This game series is known for having some of the most unique weapons in video games. Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is no different with the developer, Insomniac, really pushing the boundaries for what the PS5 is capable of. Not counting melee weapons for any of the playable characters, there are twenty weapons in the game.
Some of these will be acquired through the story, but most must be unlocked through the weapon vendor, Mrs. Zurkon. They can get pretty pricey so some may be more valuable to invest in right away than others Whether that is in regard to actually buying them and or using precious Raritanium to upgrade them, these are the best weapons in the game.
Updated January 31st, 2021 by Russ Boswell: There are tons of great and entertaining weapons to grab in Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, with many of them upgrading into even more dangerous forms that are capable of completely obliterating enemies. When players first hop into the game and start progressing, they'll be given a wide array of weapon choices to carry with them into battle but with a limited loadout, it can be difficult to decide what to carry. To better answer this question and showcase the best weapons in Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, the following list has been updated and now includes even more entries.
13 Blast Pistol
This weapon starts out as the Burst Pistol before evolving into the Blast Pistol at level five. It is the standard pistol that every game in the series gets. It is a middle of the pack in terms of inventiveness, but still pretty handy in the heat of battle. It gets better once it evolves since it adds a spread shot of three bursts. The haptic feedback on the PS5 triggers are some of the game’s bests.
12 Void Reactor
This weapon starts out as the Void Repulser before evolving into the Void Reactor at level five. This gun is part shotgun in that it is a short-range spread-like gun.
The other half of it is a shield. The shield cannot block most melee attacks. It’s mostly good for projectiles. It does weaken after absorbing a few shots but it is still a good hybrid weapon.
11 Wreckochet
This weapon starts out as the Ricochet before evolving into the Wreckochet at level five. This gun might be the most unique in the game in that it takes advantage of the PS5 controller’s audio to cue players in on when to attack. Once fired, the bullet will make a noise similar to a pinball machine. If timed right on the controller, aided by that audio, the bullet will ricochet a few times before disappearing. It’s not good in an encounter with many enemies but it is great for boss fights and/or larger cannon fodder.
10 Drillpack
This weapon starts out as the Drillhound before evolving into the Drillpack at level five. The Drillhound is like a robotic dog launcher. Once fired it can bury itself underground and then emerge once it finds a target. It’s like a land shark missile but a dog. Once it evolves it gains two other pups to assist in the devastation. It’s a cute and deadly combination in the game.
9 Lightning Strike
This weapon starts out as the Lightning Rod before evolving into the Lightning Strike at level five. Those looking for a fast-firing alternative to the Blast Pistol or Doom Blades should consider the Lightning Strike, which is a rapid-fire weapon that's capable of freezing enemies in place. If an opponent is shot enough times with this weapon it will end up stationary, stunned by lightning. It will also emanate shockwaves of electricity to other nearby enemies. This upgraded version, Lightning Strike, is capable of releasing a shockwave without multiple shots, as players can "charge a shot" which only consumes one ammunition even if players miss.
8 Large Negatron Collider
This weapon starts out as the Negatron Collider before evolving into the Large Negatron Collider at level five. After it charges up it will fire a beam at enemies which will last a few seconds. The more one upgrades it, the larger the beam can become on top of how long it can sustain its form. This is another weapon that is good for bosses. If one is quick enough, they can use it in normal encounters as well to take down smaller pockets of lower-tier enemies.
7 Doom Blades
This weapon starts out as the Buzz Blades before evolving into the Doom Blades at level five. The Buzz Blades are, admittedly, a bit weak when players first unlock them but those that can stick with the weapon and upgrade it will gain access to a great alternative to fast-firing weapons that is capable of outputting a solid amount of damage. Thanks to its "auto-seeking saw blades," the Doom Blades are great for taking out swarms and smaller pockets of enemies. The upgrade to Doom Blades causes the blades to duplicate after their first strike, giving players even more damage-dealing projectiles per shot.
6 Apocalypse Glove
This weapon starts out as the Glove of Doom before evolving into the Apocalypse Glove at level five. Although the Glove of Doom is a hilarious, useful, and downright damaging weapon in its own right, it sees a serious uptick when players transform it into the Apocalypse Glove. Each trigger pull will toss an "egg" that is filled with nasty, biting Agents. These little mechanical critters will seek out enemies and nip them to shreds. What makes the Apocalypse Glove truly shine is that the Agents will explode once their lifespan reaches its end, dishing out even more damage and taking hordes of enemies with them.
5 Cold Front
This weapon starts out as the Cold Snap before evolving into the Cold Front at level five. The gun fires out what is essentially an ice grenade. If enemies walk into its vicinity, they will freeze in place for a set amount of time. This is also true of the grenade-like ammunition if fired directly at an enemy. This even works for bosses. It doesn’t do any significant damage but it’s a weapon that works well combined with a damage heavy weapon like some of the later picks. Hitting triangle on the controller will swap back and forth between the two most recent weapons so use this trick in the thick of things.
4 Toxiary Sprinkler
This weapon starts out as the Topiary Sprinkler before evolving into the Toxiary Sprinkler at level five. It is like the Cold Front gun in that it’s not good for damage but it does make for a deadly combo. What this gun does is launch a literal sprinkler that changes enemies into shrubs if hit by the spray. The area range is better than the Cold Front’s and the effect seems to last longer too. It’s also just the perfect weapon example to showcase what makes this game series so inventive.
3 Pixelizer HD
This weapon starts out as the Pixelizer before evolving into the Pixelizer HD at level five. It is another shotgun like spread weapon but one with a clever twist.
If enemies are hit with the spray, they will not only become pixelated but their sound effect will also change. Sometimes battles can sound like they are taking place in DOOM if it was run on a Game Boy. It’s an effect that never gets old.
2 The Migraine
This weapon starts out as the Headhunter before evolving into the The Migraine at level five. Like the Blast Pistol, almost every game in the series has a sniper rifle like this. The Migraine is not much different from other iterations which involves slowing down time when players zoom in on the scope. Even though it’s been done before that doesn’t make it any less devastating.
1 Blackhole Vortex
This weapon starts out as the Blackhole Storm before evolving into the Blackhole Vortex at level five. The first iteration of this weapon is a basic Gatling gun but one that fires black bullets. It’s cool but nothing that special. Once it hits its final form, enemies hit with it will die in a glorious blackhole as promised by the name. If fully upgraded, the power, speed, and ammunition count will make it a literal nightmare for any enemy daring to defy Ratchet and or Rivet in the game.