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Hoven is a planet in the Solana Galaxy featured in Ratchet & Clank and the multiplayer mode of Up Your Arsenal. It is a desolate planet covered with ice and snow, that features many ice mining facilities as well as weapons factories. Chairman Drek made use of a bomb factory on the planet to produce the PlanetBuster Maximus, a missile that would be fired from a large starship and be capable of destroying an entire planet. The multiplayer map in Up Your Arsenal is Hoven Gorge.

Hoven is absent from the 2016 re-imagined game, and Batalia instead takes its place as a snowy planet.

History[]

Ratchet and Clank came to Hoven after viewing an infobot on Orxon revealing the PlanetBuster Maximus, which they needed to destroy. In "Destroy the Planetbuster", the two fought through several blarg forces, soon taking control of a turret to destroy the ship carrying the bomb before it could leave the planet. After this, they got hold of an infobot detailing Drek's Gemlik Base, from which the blarg would attack planet Oltanis. Ratchet wished to travel to the base to search for Captain Qwark, while Clank wished to do so in order to stop Drek. After a brief argument, Ratchet conceded that he would travel to the base, as all that mattered was that both wished to go.

Hey buddy, what's shakin'?

Ratchet and Clank meet Edwina.

The two also explored the planet further. In "Explore the Icy Wastes", they met the Miner and Edwina, the owner of a roboshack. After Ratchet fixed his drill, the Miner let them have his raritanium, which they could use to give to Fred on Pokitaru in exchange for the Persuader. Edwina, on the other hand, offered Clank a black market[1] Hydro-Pack upgrade, which the two purchased from her for 2,000 bolts.

Geography[]

Overview[]

Bomb factory map

Map layout of the bomb factory.

The factory is located in an arctic region, with water that will freeze on touch and much of the terrain covered in a layer of snow. The majority of the area consists of tall rocky mountains, with the accessible terrain consisting of a few small paths next to cliffs. There are also some tunnels leading through the rocks, and a large assortment of structures and platforms built between and into the cliff faces. Pine trees and a few sparse patches of grass make up the only vegetation.

Central area[]

Bomb Factory 1

The Planetbuster Maximus and the surrounding area.

The landing pad is located near the south end of the area. On the left is a large structure built into the mountain that leads to a region dubbed the "icy wastes", and on the right is a dirt path lined with streetlights, swerving past a trio of houses. The buildings are squat and have a circular shape, with the second being the tallest out of them. Opposite said building is a small copse of pine trees, behind which is a hidden area, home to a large group of anklebiters and a lone gold bolt on a ridge. The dirt path will eventually end, with a floating platform on the left that trails back and forth between the mainland and a group of metal plateaus. On the right is another floating platform that leads to a tunnel higher up in the cliff face, part of the "icy wastes" territory.

The plateaus feature a trio of cranes that constantly appear to be fishing for something in the waters below. At the end is another platform that leads to a small plot of land, set between two mountains. A conveyor belt will lead directly to a short dirt path, marked by a few flat stones, with on each side a circular house. A large metal platform covers the left end of this area, with a jump slot built into the mountain being required to access a tunnel higher up in the wall. The tunnel is quite short, featuring only small stalactites on the ceiling and various plants growing on the walls. At the end is a doorway, with a conveyor belt spanning the distance to the other mountain, where a small jump slot must be used to enter another tunnel.

Bomb Factory 4

A building at the Planetbuster Maximus docking area.

The tunnel will end at a small snow-covered ledge, with a set of four platforms levitating between the ledge and the structure built into the mountains on the other side. This area appears to be a dock for the ship carrying the PlanetBuster Maximus and consists of a large single structure, with doorways on the north and south side. It is entirely empty, however, save for a large group of blarg troopers. A metal platform leads around the northeast side, through ends abruptly, whereas another can be accessed on the southeast side through a conveyor belt. At the south end is another conveyor belt that connects another platform to one supporting a lone turret.

Icy wastes[]

Bomb Factory 2

Part of the icy wastes.

To the west of the landing pad is the aforementioned icy wastes region, which is in fact a term used for everything that is not part of the central area. A large, but empty, room must be passed through to emerge on the other side, from where a short dirt path trails to and ends at a river. Though said river is spilled forth by a sewage pipe on the right end, past the water is a large ice slope, with a flat non-ice covered spot on top and a lone versa-target floating above it. A trio of tri-pads must be activated to open a doorway into a tower on the north side of this place. A jump slot, with tri-pads mounted on the walls, is required to reach the top, where another ice-covered area is located.

This part is similar to the previous area, though ice covers both sides of the land that flanks the stream of water in the center. On the northwest end stands a structure, which has a tunnel that leads into the mountain behind and above it. The tunnel is covered in ice, with two pairs of vertical, floating lasers covering the length of it. The constructed tunnel leads into a natural one, which intersects with another formed by a large river, with in the center an ice-covered platform. The tunnel will end shortly after, leading to another set of floating lasers, behind which is a tall stone pillar covered in ice. It connects to a metal plateau that is all covered in ice, with a few cranes and crates lying around, as well as a thin zigzagging path that connects to a circular but flat room on a mountaintop. The room contains a couple of large containers and is also where the Miner is found. Past it is an open doorway, from where it is possible to glide down to the landing pad.

The other aforementioned icy wastes path is a tunnel, that connects to a tall cylindrical shaft, lined with machinery. At the bottom of said shaft is a doorway that leads to a massive cavernous space, with a vague cylindrical shape. In the center stands a tall structure, serving as a tower, as well as a water container and Insta-Faucet. Other features include a small, natural platform on metal stilts, a lone platform floating on a pool of water, and a number of Insta-Faucets and Insta-Drains located in alcoves and on platforms. Once flooded, a doorway can be reached near the top of the cavern, through which another tunnel must be traversed, leading to the RoboShack area.

RoboShack area[]

Bomb Factory 3

Edwina's RoboShack and the surrounding area.

This hidden canyon is signified by the many bridges and conveyor belts that span the distance from one end of the walls to the other. Tying together various buildings and structures, with the eastern ones embedded into the cliff face. The rooms do not contain any notable machinery, though a large number of crates can be found inside, as well as outside on the pathways connecting everything. At the north end is Edwina's RoboShack, which has a tall metal robot stationed on-top, lifting half a gear. The interior contains mostly tough crates and boxes in various sizes, as well as a number of robot parts.

Multiplayer[]

Hoven Gorge is a map set in a seemingly abandoned gorge surrounded by icy cliffs. It is a zig-zag shaped map with bases located on each end. The map also contains several caves and a large suspended tunnel providing travel through them. The only vehicle usable for the map is the turboslider.

Behind the scenes[]

Hoven concept art 1

Concept art.

Hoven concept art 2

Concept art.

From space, Hoven is seen with the same design as Aridia but with different colors.

The original idea for Hoven was that the inhabitants of the planet mined ice and shipped it off-world, but it was later decided that the blarg had invaded and converted all processing plants to munitions factories.[2]

Citations[]

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