Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart could very well be the best game in the series. The story is full of heart and charm, the gameplay is explosive and incredibly fun, and the visuals are nothing short of gorgeous. If you have a PS5, you need to play this game.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart
Developer: Insomniac
Price: $70
Platforms: PS5 (reviewed)
In an age of serious and dramatic Playstation exclusives (which, don’t get me wrong, I quite enjoy,) it’s refreshing to see colorful, wise-cracking mascots like Ratchet and Clank return on the PS5. The way the franchise mixes snark with genuine heart is tough to pull off, and I’m happy to see it return in such a glorious fashion. Whether this is your first Ratchet and Clank or your 17th, Rift Apart is possibly the most fun game on the PS5.
Set years after the duo’s last adventure, Rift Apart sees Clank repair the Dimensionator (from Tools of Destruction and Into the Nexus) as a gift to Ratchet. This gift is meant to let Ratchet meet others of his lost species, the Lombaxes, but things quickly go awry when the maniacal Dr. Nefarious steals the Dimensionator. Nefarious uses it to find a dimension where he’s the Emperor, leaving Ratchet, Clank, and their other-dimensional counterparts to battle two Nefariouses and save every dimension from collapsing. It’s a straightforward story that feels right out of a cartoon or animated film, but it leads to a lot of charming moments between the characters.
Rivet and Kit are great new characters that feel right at home in Ratchet and Clank. The interaction between characters is some of the best content in the game, as it has some real sentiment behind it. You can feel the long and sincere history between Ratchet and Clank throughout the game, and every interaction with either Nefarious is pleasantly goofy. Rift Apart makes for a great first Ratchet and Clank too, as you’ll only miss out on a couple of small references without past experience with the series. The story and characters are easy to gel with pretty much right off the bat, and the callbacks don’t feel gratuitous.
“I had a blast using each weapon, and that’s the sign of a good Ratchet and Clank game.“
The gameplay of Rift Apart is the smoothest and most satisfying in the series yet. There are 18 total weapons to unlock (not counting your wrench,) and each one is ridiculously satisfying to use. Outside of your standard blasters that blow things up in various ways, there are bombs that turn your enemies into shrubs, freeze grenades, a Breakout-esque gun that ricochets off foes, and so, so much more. Each weapon levels-up through frequent use, which allows for further upgrades at the store. This motivates you to use every weapon constantly, making for a diverse playthrough filled with different weapon combos and strategies. I had a blast using each weapon, and that’s the sign of a good Ratchet and Clank game.
I do wish the multi-dimensional angle was implemented into gameplay more, as outside of pocket dimensions and rift-warps, the concept is rarely used. Seeing different dimensional versions of a couple levels was neat, but I think that idea could be expanded upon. I also wish there were just a few more enemy types, as you see the same ones throughout most of the game. Other than those tiny complaints though, I found Rift Apart’s gameplay to be delightful.
There’s a ton to do and lots of items to collect in between story beats, or after the story, if you prefer. From gold bolts to different cosmetic armors and spybots, I never felt like there was nothing to do. You’re rewarded for collecting things too, as depending on what you find, you can either upgrade your equipment or earn neat extras. You can toggle big-head mode, change the colors of your weapons, unlock a keyblade, and more. It’s very rewarding, and I found myself going out of my way to collect extra bolts just to see what I’d unlock next. It also seems to be an easy platinum, if that tickles your fancy.
The way that Rift Apart uses Dualsense is impressive, as every action and situation makes the controller vibrate in unique ways. You can feel your footsteps and jumps ever so subtly, or the hum of a hover-vehicle in a cutscene. It might seem like a minor thing, but I think it added to the immersion of the game in a noticeable way. I also liked that the adaptive triggers affect how you shoot, as you can pull the trigger halfway to perform different actions with most of the weapons. This game is a strong showcase for the Dualsense– possibly the strongest on the system.
“…no matter what you do, the game is gorgeous. From the strands of fur on Ratchet to the clean surfaces of different planets, it all looks brilliant.”
If you couldn’t tell from the trailers, Rift Apart looks absolutely beautiful. It has the visual quality of a Pixar film in the best way, and that’s without considering the different visual options. You can have 60 fps with ray tracing with reduced resolution, full-on ray tracing with 30 fps and 4K resolution, or better resolution and framerate without ray tracing. With how many reflective surfaces are in Rift Apart, I’d recommend having ray tracing on, but no matter what you do, the game is gorgeous. From the strands of fur on Ratchet to the clean surfaces of different planets, it all looks brilliant.
As can be expected from this series, the voice acting is on-point. Jennifer Hale gives Rivet a great deal of personality, and James Arnold Taylor and David Kaye are perfectly at home voicing the iconic pair again. Armin Shimerman is essentially the entire reason that Dr. Nefarious is so fun to watch, and I can’t give him enough credit for how he plays that role. The different sound effects for each weapon also go a long way in making them feel wacky and otherworldly, and makes using them even more fun.
The Final Word
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is a must-have game for the PS5. It’s fun, heartfelt, goofy, and full of content. Insomniac really outdid themselves here, and I hope to see a sequel in the future. Whether you’re new to the franchise of a longtime fan, Rift Apart is worth every minute of your time.
MonsterVine Rating: 5 out of 5 – Excellent
