Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart: PS5 Review

Developed by Insomniac Games

Published by Sony Interactive

Platform: PS5

"We haven't done anything for years, what if we're washed up?"

A comment from Lombax Ratchet early on in the opening moments of Rift Apart sums up everything that Ratchet and Clank fans have worried about with this new full-length game, the first big family title for the PS5.

Ratchet and Clank are as synonymous with the PlayStation as WipeOut and Crash Bandicoot, heralding the early days of the PS2 console, and launching a franchise that went on to become beloved and revered by gamers of all ages.

Thankfully, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart more than delivers a comfortable mix of nostalgia, with signs that Insomniac Games haven't rested on their laurels and are out to compete with action sequences the likes of which Hollywood would be grateful to see on screen.

In this latest, the first full Ratchet and Clank game since 2016's from-the-ground-up-remaster of the first title from back in 2002, the duo find themselves in alternate dimensions after nemesis Dr Nefarious tears a hole in the universe and kidnaps them.

Tired of always being beaten by the pair, Nefarious has found a dimension where he always wins - and is determined to finally best the Lombax and his robot pal once and for all. But things don't quite go to plan, and Ratchet and Clank are separated, torn asunder by parallel universes and worlds they've visited before.

For Ratchet, it's a mission to get back to his long time pal - but for Clank, it's a chance to meet a new Lombax, the female Rivet, the leader of the resistance movement against Nefarious in another dimension....

The parallel universe idea works well for Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart.

Not only does it give the developers a chance to bring back some of the enemies from previous games (Sand sharks, Amoeboids, those crab creatures to name but a few), it also gives them a chance to develop another timeline with the one-armed Lombax Rivet.

In fact, the game itself opens with Rivet, appearing in a Blade Runneresque future world that seems to go on as far as the eye can see. But Insomniac Games holds its cards close to its chest, making you think straight away this is Ratchet, before pulling the carpet from under you and leaving you wanting more.

It's not long before you're playing as Rivet, and the subtle differences between Ratchet and Rivet come to the fore. From simple things like Ratchet's use of a wrench compared to Rivet's weapon of choice a hammer right through to slightly differing attitudes, it's clear these two are cut from the same cloth, but shaped in a different way. Jennifer Hale is a brilliant addition to the team, and it's to be hoped Rivet gets her own spinoffs further down the line.

It's probably here that Insomniac Games need to be congratulated for Rivet.

Not only is she gifted with a large dose of heart and emotion throughout, but not once is anything made of the fact she has a robotic arm. It's a sign once again that in family games, the studio is promoting ableism in a perfectly natural way, and just making it part of the gameplay. They did something similar with sign language in Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and it was commendable there; here it's in a universal title that will be played by many generations, and it's utterly incredible to see.

It goes without saying that Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart looks gorgeous on the next generation console. 

From scenes in spaceports which are teeming with life, hordes of enemies battling toward you as you fire off an array of weapons and bullets to vistas that seem to go on for miles on the screen, the game delivers a lot of background detail with ease and largely without any sign of anything creaking in doing so. It's hard to see how this would play on a last generation console, without the machine sounding like it's about to blast off.

There will be some who feel that the game's got too many elements from previous titles - whether it's the fact that there's a Battle Arena where competitions take place (like Annihilation Nation in Up Your Arsenal) or there's a reliance on too many familiar faces throughout; but Insomniac's ploughed enough of the new into the game to make it feel fresh, enticing, and downright enjoyable.

From new weapons like the Topiary Sprinkler, which turns enemies into plants making it easy to dispatch them, to Mr Fungi the automatic shooting mushroom that's based on Mr Zurkon's trigger-happy robot, there's certainly enough to keep fans of the Ratchet and Clank franchise happy.

And that extends to the story as well, which is packed with heart, humour and happiness. Whether it's exploring desert barren worlds that seems to go on for miles, wall-running and jumping along floating barriers or simply box-smashing and bolt-grinding, there's much to do here.

There's equally much to be in awe of as well.

Certain action sequences feel thrilling, fresh and exciting, matching anything a Hollywood blockbuster can muster with ease. A central sequence where Rivet and Clank meet a giant droid come to life with a sense of scale, as you zip and grind around the droid as a diamond crumbles before you, falling apart at the seams and reminding you of the very best escapes of Indiana Jones.

There have been one or two wobbles though. Early on in the game, NPCs would glitch, some frozen and some wobbling as they become stuck in the proceedings. And equally, some later on which are to be shot and destroyed are stuck in mires, preventing you from progressing without tracking them down.

They are minor glitches, and certainly, when the game calls for big action set pieces, there's no sign of the wobble there at all.

All in all, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is superlative gaming entertainment. It's a heady mix of the past, and the future, and the very best that the PlayStation hardware can currently offer. The sense of scale is stunning, the game's heart beats large and loud, and Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is possibly a contender for game of the year.

A review code was provided for Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart by PlayStation NZ and Insomniac Games.