Line #59 VideoGame/RatchetAndClankFutureACrackInTime


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/a_crack_in_time_front_cover_us.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:300:[[{{Tagline}} Has time run out for Ratchet and Clank?]]]]
3	->''"The elders once said time is a living, breathing thing. Powerful, beautiful and oftentimes cruel. It can humble the strongest army, shape mountains to its will, and turn entire oceans to dust. But time itself is not free from jeopardy. There are those who seek to control it, corrupt it, change it to suit their dark will. And if that ever happens, the universe will need a true hero to stop it. Are you ready?"''
4	-->--'''General Alister Azimuth'''
5
6	The third entry in the ''Ratchet & Clank Future'' saga on the Platform/{{PlayStation 3}}, after ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankFutureToolsOfDestruction Tools of Destruction]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankFutureQuestForBooty Quest for Booty]]'', and the seventh mainline game in the ''Franchise/RatchetAndClank'' series overall.
7
8	Dr. Nefarious returns to take control of the Great Clock, a "marvel of science and sorcery" that regulates time throughout the universe, and is located in the exact center of the universe... give or take fifty feet. As in ''VideoGame/SecretAgentClank'', the duo spend most of the game separated, trying to reunite and stop Nefarious, while they both learn the truth about their respective pasts. Ratchet discovers that he isn’t the last Lombax standing like he once thought when he meets a rebel named Alister Azimuth, who wants to reset time to prevent the purge of his species; meanwhile, Clank discovers that the Zoni are related to Orvus, his true creator and caretaker of the Great Clock.
9
10	----
11	!!You'll never take me alive, Qwark! The tropes... are under my control!
12	* HundredPercentCompletion: Requires 40 Zoni, 40 Gold Bolts, 10 RYNO V blueprints, and 1040 points awarded from Skill Points. [[spoiler:Fortunately, you only need 40 Zoni to reach the [[DevelopersRoom Insomniac Museum]]]].
13	* TwoDSpace: Played straight to a degree when there are force fields in a narrow ring around a planet that you can't get by without disabling.
14	** 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.
15	* ABoyAndHisX: One of the commercials you can hear on the radio is for a movie about a boy and his War Grok.
16	* AmbiguousSituation: In-game, its not made clear if [[spoiler:Orvus [[HeroicSacrifice committed self-sacrifice]] to prevent Dr. Nefarious from using the Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler on him to learn how to access the Orvus Chamber, or simply dissapeared.]] [[WordOfGod T.J. Fixman]] later confirmed on his Twitter that [[spoiler:he's still alive.]]
17	* AntiFrustrationFeatures:
18	** Unlike previous games in the series, [[NewGamePlus Challenge Mode]] does ''not'' require you to overwrite your previous save file, and lets you start it in a new one from scratch. Fortunately, you still get to keep everything from your previous save except for the four gadgets you acquire.
19	** Challenge Mode also allows you to skip all of the Great Clock recording puzzles without having to try them, at the cost of forfeiting the bolt rewards or Skill Points involved.
20	** If a recorded Clank ends his recording very close to a button, but not close enough that he presses it, the game will move the recorded Clank onto the button so you don't have to take your time rerecording them.
21	* AntiVillain: [[spoiler:General Azimuth]], who risks destroying the universe in an attempt to bring back the [[spoiler:Lombaxes]] using the Clock.
22	* 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.
23	* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: "The Nefarious Space Station: an impenetrable fortress fraught with danger, and... uh... windows."
24	* ArtShift: The weapon demonstration videos, various {{Flash Back}}s, and photographs are typically drawn in 2D rather than CG rendered.
25	* AsHimself: InUniverse, in ''[[ShowWithinAShow My Blaster Runs Hot]]'', Captain Qwark plays himself.
26	* 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]].
27	* BagOfSharing: While wandering the Great Clock, Clank can destroy boxes and repair things to earn bolts. That Ratchet can use to buy things. Gold Bolts also carry over, which can be rather strange since you can change Ratchet's skin using Gold Bolts that he doesn't even possess.
