History VideoGame / RatchetAndClankFutureACrackInTime

* KilledOffForReal: This game features an impressive deathcount of important characters: [[spoiler:Clank's father Orvus (debatably), Alister Azimuth, Lord Vorselon, Cassiopeia, Carina and Libra, Pollyx.]]

* CrosshairAware

-->'''Cassiopeia:''' So, you...
-->'''Ratchet:''' [[DeadpanSnarker Yeah, I know, another death trap.]]

* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler:Azimuth.]]

* GainaxEnding: Parodied. According to a radio broadcast, the season finale of [[SoapWithinAShow Lance and Janice]] was one of these. [[DarthWiki/RuinedFOREVER Doctor Nefarious is not happy.]]

-->'''Ratchet''': What is it ''this'' time Nefarious?
-->'''Dr. Nefarious''': Part of me wants to let you live long enough to find out. But the ''other'' part of me ''really'' wants to '''''kill you!'''''
-->''[A klaxon sounds off]''
-->'''Ratchet''': Well... now we know what he went with...

* KilledOffForReal: This game features an impressive deathcount of important characters: [[spoiler:Clank's father Orvus (debatably), Alister Azimuth, Lord Vorselon, Cassiopeia, Carina and Libra, Pollyx, and even Ratchet.]]

-->'''Qwark:''' This Lombax is young. He does not understand that being a hero is 45% strength, 60% bravery, and 10% raw intelligence.
-->'''Ratchet:''' That's 115%!
-->'''Qwark:''' You're welcome.

* TwoDSpace: Played straight to a ridiculous degree when there are force fields in a narrow ring around a planet that you can't get by without disabling.
** More generally the space sections play like this - in comparison to the free-flying in ''Going Commando'' and the on-rails sections in ''Tools of Destruction'', ''Size Matters'', and ''Secret Agent Clank'', you can only fly on a flat, 2D plane.

* FlipFlopOfGod: Angela Cross apparently IS a Lombax now, reversing the writers' decision from earlier in the series.

** TheProblemWithLicensedGames: In-universe example.
* HeyItsThatVoice: So [[SuperMarioBrothers Mario]] is Clank's creator?

* IronicEcho: When first asked why he didn't leave with the Lombaxes, Azimuth wistfully answers: "''Sometimes the universe has a cruel sense of humour''". [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzfLXSFxd5E At the end of the game,]] Orvus concludes his final message to Clank by saying: "''The universe has a wonderful sense of humour. [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming The trick is learning how to take a joke.]]''"

* LyingCreator: Dr. Nefarious used to be listed off as KilledOffForReal, even WordOfGod backing it up. That was before the first preview pages of the Canon sequel comic came out.

* [[BreadEggsMilkSquick Bread, Eggs, Milk, Squick]]: [[EldritchAbomination Fred's]] hobbies are listed as moonlight strolls along the beach, reading, and mauling unsuspecting enemies with brutal efficiency.

* BrokenAesop: Them saying that they can't use the Clock to save the Lombaxes is this, since they did just this to save the Fungoids on Morklon by travelling back in time and saving everyone.
** Even worse when you realise that they didn't even need to use the Orvus Chamber. Just open a time portal on Fastoon, go back in time and stop Tachyon. This would save the Lombaxes, and wouldn't change anything that Ratchet and Clank did on their adventures, since the two of them remember the original timeline when they save the Fungoids.

** The "My Blaster Runs Hot" video game is basically ''VideoGame/Robotron2084'' meets StylisticSuck.

* RippleEffectProofMemory: Discussed by Ratchet and Azimuth. When Ratchet realizes that if they use the clock to change time, he'll never have met Clank, Azimuth suggests those that actually active the clock will remember the previous timeline, noting that he can't guarantee it. [[spoiler:Proven to be true when Clank uses the clock to rewind time by six minutes to save Ratchet. Unless of course that was his quantum actuator doing its thing...]]

* ApocalypseHow: The initially harmless-seeming [[spoiler:Fongoids]] caused a Class X-3 in the backstory, destroying 83 star systems. Dr. Nefarious' plan to abuse the Great Clock for his own benefit would instead have caused a Class X-4. [[spoiler: Azimuth]] very nearly DID cause one.

