Back in June of last year, Insomniac Games revealed the trailer for its latest Ratchet and Clank installment, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, after a four-year hiatus since the last game came out. In fact, in 2016 the remake for the original Ratchet and Clank game was released, but it wasn't an entirely new chapter of the saga. The last game dates back to 2013, and apart from the 2016 remake, there was no news of a comeback for the series.
However, when the trailer for the new Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart dropped, fans were all left speechless with the reveal of a female Lombax character that looks quite a bit like Ratchet himself. This piece of news rapidly spread throughout the internet and many fans were left wondering if she could be an ally or a playable character in her own right, especially considering the fact that the Lombax race is nearly extinct in the main games. In short, yes, it has been confirmed that she's playable.
All Playable Characters in Ratchet and Clank
Each game within the franchise features both Ratchet and Clank as its main characters, of course. Most of the time, players will be able to control Ratchet as the main character almost throughout the entire game. However, Clank will be the character players take control of when there are specific quests or situations which he is best suited to handle.
This trend goes on for the majority of the games of the saga, with a few exceptions of relevance. For example, Clank got a whole game on his own: Secret Agent Clank. The title is a parody of sorts of the James Bond movies, and Clank can use a plethora of gadgets and devices available on his tuxedo, like a bow-tie he can use as a boomerang and a rose that can turn into a carnivorous plant that devours Clank's enemies.
Another exception comes with the game called Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One, a multiplayer game with both online and offline co-op options to play in a group of four characters. In fact, here players are able to take control of all four main characters: Ratchet, Clank, Captain Qwark, and Dr. Nefarious. Despite the latter being a villain in the franchise, here all characters are forced to cooperate because of Dr. Nefarious awakening a light-eating Z'Grute. The group defeats the new enemy, but then they are all captured by a massive drone that takes them to the planet Magnus, where it collects all the most powerful creatures in the universe. The four make a pact to further cooperate and get things back to normal, allowing four players to each control one of the characters.
The Female Lombax Character in Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart
It is not a mystery that Insomniac Games, the developer behind the Ratchet and Clank franchise, revealed that the new installment in the series will feature a new playable character. The company has confirmed the female Lombax will be available to play in Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart.
Little is known regarding details revolving around this mysterious character, whose name Insomniac Games refused to divulge. Fans have gone crazy about it, and several discussions, theories, and rumors can be found online regarding the identity and origin of this character. One of the most popular theories implies that she is either a female version from another dimension, or she is simply a Lombax from a dimension where the race is still conducting a peaceful life.
This could be relevant because, if she is indeed a different, alternate version of Ratchet, then the gameplay might be split into moments when Ratchet will be the main character players take control of, and moments when the main character becomes his alternate version. Another theory is that the game might have a different story and different endings for each character, and link the events at some point. Either way, details remain to be disclosed, and Insomniac Games might end up not fully revealing information on the female Lombax until Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart officially launches, in June 2021, on PS5.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart arrives exclusively on PS5 on June 11, 2021.