28	* BigBadEnsemble: [[TheBusCameBack Dr. Nefarious]] and [[spoiler:Alister Azimuth]] both want to take control of the Great Clock for their own ends, with Nefarious wanting to create a timeline where villains come out on top and [[spoiler:Azimuth wanting to prevent the exile of the Lombaxes]], with both unaware that tampering with the Clock could risk destroying all of reality. Nefarious drives most of the plot, but after he's defeated, [[spoiler:Azimuth's desperation to undo his mistake turns him into the FinalBoss.]]
29	* 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 [[SoProudOfYou heartwarming]].
30	* BreadEggsMilkSquick: [[EldritchAbomination Fred's]] hobbies are listed as moonlight strolls along the beach, reading, and mauling unsuspecting enemies with brutal efficiency.
31	* BrickJoke: When we're introduced to him, there's a gag about Sigmund having a cuckoo clock-type extension in his chest compartment. Near the game's end, when he tries to [[spoiler:confront Azimuth]], he uses it to get a few hits in.
32	* BringMyBrownPants: After the Aphelion gets hit by something and falls through the atmosphere of Planet Quantos until it gets stuck in a temporal distortion, we get this from Captain Qwark.
33	--> ''"So much for clean underwear."''
34	* CallBack: One of the skins you unlock is [[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankFutureToolsOfDestruction Mustachio Furioso,]] [[http://ratchet.wikia.com/wiki/Mustachio_Furioso_(disguise) (pride of the Flurbian Galaxyverse).]]
35	* CaptainSpaceDefenderOfEarth: Captain Qwark is overly dramatic, runs around with a ray gun, and thinks of himself as the hero of the story with Ratchet as his sidekick despite the fact he's at best occasionally helpful and more often the cowardly comic-relief.
36	-->'''Qwark:''' That's CAPTAIN Qwark. I didn't take a two-week hero correspondence course just so I could be called "Mister".
37	* CensoredTitle: Apparently, "Ratchet & Clank Future: Clock-Blockers" was deemed too inappropriate for the game. But the name later ended up as a skill point in ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankIntoTheNexus Into the Nexus]].''
38	* CentralTheme: Letting go of loss and moving on.
39	* ChekhovsGunman: Subverted. Qwark [[FluffyTamer saves and sort-of-adopts]] Snowball in the Agorian Battleplex. Despite being spared, the aforementioned War Grok doesn't do much of anything for the rest of the game. [[TheStinger Aside from turning on his master.]]
40	* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: For a weapon; the Combuster from ''[=ToD=]'' is noticeably absent, having been replaced by the Constructo Pistol. This wouldn't be so bad if the Combuster hadn't appeared in ''Tools of Destruction'', ''All 4 One'', and ''Full Frontal Assault''.
41	* ClassicCheatCode: Inputting "Up, Right, Down, Left, Triangle, Square, X, Circle, R3" will get you the [[http://ratchetandclank.wikia.com/wiki/Skins?file=Bancho_Ratchet.png Bancho Ratchet]] skin.
42	* ContinuityCavalcade: The obligatory scene with the Plumber. Within it, you can see a handful of mementos from Tools of Destruction, like "Body By Qwark", Tachyon's crown (but not his scepter or the giant walking throne), the Dimensionator and Nuclear Powered Rocket Sled (which is still in pieces). Ratchet's Omniwrench Millenium 12 is also featured quite prominently in that scene, [[FridgeLogic despite the fact that Clank had never seen Ratchet use that particular wrench.]]
43	* ContinuityNod: This has a ''lot'', possibly due to its likelihood of being the last game in the series. ([[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankAll4One Except it wasn't.]])
44	** A particularly deep cut is found in the often overlooked prologue cutscene -- During his interview, Qwark flexes his left arm and states, "[[https://www.reddit.com/r/RatchetAndClank/comments/16uv2k1/probably_not_the_first_person_to_notice_this_but/ You can't see it]], but there's a [[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankUpYourArsenal tribal tattoo]] under there!"
45	* CoolOldGuy: Orvus. Guy saved the universe and created Clank. Loves [[{{Pun}} puns]]. Also perhaps the most quotable character in the entire series.
