Ratchet and Clank and the Military-Industrial Complex

The Ratchet and Clank series has been around for almost 20 years, but I finished my first game in the franchise recently. Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart (for the PS5, because it’s very important that I remind everyone I can that I have a PS5), is a cool game with amazing effects and a fun adventure that shows the power of friendship and also a whole lot of guns.

I’m talking lots of gun. There are 20 different weapons the main characters can use. And that may not seem like a lot (although when you’re scrolling through the menu to find the one you want on next-to-no health IT DEFINITELY IS), but what makes it really weird is that they’re also the ONLY things you can buy in the game. There are different outfits, decorations for your ships, equipment, bonus modes, all kinds of stuff to get in the game. But all of those are found or very rarely bartered for some favors (“you drop off this package, I give you the ability to phase through solid matter” kind of favors). This economy is MESSED up. You pay for things with bolts, which you get by destroying objects/enemies and trading them for the weapons you need to destroy more objects/enemies. And should you find one of the rarest materials in the universe, Raritanium, you can trade THAT currency for… upgrades to the guns you use to destroy objects/enemies.

How did it get like this, Ratchet and Clank? I can’t be sure, seeing as how I haven’t played any of the other games in the series, but I can guess:

The Military-Industrial Complex.

President Eisenhower referred to the “Military-Industrial Complex” in his farewell address. It refers to the connection between the machinery that the military needs, the defense businesses that supply those needs, and the politicians who facilitate that sign those deals. He was warning that it’s a bad thing to have multi-billion dollar companies making weapons that America doesn’t necessarily need and using that money and influence in politics. After all, if 10,000 Americans are building fighter jets that, again, we don’t necessarily need, and a politician points that out, it would be really messed up if that company accused that politician of destroying jobs, then paid off that politician’s rival to keep the orders coming in. I’m not saying that’s what happens… largely because I don’t need to.

But what’s that have to do with Ratchet and Clank? Well, I saved at least a half-dozen planets from being overtaken by armies of robots and mercenary soldiers during the game, which suggests to me that the politicians in this universe spend a lot on their military. After all, wave after wave of them just keep coming, all armed to the teeth. The game is so chock-full of guns and so bereft of anything else to buy that I can’t help but think the MIC is the only economy there is.

And sure, you don’t go buying stock options in other violent games… except for Grand Theft Auto… but even in other kid-friendly games like Super Mario Odyssey, money can purchase SOMETHING: clothes and souvenirs. Link can buy weapons and potions or food or a HOUSE. But Ratchet and Clank can only buy guns to keep themselves safe from all the other guns in the universe. And if anyone thought to tell the saleswoman/bot, hey, maybe we would be safer if we all bought fewer guns, I can only image they would be torn apart for bolts to buy the gun that turns you into a topiary sculpture (which is, admittedly, rad).

But still… the option to purchase ANYTHING else would have been nice…