Great entry in the Ratchet & Clank series. Great platforming for the most part, excellent weapons, good story. Amazing visuals. It's basically the whole package. My main critique concerned some bugs that made progression a little janky - a couple story triggers weren't triggering and I had to reload a few times to get them to work.

Ratchet and the others are much more expressive this time and I think the effort was well placed. His ears will wiggle or downturn when he's sad and their eyes will widen and contract naturally - it feels very cartoon-like in a great way.

Most weapons work well with some occasional weirdness. Some platforming stages also require some specificity - places will look accessible but actually lock you out of continuing which was sometimes a drag.

Rift Apart was a pretty good game and such a fun entry in the series after being gone for so long. This game is graphically incredible and surprisingly ran so consistently well minus a few glitches. The combat is pretty engaging with a good variety of weapons available, though I did want a little more and miss some past staples like the flamethrower. I loved the added movement abilities made here such as the dash and wall running in making both ratchet and rivet so mobile and smooth in traversal and combat.

The story was pretty good overall and I enjoyed the new additions of Rivet and Kit to the series as they bring a different feel compared to Ratchet and Clank, especially when they are swapped and explore some interesting areas such as Ratchet’s conflicting feelings with potentially meeting other lombax and what that would mean for him. That said, this game is criminally short, especially for a full price current gen game that I thankfully did not pay for because it’s on ps plus. I would have loved to get more areas or have the story or other elements like the rifts be tackled even further than the super short and linear portions they ended up being. Not too mad about it because at the end of the day I really enjoyed playing through this and will definitely be returning on harder difficulties and collecting everything. Hopefully the next entry won’t take another console generation but I guess that’s the nature of games nowadays.

"Holy shit!"
"You said it, pal!"

Excelled at everything it's predecessor set before it in so many ways, making it a perfect video game sequel and a great game in it's own right. What lacked in the 2016 reboot is completely remedied here, from narrative to gameplay, everything is pretty much exceptionally flawless.

Some of the most intense and fun gameplay in a genre like this, had a lot of fun and it was super satisfying coupled with the adaptive triggers and haptic feedback, really made it feel so immersive along with how amazing this game looks, it was insanely photorealistic given it's cartoonish artstyle, makes me excited for what's to come with this console's generation in the future. The level design was pretty straightfoward in a good way, it was easy to navigate and intrigues the player to 100% achieve everything it has to offer, so overall, amazing level design as well as pretty competent boss design, however it gets a bit repetitive in that regard and this is the only aspect where R&C (2016) get's one over.

I was surprised with how well written the narrative was. Insomniac could have very well constructed a great game based off it's gameplay alone and call it a day, but they put some actual effort into telling a wholesome, heartwarming story that's themes hit home and hard, so that completely caught me off guard and I really enjoyed it. It's packed with charm and some very much needed character moments that the reboot did not have and going forward, I really hope (if there are to be any) future Ratchet & Clank games adopt this formula of paying intricate attention to the narratives.

Totally worth playing over the weekend then coming back to, replaying and even platting, which I plan to do soon once I can properly purchase this for myself instead of through PS Plus.

Am I the only one who thinks that the selling point of the game does more harm than good to the series' gameplay flow? Besides that, it follows the Ratchet formula, so it's enjoyable, but I found it inferior to the other games in the series. The game's hook isn't as enjoyable as the main focus, and the previous games seemed like more complete products with more interesting aspects overall.

There are some of the worst planets in the series, especially the one where the focus is constantly shifting between universes, making it particularly bad and difficult to navigate. On the other hand, the planet in Ratchet where you get the racing boots is very pleasant to explore and navigate. I hope that ability returns; it's somewhat like 3D Sonic done right.

I liked the new characters, the spider-hacker minigame is cool, and Kit and Rivet are very good additions. It's a shame that Rivet's gameplay doesn't change at all, with the same weapons and gameplay as Ratchet. It should be something different since they added a new character, or at least have the minimum to differentiate both. The Clank minigame is dull, but at least you can skip it.

I hope the next game focuses more on having an interesting set of planets and weapons (not that the weapons in this one are bad) rather than focusing on just one gimmick and neglecting the rest.

Also, the PC port, in particular, doesn't seem as well-optimized as Returnal. Should run better, probably.

Coming directly off my one day BINGE of Ratchet & Clank (2016), and hearing some mixed things from a few sources (namely Videogamedunkey and Abram Buehner), I honestly expected Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart to be an underwhelming sequel not worthy of the PS5 exclusivity hype. The truth of the matter though, is that this is genuinely one of the highest production value and all around complete and satisfying video game experiences I’ve ever had, and I couldn’t be happier about it.