46	* CosmicKeystone: The Great Clock.
47	* CrosshairAware:
48	** Vorselon's thunderbolts show crosshairs on the ground before striking.
49	** Cassiopeia's acid missile shows target markers before launching it.
50	* CutsceneIncompetence: Near the end, [[spoiler:Ratchet, Clank, and Qwark, surrounded by his guards, surrender to Dr. Nefarious.]] Never mind that [[spoiler:there are only eight guards]], and Ratchet and Clank later fight Nefarious with the exact same level of preparation.
51	* CutscenePowerToTheMax:
52	** [[spoiler:Ratchet was able to scar Nefarious' face with just a Constructo Bomb, that lasted through the entire game and even All 4 One. After the fight against Nefarious, Ratchet's more powerful weapons, even the RYNO, didn't inflict permanent damage on the villain.]]
53	** [[spoiler:When Ratchet was diving down to save Clank from his fall, Ratchet's hoverboots can work on surfaces he normally couldn't use in the game.]]
54	* DamnYouMuscleMemory: R1 was used to zoom in for the past games' Sniper Rifles. In this game, it's the ''fire button''. Be prepared to waste a lot of ammo getting used to the Plasma Striker.
55	* DelayedSafetyFeature: In the first cutscene with Ratchet and Qwark, Ratchet's ship, Aphelion, loses propulsion to an unknown force, causing them to careen onto Quantos. Aphelion becomes stuck in a time distortion and hovers in midair after crashing into and flying off of a cliff, which neatly explains why Ratchet and Qwark have time to talk about the situation for a moment before the airbags deploy on the duo.
56	* DevelopersForesight: When Ratchet is first learning to use the Hoverboots, he eventually asks if there's a way to go any faster with them... unless you've already been holding R2 to speed up, in which case this dialogue is replaced with Azimuth commenting on how Ratchet's found the accelerator himself.
57	* DevelopersRoom: The Insomniac Moon, unlocked by [[spoiler:collecting all 40 Zoni and defeating Lord Vorselon for the final time]]. Filled with DummiedOut content.
58	* DisasterDominoes: Albeit an intentional example with the saucers on Nefarious's space station. [[StuffBlowingUp Still an impressive sight, though.]]
59	* DisneyDeath: [[spoiler:Ratchet when Azimuth kills him. Clank manages to save him in time.]]
60	* DisneyVillainDeath: Cassiopeia. Though [[ServileSnarker Lawrence]] has another theory on why she disappeared...
61	-->'''Lawrence:''' Perhaps she thought about marrying you and decided to make a run for it.
62	* DoomyDoomsOfDoom: The Dynamo of Doom weapon... [[SubvertedTrope at least until it upgrades into the Dynamo of Devastation]].
63	* DontExplainTheJoke: Orvus is prone to this.
64	-->'''Orvus:''' Did you see what I did there?
65	* DragonTheirFeet: [[spoiler:Lord Vorselon shows up after you beat the final boss after he was absent from the game's climax.]]
66	* DumbMuscle: The Agorians are basically dumb jocks as a species. Interestingly, they're aware enough of their stupidity that they hire the [[MyBrainIsBig Terachnoids]] to think and handle other complex work for them.
67	%%* EccentricMentor: Orvus.
68	* EldritchAbomination: The Rift Inducer 5000 summons one of these. It's called [[FluffyTheTerrible Fred]]...
69	* EmptyRoomUntilTheTrap: Lampshaded. After going through two of these in the Valkyrie Citadel, Ratchet is not surprised by [[RuleOfThree the third]].
70	-->'''Cassiopeia:''' So, you...\
71	'''Ratchet:''' [[DeadpanSnarker Yeah, I know, another death trap.]]
72	* EnemyMine: This is one of the reasons why Ratchet decides to seek out Alister Azimuth, citing the old "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" saying; if Azimuth is an enemy of Dr. Nefarious, then he is a friend of Ratchet. (And yes, Ratchet uses the term "friend" over the more appropriate "ally".)
73	* EnergyWeapon: An unlockable upgrade for the Constructo Pistol.
