Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
A dimensional rift sends Ratchet and Clank to an alternate universe.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a third-person shooter platformer that came out in 2021. Insomniac Games developed it, and Sony Interactive Entertainment published it for the PlayStation 5. It’s the ninth major game in the Ratchet & Clank series and the first direct follow-up to the 2016 Ratchet & Clank. A Windows version, handled by Nixxes Software, launched on July 26, 2023—the first time the series appeared on a non-PlayStation system.
The gameplay sticks close to the 2016 entry and earlier games. You still strafe, shoot, collect bolts, and see weapons and health upgrade automatically. Manual Raritanium upgrades and gadgets also return. Ratchet is the main character, with Clank riding on his back. A new female Lombax named Rivet is also playable, along with a robot called Kit who resembles Clank. Players move Ratchet and Rivet through different levels, fighting enemies with a mix of new and classic weapons, and crossing obstacles to finish key missions.
A big new feature is real-time, near-instant travel between areas, planets, and worlds through inter-dimensional portals. A tool called the Rift Tether lets Ratchet and Rivet pull themselves from one portal side to another, speeding up movement. Some planets from earlier games return, but with dimensional twists, and brand-new planets appear too. Mobility gets a boost with dashing and wall running. The game also includes many accessibility options, like a high-contrast mode and toggles for simplified movement, camera sensitivity, and flight assistance.
The story picks up after the 2016 game. Ratchet and Clank are honored as heroes at a parade on Corson V, hosted by Captain Quark, Skid McMarx, and Rusty Pete. Clank reveals he fixed the Dimensionator, a device that opens rifts to other dimensions, so Ratchet can search for the Lombax race and his lost family. Doctor Nefarious crashes the parade and tries to steal it. In the struggle, Ratchet accidentally shoots the Dimensionator, causing random dimensional rifts. Ratchet, Clank, and Dr. Nefarious get thrown into an alternate universe, where the Dimensionator explodes, damaging space-time and separating them. Clank wakes up missing his right arm and is found by Rivet, a female Lombax. Dr. Nefarious lands in a throne room and is mistaken for Emperor Nefarious—a version of himself who’s never lost and rules the galaxy. While the real emperor is away, Dr.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
- Developer
- Insomniac GamesPorted to Windows by Nixxes Software
- Publisher
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Director
- Marcus Smith · Mike Daly
- Producer
- Joe Castagno
- Programmer
- Mike Fitzgerald
- Artist
- Jason Hickey / Gavin Goulden
- Writer
- Lauren Mee · Nick Folkman · Mary Kenney · Max Folkman
- Composer
- Mark Mothersbaugh · Wataru Hokoyama
- Series
- Ratchet & Clank
- Platforms
- PlayStation 5 · Windows
- Released
- PlayStation 5 · June 11, 2021 · Windows · July 26, 2023
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The game introduces real-time near instantaneous travel between different areas, planets, and other worlds via inter-dimensional portals, using a new mechanic called the 'Rift Tether' that pulls characters from one side of a portal to another. Enhanced mobility and traversal options include dashing and wall running. The arsenal mixes brand new weapons with returning classics from prior installments. The story follows Ratchet and Clank as they are transported to an alternate universe after Doctor Nefarious attempts to steal the Dimensionator, a device capable of opening rifts to other dimensions. In this universe, they encounter a female Lombax named Rivet and a robot named Kit, who become playable characters. The plot involves repairing dimensional anomalies, rebuilding the Dimensionator, and confronting Emperor Nefarious, an alternate version of Doctor Nefarious who rules the galaxy.
Reader's Guide
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart was developed by the entire Insomniac Games team from both studios, unlike past games where development was helmed by the secondary team in North Carolina. It features a full-length, stand-alone storyline intended to appeal to veterans and newcomers, serving as a follow-up to both Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus and the 2016 remake. The game received positive reviews from critics, with particular praise given to its visuals, combat, and technical advancements. It sold over 3.97 million units by June 2023. The Windows port, developed by Nixxes Software, marked the series' first release outside of a PlayStation console. The game includes an assortment of accessibility options, such as a high contrast mode and toggles for simplified traversal, camera sensitivity, and flight assistance.
Did You Know?
- The game introduces a female Lombax named Rivet and a robot named Kit as playable characters.
- The Rift Tether mechanic allows players to pull themselves through inter-dimensional portals in real time.
- The Windows port was developed by Nixxes Software and released on July 26, 2023.
More in Platform Games of the 2020s, Part 1 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced