Going Commando logo

Explore the swamp ruins and Purchase the Tractor Beam are missions in Going Commando. After Ratchet arrived on Oozla, he searched the ruins of previous inhabitants, to find anyone still working there. Fortunately, the Megacorp Scientist was left behind, and sold Ratchet a Tractor Beam.

A platinum bolt can be found during this mission.


"Explore the swamp ruins" is one of two you can complete on Oozla, along with "Find the store entrance". It is recommended to complete this mission first for bolts, but either way, it should be completed before traveling to the Maktar Resort. Two weapons become on sale in the Megacorp vendor: the Chopper and the Blitz Gun. However, it is likely that neither are affordable at this stage (particularly if you complete this mission first), and neither are necessary for this mission.

From where your ship lands, take the path on the right (without a vendor, and with grey, open gate) to a hill leading down (make sure to break the brown plants on the way for bolts) to several rock plateaus. Jump across them to the next area, with a few mutant muckdwellers and mutant swamp beasts, easily dispatched with the Gravity Bomb. Take out the stragglers wit the Lancer and progress forward to see a swamp lake. Notice the dragon boats on both sides of the swamp. Hop on the back of the one on your side, and it will take you across to another creature; hop on this one to reach the other side of the lake. Hit the bolt crates then head through the cave, to killing the mutant swamp beasts and mutant fireflies with your Lancer. Jump on the small plateau, and then on the carnivorous plant behind it (making sure to jump off quickly to avoid being eaten) and on to the exit, then drop down.

The next, large swamp can be difficult to navigate, as there are many dragon boats that travel in entirely different directions. If you fall into the swamp, you have two jumps to escape to a surface before it swallows you. To navigate this area and obtain all bolts along the way:

  1. Jump on the first available dragon boat here and it will stop right next to another.
  2. Jump on this next one, and then wait for it to complete its full run (ignoring the first dragon boat it passes) to reach an abandoned house filled with mutant muckdwellers; dispatch of them with the Gravity Bomb, and jump on the only available dragon boat here, and it will take you to the start.
  3. Hop back on the first dragon boat from the start and then on the second, but as half way through its run when it reaches a third dragon boat, jump on that one, wait for its full run (past a fourth dragon boat), and be taken to a small abandoned building full of crates and another plant; smash the crates, and take the only available dragon boat to return to the start.
  4. Hop back on the first dragon boat again from the start, then on the second to reach the third, and on the third, hop on a fourth dragon boat during its run to be taken to the end.

You will reach an island with an open gate leading into a mostly destroyed building. As you pass through, several mutant swamp beasts will attack, so strafe and kill them before moving forward. Past this is a dragon boat. Hop on it to reach an abandoned tower, then hop across the carnivorous plant to another dragon boat that will take you to a spot with two carnivorous plants in a row and another dragon boat behind it. Hopping on to that will take you to a final island, with four large carnivorous plants leading to the top of the hill. Climb them to reach a tube leading down.

When you slide down the tube, a cutscene will play, and the Megacorp Scientist will sell you the Tractor Beam for 1,000 bolts. The Tractor Beam can move any object with an orange light surrounding it, by pressing Circle when nearing an object, and pressing Circle again to release it. Use it to align the two pillars in a way you can climb them to reach the hill on the right of the plaza. Jump across the hill and stand on the switch, and a ladder will lower down, allowing you to return to your ship.

If you have not completed "Find the store entrance", complete it now. Otherwise, travel to the Maktar Resort.
