(Image credit: Insomniac Games)

A Riveting Experience

I was not expecting Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart to be an instant classic, but I was pleasantly surprised. The heroes return and team up with another Lombax named Rivet to fight Dr. Nefarious and his evil minions. The gameplay balances well and has depth in weapon variety that offers immediate replayability through a challenge mode and upgraded weapon versions. The Load Screen team reviews this game as the best game so far in 2021.

The story starts as everyone celebrates Ratchet and Clank’s last victory over Dr. Nefarious years ago. During the festivities, Clank presents Ratchet with a fixed dimensionator, a device that opens portals to other dimensions and is the only way for Ratchet to find his people. Unfortunately, the doctor suddenly reemerges to steal the gift and breaks dimensions to escape from them. They follow him through a portal and get separated quickly in the alternate world. The interdimensional travel damages Clank, and another Lombax takes him in the fray. Her name is Rivet, and she joins the fight to defeat the demented genius of both dimensions. Along the way, friendly aliens will request assistance, such as the industrious Morts, and their side quests open additional gameplay.

The third-person shooting action ramps up as different effect weapons are unlocked and upgraded. Twenty weapons have an additional Omega version only available after beating the main story. Most Weapons unlock as the gamer progresses, except for one that opens after finding ten collectibles. Each weapon uniquely offers different attack mechanics and damage effects, so swapping between several offers extensive gameplay options. My favorite weapon is the defensive Mr. Fungi that deploys a mini mushroom with projectile assistance. Once upgraded, Mr. Fungi becomes Ms. Fungal and deploys a mushroom spewing couple instead. Mrs. Zarkon offers a nice preview of the new weapon’s effects when the player has a new weapon available. She is the fabulous weapon dealing robot that sells them for bolts found everywhere.

The weapons are not the only attacks in the arsenal. Ratchet and Rivet can dodge, double jump, grappling hook, and dash, allowing for complex movement. The grappling hook works on dimensional rifts now, enabling the player to move to the rift’s location on activation instantly. In addition, there were wall-running and mag-boot sections that added complex paths and alternate attack patterns. I felt like an interdimensional ninja with guns and grenades by dashing, dodging, wall-running, and rift riding. Add in swinging the formidable melee weapon, and I dispatched enemies with precision even when low on ammo.

Besides the platform or shooting puzzles, the game features hacking puzzles too. Clank and his dimensional counterpart Kit get into the action as high-tech hackers downloading codes by guiding a never-ending path of instances to unlock firewalls. Their minigame sections involve more complex mechanics as the player continues and involve manipulating multiple obstacles at once. Another resistance member named Glitch helps through hacking, but that character must clear out bugs by firing lasers at them. These sections offer additional gameplay without overly complex since all three have similar base moves to the main characters.

(Image credit: Insomniac Games)

The overall graphics are not simplified since they press the PS5 despite having a friendly stylization reminiscent of the original title. However, the detailing of individual aliens is next-gen texturing meets Pixar movies. Even some bad guys are roided out Disney-looking characters with large upper bodies but pencil legs. Each planet included in the game had a unique design and layout that I appreciated.  The worlds had individual atmospherics, indigenous species, and enemy types that lead to different gameplay across the universes. The fog and dynamic lighting separate the planets further, especially when the player selects the Fidelity game mode.

The creatures and aliens found everywhere amp up the game’s immersion factor. Typically, any slimy snail is gross, especially having stepped on one barefoot, but not the ridable Speedle. Despite Rivet grabbing them by the eyestalks, their quick movement and quirky presentation are delightful. The aliens or animals are not scary-looking despite detailed texturing, including all enemy types. They were all warm and inviting, especially the extraterrestrial jamming out near a jukebox since they had me dancing along as they rocked out seriously hard!

When the gamer finds hidden collectibles, the visuals can get more customizable. For example, the helmet, chest, and leg armor have various skins grouped in several different sets scattered around the planets. If the player finds the right gold bolt, the entire graphics can change, but there are 25 gold bolts, and not all are graphical unlocks. Several of them open specific skins for melee weapons, the ship, and bolt currency which adds diversity in style. Other gold bolts unlock in-game effects like big head mode, confetti craniums, and gold weapons.

(Image credit: Insomniac Games)

Those extra details, including every citizen, creature, and enemy, get emphasized in the photo mode. Also, having a different flair for Ratchet and Rivet through accessories is a nice touch that adds depth when utilizing the photo mode. The camera functions are extensive, and some adjustment menus might confuse players. While the basics of the camera are great, the light adjustments are fantastic. The developers even implemented a lamp representation that shows the height and focus when the players add directional light to a photo scene without showing it in the final picture.

The game was not without issues, but they were minor. One problem is the big head mode because it covers UI and button icons, often making playing difficult. Other issues were harder to avoid, such as the frequency at which the main character gives reminders for the next objective. Ratchet frequently said in a panicked voice in the first full level: “Club Nefarious, where is club Nefarious?” It is hard to enjoy that planet the first time since the rate is particularly annoying and aggressive. The timing and big head mode could get adjusted in an update at any time. Although falling off platforms because of the camera positioning is an issue that is less likely to get patched out. Sometimes I fell because I could not see the ledges without swiveling the camera after landing. It made later advanced jumping segments more challenging than intended.

Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart gloriously pushes the limits of the PlayStation 5 in good ways, from the use of Haptic Feedback to the overall graphics. It has some minor issues, but none are game breakers requiring a significant patch before the title is enjoyable. Insomniac Games combined intense graphics with an exciting story across space and dimensions with a ton of replayability. Hopefully, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart eventually reaches other systems, since every gamer should enjoy it at least once.

Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart

• Platforms: PlayStation 5

• Developer: Insomniac Games

• Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment

• Release Date: 6/10/2021