Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is full of potential, and with early previews for the game being incredibly strong, it seems as if that potential is being realized. While the visuals of the game are spectacular, and the inclusion of Rivet has people intrigued by the story, the use of portals in the latest Ratchet and Clank game are particularly exciting. While rifts are used for moving around arenas and to explore special pocket dimensions, their most intriguing use is the ability to take Ratchet to new worlds.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart will see its lead characters hopping through rifts to reach new planets instantly. While the technology of the PS5 allowing this to happen is certainly neat, what could be even cooler is the planets themselves. Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is confirmed to feature reimagined versions of classic planets alongside new locations like Nefarious City. However, with Ratchet able to teleport anywhere, there is a chance that he could stumble upon other games’ worlds. While this is purely speculation, there are some PlayStation mascots that would be a perfect fit for a cameo.
Some PlayStation Cameo Possibilities
There is no shortage of PlayStation characters that could cameo inside of Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, though his fellow mascots are the likeliest options. While the relationship between Jak and Daxter and Ratchet and Clank has only been strengthened over the years, seeing the Sly Cooper series acknowledged could be a nice surprise. With Sly Cooper: Thieves In Time ending on a cliffhanger, seeing a nod to the thief and his cane once again would be welcome. It would also keep fans’ hopes alive for a sequel or remaster one day, as many would love to see Sly get the same love as Ratchet.
Other cameos could be a bit less character-specific, with Ratchet instead entering the worlds of different PlayStation franchises. While a new Resistance game would certainly be welcome, it is unlikely, though Insomniac could pay tribute by having Ratchet enter a cartoony world filled with the Chimera. He could also use a rift to reach some other, more serious locations, briefly battling against The Last of Us’ Clickers, Killzone's Helghast, or Horizon’s machines. With games like Astro’s Playroom showing how much a PlayStation exclusive game can benefit from leaning into the brand’s history, Ratchet could do the same to brilliant effect. While Insomniac would need to be careful to not overdo the homages so Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart stands on its own, visiting a PlayStation world or two could be an awesome surprise.
The Importance Of A Potential PlayStation Cameo
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart has the chance to continue the series’ trend of referencing other PlayStation games, as Insomniac has included many nods to franchises like Jak and Daxter in the past. With a mention of Resistance seen in the game’s State of Play demo, it is clear that Insomniac is prepared to continue with its tongue-in-cheek easter eggs. As such, a PlayStation cameo is on the table, and Insomniac Games could go in two directions with the appearance.
The more likely scenario is that a cameo would be incredibly brief, allowing only eagle-eyed fans to find the reference. In Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart’s first gameplay demo, the heroes are seen falling through a massive rift. On either side, some shattered fragments of different worlds can be seen before the Lombax enters into a new location. One great way to make a small nod to another PlayStation universe would be to have one of these fragmented worlds feature someone like Sly Cooper, Daniel Fortesque, or even Kratos. While players could see the characters doing things, they could not actually interact with them in game, keeping these brief nods visual.
The other cameo possibility would see Ratchet or Rivet teaming up with another PlayStation character. One of the Lombaxes could portal into the Jak and Daxter universe, teaming up with the human and ottsel on some kind of adventure. Being able to explore an area from the world of Naughty Dog’s classic platformer could be a lot of fun, and the use of the same music and art style could make it even more memorable. Seeing the characters interact and discuss their different levels of technology could be entertaining, and while a cameo of this size is unlikely, it is still fun to think about. Even if a cameo is ultimately on the small side, though, it should be plenty of fun for PlayStation fans.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart launches June 11 on PS5.