Since its trailer debut, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart has been poised to take on the role of PlayStation 5 showpiece. Designed from the ground up for Sony’s next-gen console, the latest entry in the long-running third-person action platformer series has set its sights on two goals: being impressive and being fun. And despite a little familiarity in the narrative department, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart more than succeeds in those endeavors.

As the 16th installment in the Ratchet and Clank series, Rift Apart has a lot of history to build on. Fans have explored the history of the Lombax, time paradoxes, and a number of other zany scenarios that serve as perfect action platforming fodder. They know exactly what they are getting into when it comes to the Ratchet and Clank series, and Insomniac Games typically doesn’t shy away from that. There is a familiarity to the setup in Rift Apart that hits all the expected notes, even if there aren’t a lot of surprises.

As the title implies, Ratchet and Clank are once again separated but working together for a common goal. Ratchet is sometimes flying solo before meeting a new partner named Kit, while Clank is paired up with Rivet, the mysterious female Lombax voiced by video game veteran Jennifer Hale. R&C have found themselves in a different dimension thanks to Dr. Nefarious and they must find a way to get home while contending with the likes of Pirates, Goons, and indigenous monsters. Rift Apart has a lot of the same planet-charting excitement of past games, only with next-gen polish. The humor is still on point and there are a lot of fun characters to meet along the way, and there are some great moments for longtime fans of the series.

It may feel routine, but Rift Apart has enough heart to help keep things moving and enjoyable. Rivet is a great addition to the roster, bringing new dimensions to the characters of both Ratchet and Clank through their interactions, while also developing her own story as well. The alternate dimension concept is mined for all it's worth and Insomniac makes sure to pack as many story beats for longtime fans. At its core, Ratchet and Clank puts an emphasis on family friendly fun and Rift Apart is no different.

Even though the characters have become defacto mascots for Sony, Ratchet and Clank the game has always been about the arsenal and Rift Apart takes things to new heights thanks to the PS5. Old standbys (or riffs on old standbys) are still present but the ingenuity on display for new and revamped weapons is simply staggering. With the power of the PS5, simple weapons take on a ton of personality thanks to the destruction they can cause. Firefights are simply dazzling with the way that particle effects splash across the screen, and the interplay between the different weapon types is always exciting. Juggling the weapons is a bit clunky with the two-page weapon wheel, but it's not a huge hindrance in the grand scheme of things.

Oftentimes players will find a handful of favorites in shooters and stick to only those. But in Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart there are so many fun weapons with diverse functions that it’s hard to choose. There are weapons that pack pure damage like the massive Devastator shotgun or Warmonger rocket launcher. Weapons that are about crowd control like the grenade-like Shatterbomb and the Topiary Sprinkler, which completely covers enemies with leaves. And weapons that are pure Ratchet and Clank, like the helper minion Mr. Fungi and the aptly named Pixelizer. Players might be crippled by choice but the game actively encourages using each weapon through its XP-based leveling system. As players use a weapon they will earn XP for it and unlock 5 different levels, before the final form changes the weapon in some clever ways. Each level unlocks new nodes on the upgrade board like more ammo reserves, faster fire rates, and damage, as well as more unique upgrades that are earned by unlocking all of the nodes around it.

Switching between over a dozen different weapons helps keep each enemy encounter feeling fresh but also looking incredible. Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is a stunning game to look at, from every conceivable angle. The designs of Ratchet and Clank have never looked better thanks to fur textures on the former and reflective metal textures on the latter. And each planet that players visit has a distinct design sensibility and style. Many of these environments should be familiar in terms of their tone and theme, but players have never seen them rendered in such detail as this. Then, when things start moving the game kicks it into another gear.

