Okay, I guess it’s time to talk about Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One. Because there are still some who remember this insane chaos co-op-brewed masterpiece. Insomniac Games threw it out there in 2011, and while it was anything but a typical single-player Ratchet adventure, it did have that just a bit insane element to it. Four players. One screen. Pure pandemonium.
Now, the official account of Ratchet & Clank just exploded into your face with all sorts of nostalgia-bait: “All 4 make One singular unit. 🤝 Who did you play as in Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One? 🟢🟡⚪🟣” That question must surely linger. Because if you have played the game, you most definitely struggled (or worse) in arguing who will be Ratchet while the other half moped around being Clank.
So for those still in the dark (how did you miss this?), All 4 One was this wild departure from normal. While normally Ratchet would go solo through the stars with a barely fail-safe backpack-buddy that is Clank, this time around four characters went wild: Ratchet (green icon, duh), Clank (yellow, just ’cause), Captain Qwark (white, just perfect for his ego), and Dr. Nefarious (purple, because villains must be purple).
So here’s the thing—choosing a character was about more than your preference. No. It was all about vibes. Ratchet was the all-rounder. Clank was pure support. Qwark was…well, Qwark™ (read: chaotic neutral). And Nefarious? Pure, unfiltered chaos. Picking Nefarious was like picking the option to play the villain in a game that really didn’t have one. Grand.
Honestly, though… most of the time, top choice was Ratchet. Ratchet, above all, is the face of the franchise: he’s the one with a giant wrench who looks like he knows what he’s doing. Clank was just that buddy who’s cool with being the helper but is also OK with being carried a little. Qwark? That was the friend that kept insisting on being the “funny one” and ended up shooting their teammates half the time. And Nefarious? That’s the edgy fellow or just the one dude that really appreciated that evil chuckle.
At this very moment, replies to that tweet are probably a war zone: Ratchet loyalists, Clank appreciators, Qwark apologists (yes, they really exist!)- and, of course, Nefarious stans who still want him to have his own spin-off. And yeah? All those stances would be entirely understandable.
All 4 One was never perfect—some thought the controls were clunky, the same way some missed the solo vibe—but it was fun. Friendships got tested with accusations of who took all the ammo and who couldn’t stop falling off cliffs. See? That’s what makes the game great: Not just a Ratchet & Clank game; The Party.
Well, who did you play as? Were you Ratchet, Clank, Qwark, or Nefarious? Head over to the replies and start bickering with your friends, because maybe, just maybe, there’ll be another chaotic co-op Ratchet game. Hold on! Better still would be a remaster. Insomniac, we’re calling you.
Until then, if batting around somewhere in your attic is a dusty, old PS3, get it out. Gather a pack of three friends or enemies, same difference, really. Relive the days of glory of All 4 One. But please, for the love of all that is shiny, decide who gets to be Nefarious before you start. Trust me.