Rift Apart hits the highest marks on essentially any metric you can throw at it. It’s inarguably one of the highest fidelity games the industry has ever seen, with immaculate character detail and texturework and genuinely breathtaking lighting effects that somehow look even better in action. This is supported by amazing animation for… well everything, including fluid character movement, off-the-charts particle effects, HUGE scale set piece moments and IMMENSELY impactful weaponry shots- all of which run at a blindingly smooth 60 FPS in performance ray-tracing mode. While the titular rift mechanics of the game may not alter the core gameplay all that much, the visual variety and creativity that went into creating the technical marvel of instantly zapping between locations is engaging and clearly utilizes the PS5’s SSD a lot.

The best way I can describe the core combat gameplay is tactile. The previously mentioned weapon animation is combined with DualSense rumble and sound design to give you a lineup of weapons that all feel amazing to utilize, especially once they’re upgraded and you’re fighting in more complex battles. It’s difficult to understate what a perfect gameplay loop the folks at Insomniac have created with the combat, upgrades and exploration all feeding into one another. There’s always a sense that you’re being rewarded for experimenting with your arsenal, which not only allows you to upgrade your weapons even further and become better at the gameplay, but have more fun with each combat encounter as you learn which weapons synergize in satisfying ways. When you have a battle with dozens upon dozens of enemies with particle effects and explosions happening everywhere but feel completely in control of how you’re tackling the scenario, that’s really videogame magic.

This game is also leaps and bounds more creative and charming than the 2016 reboot. The characters and worlds, even when gimmicky, exude personality and move the series forward in really fun ways. All four of our main protagonists, including the titular Ratchet and Clank and their alternate universe counterparts Rivet and Kit, deal with genuinely interesting personal issues, which gives the over-the-top, campy story a much more grounded and emotional impact. Rivet finds herself locked a loop of being a hero that can never win, leading her to believe that she doesn’t have it within her to make friends and rise triumphant. Her softer personal side is hidden behind a facade of swashbuckling suave, and watching her come to terms with trust and friendship was emotionally riveting, pun ENTIRELY intended. Kit on the other hand sees herself as dangerous and untrustworthy, as she unintentionally hurt others in the past. I loved watching her slowly open up with the ever-hopeful Ratchet literally at her back, and her character arc intersects with Rivet’s in a powerful way. I definitely enjoyed being introduced to Rivet and Kit, and I can’t imagine the series moving forward without them.

Emperor Nefarious is also LEAGUES more intimidating and exacting than his PhD counterpart, making the stakes feel higher and the pressure greater for you to actually save the world. Outside of the obvious core characters though, this game excels intensely well in creating sidequests with memorable one-off characters, and having a ridiculously fun supporting cast. I think back to Tulio’s ridiculous honey/suffering tower defense, having a heart-to-heart with the Fixer, and discovering the abandoned dimension of Junk Bot and Juice. The Morts have some really funny dialogue, Ms. Zurkon and Zurkon Jr. drip charm with every line, and Phantom, Quantum and Pierre offer much more interesting personalities and backgrounds than their main-universe counterparts.

Does it feel like a game that couldn’t run compromised on a PS4 or that utilizes every unique aspect of the PS5’s capabilities? No, but I don’t necessarily think that’s a fair metric to score a game on. Rift Apart would be a solidly different experience if it were on PS4 though, as the rift tethers and non-existent load times would push the hardware past its limits and make that console roar even louder than it already does. Very few games ever reach the harmony between hardware gimmick utilization and ideal gameplay, especially not ones released less than a year into a console’s lifecycle. For an early PS5 game and one of the first true exclusives on the platform though, this game does everything it needs to. The gorgeous visuals and blisteringly speedy load times are at the peak of games being released at the moment, and the high polish of the experience overall makes this a stand-out, must play for PS5 owners (not that there’s much competition).

Unfortunately, Rift Apart still has a few holes in terms of glitches and bugs. I had my fair share of interactions with janky geometry, especially when rocketing around with the rocket boots, clipped through platforms a handful of times, saw the occasional failed animation, and even got stuck in a pocket dimension one time and had to reload an older save. It’s a testament to the overall performance of the game and its load times then, that these moments hardly marred my experience in the slightest. With a few patches, this game may end up being technically flawless.

Most importantly though, this is a game I can easily recommend to players of any skill level. The relative simplicity of the Ratchet gameplay formula easily works as baby’s first action platformer, while Ratchet veterans will enjoy blasting through hordes of enemies, scouring the environments for secrets and soaking in the gorgeous visuals and audio. This is all boosted even further by the game’s in-depth accessibility options, that allow players of any ability to tailor the experience to fit their needs.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a fantastic game. It boasts top of the line visuals, gratifying combat, engaging exploration, wonderful characters and awesome accessibility options. The team at Insomniac should be proud of what they made, a game that sets the bar ludicrously high with its quality in every possible category. Does it reinvent the wheel? No, but there’s something to be said for taking the wheel and polishing it until it gleams.

A strong final act took this up a notch for me, but for the most part I just found it to be a reeeeally nice looking Ratchet and Clank game.

And that's not a huge knock, because it's a fun series -- but the new tech didn't make for a huge leap forward in gameplay like I was expecting. In fact, some areas felt a little regressive. There are sections of the game that felt like small, exploration focused open worlds, but they were littered with stifling invisible walls, and quite a few bugs. This is the most I've 'fallen through the world' in a AAA game in some time.

But for the most part it was fine, with some really great set pieces. And as mentioned; the final act just mainlines that stuff in a fun way. And it really is gorgeous. I wish there was a little more cyberpunk-y cityscapes in this, as they really show off the lighting tech in spectacular fashion, moreso than the alien worlds.

Rift Apart is the ps5's first killer app. Rift Apart has superbly designed planets with each planet offering something different to the player, with one planet having a dimension swap gimmick and another being an open world playground makes every planet a treat to visit. The weapons are the star of the shows as often is the case in the ratchet games with old favorites and new weapons that fit perfectly into the combat system make every second of combat an absolute joy. The use of haptic feedback makes the weapons feel even more gratifying to use than in previous games. The graphics are jaw dropping on ray tracing 60fps mode and the framerate was buttery smooth throughout. The story in rift apart is a huge improvment on the movication that occured in the 2016 game, but still has moments where the disney like kids writing comes out with characters repeating or stating things unnaturally just to ensure no one misses some of it's beats. The characters are great but Rivet steals the show in every scene she's in. The story is engaging but a few weak moments are peppered throughout. The soundtrack is enjoyable in the moment but not overly memorable beyond it. The gameplay loop is the best thing about the game is the gameplay loop as leveling up weapons gives constant gratification all through the game. The extra content the game offers is designed greatly and I only wish there was more of it which can be said about the game as a whole. Rift apart is a phenomenal game that while short is a must play for all ps5 owners

Insomniac Games has been around for a long time, and with Rift Apart, they made a showcase of their gigantic well of talent, skill, and experience. It is a very fun game, and also a honest to god next gen showpiece.

Rift Apart brings the concept of dimensional rifts into the classic R&C formula, with an approach favoring style over substance. Many of the planets you visit will have enemies spawning through rifts, adding context to an ridiculous onslaught of hostiles. There are also certain rifts that you can teleport to, making you more versatile in the face of battle. The most impressive use of rifts are perhaps the scripted set pieces where you'll be hopping from one dimension to the next, leveraging the PS5's instant load times. These are all fun additions, and there are certain planets that uses the rifts in a deeper way (for example, forcing constant switching between dimensions to progress), but Insomniac definitely could do a lot more with this idea, especially gameplay wise.

The rifts also have a connection to the story, as you would expect. The titular Ratchet and Clank gets to meet their other dimension counterparts after a unexpected incident throws all the dimensions into disarray, and they have to work together to fix this mess. The story shines the most when you get to see the main cast interact with each other. Rivet, Ratchet's counterpart, feels uneasy at first with Clank as she has a losing streak at the hands of many robots, but things get much more wholesome as they bond and open up more with each other. This trend is visible with many of the other character interactions, as Rift Apart successfully does it best to make you feel warm and fuzzy in the inside.

Gameplay-wise, it is perhaps the most well made R&C game yet. The controls and gunplay feel as smooth as ever, with traversal abilities such as the Phantom Dash and Jet Boots enabling you to dance and weave in the battlefield as you look for the right time to blast your weapons. The arsenal of weapons in this game is as creative and fun as you expect from a R&C game, with highlights such as the laser beam Negatron Collider, and the minigun-esque Blackhole Vortex. The feel of the weapons are already great by themselves, but the DualSense features add even more layers of satisfying feedback. There's nothing quite like feeling the adaptive triggers clacking constantly while you're fully blasting enemies with an automatic weapon.

