The PS1 pretty much had one mascot for the system that could be likened to the status globally as much as Nintendo’s Mario: Crash Bandicoot. The PS2, on the other hand, got two via Jak and Daxter and Ratchet and Clank. A third quality series that never gained as much popularity, but should also be mentioned is Sly Cooper.
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Anyway, with a new Ratchet and Clank game announced for the PS5, it seemed like as good a time as any to compare these two PS2 franchises. What did one do better than the other? And on that same note, what has been their legacy since?
10 Jak: A Serious Story
Jak started off with a pretty normal, 3D platforming adventure on the PS2. Then seemingly to differentiate itself from Ratchet’s games, it was rebooted into a dark, grittier universe with Jak II.
This is where Naughty Dog started to explore darker, more adult themes which eventually led to Uncharted and The Last of Us.
9 Ratchet: A Whimsical Adventure
As great as the narrative got in Jak II and beyond, it was missing something from the original: whimsy. True, Ratchet’s games explored some darker themes like genocide but in a roundabout way, and yet it was able to handle touchy subjects with comedy to back it up.
Dark stories are all well and good but sometimes funny games are more delightful to play especially in a platformer.
8 Jak: Daxter’s Comedy
To counteract that point, Jak, no matter how grim things got in the story, always had Daxter by his side. He was both the voice and comedy relief in the original as Jak couldn’t talk.
That said even after Jak got a voice Daxter was still just as mouthy as ever. He may not be useful in battle, but his comedy gave this series charm. Nothing was ever funny throughout as Ratchet and Clank but the point is still true.
7 Ratchet: Clank’s Usefulness
Speaking of Daxter’s uselessness, Clank on the other hand was quite handy. He was basically there to give Ratchet, or more like players, traversal upgrades.
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This included underwater gear for swimming as well as various flying tech. Plus there were mini-games wherein Clank could be controlled like turning him into a giant robot to smash stuff. His dry wit wasn’t bad either.
6 Jak: Grand Theft Platformer
Besides the dark story, the other big addition Jak II brought to the series was Grand Theft Auto elements. At this time GTA III could not be any bigger so clones aplenty swooped in with their own takes.
Combining a platformer with an open-world game complete with futuristic cars might have made Jak II the best out of all the clones.
5 Ratchet: A Whole New World
Jak had a city to explore in the sequels, but Ratchet had a galaxy. Sure, Ratchet couldn’t steal cars, but there were shooter segments in space.
Besides that, the interplanetary travel between planets on most games made the series more diverse and not as dark visually as Jak II made the series become. Color is Ratchet’s secret weapon.
4 Jak: Memorable Characters
Going between planets is also one of Ratchet’s downfalls. There were, and are, characters that cross over from one game to the next.
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However, they were never as central to the plots compared to the people Jak met along the way in his adventures. That’s why the confines of a single city were greater for creating more memorable characters.
3 Ratchet: Weapons To The Max
Who cares about characters when Ratchet got plenty of character from his weapons. That’s one thing Jak can be dinged for in stealing from Ratchet’s series: platforming plus guns.
His weapons were never that interesting though compared to what would become a cavalcade of inventive gadgets. From the disco ray that made enemies dance to the sheep gun that turned enemies into sheep, Ratchet’s arsenal had it all.
2 Jak: Better Spinoffs
Ratchet has had more core sequels, but he has had some spinoffs too. Compared to the couple that Jak got though, well, they were not as high quality as the main entries. For example, both sidekicks got their own entries on PSP, Daxter and Secret Agent Clank, with the former of the two being better.
Ratchet never got a racing game, but Jak did via Jak X: Combat Racing on PS2. It was a good end for Naughty Dog’s run on the series.
1 Ratchet: Continuing To Exist
Speaking of ends, the last Jak and Daxter game was The Last Frontier on PSP and PS2 in 2009. It has now been over a decade since they last got their own game. Ratchet and Clank on the other hand have had too many sequels to count.
Again, as stated in the previous entries, they are of high quality too except for the spinoffs. With The Last of Us Part II out, it might be time for Naughty Dog to revive their forgotten duo.
NEXT: PS1: 10 Games You Never Knew Were Ported To The Classic PlayStation