* AscendedExtra: The Groovitrons and Mr Zurkon, both just 'combat devices' in Tools, become fully fledged, upgradable weapons in this game. Given that both were major {{Ensemble Darkhorse}}s, this comes as no surprise.
* BackFromTheDead: Via the "six minute rule" as mentioned by [[spoiler:The Plumber]], Clank is able to briefly use the clock to prevent [[spoiler: Azimuth from killing Ratchet]].

* BookEnds: The game begins and ends as [[spoiler: a recording of Orvus]] delivers a monologue, one without an addressee, and the other to Clank. They are both [[HeartwarmingMoments incredibly]] [[SoProudOfYou heartwarming]].

* CensoredTitle: Apparently, "Ratchet & Clank Future: Clock-Blockers" was deemed to inappropriate for the game.

* CutsceneIncompetence: Near the end, Ratchet, Clank and Qwark, surrounded by his guards, surrender to Dr. Nefarious. Never mind that there are only eight guards, and they later fight Nefarious with the exact same level of preparation.

* DisneyDeath: [[spoiler: Ratchet]]

* FailureKnight: General Azimuth is this [[spoiler: until he [[FaceHeelTurn goes a bit crazy]] and [[WellIntentionedExtremist tries to reverse his failure]].]]

** There's also part of Clank's encounter with the Plumber, just prior to the [[spoiler: six minutes]] hint: "No, you'll have to do ''this one'' alone..."

* GameWithinAGame: "My Blaster Runs Hot - The Game". It's a twin-stick shooter that has Qwark facing down hordes of robots. I

** Arguably, [[spoiler: Ratchet falling at the Great Clock]] could be considered an echo of the same thing happening on Planet Reepor in ''Tools of Destruction'', OR [[spoiler: the aforementioned "mid-air rescue" of Clank at the Valkyries' base]].
** It's not just that. When we first meet Azimuth, he [[spoiler: tries to kill Ratchet]] which leads to a rail grinding segment. At the end, he accomplishes this [[spoiler: temporarily, anyway]], which-- in the long run-- leads to another rail grinding segment.

* KilledOffForReal: This game features an impressive deathcount of important characters: [[spoiler: Clank's father Orvus (debatably), Alister Azimuth, Lord Vorselon, Cassiopeia, Carina and Libra, Pollyx, and even Ratchet.]]

* MakeWrongWhatOnceWentRight: [[spoiler: Dr. Nefarious' ultimate goal. He even provides the page quote]].
** Since this would mean [[spoiler: allowing every evil plan ever foiled by the heroes to succeed, from Chairman Drek onward]], logically, [[spoiler: General Azimuth's plan]] would have caused this too, since it would have [[spoiler: prevented Ratchet from ever meeting Clank]].
* MarketBasedTitle: Like it's immediate predecessors, ''A Crack In Time'' dropped the "Future" from the title.

** Made even more ridiculous by the [[InfinityPlusOneSword RYNO V]], which (in V1) has 1500 ammo and goes through it in around ''one minute''. It also plays the 1812 Overture whenever fired.There's a skill point earned for killing 15 enemies in a row without stopping. The name of said skill point is 'The Simple Art of Armageddon.'

* MyGreatestFailure: [[spoiler: A big plot point in ''Tools of Destruction'' was that Tachyon was able to defeat the Lombaxes and conquer the galaxy due to having improved Lombax technology. ''Crack in Time'' reveals that Azimuth was the one who gave Tachyon access to the tech. (Ironically, he did so because he believed that Tachyon's improvements would help defend the galaxy.) This mistake weighs on Azimuth so much it drives him a bit insane, which comes to a head in the climax of ''Crack''.]]

-->'''Qwark:''' Luckily for Ratchet, Captain Copernicus L. Qwark was on the case! His mission: rescue the lombax's one and OnlyFriend. Yup, without Clank, Ratchet was alone in the universe-- alone. Alone. ''Alone!''