In technical terms, this game is simply sublime. The planets you visit are very varied in vibes, and the atmosphere in each of them are all successful potrayed in wonderful cartoon detail. Abandoned scary bunkers, sunny swamps, storm-filled fortresses, this game has it all. On the Performance RT mode, the balance of smooth 60 FPS with high raytraced fidelity is soul-soothing.

If there's anything flawed from this game, it's definitely the soundtrack. The orchestral instrumentations fail to make it memorable, as the soundtrack seems to be content with being a background filler. It's nothing offensively bad, mind you, but it could be so much more. I also feel mixed about collectibles placement and the level design. Many of the collectibles are placed in very obvious places, and it can make them feel less satisfying to get. The level design also can be a bit too simplistic and linear at times. These aspects are perhaps the only ones where it seems like Insomniac took a step back, considering many of the older R&C games have executed these aspects better.

Overall, Rift Apart might be "just another R&C game", but no matter what, you can count on this game to show you a good time.

Another great Ratchet and Clank game. While the Ratchet and Clank game on the ps4 was visually very impressive already, this is another step in the direction of looking just like an animated movie. The graphics are insane. Thank you Insomniac for not only introducing 40fps fidelity mode but also for implementing proper VRR support to fluidly go above that.

Gameplay wise this was amazing, the weapons and leveling them up and upgrading them is fun as always. The story was quite enjoyable as well and I hope that we will see Rivet and Kit in a future Ratchet game.
The music was okay, sadly still not on the level of the original trilogy.

Roughly 2/3rds done with the story, meant to finish but I've got too many other things on my plate right now to do so. Did not enjoy my time with this as much as I expected.

To start positively, it is absolutely gorgeous. The sheer density of things and effects is mind-boggling. It looks incredible in motion and the cutscenes are movie quality. It runs like a treat on PS5, which is good because I couldn't play much of the previous reboot game on PS4 because it was the only game that's ever made me motion sick.

Everything else? Eh. The combat is sorta the central mechanic and I found it mostly just adequate at best and pretty boring at worst. Arena fights just don't offer much in the way of excitement. The gun variety is sort of neat but rarely did I feel like they did much to incentivize actual varied play or strategy, just that you have a bunch of weapons to cycle between when you run out of ammo. The dimensional portals were one of the big "ooh look what the PS5 can do" elements they talked a lot about, but they're just effectively grapple points. You can zip around during fights but only to specific locations, which limits the actual movement a bit. The enemy variety was a little lacking and the bosses were not exciting. Their setpieces aren't bad but actually fighting them was unengaging.

The biggest sticking point for me was the story and its writing. Ratchet is downright dull, the jokes don't land, and the central idea of the dimensionator allowing access to new realities isn't as interesting as I'd hoped. Most scenes just felt a bit lifeless, which is disappointing. The only character that got consistent chuckles from me was Gary. Rivet is cool but, again, just fell flat for me.

Since R&C is one of the old pillars of platformer / collectathons, I was expecting better platforming, too. Most levels are relatively devoid of that sort of challenge and I was stunned at how often I would clip through / into things and go places the game clearly didn't want me to go.

Some positives though: there are more than a few cool worlds to explore and having optional side quests in unique locations is a good touch. This is one of the most option-heavy games I've ever played. You can essentially tailor the game to however you want to play, which is cool. Collectables are fun to get and I like the golden bolt fun options as well as the gear effects not being tied to actually equipping them. The thing I probably liked the most were the pocket dimension rooms. They always felt unique and different, which is cool. Gave a very Mario Sunshine Fludd-less levels vibe.

All in all, Rift Apart was kinda neat at times and relatively middle of the road other times. It's a tight romp in a short package, but I don't think it's really for me.

The Ratchet & Clank series is one of my favorite in my lifetime. The only one that rivals it, is Kingdom Hearts. Rift Apart continues the glorious wonder of the series its had since the very beginning, but this time just bringing that glory to a whole other level, in the expanse of its planet designs such as Corson V and Cordelion. They all seem to feel heavily lived in and have their own atmosphere.

Along with the planets, adding great gameplay with various great weapons, like the Topiary Sprinkler, Mr. Fungi, and the Ricochet. One of the classic weapon lines has returned though with the RYNO 8. In all of its glory, its a beautiful weapon of mass dimensional destruction. When you get all 10 Spybots within the game, you get the RYNO 8, which makes it feel worth getting, and the traversal to get the Spybots is rewarding because it's making you feel like you are getting better in traversal in the game. The traversal feels like a great evolution from Insomniac's history with Sunset Overdrive and Spider-Man.