74	* EternalEngine: The Great Clock.
75	* TheExactCenterOfEverything: [[CosmicKeystone The Great Clock]] is located at the center of the universe (give or take 50-ft).
76	* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler:Azimuth pulls one of these when he isn't allowed to use the Great Clock to go back in time.]]
77	* FacePalm: Another FunnyBackgroundEvent from Ratchet while Qwark is boasting, this time near the beginning of the game.
78	* FailureKnight: General Azimuth is this [[spoiler:until he [[FaceHeelTurn goes a bit crazy]] and [[WellIntentionedExtremist tries to reverse his failure]].]]
79	* FantasticRankSystem: Alister Azimuth is a "Four Bolt Magistrate".
80	* FireForgedFriendship: A one-sided one between Azimuth and Ratchet (the latter already viewing the former as a "friend") when they meet.
81	* FluffyTheTerrible:
82	** The monster summoned by the Rift Inducer 5000 is named "Fred".
83	** Also, Snowball, Qwark's Agorian War Grok.
84	* FluffyTamer: Qwark somehow tames a War Grok.
85	* {{Foreshadowing}}:
86	** Vorselon's message to Ratchet: [[spoiler:"Only one lombax need perish tonight. If you'd be willing to take his place..."]]
87	** 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..."
88	* {{Foil}}: Orvus to General Azimuth. Both are fathers or father figures to our titular heroes, heavily involved with their origins and the only two people in the universe to have answers for their existential questions. Both are also [[HorribleJudgeOfCharacter Horrible Judges Of Character]] that led directly to their respective downfalls. Both have a sense of ForTheGreaterGood, but ultimately have very differing perspectives on it. While Azimuth is focused on the Greater Good for Lombaxkind and puts them above everyone else, Orvus is concerned about the safety of the entire universe. Azimuth also regularly appeals to Ratchet's sense of loneliness by trying to get him to put their kind over himself, while Orvus ultimately wants what's best for Clank [[spoiler:and would've very likely accepted his refusal to become the Great Clock's keeper]]. Their philosophies on the universe having "a sense of humor" also demonstrates this contrast. Azimuth bemoans the sense of humor as cruel and punishing when he brings up the purge of his kind, never having been able to move past it. Orvus, however, sees it as wonderful and believes that it all boils down to you knowing how to take a joke - or rolling with the punches that life throws at you.
89	* FreezeFrameBonus: While Nefarious is rehearsing his (Epic Romantic Action Comedy) SpaceOpera, if you're watching very closely, you can see Qwark's emblem on his blaster.
90	* FunnyBackgroundEvent: In the Agorian Battleplex - while Qwark is trying to woo the audience, in the background Ratchet is being mauled by the War Grok.
91	* GainaxEnding: Parodied. According to a radio broadcast, the season finale of [[SoapWithinAShow Lance and Janice]] was one of these. Doctor Nefarious is not happy.
92	* GameBreakingBug: This game has a nasty bug that apparently makes two lines of code continuously conflict in the background while both attempt to resolve. Long story short, never use the Dynamo weapon in the Battleplex Arena fights, especially the ones that have respawning ammo crates. It can lead to crashing your [=PS3's=] operating system and causing a player to have to factory reset.
93	* GameWithinAGame: "My Blaster Runs Hot - The Game". It's a twin-stick shooter that has Qwark and Rusty Pete (in 2-player mode) facing down hordes of robots.
94	* GangstaStyle: Discussed when you do the final Bronze Cup challenge for the first time. Captain Qwark points out that if you hold your gun sideways, it'll hurt your accuracy, but also [[IntimidationDemonstration make you look more menacing]].
95	* HandWave: The Pirate radio explains the absence of [[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankGoingCommando Angela Cross]], saying that [[TheGhost Max Apogee]] traveled to the Bogon Galaxy to save her from the potential wrath of Percival Tachyon, and they are both missing in action, but the possibility of them using another Dimensionater to flee to the Lombax dimension is brought up. It also officially confirms that Angela is a lombax, and that female lombaxes dont have tails.