* RedemptionEqualsDeath: [[spoiler: Alister Azimuth.]] Somewhat overlaps HeroicSacrifice.

* RippleEffectProofMemory: Discussed by Ratchet and Azimuth. When Ratchet realizes that if they use the clock to change time he'll never have met Clank, Azimuth suggests those that actually active the clock will remember the previous timeline, noting that he can't guarantee it. [[spoiler: Proven to be true when Clank uses the clock to rewind time by six minutes to save Ratchet. Unless of course that was his quantum actuator doing its thing...]]

* SmokeOut: Unfortunately, Qwark didn't realize the smoke bomb doesn't actually ''cause'' OffscreenTeleportation

* TooManyHalves: In one of his many boasts, Qwark explains to Ratchet that "being a hero is 45% strength, 60% bravery and 10% raw intelligence". Ratchet doesn't fail to lampshade that something doesn't add up.

** More generally the space sections play like this - in comparison to the free-flying in ''Going Commando'' and the on-rails sections in ''Tools of Destruction'', ''Size Matters'' and ''Secret Agent Clank'', you can only fly on a flat, 2D plane.

* WellIntentionedExtremist: [[spoiler: General Azimuth]] after his FaceHeelTurn.

*** Actually if you listen in on the radio you can catch a report that seems to imply that [[spoiler:Max teamed up with Angela from [[RatchetAndClankGoingCommando the second game]] (now apparently confirmed to be Lombax), and docked on Kerchu where they used the Dimensionator to flee to wherever the Lombaxes were.]] The radio also plays a song dedicated to Ratchet from Talwyn, indicating that she wasn't totally forgotten and implying that they parted on good terms.

* GameWithinAGame: "My Blaster Runs Hot - The Game". It's a twin-stick shooter that has Qwark facing down hordes of robots.

* JuxtaposedHalvesShot: The case cover uses this with the eponymous characters to contrast them as "Flesh and Steel".

* MakeWrongWhatOnceWentRight: [[spoiler: Dr. Nefarious' ultimate goal]].

** Made even more ridiculous by the [[InfinityPlusOneSword RYNO V]], which (in V1) has 1500 ammo and goes through it in around ''one minute''. It also plays the 1812 Overture whenever fired.

** Actually if you listen in on the radio you can catch a report that seems to imply that [[spoiler:Max teamed up with Angela from [[RatchetAndClankGoingCommando the second game]] (now apparently confirmed to be Lombax), and docked on Kerchu where they used the Dimensionator to flee to wherever the Lombaxes were.]]

The third and final entry in the ''Ratchet & Clank Future'' trilogy on the PlayStation3, after ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankFutureToolsOfDestruction Tools of Destruction]]'' and ''Quest for Booty''.

* RippleEffectProofMemory: Discussed by Ratchet and Azimuth. When Ratchet realizes that if they use the clock to change time he'll never have met Clank, Azimuth suggests those that actually active the clock will remember the previous timeline, noting that he can't guarantee it. [[spoiler: Proven to be true when Clank uses the clock to rewind time by six minutes to save Ratchet.]]

* CensoredTitle: Apparently, "Ratchet & Clank Future: Clock-Blockers" was deemed to inappropriate for the game.

* RippleEffectProofMemory: Discussed by Ratchet and Azimuth. When Ratchet realises that if they use the clock to change time he'll never have met Clank Azimuth suggests those that actually active the clock will remember the previous timeline,notign that he can't guarantee it. [[spoiler: Proven to be true when Clank uses the clock to rewind time by six minutes to save Ratchet.]]

* KilledOffForReal: This game features an impressive deathcount of important characters: [[spoiler: Clank's father Orvus, Alister Azimuth, Lord Vorselon, Cassiopeia, Carina and Libra, Pollyx, and even Ratchet.]]

* VocalDissonance: Libra, one of the three leaders of the AmazonBrigade, sounds suspiciously like [[VentureBrothers Dr. Girlfriend]].

* TronLines: Ratchet's armor. Come to think of it, Ratchet does look like a character out of the film TronLegacy, even though that film would not be released for another year...