orxon 2 as a kid). I was born just a few months before it released, and it was either the first or second video game I played (the other being Pitfall: The Lost Expedition). I've definitely spent more time playing the rest of the games in the ps2 quadrilogy, this one still holds a special place in my heart.

[IQuatronI]

One of the greatest games ever created.. I dont mean that only by hard nostalgia hit when i was playing this gold game first time back in 2002 when i was just 6 y old.. This game had such amazing graphics back in time and such unique soundtracks and gameplay.. Damn PS2 Ratchet era was the best in my opinion..

[thelastarcadegamer]

This game came out when I was 2, the first ps2 game I can actually remember playing, the music, the weapons, the grating sound when you run out of ammo on the blaster, it’s all my childhood. I played ratchet 1 and 3 until the discs could no longer be read

[plovy]

The first Ratchet & Clank was the 2nd video game I ever got and I played it roughly half a year after it was released for my 8th birthday. I've been a fan ever since and loved every game.

[_Xerota_]

Even though the first game has it's hiccups, it's still my favourite of the entire franchise. It's got a certain feel to it, a certain mood. I've easilly played through the first game at least 30 times, and I was probably 5 years old when I got it, would've been 2004.

[Skehrcros]

Essay Alert: This series is very special to me, the fact it's been 20 years is both parts awe-inspiring and terrifying. This series is why I got into game development in the first place, as well as the Metal Gear games. The original Ratchet & Clank still remains one of my all time favourites, even with the rust it shows from age, it's still fun to go back and play. I know the sequels are objectively better in most regards, but there's something that draws me to the original and I could ponder on it for hours and still not have an answer for why, although it doesn't feel at all like nostalgia.
I was 2 years old when this series began and it's crazy how much has changed over time.

Great shoutout to R&C speedrunning btw, these are honestly among the best speed games to date just on their movement alone. Whenever I've got some free time I'll sometimes hop onto Xem or ThaRixer's streams. (Dayoman too :) amazing Spyro 1 runner)
It's been so cool seeing how your videos have progressed in terms of presentation and editing, it's a shame the YouTube collective favour Ratchet videos for your channel among all else as it's very clear you've got a knack for analysis and presentation. Came for Ratchet & Clank, stayed for the fantastic videos regardless of the topic.


Here's to another 20 years!

[coolmacatrain]

R&C was the first game I ever played on the PS2. I actually bought it after getting a demo disc which contained demos of - _wait for it_ - ICO, Jak & Daxter and Silent Hill 2 (and of course Ratchet & Clank)
Those 4 games have remained in my top 10 favourite games of all time since then!

PS
It also had Timesplitters 2, which hasn't aged well ... but, by Christ, I played that Dam level to death back in the day! ha ha!

[AD-nvnw]

This is my favorite franchise of all time, and knowing that i share my birthday with my favorite game makes it all make sense. Happy 20th Ratchet and Clank, glad to be turning 21 with you :)

[RatcheT]

ratchet and clank 1 was one of my first ever games, and it, alongside the series, were also the gateway to a lot of my current interest. i did give up on developing games, mainly due to concerns with the industry, but i did at least take several stabs at it as i was growing up, and the experience has helped me quite a lot.
as for the series, change is inevitable, especially for a franchise that wants to survive for a long time. out with the old, in with the new, in an endless cycle. but even if insomniac never again makes a ratchet and clank game as they were before, in my opinion it's also inevitable that the fans will eventually pick up the mantle (as some are doing right now, might i add) :)

making a fangame for r&c is difficult as hell, but with the fanbase growing up and expanding, the modding efforts underway, and tools becoming easier to use... i think we're headed in a very good direction on that front

(also hell yeah the speedrunning community!)

[CyberHornet]

Subbed just after reading the title. Neat video man 👌🏻

[cosmicreciever]

One of the first games I played as a child, started my video games obsession. Now I'm a professional games programmer

[remus]

Could not have uploaded at a more perfect time.

Lunch break.

[Bordpie]

(Essay alert) I'm of the age where you would expect me to have played the originals when they came out on PS2 (I wish I had, I got PS2 Crash and Spyro instead) yet the first one I played was Tools of Destruction. Even though it was the big shift in tone in the series, at the time 13yo me enjoyed it a lot. Tbh I have the most nostalgia for the ToD demo on Metropolis, which I played almost every day for a month after I got my PS3 around October 2008. That Metropolis theme by David Bergeau is just ingrained into my mind.
I actually got ToD with the PS3 bundled as my first game, but when I started it up there was a loading glitch that would have fixed itself if I left it overnight, but I ended up trading it in next day for Oblivion lol (wish I had kept it instead). Didn't end up playing the game until about a year later, then played QfB and ACiT soon afterwards.


My best friend then told me about all the PS2 games he played growing up, which he then lent me for the next couple of years. Honestly I wasn't expecting much from the first game because it was an old PS2 title, but of course ended up being super impressed with it. Most of the game mechanics for the whole series are already present in the first two games, and the graphics, music and general execution are excellent. I was especially surprised by Deadlocked. What at first looks like a super serious FPS, turned out to be a quite entertaining, well written mini story (I think they need to do more of these). I also played through them at a difficult time in my life, when I was very stressed before going to Uni. I have fond memories of the original quadrilogy, although perhaps not in the way most people do.

I finally revisited the series back in 2020 (ironically because of the infamous TGBS 'How Ratchet Lost its edge' video). I finally got fed up of the free to play grindfests/PTW games I was playing at the time and decided to get back to some good solid games. I ended up getting physical copies, and playing through, the whole series during lockdowns and finally played the PS3 titles after ACiT. I'm currently going back through the series a second time to plat it. I never got a PS4 and don't plan on getting a PS5. I will get around to Rift Apart on PC eventually though.

Despite the creative differences with the new game, there is still something honest about the series. Like they didn't even lock anything behind early access preorder, only early acess to some cosmetics. That at the least makes me happy. You are absolutely right about each game being a product of its time, which also gives me hope because at some point there will be a return to the original themes and writing. At least as long as they don't finish it before then, although given the recent leaks of the long timeframe before the next game, perhaps we might just get there.

[aster]

Once you start to lag jump you don't stop

[yannickLB]

That ps2 aesthetic is the best 👌 simpler times... I actually sold my ps5 and just play Ps2 and Ps1 on my crt and I'm good 👍
Love your videos dude.

[espeonsprotege]

The original Ratchet & Clank trilogy is one of my favorite games of all time. I wish they had a remaster for PS4/PS5. I actually bought a PS3 a few years ago to play the original games. Really liked Rift Apart on PS5, but wish the game had more planets and the old humor/comedy. I don't think the remake was necessary. After 2009, they kinda stopped making as many games like they did on PS2.