Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart – visually enthralling experience that attracts the new generation
Published August 16, 2021Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a single-player, third-person shooter platform video game developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment in 2021. As the sixteenth entry in the series, this is the sequel to Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus and Ratchet & Clank (2016). The game is available for Playstation 5, and the story follows a similar formula to the previous installments. The gameplay centers around Ratchet and his robot friend Clank, but players can also play as the muscular Lombax called Rivet.
The Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart storyline ensures that both old players and newcomers feel welcome and comfortable with the game. It’s why it’s connected with the previous entries, and it appeals to everyone equally. Initially, that was the principal problem developers had as they wanted to keep the veterans and attract new players, even those who hadn’t been born when the series started.
As a result, they had an idea to create another universe and consider what would happen if Ratchet didn’t have his Clank. After that, the first roots of Rivet appeared, giving something novel to the franchise and new generation.
Rift Apart was a success from the get-go, receiving favorable critics and praises for its mesmerizing visuals. Moreover, the reviews said the game is detailed and ensures each character is expressive. Critics also found that the developers knew well how to leverage the advantages of the PlayStation 5 hardware, allowing them to create a variety of biomes, unique weapons, and creative writing.
Thanks to that, Rift Apart quickly became the second most successful Ratchet & Clank franchise launch in the UK after its predecessor in 2016. Thus, it was the bestselling video game software in the United States in the month of its release. By mid-July 2021, the game sold more than 1.1 million copies around the globe.
Like in the previous entries, Ratchet is the principal playable protagonist, always in the company of his sidekick Clank. But developers introduced another playable character, another Lombax known as Rivet. The player gets to navigate the world of Rift Apart through Ratchet and Rivet, moving through various settings, quirky levels, and combating multiple enemies.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart introduces creative weaponry, gadgets, and items that help the player complete the mission. Instant time travel is a new feature in the game, and it allows the player to move across the two sides of the portal.
Some planets that players saw in the previous entries are back, but there are also new ones. However, you must be wondering what makes Rift Apart unique and why you should invest your time playing it.
As always, we played the game for you and discovered what’s so special about this entry. Here’s everything you need to know.
An adorable masterpiece
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart starts with Ratchet and Clank as the galaxy heroes, thanks to their heroic undertakings in the previous entries. Even though things start celebratory, the course of events quickly takes a different turn.
During an event in their honor, Ratchet discovers that he fixed the Dimensionator, a unique device that allows them to travel across dimensions. Happy that he can use it to find other family members and the Lombax race, Ratchet is about to embark on an adventure.
However, Doctor Nefarious interrupts his intention and the parade, hoping to steal the device. That causes Ratchet to shoot the device unwittingly, resulting in the opening of random dimensional rifts. As a result, Doctor Nefarious, Clank, and Ratchet are sucked into one of the rifts, but each of them ends up in a different alternate universe.
That leads us to another Lombax called Rivet, who finds Clank and takes him with her. On the other side, Doctor Nefarious becomes Emperor Nefarious, his alternative version who never experienced a defeat. Finally, Ratchet is the only one who stays alone and has to find Clank.
Meanwhile, Dr. Nefarious uses his cunning ways and pretends to be the Emperor, giving him the power to send his soldiers to hunt down Ratchet and Rivet. But Ratchet doesn’t stay alone for too long. Instead, he meets Phantom, the Resistance member, who will help him find Rivet and Clank.
The game is easy to follow and understand, even for the new players. This entry keeps the overall amusement of adventure and exploration previous entries have, combining them with combat perfectly.
The veterans might be skeptical about a female protagonist, but Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart establishes a balance between the two main characters, providing equally smooth playability. Thus, they are similar, and you won’t miss much one while playing the other.
However, you might miss feeling a difference because the colors, weapons, and outfits look similar. The creators ensured players get the same experience regardless of the character, but some might expect more contrasts than they’ll get.
When you play Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, the hours pass swiftly, and you don’t even notice that you’re almost finishing with this visually mesmerizing world. Throughout the game, you’ll probably find yourself blissfully smiling and feeling like you’re in a Pixar movie.
Moreover, the game is fast-paced and brimming with action, never allowing dull moments or repetitiveness. If you’re new to the series, you likely won’t feel there’s anything you don’t understand or that the game is overwhelmed with easter eggs.
The array of weapons is impressive, and each time you unlock the next one, you’ll be surprised with its characteristics. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apartalso includes the haptic feedback that makes the experience more immersive, and the adaptive triggers ensure stellar audio and focus.
The visuals are probably the most satisfying part of the game due to being vibrant, colorful, and full of life. Regardless of the planet, the surroundings are lively, and combat is top-notch. When all these elements come together, the result is a visual masterpiece oozing with action and creative scenarios.
Rift Apart gifts the players with memorable quests and captivating worlds
It’s rare to play a game in which nearly everything works perfectly together, keeps surprising you, and leaves you in awe of the visuals. But Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart succeeds in creating impressive graphics, storytelling, and immersive action.
The quests you’ll find in this entry are worth calling it a masterpiece that delivers worlds that’ll captivate you and make it an unforgettable gaming experience.