The story of Rift Apart was quite grand and enjoyable. Just pure Ratchet & Clank bliss. After a hiatus, Ratchet & Clank venture into their roles of being heroes again. It brings in a new dimension of where Ratchet is a lombax named Rivet. She is a really likable character that has had hardships that Ratchet hasn't really faced. That leads into various things of trust and doubt as themes of her arc, but also the arcs of Ratchet & Clank who have been on a heroic pause for awhile. The thought of "can they do this?" crosses their mind in various ways which brings an element of empathy to each main character.

Overall, Rift Apart is a fantastic entry into the Ratchet & Clank series. Right now it is tied with A Crack in Time. Both are equally peaks in the franchise, in various ways.

A fascinating interdimensional journey, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart offers players a superb gaming experience with engaging action, lovable characters, and top-notch humorous writing. I had only played A Crack in Time before to this, so I am now excited to play more of the series after finishing it.

Rift Apart's extensive arsenal of weaponry is one of the game's most notable qualities. The sheer range and creativity of the weaponry at my disposal attracted me as soon as I began my adventure. I found myself using every weapon in my armory since each one seemed distinct and had a distinct function. The Lightning Rod stood out as my particular favorite among all. It was easy to make foes and bosses submit to my will due to to its powerful rate of fire and ability to obstruct enemy movements.

Speaking of combat, Rift Apart has excellent level design. The game successfully balances difficult confrontations with expertly designed locations. Combat is given an additional degree of strategy by the placement of objects like the red boxes that explode, keeping confrontations from getting simple and dull. Since it enables players to approach each encounter in their own special way, the game is kept engaging and fresh throughout.

One of the game's biggest highlights is the introduction of Rivet, a fascinating and lovable character who serves as a parallel version of Ratchet. It was a lot of fun exploring her character. A unique dynamic between the two playable characters was formed and gave the story more depth by allowing viewers to see this other version of Ratchet with plenty of screentime together. Kit's presence as Clank's counterpart also enhanced the added depth and comedy, all in all making for an excellent cast of characters that kept me interested in their journey.

Rift Apart's narrative may not be ground-breaking, but it still succeeds in engrossing players in an exciting multiverse adventure. The game tackles the idea of numerous realities effectively and weaves it into an exciting narrative. It provides a far more enjoyable and interesting experience than most multiverse stories in media, more specifically with MCU movies. The ideal duration of the narrative ensures that it doesn't drag on unnecessarily while yet providing a rewarding and pleasant experience.

Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart is a game that shines in its focus on detail and capacity to build an engrossing universe. An excellent gameplay experience is provided by its enormous selection of weaponry, memorable characters like Rivet and Kit, and skillfully designed level layout. The graphics are also absolutely riveting. It definitely takes advantage of PS5 hardware, and it makes me happy that Insomniac didn't settle for a cross-gen game. It is also worth praising how this game is understandable to newcomers like me, as I wasn't confused about anything happening. Rift Apart is a must-play that will leave you itching for more adventures in the Ratchet & Clank universe, whether you've been a longtime fan of the series or a beginner like myself.

Playtime: 19 Hours
Childhood in the qualitatively highest possible form. Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is just that for me. Sure, there's a lot of nostalgia involved here because this game series brought me into the world of gaming and I loved all the old parts on the first Playstations and played through them multiple times, but Rift Apart is a terrific game for me outside of that as well.

The story is simple (as always), but with Rivet and Kit there are new characters that support the multiverse approach as well as expand the lore and provide two additional playable Storys.

The power of the Ps5 is put to great use by jumping from dimension holes to completely new levels without loading time. And the world is designed even more than in the predecessors with many loving details. The game Just looks stunning.

Gameplay is as intuitive as it is fun. In combat, the many movement options, enemy types and different weapons create a flow that is unparalleled and absolutely addictive.
Love this game.

This is my 2nd R&C game after playing the 2016 PS4 one and just like that one, Rift Apart had been a blast to play.

The story isn't particularly deep, but I found the multi-verse aspect of it intriguing. It's lighthearted in its presentation despite the serious ramifications of what the antagonists were out to accomplish.

The characters are one of the parts where it shines. Ratchet and Clank have both been solid characters and continue to be great here. With no real prior info on Rivet, I thought she turned out to be an excellent character too. She exhibited a good balance of serious, comedic, playful and even emotionally vulnerable at times. The other major new character Kit was surprisingly a bit different from Clank (at least that's how it felt to me), but in a good way where she felt like she was her own character instead of a rehash of Clank.

The other supporting characters were pretty likable and entertaining as well although only a few were actually important to the story. The VA in general is top notch and helps make the characters better.

