Everybody’s favorite Lombax/Robot duo is back in Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, and they’ve brought a few new friends, and old enemies. with them. Beloved weapons like the Glove of Doom, and the Ryno also make a return, along with the fan-favorite Map-o-Matic device.
This version of the Map-o-Matic is now better than ever, and the completionist's dream tool should be picked up as soon as possible to ensure players don’t miss out on an easy way to obtain all the fun Easter Eggs and useful collectibles the title has to offer.
What does the Map-o-Matic do?
Previous versions of the Map-o-Matic have revealed various different collectibles over the franchise's history. In Ratchet and Clank:Â Rift Apart, the handy device reveals the locations of Raritanium, Spybots, and Gold Bolts.
Locating Raritanium is very important as it is needed to give players a boost in battle. The material is taken to Ms. Zurkon and used to upgrade Ratchet and Rivet's ever-expanding arsenal of destruction. There are a lot of weapons in Rift Apart, so getting as much Raritanium as possible will ensure players have plenty of wiggle-room when choosing what gun to upgrade next. Another great place to farm Raritanium fast is at the arena in Zurkie’s.
All 10 Spybots in Rift Apart are needed to unlock the Ryno 8, a powerful gun seen in one form or another in previous Ratchet and Clank titles. It also has a lot of fun cameos and Easter Eggs to be found while using it. The Gold Bolts offer some Easter Eggs of their own, with Giant Head Mode making a return and a Keyblade cosmetic for the wrench/hammer. The Gold Bolts also have useful cheats that can be activated like infinite health and infinite ammo.
The Map-o-Matic is essential for all completionists but is also a great way to discover some fun goofs.
Where to find the Map-o-Matic
Players shouldn’t worry about locating the Map-o-Matic until the final third of Rift Apart. It is unobtainable until this point, so don't worry about going after every Gold Bolt or Spybot unless it’s on a direct path. A lot of time will be saved by not searching every nook and cranny of the various planets, and simply mainlining the story.
Once the pirate planet of Ardolis is available to fly to, players can finally pick up the Map-o-Matic. It’s not a very hard task to do, and the minutes spent finding it now will save hours of collectible-hunting later.
Once on Ardolis, follow these steps:
- Bring up the Map with the touchpad and find the Treasure Hunt side quest (the blue circle icon)
- Follow it to where Pierre Le Fer is hanging, and grapple to the pirate ship behind him
- Kill enemies and then continue grappling and jumping until reaching the pirate’s building
- Defeat these waves of pirates and then go up the elevator
- Kill the pirates upstairs
- Open the chest and acquire the Map-o-Matic
The Map-o-Matic doesn't need to be activated, and will now happily sit in Ratchet and Rivet’s inventory. Finding Raritanium, Spybots, and Gold Bolts is now as easy as bringing up the map and marking the desired collectible. Players have to be on the planet they want to 100% to see the location of the collectibles, and ensure they aren’t in an area that forces the map to go offline.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is available now exclusively for PlayStation 5.