96	* HoverSkates: Ratchet uses a pair of hoverboots to speed around and jump off ramps.
97	* IJustShotMarvinInTheFace: To quote Lawrence: "Might I suggest engaging the safety, so as not to kill any more troops?" Qwark also majorly fails gun safety when he gestures to his "intelligence" by pointing a gun to his head.
98	* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy:
99	** A familial example. In his final message to Clank, Orvus states that while he ''does'' want Clank to watch over the Great Clock in his place, like any father, he's nonetheless content that Clank does whatever "makes him feel whole." With this knowledge, Clank [[spoiler:leaves the Clock in Sigmund's care and departs with Ratchet]].
100	** Ratchet was willing to do the friend-variant for Clank, by allowing him to stay and watch over the Great Clock. Luckily, Clank belives that he can't just leave Ratchet after losing Azimuth, and stays with him, at least till he finds his own family.
101	* IronicEcho:
102	** The Fongoids are willing to share the secret of the Zoni to Ratchet shortly after he arrives on their planet, in contrast to ''Tools of Destruction'' with the mysterious Lombax Secret that drives the plot.
103	*** After questioning how Orvus is talking to him without physically seeing him, Sigmund tells Clank in the second Great Clock sector that Orvus’ location is a secret, and isn’t willing to tell him anything else.
104	** When first asked why he didn't leave with the Lombaxes, Azimuth wistfully answers: "''Sometimes the universe has a cruel sense of humour''". [[https://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. The trick is learning how to take a joke.''"
105	** Nefarious’ death, which is played for laughs, is shortly followed by [[spoiler:Ratchet falling to his demise]], which is played far more seriously.
106	*** [[spoiler:Ratchet falling at the Great Clock]] can also 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]].
107	** 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.
108	** During the Battle of Axiom City, Ratchet identifies Alister’s motivation for the battle as "reward over consequence"; [[spoiler:this also explains why he wants to save the Lombaxes while ignoring the consequences of the Great Clock’s instability]].
109	* JustBetweenYouAndMe: Hilariously played with:
110	-->'''Ratchet:''' What is it ''this'' time, Nefarious?\
111	'''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!''\
112	''[A klaxon sounds off]''\
113	'''Ratchet:''' Well, now we know what he went with...
114	* JuxtaposedHalvesShot: The American case cover uses this with the eponymous characters to contrast them as "Flesh and Steel".
115	* KentBrockmanNews: Kip Darling and Pepper Fairbanks on the radio.
116	* KilledOffForReal: This game features an impressive death count of important characters: [[spoiler:Alister Azimuth, Lord Vorselon, Cassiopeia, Carina and Libra.]]
117	* LetsDance: Clank delivers one of these in his typical SpockSpeak manner to the Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler as the battle begins.
118	-->'''Clank:''' It is time, Hypersonic Brainwave Scrambler. Let us dance.
119	* LiesDamnedLiesAndStatistics:
120	-->'''Qwark:''' This Lombax is young. He does not understand that being a hero is 45% strength, 60% bravery, and 10% raw intelligence.\
121	'''Ratchet:''' That's 115%!\
122	'''Qwark:''' You're welcome.
123	* LukeIAmYourFather: As revealed at the very beginning of the game, Orvus is Clank's father, in the sense that he's the source of Clank's soul.
124	* MacGuffinLocation: Doubling as a CosmicKeystone, The Great Clock is a colossal space station constructed at the center of the universe, give or take fifty feet. In the distant past, the misuse of time travel posed a significant threat of a RealityBreakingParadox. To keep the universe's structure intact, the Zoni built the Great Clock, which serves as a cosmic pacemaker. The game's antagonists believe that by commandeering the Great Clock, they can manipulate it as a time machine to alter history as they see fit, oblivious to or obstinately rejecting the fact that doing so would result in the universe's implosion.
125	* MacrossMissileMassacre: The RYNO V only fires a few missiles at lower levels, but throws out about 2 every second once you level it up to the max.