The graphics were phenomenal for its type of game. Gorgeous scenery, colorful graphics, and the cinematics during the action sequences are amazing and fun to experience particularly the sections where you're grinding on a rail and there's destruction around you.

The gameplay is also another highlight. There's a lot of guns to use and a lot of unique variety to them. The normal difficulty is a bit easy, but the the next difficulty up can be surprisingly challenging. The game does make use of the adaptive triggers and haptic feedbacks, but I felt it could've been better with it, but overall, still better than many games out there. At the risk of sales, I'm glad that the game was developed solely for the PS5. It's a technical marvel for a game that doesn't use realistic graphics.

Lots of collectibles to find so exploration is rewarding. Not too difficult either since you'll eventually unlock something that will show most of the important stuff on the map.

Overall, a fun 3D platformer with great shooting mechanics. I hope that this isn't the last of the R&C series.

This game's next gen graphics, visuals and performance just wasn't enough to keep me going. Rift Apart is devoid of any real personality. It's as formulaic as a Disney film without any of the charm.

The platforming is non-existent, with invisible walls and floors you can clip through present in every area. The music is nondescript and even weirder is that most areas once completed don't have any music, helping contribute to the lifeless energy the game gives off.

The writing and dialogue is completely inoffensive and stale, and the characters won't stop talking as you play. Rather than the music and sound effects taking center stage as you explore these alien lands, instead you have the main characters and enemies permanently jabbering and yelling. It seriously never stops.

The combat is serviceable but even on the hardest difficulty it's mindless. Almost 50% in I never had any trouble defeating an encounter or boss.

Given the visuals and the price, I tried my best to see this game the whole way through, but when booting up a game makes you go "ugh" out loud, it's probably time to stop.

Excellent R&C game that really takes advantage of the PS5. Being able to jump around the rift seemlessly and having no slow downs at all with tons of stuff on the screen was very impressive and very fun! The best gameplay in the series, especially those grindrail sections woooooooooow. Really enjoyed the premise of the story and the character writing was great.

Only things were enemy variety, felt like every mini boss was the same 3 things and felt like I saw all types normal enemies halfway through. Also some worlds were, too big I guess? Don't mind the sandboxy worlds as an idea but they felt a bit too empty for how much space they had in them. Would also like to see Rivet and Ratchet have at least some differences in how they play/control which would give more variety and more fun!

Overall an excellent game. Whether the next one is a Rivet and Kit or Ratchet and Clank the future is bright for the franchise. This game was incredible and a early but great use of the new PS5 hardware, and for the next one with more time and more refinements, there's no reason why it couldn't be unrivaled as the best R&C game.

*EDIT/DISCLAIMER: The original version of this review stated I did not get every trophy due to the game not giving me the trophies "Fully Stacked" and "Return Policy." Since "Fully Stacked" has the requirement of buying every gun in the game, what you need to do is start a New Game+ in the form of Challenge Mode after completing the game, upon starting which you can buy the last two weapons immediately- assuming you had all the weapons you could get on a first playthrough, of course. So don't worry if you think you should have it, just start Challenge Mode and all shall be well. As for "Return Policy," my best advice would be to get the Void Repulsor to level 5 without spending ANY RARITANIUM ON IMPROVING THE RANGE OR SPREAD OF THE BLAST ATTACK. That helps a lot. Otherwise, should be a safe and stellar ride to the platinum trophy.

Oh. My. Goodness.

WHAT a game to start a PS5 journey with. Every second of explosions made by, decision-making in the stead of, boosting through landscapes with, maneuvering, laughing with, and feeling for these characters was one I'm so glad I took. Not everything was to my taste, and some frustrations were had, but this is one I'm not soon forgetting.

To begin on the technical side from which the game was marketed, it's easy to see the PS5 wiping the dust off of its shoulder with a casual grin as the SSD works its magic. Loading times practically don't exist, especially important considering the dimensional rifts the whole story is based upon. Frequently during a boss fight or scripted sequence, your Lombax will be picked up by a rift in space-time and flung to another planet out of nowhere, effortlessly loading in an entire planet level in no time. Traveling by ship leads to the same results, with cutscenes often transitioning from planet to planet not with the gaming-staple "fade to black and wait ten seconds for the next place to load" as we're all familiar with, but rather an instantaneous screen wipe effect- likely a Star Wars homage in execution. Beyond the loading speeds, every character is rendered and textured like never before. Ratchet's face and especially his cheeks have never been so fuzzy, and every enemy, building, rock, tree, and everything in between is built from a ludicrous excess of polygons- but an excess that never once affected the rock-solid 1080p 60fps action because I don't own a 4K display. What makes the texture work pop more than anything, however, is the lighting. The fabled ray-trace reflections on Clank indeed look gorgeous. The environmental lighting effects varied from a mild feeling of being impressed for most of the game (the afternoon sun of Sargasso strikes a very pretty picture, but one likely possible on last generation), to being genuinely very impressed with the detailed refractions of the Lombaxes' flashlights on dark areas, to the absolutely breathtaking experience of reaching Blizar-Prime. That's a moment I will not soon forget.

