Ratchet and Clank Future Tools of Destruction Walkthrough
Tools of Destruction moves from planet to planet, with a set of objectives on each one. This walkthrough follows that route and points out the spots where players often stall.
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Here's a Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction walkthrough that takes you from the opening level to the end, in the order the game asks you to play. You travel between planets of the Polaris Galaxy aboard the Aphelion, a sentient lombax ship [1]. Each planet has a set of objectives that you must complete before the ship gives you the coordinates for the next one [1]. Related reading: Ratchet and Clank Future Tools of Destruction Weapons: Which to Use.
That order is why this guide follows the route as it happens. Knowing the ship moves on only after a planet's objectives are done keeps you from wandering.
The walkthrough also flags the spots where players commonly get stuck, so you can keep moving. Each section covers one stage of the journey, in order.
How does the route move from planet to planet?
You travel between the planets of the Polaris Galaxy using the Aphelion, and every trip runs through that ship [1]. You cannot head straight for a new world. The ship only moves you on once you have finished the work on the planet you are standing on.
Finishing a planet unlocks the next one
Each planet comes with a set of objectives. You complete them first, and the coordinates to the next destination are unlocked only after that [1]. Until then, the route stays closed.
Say you have finished three of a planet's four objectives. The fourth still stands between you and the next set of coordinates, so you go back and finish it before you move on. Leaving early is not an option, because the ship has nothing new to give you yet. For more detail, see Tools of Destruction Tips for Beginners.
Following the route in order
The order of the planets comes from the ship, not from you. Because each new set of coordinates comes from finishing objectives, the sequence is built into the game [1]. You cannot skip ahead to a planet the ship has not sent you to.
The practical way to handle this is simple. Finish the current planet's objectives, then take the coordinates the ship gives you and fly to that world. Repeat that loop, planet by planet, and you will follow the route the game was designed around.
This is also why the route is easy to follow once you get the rhythm. Each planet ends with a clear signal to move on, so you always know your next stop.
What do you need to finish on each planet?
Each planet is built around a set of objectives, and you must finish that set before the ship gives you coordinates to the next planet [1]. Your job on a planet is to clear the list, not to reach one finish point and walk away.
Work through the objectives as you come to them. When you complete one, look at what is still open on that planet. Objectives are easy to forget once you have moved on to something else, so a quick look after each one keeps you on track.
Keep a running tally as you go. Say a planet has four objectives and you finish three. The fourth is still required, and the coordinates will not come until it is done. If you leave early anyway, you will have to fly back, which costs time you could spend playing.
Here is a routine that works on every planet:
- Land on the planet and read the full objective list before you move far.
- Complete each objective in the order it appears, noting any you postpone.
- When nothing on the list is still open, go back to the ship.
- Use the coordinates it gives you to fly to the next planet.
Postponed objectives are the ones most likely to cause backtracking. If you set one aside because it looked hard, write its name down or make a mental note of where it was. When you return to the planet, start with that item so you do not waste a trip.
The ship is your signal, not your guess. Do not fly on just because an area looks finished. Wait for the coordinates, and treat every objective as required. That keeps your route moving in one direction and saves you from flying back and forth between worlds.
Where do players commonly get stuck?
The Ferris Wheel challenge
Get on the Ferris Wheel and complete five loops without touching the green forcefields [2]. The rule is simple to state, but the forcefields are what end most attempts.
Think of each loop as its own short stretch to get through cleanly. Keep your movement steady and watch the forcefields, because one touch fails the attempt [2]. Rushing is the usual mistake. If you slow down as you approach each forcefield, you give yourself time to adjust before you reach it.
A practical habit helps here. Count the loops as you go, so you know exactly how many you still need. If you lose count, you may end a run thinking you are on loop four when you are still on loop three.
When the challenge depends on another part
Some challenges are tied to a different part of the game, and the Ferris Wheel is one of them. If the challenge is tied to another part of the game, the source points you to a separate guide for that part [2]. Read that guide before you spend many attempts on the wheel, since the problem may not be your timing.
When a run goes badly, you do not have to keep pushing on the same attempt. Step away from the Ferris Wheel, finish any other objectives still open on the planet, and then come back with a clear head. A short break often makes the forcefield spacing easier to read.
Use this approach each time you try again. Pick one loop to focus on, slow your movement through the forcefields, and only then aim for the full five loops. Small, careful runs are a better path to the goal than rushed full attempts.
How do you keep moving without backtracking?
Leave a planet only when every objective on it is marked complete. That one habit prevents most of the trips back that slow players down. The ship's coordinates then tell you where to go next, so you never have to guess.
Start with the objectives list. Read each entry and look for anything still unmarked. A required task you assumed was optional is the most common reason to fly back. Finish it while you are still on the planet, even if the next destination already looks obvious.
Optional challenges are easy to walk past, especially on a busy planet with several things happening at once. When you skip one, write it down with the planet's name beside it. A notebook or a note app works fine. Later you can go straight to that challenge instead of searching the whole planet again.
The coordinates are your signal to move. Don't wander into a new area because it looks interesting, and don't leave early because a planet feels finished. If new coordinates have appeared, the next destination is ready. If they haven't, the planet still has work left, so read the list again before you assume you're done.
Here is the routine to follow on every planet:
- Mark every main objective on the planet complete.
- Write down each optional challenge you skipped, with the planet's name.
- Open the ship and look for new coordinates.
- Travel to the next planet only after the coordinates appear.
Following these four steps means you rarely need a return trip. Each planet gets closed out before you leave, and your notes give you a short, organized list of optional work to come back to when you have time. Over a full playthrough, that list is far easier to work through than a planet you have to search from scratch.
Where should you go next?
Start with the first planet's objectives, and work through the route in order. The ship only gives you coordinates for the next destination after you finish the current planet's objectives. [1]
If you get stuck on the Ferris Wheel, use the five-loop rule as your target: complete five loops without touching the green forcefields. [2] Keep your movement steady, and try again from the start of the challenge each time you fail.
Keep this route open as you move through the Polaris Galaxy. When a planet feels hard, go back to the step you are on rather than guessing where to go next. That habit will keep you moving forward.