Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is in many ways a big step forward for the franchise, providing the player a thrilling inter-dimensional adventure. One of the biggest additions to the gameplay of the series is the ability to play as Rivet, a female Lombax from an alternate dimension. While most are aware of this feature, the game does so much more.
The PS5 exclusive has brought a litany of new and awesome features to add to the excellent experience in 2016's Ratchet & Clank. The game new weapons, armor, a ton of possibilities of inter-dimensional gameplay, and plenty of side quests. There are plenty of awesome things the player can do.
8 Speed Through Levels On Hoverboots
Midway through the game, the player will unlock the hoverboots. These allow Ratchet and Rivet to glide across the level, with the option to boost to incredible speeds, all while hovering just above the ground. The boots allow for all kinds of traversal possibilities that play around with momentum. Furthermore, the many conveniently placed ramps in the game simply beg players to charge into them.
The hoverboots feel reminiscent of the jetpack in the previous game, which allowed the player to fly anywhere in a level. However, that was locked to just two levels. The hoverboots, once unlocked, can be used anywhere and anytime.
7 Travel Through Dimensions
While it would seem obvious in a game all about other dimensions to feature inter-dimensional travel, the precise ways in which this is implemented are impressively inventive. Throughout the planets of the game, dimensional rifts have opened up. The player can tether to these, creating a visually spectacular teleportation mechanic.
Dimensional rifts can also be used within a planet to swap between alternate versions of the same world from other dimensions. This allows the player to explore the sometimes subtle, sometimes major differences between them.
6 Ride A Dragon
The Ratchet & Clank franchise has always been one for collectables. While some enjoy spending extra time exploring every inch of every map to get to 100%, those who struggle shouldn't fear. Now, the player can look for collectables in style atop a friendly dragon that Rivet is acquainted with.
Players unlock the Dragon after a side mission where they must feed it. In addition to finding collectibles, the dragon can also be used to battle fleets of enemy spaceships commanded by Emperor Nefarious. It can shoot a barrage of high powered flames at several points in the game's story.
5 Customize Armor
There have been major improvements to the armor system in this installment of the franchise. While still only cosmetic, the player can collect helmets, torso armor, and leg armor and mix and match to find the perfect look for each Lombax. They can also build full armor sets by gathering every item in a collection to create suits like "Galactic Ranger", "Robot Pirate" and a lot more.
This system not only improves the level of customization, but also acts as an incentive for players to explore more and more of the game.
4 Discover The History Of The Lombax
Ratchet's familial roots serve as a major driving force of both the narrative of the game and the character development of the titular hero. One of the most interesting things the player can do in the game, particularly for long-time fan of the series, is explore the history of the Lombax.
On one planet in particular, Lombax lore is a primary collectable, which will fascinate passionate fans of Ratchet & Clank. This game still only truly scratches the surface of the Lombax history.
3 Play With New Weaponry
It's what every fan of Ratchet & Clank wants to know about: the guns. Fear not; the latest game in the franchise all about guns honors the hallowed tradition well. While a little lighter on the more humorous and gimmicky weapons, Rift Apart provides the player with a host of satisfying weapons made all the better by the graphical power of PS5.
There are as always a lot of great options to keep the combat varied. There's a a gun that shoots lightning, a sentient mushroom that fights for the player, and plenty of twists on classic weapons. And every weapon is upgradable, if the player has enough raritanium.
2 New Ways To Platform
Despite being known primarily for the weapons, Ratchet & Clank is still at its core a 3D platformer. In this latest entry, major additions have massively improved the quality of the platforming. Ratchet (and of course, his inter-dimensional female counterpart Rivet) have a few new abilities to make the platforming faster and smoother.
The phantom dash allows the player to dash forward while temporarily phasing out of existence. This gives distance to a jump and allows the character to pass through barriers. Ratchet can also wall-run on certain walls, ride a speedy bug monster, and, as previously mentioned, leap into dimensional rifts.
1 Puzzle Solving With Clank, With A Twist
A staple of the games has commonly been breaking up the action gameplay using puzzle solving with Clank, a prominent feature in the previous game. It's back again, but a few changes have been made to make the puzzling experience a lot more fun.
At several points in the game, Clank can go to a kind of space between dimensions. There, he can see hundreds of ghostly-looking Clanks run in a straight line. These represent his possibilities (based on some genuine physics principles of multiple universes), whom the player must guide to safety. This added element to the format makes the puzzles that much more interesting to play.