But Blizar-Prime brings up a point far more important than the technology behind Rift Apart, something correlated that I'd argue is far more significant: art direction and presentation. Rift Apart is an absolute marvel of a cinematic experience in the top one percent of video games, period; Insomniac Games has proven their capacity for cutscene craftsmanship far beyond the industry. Every animation is crafted with the squashiest, stretchiest, bounciest love of weight and character. Every gun, returning and new, sports a design indicative of a studio that never lost touch with creating the zaniest and most badass armaments in the galaxy; they all handle with a heft and power unmatched in gaming weaponry. The SSD's loading prowess proves itself as a storytelling tool as well, allowing for more unique and cinematic cutscene direction- such as Rivet being very sharply lit up by a searchlight in Nefarious City, only to match-cut to Ratchet instantly on an entirely different planet; that the game opens on this note sets an excellent tone. The cutscenes are storyboarded and blocked spectacularly as well, creating some striking images that heighten the story's most dramatic moments- moments I dare not spoil.

On the topic of the story, I do like to keep my reviews spoiler-free, but it must be said: this is a story with weight, stakes, consequences, humor, emotion, and everything in between. A story worthy of following up A Crack In Time, for sure. I just wish the ending didn't sequel bait us so hard with no guarantee of the next game being anytime soon, ESPECIALLY with how many things cooking in Insomniac's oven right now.

(I couldn't fit it reasonably anywhere else, but the music! It's not as good as the original Ratchet scores on PS2, but Mark Mothersbaugh brought a positively sizzling synth-orchestral fusion heat to this intergalactic barbecue of Nefarious ne'er-do-wells. The leitmotifs are recognizable and potent, the synthetic edge brings a bit of the surreal nature of both space-faring and the dimension-shattering concept to the forefront audibly, and it's wonderful in the moment to pump up the tension and adrenaline. Wonderful stuff.)

As for the game... well. This is Ratchet, all right. Hot diggity dang, is it ever. The DualSense sensibly sensitizes this sensitive soul's sensitive soft spot for sensitive triggers in the smack center of sizable shoot-em-ups.

Also known as "haptics make monkey brain go shoot shoot happy happy Enforcer go brrrrrrr"

It cannot be overstated, and I dare not understate, how much the DualSense's haptic feedback affects gunplay. Every trigger pull of the Burst Pistol reverberates through your entire being as your finger clings to R2 for dear life like a bull rider. The Enforcer's double barrels of death kick back like a horse, blowing you back as much as it does enemy corpses. The Headhunter actually made me like using a sniping weapon; slowing down, zooming in, and popping heads was nearly as satisfying as a real bolt action semi-auto. And though it isn't a weapon, pumping the Hoverboots to maximum speed in every single spot I definitely was not allowed to did wonders for my tiny speed-obsessed ape brain. It makes for one of the most satisfying gameplay experiences I've had in a long time.

The weapon balancing supports this as well. Unlike a game like RaC 2016, every weapon has a purpose- to an extent, anyway. After a while certain categories of weapons, such as rapid-fire, shotgun blast, support, and so on, became apparent in my mind. Each "type"- which the game never specifies on its own, this is purely in my observations of the weapons- is useful and diverse from the last, but within each type the weapons are interchangeable. The difference in practicality between the Buzz Blades and the Lightning Rod, for example, only comes down to how upgraded each one is and therefore which one will get you bigger numbers. Make no mistake, however- I love every one of them.