When the platforming, the gunplay, the signature rail-sliding, and the boss battles all come together, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is second to none. Insomniac showed off the PS5’s potential with some incredible sequences in Spider-Man: Miles Morales, but Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart blows those out of the water. There some set pieces in Ratchet and Clank that, while linear in approach, feature so many explosive moments it’s dizzying. Obviously, the dimensional rifts are a key point of the marketing for the game, but even the more traditional R&C segments like grinding on rails have been dialed up to 11. Yes, in many cases, these sequences are more about the visuals and less about the gameplay, but that’s hardly a concern in the moment. A chaotic gunfight is usually just on the other side of these brilliant set pieces.

Even when Ratchet and Rivet are just trying to use their arsenal to survive, the game has so much to look at it and admire. The different enemy types and attack patterns will always keep players on their toes, and some cool movement abilities like the temporal dash and the “rift tether” help the characters get out of danger quickly or flank for better angles. Once players become familiar with the different moves, gunfights become balletic dances of destruction made better by the way each enemy can take battle damage. Boss fights push this concept further, as hulking enemies start to wear down the more punishment they take. Insomniac also does a lot of cool things with scope and scale when it comes to the bigger encounters, giving the sense that players are tearing through a platoon of baddies or genuinely destroying a massive enemy.

Rift Apart does try to break up some of the gameplay with more puzzle-oriented segments, many of which involve Clank. In these Lemmings-esque sequences, the game diverts from the gunplay and the platforming to offer something slightly different. There aren’t many of them, but these sections help keep Ratchet and Clank from feeling overly predictable, while also engaging the player in new ways.

Much of the focus of Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart’s promotional material has been on the dimensional rifts and while they are a key element of the story and the visuals, they are not as integral to the gameplay. There are moments where Ratchet/Rivet jump through dimensions, but they are either scripted or necessary to progress. Those moments where the game does pull players through the rifts are very cool visually and impressive technically, but they are not nearly as prevalent as some might expect.

In addition to being beautifully diverse, each planet in Rift Apart typically has a handful of side activities and collectibles for players to pursue. The core campaign is only about 8-10 hours and is fairly linear, but there is a lot to do in each environment beyond progressing the story. Raritanium is scattered throughout each level and is used for upgrades. Gold bolts are once again the game’s signature collectible and unlock bonuses like big head mode and wrench skins. Armor pieces are hidden in pocket dimensions, small platforming puzzle areas that seamlessly pull the player out of the main level. And it wouldn’t be a Ratchet and Clank game if there wasn’t a collectible tied to a special weapon. With a handful of difficulty levels, a new game+ style option, and all of the aforementioned goodies to hunt, there is plenty of mileage to get out of Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart. But even if players just want the core experience, they are in for something special.

Alongside taking full advantage of the PS5 for stunning visuals, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart makes great use of the DualSense controller to deepen the immersion. Like in Returnal, the game utilizes the adaptive triggers to mimic two types of trigger pulls, usually halfway down for one option and a full pull for another. It also has more individualized force feedback pulses based on the character’s interaction with the world. Whether it’s the subtlest of buzzes as Ratchet collects every last bolt on the ground or more aggressive vibrations as the world around him falls apart, the DualSense helps make those interactions feel individualized. It’s not terribly different from what other PS5 games have done with the controller, but it’s effective nonetheless.

Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart doesn’t shy away from the series’ charm and humor and it ticks all of the boxes that fans are going to expect from a new game. Slick animation, bombastic gunplay, action-packed platforming, and some fun puzzles have been key to the series’ success and Insomniac Games was not going to change that formula now. What the developers did do is leverage the power of the PS5 to make everything bigger, more refined, and bursting with detail.

As far as next-gen exclusives go, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart hits the most important notes. It’s visually striking, mechanically sound and diverse, and it takes advantage of the bells and whistles tied to the new platform. Some might be disappointed by the story, but overall the dimension-hopping adventure is exactly the type of fun-loving experience that Insomniac Games has been delivering since the very beginning. At a time when there aren’t a lot of games highlighting the power of next-gen, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart shows the next big leap for gaming.

Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart releases June 11, 2021 for PS5. Game Rant was provided a code for this review.