126	* MakeWrongWhatOnceWentRight:
127	** Nefarious's ultimate goal is to [[spoiler:use the Great Clock to go back in time and not only undo his previous defeat at Ratchet and Clank's hands, but make it so that, after sufficient meddling with the time continuum, a universe has been created where villains always triumph over the heroes]]. An excerpt from the speech where he reveals this provides the page quote for this trope.
128	** 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]].
129	* MarketBasedTitle: Like its immediate predecessors, ''A Crack In Time'' dropped the "Future" from the title.
130	* MeaningfulEcho: Not an immediately obvious one, but so perfect it can't be anything but intentional. Late in the game, Ratchet rescues Clank by using his Hoverboots to catch him in mid-air and save his life. This mirrors the ending of [[VideoGame/RatchetAndClank2002 the original game]] when Clank uses his Thruster-Pack to push Ratchet in mid-air and save his life. The latter happens in the adventure where the two first meet, the former when they meet up again after their first significant time apart from each other. It's also worth noting that, in their respective games, both the Hoverboots and the Thruster-Pack are used for the same tasks: gliding through the air and crossing horizontal distances quickly.
131	* MistakenIdentity: Vorselon mistakes Ratchet for Azimuth early on, despite them looking nothing alike.
132	* MoreDakka:
133	** The 'Rapid Fire' mod for the Constructo Pistol. Shoots so quickly even tapping the fire button for a split second will fire off 2-3 shots.
134	** Unlike prior weapons in the family which either shot [[MacrossMissileMassacre a bunch of missiles]] or [[BeamSpam a bunch of beams]], the [[InfinityPlusOneSword RYNO V]] shoots a bunch of bullets, with missiles still present, but in a much smaller quantity.
135	* MyBrainIsBig: Terachnoids. Loading screen trivia implies that they actually house ''multiple'' brains in their massive skulls, as the smartest was born with seven and a half.
136	* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: [[spoiler:Alister Azimuth gets one of these moments after you defeat him, since he's about to get the entire universe destroyed.]]
137	* 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. This game 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 the game.]]
138	* MysteriousWaif: [[spoiler:Clank]], more or less. Not a very standard one, but his backstory certainly fits.
139	* NewGamePlus: Challenge Mode returns once again, letting you start a harder version of the game from the start, but with all your weapons, bolts and Gold Bolts, Constructo upgrades, items and Zoni retained. The only thing you lose are the gadgets you obtain throughout the game, minus the Swingshot.
140	* NoScope: While this was effective in previous games, ''[=ACiT=]'' [[SubvertedTrope discourages the tactic]] by giving the [[SniperRifle Plasma Striker]] the ability to shoot [[AttackItsWeakPoint weak points]] on enemies for extra damage. These can only be seen and hit when scoped in.
141	* OldSaveBonus:
142	** If you have save data for ''Quest for Booty'', Ratchet gets the "Captain Ratchet" costume, which is his current armor with a pirate hat. Rather than wearing the hat on his armor, the helmet is simply removed, allowing the player to see Ratchet's face even if they're using the normally head-obscuring Hyperflux armor.
143	** If you have a ''Tools of Destruction'' save file, several of the weapons that had previously appeared in Tools of Destruction (Mr. Zurkon, Groovitron Glove, Mag-Net Launcher, and Buzz Blades; the Negotiator, as a Battleplex prize, is not affected) will be discounted at the [=GrummelNet=] vendor.
144	* OnlyFriend: Qwark barrels right past simply ''implying'' this during the intro to Ratchet's side of the story, and states it like a fact. While this was true early on in the series ([[TeethClenchedTeamWork mostly]]) it certainly isn't this far down the line. Still heart-wrenching, considering that Ratchet and Clank are certainly each others' ''closest'' friend, and were, at one point, the only one the other had.
145	-->'''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!''
146	* PaperThinDisguise:
147	** Nurse Shannon is just Captain Qwark dressed up in a nurse's outfit with a red wig and a falsetto voice. He even still wears his green skin-tight bodysuit with attached balaclava.
148	** The [[spoiler:Nefarious hologram]] might count too, due to the fact that Ratchet's [[PintSizedPowerhouse so short.]]