Of course, my minor grievances do little to hamper the experience overall, but I'd be remiss not to mention them: it's too difficult to get enough bolts and Raritanium to max everything out without RPG levels of grinding at Zurkie's before a NG+ playthrough, and I like doing everything before the final boss; there's a lack of polish and prevalence of bugs that, while incredibly infrequent, just makes them stick out a little bit more; it feels like we don't get enough playtime with Ratchet himself, especially considering how he can't be taken into the arena battles; the side quests and map design, true to Ratchet history, turn me around something fierce (I never want to hear the word Zurpstone again in my life); and Ratchet's hesitations that he grows from throughout the game were rather disappointing for me. When he first hesitates at the beginning of the game, I misjudged the reasoning behind said hesitation and came to the wrong conclusion. Once we got to the real conclusion, I found myself rather disappointed given how much I preferred my idea. I understand that it's purely a me thing, but it's still rather irksome to me. ^^"


But I'm just a stick in the mud. If you've got a spare soul to sell to Satan, get yourself a PS5 and play Rift Apart. It showed me so many new dimensions of gaming excellence I won't soon forget.

Ratchet & Clank has been one of my favorite game franchises since its inception on the ps2. I grew up on those games and continued to love them through the ps3 era.
A Crack in Time really set the standard for me when it came to what this series is capable of - this will be the title I commonly compare Rift Apart to because it is most similar to that one and feels like a true follow up.
Obviously the visuals of this game are mind blowing. So far this is the only game to feel truly next gen to me. The animation is outstanding and it's hilarious that the in game graphics are better than the actual CGI film from a while ago.

The series has been dormant in my mind since A Crack in Time on ps3. The ps4 remake was solid but it was a remake of the very first game which means it didn't get to take advantage of a lot of the ideas introduced in the sequels (and it also used the movie for its story which is horrible). The characters were so sterilized in the ps4 game. It was a fun remake, but it was a let down in a lot of areas for me.

Luckily Rift Apart feels back in line with where A Crack in Time was taking the series. The story here is honestly really solid. I've seen complaints that Ratchet & Clank themselves don't have much development here. I agree, but I also don't mind because we've had so many character arcs with them already. This is mostly Rivet's game. Her story is pretty great and I love how the game balances gameplay between her and Ratchet in a natural way. It's not an amazing story though. It honestly doesn't come close to Crack in Time's for me, but it's still easily one of the better ones in the whole series. Not that I only play these games for their story but I do love the world of R&C and adore when they utilize it for interesting narratives.

Sadly Rift Apart seems to forget a lot of what happened in the Ps3 entries. It starts to go in a direction that I found really exciting but the game is rather anti climatic in the end and feels like its leaving room for a sequel, which is fine. The story told here is charming enough, but it teased a lot of interesting things and didn't follow through with them in the end.

Anyways the story here isn't the most important thing, it's the gameplay of course. It's hands down the best the series has been. New mechanics introduced in Rift Apart really change up the combat scenarios in a way that was necessary to keep the series interesting. It almost plays out like Doom for kids. Insanely fast paced shooting and warping around stages to avoid enemies. Scattering for ammo pickups etc. It's insanely fun and I wasn't bored for a second. Visually you can hardly believe the things you're pulling off.

The weapons are sort of weak here too compared to previous games. There are some great ones for sure, but a lot of them do similar things and cancel each other out. They were fun to use and served a practical purpose, but they really lacked a lot of personality from previous arsenals. Not the worst by any means but I feel like some of the ps2 and ps3 games had more interesting weapon selections. Or at least on par rather than doing something totally new.
However, this is sort of made up by the way you use the weapons. The ps5 trigger functionality is really awesome and makes the weapons a lot more interesting to play around with. Having different functions for different types of trigger presses is a great idea and it becomes pretty engaging because of the way the ps5 triggers react.

The levels and set pieces are also consistently high quality. Nothing felt like filler. There was a perfect balance of platforming and shooting - whereas some previous games fail to find a good balance of the two.

I have minor issue here and there. Rift Apart failed to surpass A Crack in Time in a few areas. I was heavily disappointed to see them abandon constructo mods and space exploration. No insomniac museum is shocking as well, as that was one of the first things I started anticipating when this game got announced. And of course the story not being as impactful. Thankfully Rivet (and other characters that I will not spoil) were fantastic additions, and I would actually be sad to not see them return in some way for future installments. While I complain about the story being a little too simple, It does a great job at introducing new likeable characters that I really want to see more of.

It's not the best in the series for me personally but I wasn't expecting it to be since crack in time is a very personal game for me. The fact I even quesetioned if I liked Rift Apart more at one point shocked me and is a testimant to how much I loved it.
Rift Apart is about everything I could have wanted from a new Ratchet & Clank game. Seeing a new installment with this much care and budget puts a huge smile on my face. So glad to see this series continue strongly after having a bit of a slump. Insomniac are champions. I'm stoked to see more from them in the future. Fingers crossed R&C can continue to thrive on playstation in a world where these types of games seem to only come from indie devs or nintendo.