​Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando/Ratchet & Clank 2 (PS2, 2003)

• New movement abilities/tools (therminator lets you freeze water and melt ice, spiderbots - controllable bombs+used to go into some vents to hit switches (can't jump nor climb), the gravity boots let you run and jump while sticking to walls here as well as attack, certain controllable enemies via the hypnomatic that can jump/attack/press switches, tractor beam - move certain obstacles and enemies to create new paths or unlock doors, levitator/jetpack however it's too limited in use - doesn't recharge unless you stand on a certain pad, ) and the grapple beam returns

• More linear structure (get to choose between two levels/planets at a time for a few levels after an intro level and 2 planets are beaten (better to do planet 3 before 4 though as only one of three paths in the latter will be available with your current gadgets), after the fourth planet the level progression becomes linear up until planet 10/Joba - gets linear again at planet Tonado and until planet grelbin though it is possible to exit a couple of planets before finishing them to progress and come back later (optional; gets linear again after that for the last level/yeedil which is basically linear as well), levels themselves are more open-ended with one or more branching paths each - seems they often have one less per level than in the prequel though, can choose between about 4 challenges at a time in the battle arenas, first ice planet level and snivelak are basically linear)

• Save anywhere however you start at the beginning of the segment when loading (four slots - shows time taken, current planet and current money)

• Pretty frequent checkpoints (no lives system) and collecting+upgrading progress is kept - placed ammo sometimes respawns but used up ammo doesn't reset when dying

• Can strafe on-foot as well as use a camera lock-on feature with modded weapons

• Item drop magnet (can also throw the wrench like a boomerang at bolts to pick them up; could've been stronger but can be upgraded in the late-game)

• Armor upgrades which are bought one at a time at a few points spread across the whole game, Besides upgrading weapons once you can mod them twice for camera lock-on and added acid or lightning effects to their shots with the large bolts found in the levels, Can also mod the ship after a few levels for additional weapons+upgraded boost+faster lock-on+upgraded shield and default weapons, Can't upgrade the R&C1 weapons - they become underpowered in the late-game

• Various shortcuts leading back from detours (either to the beginning of the level or around the middle/crossroads point; generally teleporters) and some detours loop back to the middle

• Zoomable map (2D, top down) which marks visited points of interest and what you've explored - not big bolts though?. Can also browse previously visited planets on the map menu, Can't zoom out until you see the whole level. No mini-map

• Mission/quest log (slow scrolling text though)

• Voiced tutorial messages that don't interrupt gameplay and can be stopped (can also review these messages in the help menu)

• Partially destructible environment (generally rewarded with more money)

• Some decent puzzles (timing-based, water level altering, box stacking with the crane for one big bolt, switch puzzles involving the gadgebots - similar to Landstalker or FF Adventure)

• New game+ of sorts (restart with collected weapons and money - but not gadgets so the game doesn't open up more)

• Regain the heli-pack and thruster pack+swingshot and grind boots all on planet 3 here (double jump (higher than the somersault) and long jump/air dash+somewhat higher somersault+high jump (same height as the heli-pack's double jump)/swing at certain points/grind on rails), Get a hydro-pack for swimming faster before the first underwater segment here

• Mostly skippable cutscenes

• The villain sometimes appears during level exploration (planet 6 train ride)

• A few sequence breaking possibilities (part of intro level by breaking a window, first half of planet boldan (jump off of rails), can climb certain obstacles and walls with high jumps and mashing jump?, more with glitches)

• Mostly ammo-based weapons besides the default wrench (buy ammo at shops or find it in boxes) and the walloper (a glove that you do a powerful but short dash attack with)

• No difficulty options however you can unlock a challenge mode where you can upgrade your weapons even further (this costs a lot of money however and though it adds a kill chain multiplier it's not enough to avoid grinding)

• Get a couple of extra chances to jump out of hazardous liquids that you fall into however this only works early on (some later ones make you bounce out of them but it's not consistent about when this happens and difficulty curve-wise doesn't progress smoothly)

• No time limit underwater here (start with a mask)

• Shooting neutral vehicles away from the main path is encouraged (rewards you with money), Can hit NPCs but nothing happens

• No health or ammo drops from enemies

• No new enemies appear in previously visited areas

Some notable cons:

• Some control/camera & interface issues (slow scrolling text in menus which can't be sped up, can't skip dialogue on a per sentence or paragraph basis - only skip the whole conversation, confusing 2D radar during the space flight combat segments, slow shimmying, etc)

• No control config

• Invisible walls here and there+various parts off the main path where it looks like you can walk but can't and the game is sometimes inconsistent about what you can grab onto (gets pretty bad about the first on planet boldan which also has a pointless hidden path on the backside of a building leading nowhere)

• Ammo drops don't adjust to what you need at the moment though ammo that you have a max supply of stays where it is until needed

• Some grinding for the weapon upgrades (some upgrade slower than others (minirocket tube and sheepinator are painful) and each one has to be leveled up separately) - you'll want to do this if you want to keep a weapon relevant in the late-game as enemies get tougher

• Can't quickly exit a beaten level when going back for big bolts

• Can't heal by entering your ship (entering it and moving to another planet does heal you as does leveling up your health bar)

• Die from flying into walls in the space flight combat segments (can grace them though)

Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review

Influenced by: Probably Spyro series, Jet Force Gemini and Banjo 1-2

Influenced: Possibly Jak 3, Sly 2, Star Fox Assault