149	* PeninsulaOfPowerleveling: The final sector has two. As a part of the story, Ratchet needs to defeat an Argorian invasion, and the fighters are tough. As in, take a level 1 weapon and ''fully upgrade it in 3-5 minutes'' tough. The second place is a moon full of Agorians who are just as tough as the aforementioned invaders. Considering this place only has one gold bolt, it really seems the devs put it there so you could max out any guns you didn't have in the first peninsula.
150	* PerfectlyCromulentWord: On the first visit to Vorselon's ship, you rip out some hyperspace fueling modules. The female A.I. announcing this rolls along fine with the primary and secondary ones, but stumbles at the third:
151	-->'''Ship A.I.:''' Um... third...iary hyperspace fueling module released.[[note]]The word she was looking for would be "tertiary".[[/note]]
152	* PrecisionGuidedBoomerang: Apart from Ratchet's trademark Comet Strike, the Spiral of Death/Carnage shoots saw-blades just like a boomerang.
153	* TheProblemWithLicensedGames: My Blaster Runs Hot is a rare [[StylisticSuck In-universe example.]]
154	* ProudWarriorRace: Agorians.
155	* PutOnABus: While Talwyn doesn't appear in the game, it is suggested that she simply didn't come with him on this particular mission rather than dropping off the radar entirely.
156	* RecurringBoss: Lord Vorselon.
157	* RedemptionEqualsDeath: [[spoiler:Alister Azimuth.]] Somewhat overlaps with HeroicSacrifice.
158	* RoomFullOfCrazy: Nefarious's room in his flashback. He also appears to be eating the crayons he used to, er, decorate.
159	* 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 activate 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...]]
160	* RustRemovingOil: Rusted out machinery will be back in order by splashing them with oil collected by the [=OmniSoaker=].
161	* ScreamsLikeALittleGirl: Demonstrated several times over the course of the game by Qwark, mostly, but Ratchet gets an impressive scream as the War Grok throws him across the arena.
162	* SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong: Ratchet and Azimuth's motivation. [[spoiler:Later subverted when it turns out it wouldn't really work and Ratchet and Clank must stop Azimuth.]]
163	* ShortRangeShotgun:
164	** The Constructo-Shotgun can be downplayed, averted, or played straight, depending on if you give it the Spread, Choke, or Double Barrel, respectively.
165	** The Sonic Eruptor downplays this trope.
166	* ShoutOut: [[ShoutOut/RatchetAndClank Has its own section on the page.]]
167	* SlowClap: After Qwark's passionate speech in the Agorian Battleplex to "save" Ratchet, the crowd starts slowly clapping.
168	* SmokeOut: When Ratchet, Clank, and Qwark make their way onto Nefarious's space station, Qwark tries to use this once they get caught by the actual Nefarious. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, he didn't realize the smoke bomb doesn't actually ''cause'' OffscreenTeleportation.]]
169	* SomethingWeForgot: When Racthet, Clank, and Qwark are caught by Nefarious, the doctor has the former too shot out into space on a chunk of rock as payback for the end of third game. The action follows the duo as they race to return to the space station and stop Nefarious, and we never see Qwark again...until the end, when it's revealed he's also stuck on a rock drifting through space. With Snowball, the violent space beast he tamed in the arena, who is now hungry for blood.
170	* SpinToDeflectStuff: The final boss, [[spoiler:Azimuth, can spin his wrench]] fast enough to deflect anything you shoot at him, even RYNO bullets.
171	* SpreadShot:
172	** As in ''Tools of Destruction'', the Negotiator's upgraded form, the Judicator, shoots three rockets at once, with one going straight ahead while the others fly diagonally to its sides.
173	** The Spiral of Death, when upgraded to the Spiral of Carnage, does just about the same thing.
174	* StealthPun: In the second cutscene (with the "Orb of Gratuitous Immobilization") you can hear part of the Westminster chime. This is right before we're informed that Clank is in the Great ''Clock''.
175	* StrongFamilyResemblance: Azimuth figures out that Ratchet's a real Lombax instead of a holo-guised assassin due to his striking resemblance to his father, Kaden.
