Ratchet & Clank

Ratchet & Clank is a 2002 platformer developed by Insomniac Games, a science-fiction action-platformer starring the mechanic Ratchet, a Lombax, and his small robot companion Clank as they travel the galaxy to stop a villainous industrialist from destroying planets.

The game distinguished itself from other platformers with a deep, ever-growing arsenal of inventive, purchasable and upgradeable weapons and gadgets, from a bomb glove to enemy-transforming devices, blending third-person shooting and platforming across a series of richly varied planets. Its sharp humor, technical polish and creative armory helped establish a distinctive identity within a crowded genre and set it apart from more traditional mascot platformers.

Ratchet & Clank became a flagship franchise known for its imaginative weapons and set-piece spectacle, and the original was later reimagined for newer hardware, while the series has continued to evolve, keeping its blend of platforming and gunplay accessible to modern audiences.