Insomniac Games has struck gold again with what may be the most thrilling installment in the Ratchet and Clank series. Their latest entry boasts addicting gameplay with a heavy emphasis on speed and exploration. Toss in colorful visuals that’ll dazzle players every time and tack on an awesome story for good measure to have a fantastic recipe for success.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart Story
The plot involves Clank, Ratchet’s robot companion, constructing the Dimensionator. It’s a nifty device that can let the user travel to multiple dimensions.
Unfortunately, something with a utility like that is destined to be stolen. Dr. Nefarious, a reoccurring nemesis for the duo and evil robot overlord, snags it and plans to transport our heroes into a reality where he always wins.
Saving the world isn’t easy, especially when the fate of multiple dimensions hangs in the balance.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart Gameplay
There are a lot of bells and whistles to unpack. Insomniac Games was nice enough to include a button remapping feature for the player in case they wanted to customize their controls. A sprint button has been added to the lineup of controls.
This title includes core mechanics found in of some of the older titles of the series. At its heart, the game is a platformer with a third person interface that includes run-and-gun mechanics, but with nifty additions, such as wall running, dashing while strafing and rift hopping. The latter option of rift hopping is a fantastic way to close the gap on enemies.
Ratchet is armed with his trusty OmniWrench and a wild assortment of gun weapons perfect for taking down mechanical baddies.
There are different sets of armor that can be mixed and matched to varying effect. It’s best to collect the armor pieces belonging to the same set to gain fantastic advantages, such as buffing melee damage by 20%, or increasing bolt weaponry.
Rivet in Ratchet and Clank
We can’t discuss the latest installment without mentioning Rivet. She is Ratchet’s female counterpart, a lombax at war as a member of the resistance fighting against the robotic scourge.
Rivet is a jaded version of Ratchet, and she brings an interesting amount of seriousness that offsets the series usual comedic charm.
Rivet’s controls are identical to Ratchet, so if the player can master him, she’s just as easy to utilize in the game. Other than that, she offers a lot of personality where she is mistrustful of robots and a lot more brash compared to the protagonist.
Graphics
The game boasts ray tracing technology to offer stunning visuals. The game also has a patched 60FPS mode and suffers no slowdown from all the fast-paced action. The graphics and gameplay shine together with the rift hopping. Not an ounce of slow down when hopping from one planet to another seamlessly, which is impressive to watch.
Visually, this game is one of the best offerings on the PS5.
Verdict on Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is a worthy entry into the series and has a wonderful foundation for the sequel. Gameplay is on the easy side, but never boring, and the story has the same comedic charm of previous entries while still knowing when to ramp up the tone.
With fast paced gameplay and beautiful visuals, this title is definitely one players will enjoy. Everything comes together nicely to make for a fantastic experience. The developers at Insomniac Games should definitely pat themselves on the back for a job well done.