176	* TakeMeInstead: As part of his attempt to rescue Ratchet at the end of the first tournament on the Battleplex, Captain Qwark offers himself in Ratchet's place.
177	-->'''Qwark:''' ...All I ask is that you name something impressive in my honor! Perhaps a school, or a food court.
178	* TemptingFate: [[DiscussedTrope Discussed]].
179	-->'''Captain Qwark:''' The key to surviving situations like this is to avoid phrases such as "[[ItsQuietTooQuiet it's too quiet in here]]" and "everything's gonna be alright".
180	* ThereIsAnother: Alister Azimuth, just about the only Lombax aside from Ratchet remaining in the universe. [[spoiler:Sadly, he doesn't live past this game]].
181	* 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.
182	* TragicKeepsake:
183	** [[spoiler:Azimuth's pocket watch becomes one after his HeroicSacrifice]].
184	** The hoverboots Azimuth gives Ratchet originally belonged to Ratchet's father, Kaden.
185	* TronLines: Ratchet's armor is typically grey or black with neon light lines for accent.
186	* TroubledFetalPosition: Nefarious during his flashback to life post-asteroid.
187	* VerbalTic: All Fongoid males have one. The loading screen trivia mentions that scientists have no idea why it's the case, but also that the leading theory of time travel as the cause was dismissed as "both laughable and impossible" by the scientist who came up with it.
188	* VillainousBreakdown: [[spoiler:[[WellIntentionedExtremist Azimuth]] begins to break down towards the end, killing Ratchet]] to meet his goals. His ranting during the final boss battle is also increasingly unhinged; it takes a MyGodWhatHaveIDone moment to calm him down.
189	** It's heavily implied that Nefarious went through one after being rescued from the asteroid, before recovering... no thanks to that anger management class.
190	* VocalDissonance: Libra, one of the three leaders of the AmazonBrigade, has an extremely masculine voice, unlike the other two who have more traditionally feminine sounding voices.
191	* TheWallsAreClosingIn: Happens at the beginning of the raid on the Nefarious Space Station, but Qwark can brace the walls forever, and all you have to do is just blow up some {{Mook}}s in the enclosed space before the trap is released.
192	* TheWarSequence: The Battle of Gimlick Valley, near the end of the game.
193	* WeHaveReserves: Dr. Nefarious's response to [[IJustShotMarvinInTheFace accidentally killing his minion with an "unloaded" gun]] is to simply press a BigRedButton to call in the next (completely terrified) minion.
194	* WellIntentionedExtremist: [[spoiler:General Azimuth]] after his FaceHeelTurn.
195	* WhamShot: [[spoiler:Azimuth rescues Ratchet and Clank from Dr. Nefarious after his defeat, but then he attacks them, succeeding in killing Ratchet, and once Clank undoes the death, he becomes the FinalBoss]].
196	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: The game fails to resolve several plotlines that ''Tools of Destruction'' left hanging. The comic series may resolve them yet, though.
197	** One thing does get solved, though; if you listen in on the radio, you can catch a report that seems to imply that [[spoiler:Max teamed up with Angela from [[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankGoingCommando the second game]] (now apparently confirmed to be a 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 [[ChuckCunninghamSyndrome totally forgotten]].
198	** At the end of ''Tools of Destruction'', Tachyon yells at Ratchet that he is the only one who knows Ratchet's true purpose in Polaris and his true name. This is brought up in the final cutscene where Clank confirms that he detected no lie in Tachyon's voice. Despite this, this ends up never being referenced again, and Azimuth's account makes it sound like Ratchet being left behind was just a mistake.
199	* ZeroEffortBoss: Lord Vorselon becomes this at the end of Ratchet's final rematch against him. After you finish the real part of the fight, his suit completely falls apart and he's reduced to a disembodied head. At this point, he can't attack and the only way to lose the fight is by quitting or getting a power outage. You don't even have to attack him--Ratchet can kill him by simply stepping on him. He's as easy to beat as ''[[VideoGame/EarthwormJim Bob The Goldfish]]''.
200	----

Context VideoGame / RatchetAndClankFutureACrackInTime