Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart was announced in June 2020 and since that day it has been the most anticipated game as it showcases the true power of the PlayStation 5. Insomniac Games has created a direct sequel of the original Ratchet and Clank after over a decade and the game looks beautiful with clever writing that makes the multi-dimensional trip a memorable one.
Multiverse of Opportunities
Ratchet and Clank are back again trying to stop their long-time nemesis, Doctor Nefarious. But this time he has an army of robots that threatens the galaxy and the wider multiverse. Ratchet and Clank having their hands full get new allies that offer them assistance with the introduction of a new female Lombax by the name of Rivet; whose dimension is being ruled by an "Emperor Nefarious".
Controlling both the characters is a breeze whether it is Ratchet's wrench or Rivet's hammer. Insomniac has made the combat easy to understand by mixing melee, third-person shooting, and exploration. The game also offers game modes similar to Spider-Man Miles Morales i.e., "Fidelity" that provides great visual with ray tracing but with 30fps, "Performance" that provides a smooth 60fps gaming experience but without ray tracing, and lastly "Performance RT" that provides ray tracing visuals with a smooth 60fps gaming experience by adjusting the scene resolution, reflection quality, and adjusting the screen resolution.
No matter the mode that is chosen, the game never slows down and it always was ready to throw me into the next mission with the spectacular loading times, which are instantaneous. Jumping through the rifts to access a new location or changing the character there were no hiccups present, delivering a seamless gaming experience.
Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart utilizes the DualSense controller's features to its fullest i.e., haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. The rumble enhances the experience as per the scene on display meaning while walking using the magnetic boots a slight thump is felt, and a massive quake while using heavy weapons. The game does not make these features a burden but makes them actually useful as they are carefully added in the right place.
Weapons of Destruction
The game offers a large number of weapons ranging from machine guns, shotguns, and sniper rifles. There are also some ridiculous weapons that release bolts of lightning, miniature black holes, and even miniature black holes. The weapons level increases as they are used, thereby improving their attacks and unlocking more upgrades.
Upgrades are done with the help of an in-game material called raritanium and these upgrades allow for extra blast radius, increased ammo, or longer duration for specific weapons. These raritaniums can easily be found around the map and even after defeating the bosses.
I personally am glad to see the weapons upgrades available as a vast number of enemies coming at me at the same time forcing me to always stay on the move with the help of jumping, dashing, strafing, and using the dimensional tears to get some breathing room. But with the help of my weapons, I was able to reduce the number of enemies surrounding me. The use of variable tension adds an enjoyable amount of resistance to the controller and the game becomes more immersive due to the crisp graphics and haptic feedback.
Mini-games add to the experience with one mini-game allowed me to control Clank in a virtual environment to fix dimensional anomalies. The goal of this mini-game is to guide Ratchet's possibilities to the exit of the room with the help of colored spheres on the ground. The game also allows skipping these puzzles from the pause menu.
Each planet that is visit in-game contains hidden golden bolts, spy bots, and armor pieces that if found can be used to open perks like increasing melee damage, experience points, and earned bolts. The damage from certain enemies can also be lowered for specific enemies, but the armor pieces gathered are purely cosmetic.
Conclusion
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart has great visual effects with ray-traced lighting and game visual options to enjoy the game visual to its fullest. All the worlds have great details with music and sound effects to get lost in the gaming world. The game also has PlayStation's 3D Audio support which can be activated while playing the game using headphones making the game both an audio as well as video beauty.
Rift Apart takes full advantage of PlayStation 5's hardware and capabilities making it a true next-gen exclusive making the game a must-play for every PlayStation 5 owner.