Since its debut 20 years ago, the Ratchet and Clank series has collected its fair share of accolades. The anniversary celebrations that Insomniac Games spearheaded help make that clear, but despite all it has achieved in the past, the franchise’s latest entry Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart currently holds a unique badge of honor.
Although the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S are celebrating their second anniversaries this month, the libraries of both consoles are lacking from some perspectives. Thanks to several factors, including the onset of a global pandemic, players are still waiting for the generation to kick into high gear. It’s fair to say as a result, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is the only title that truly ticks every "next-gen" box.
Cross-Generation Support for PlayStation and Xbox Titles
From a physical perspective, there aren't too many games that players can only buy on the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Thanks to global production issues, most publishers and developers are still making sure that the PS4 and Xbox One are part of their release plans. Even Sony has dialed back its roadmap to safeguard its bottom line after previously declaring a belief in generational support a few years ago.
While the industry's decision to support cross-generational development is partly influenced by money, there are positive moral consequences too. Beyond the fact that buying a PS5 or Xbox Series X/S is still a challenge, plenty of people are experiencing financial insecurities. However, this means Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is one of only a few games that make full use of these latest consoles' hardware.
Rift Apart’s Graphics and Gameplay
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart isn’t the only game that’s playable exclusively on modern hardware. Acclaimed hits like Deathloop and Returnal both stand out in this category. While tastes and preferences are subjective, Insomniac’s game has a few graphical and gameplay cards that help to push it beyond both of those examples.
When it comes to graphical fidelity, players have admittedly been spoiled for choice by good-looking cross-gen titles like God of War Ragnarok. What makes Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart special is the extra details that Insomniac focuses on. "Next-gen" features like ray tracing, improved draw distances, and the ability to render Ratchet’s fur all help push the game into uniquely impressive territory.
The sense that Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is a unique case study is aided by the fact that its gameplay flourishes just as much. Insomniac fully utilized the PS5’s DualSense controller, making each of Ratchet and Rivet’’s weapons engaging to experience. By comparison, other modern games often just nail one of these elements. The fact that Insomniac’s title does both to an excellent standard makes it an outlier.
Rift Apart’s Underlying Tech
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart also takes full advantage of the technology it’s locked to. Thanks to the PS5’s SSD, for example, Insomniac has been able to build its game around the idea of interdimensional portals. Players find themselves flying between worlds and maps at a moment's notice, often with no obvious loading signs.
Being able to jump between two points at that kind of speed is an impressive feat that’s only possible on the latest console hardware. Even after being on sale for over a year, Insomniac’s latest Ratchet and Clank still has a "wow" factor that has yet to be truly matched. Combined with its other charms and performance, Rift Apart currently stands alone.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is available now on PS5.