Why is this game so good for being so early in the PS2 lineup? Granted it’s 2nd Act is significantly weaker than the other 2, Ratchet’s character is a bit off an asshole, it’s sometimes pretty unfair at points and the gameplay is a bit slow and Jank but the game is saved by it’s fun & varied missions with some pretty creative level designs/aesthetics and music weapons, I love how whenever you first enter a level you can tell what it’s about, the culture and what it looks like. The story & characters is a highlight pretty good for me since it’s one of the few platformers I’ve where the main characters undergo an arc, which makes Ratchet’s character somewhat justified and most of the other characters/NPCs are memorable and pretty fun in their own self-contained way.

Overall a surprisingly good start for a fantastic franchise