Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
- July 26, 2023
- Insomniac Games
- 11h median play time
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart for PS5 and blast your way through an interdimensional adventure.
Reviews
- Stunning graphics and art style that feels like playing a Pixar movie.
- Fun and engaging gameplay with a wide variety of weapons and mechanics.
- Nostalgic experience for long-time fans of the series, capturing the essence of previous titles.
- The writing and character development feel lacking compared to earlier games, with some characters being overly simplistic.
- The game is relatively short, taking around 10-15 hours to complete, which may not justify the full price for some players.
- Frequent bugs and performance issues, including crashes and stuttering, especially on lower-end systems.
- story1,137 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story of "Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it engaging yet somewhat predictable and lacking depth compared to earlier titles in the series. While some appreciate the humor and character development, particularly with the introduction of Rivet and Kit, others criticize the narrative for being simplistic and short, often feeling like a vehicle for gameplay rather than a compelling tale. Overall, the game is seen as visually stunning and fun to play, but its story may not resonate as strongly with long-time fans of the franchise.
“The story is engaging and emotionally resonant, with a perfect blend of humor and heart.”
“The story was heartfelt and funny.”
“The story is fun and carries the game well.”
“The story is cliché, and the characters plus the writing are bad and cheesy.”
“The game is bland; it’s just the main story and nothing else. There are no side missions at all, so if you enjoyed the older stuff like the Quark minigames and hoverboard riding or collecting crystals in that huge desert, then forget it. You get a short movie with some gameplay in between.”
“The story is rushed, predictable, and a bit boring, and performance issues riddle this game from start to finish.”
- graphics785 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart" have received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising the stunning visuals, intricate details, and vibrant colors that elevate the game to a cinematic experience reminiscent of Pixar films. While the game showcases impressive ray tracing and high-resolution textures, some players have reported performance issues, including crashes and frame rate drops, particularly on lower-end hardware. Overall, the graphics are considered a major highlight, contributing significantly to the game's appeal despite some technical challenges.
“As far as the graphics are concerned, this is the most beautiful game I have ever played.”
“The graphics detail is unreal.”
“The visuals are stunning, bursting with detail and vibrant colors that bring each dimension to life.”
“I can't believe how lazy or understaffed every team was other than the graphics programmers.”
“The game cannot start despite trying all graphics settings in the Nvidia control panel and the game launcher.”
“Had a lot of graphical glitches and crashes for over an hour until I could get to the settings without a crash to drop the processing load.”
- gameplay754 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart" has received mixed reviews, with many praising its fluid mechanics, stunning visuals, and nostalgic elements reminiscent of earlier titles in the series. While the introduction of new mechanics, such as the dimensional rift system, adds excitement and variety, some players feel that the gameplay lacks depth and exploration compared to previous entries, leading to a more linear experience. Overall, the game is considered fun and engaging, though it is marred by occasional bugs and a perceived simplicity in combat and level design.
“The gameplay is a delightful blend of action, platforming, and puzzle-solving.”
“The innovative dimensional rift mechanic and diverse weapon arsenal provide fresh and exciting gameplay experiences.”
“The gameplay is fun and fast, exactly what I expect from a Ratchet & Clank game.”
“All that technical PS5 progress is for naught in this game; its gameplay, structure, story, and mechanics are much inferior to the original three PS2 games.”
“The game is bland; it’s just the main story and nothing else. There are no side missions at all, so if you enjoyed the older stuff like the Quark minigames and hoverboard riding or collecting crystals in that huge desert, then forget it. You get a short movie with some gameplay in between.”
“The gameplay is lacking in almost every regard compared to the PS2-era games, which is disappointing.”
- optimization396 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing significant performance issues, including stuttering, crashes, and inconsistent frame rates, particularly on NVIDIA hardware. While some users report smooth gameplay and impressive graphics on high-end systems, others struggle with poor performance even on recommended setups. Overall, while the game shows potential with its visuals and gameplay, it requires further optimization and patches to address the widespread performance complaints.
“Everything is basically just as smooth and optimized really well, despite my PC not having a solid state drive.”
“The game is well-optimized, and players can enjoy a smooth and uninterrupted experience with impressively short loading times.”
“The optimization is good and the performance (whether it was achieved by some workarounds or not) is impressive.”
“The performance of this game is horrendous.”
“Game has massive issues with stuttering, objects loading, and various other problems. I turned my settings down to the minimum to see if that would change anything, but the same issues persisted.”
“The game is not optimized well for PC, but if you can get past this, then there is a fantastic experience to be had.”
- stability200 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 1 % neutral mentions
- 76 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant bugs, crashes, and performance issues, particularly on PC and Steam Deck. While some users experienced smooth gameplay with only minor glitches, others faced frequent freezes and game-breaking errors that hindered their overall experience. Overall, the game appears to require further optimization and polish to address the widespread stability concerns.
“The game runs great and looks amazing, no major issues that I've seen.”
“Great gameplay, graphics, audio design, and it runs great.”
“Runs great on both PC and Steam Deck, barring some rare cases where you teleport too many times too quickly.”
“This game is a buggy pile of crap.”
“As much as I enjoyed the gameplay, I really can't fully recommend this game in its current state (especially at full price) with how buggy the game is.”
“The game freezes and becomes unresponsive every 10-20 minutes of gameplay.”
- humor188 mentions
- 95 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The humor in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its charm and witty dialogue, reminiscent of earlier titles in the series. However, some players feel that the humor has been toned down and sanitized, losing the edginess and maturity that characterized previous installments. While there are still funny moments and engaging character interactions, the overall comedic impact seems less potent compared to the franchise's earlier entries.
“The story is engaging and humorous, with a charming cast of characters and witty dialogue.”
“The compelling story perfectly balances humor and heart, while the characters' interactions are filled with charm and wit.”
“The humor is cheeky, the characters are lovable, and Clank makes a great partner to Ratchet as always.”
“Also, this game is just not funny.”
“I thought Ratchet & Clank games were supposed to be funny.”
“The game mechanics and graphics are the best they have ever been in the series, but unfortunately, Rift Apart takes an interesting story idea and turns it into a Saturday morning cartoon full of mostly unfunny jokes and constant talking.”
- music146 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it forgettable and lacking the unique charm of earlier titles in the series. While some appreciate the cinematic quality of the soundtrack, others criticize it for being generic and uninspired, often overshadowed by sound effects and action. Notably, the absence of the original composer David Bergeaud's distinctive style has left fans longing for the memorable tracks that characterized the earlier games.
“Last but most important to me is the music in Club Nefarious, otherworldly and it fits perfectly.”
“The game provides non-stop action with great music and voice acting (Richard Horvitz!).”
“Music is amazing and kept me enthralled the whole time.”
“The music is uninspired compared to the masterpiece of the first three games.”
“Overall, the music in Rift Apart did its part to fill the void, but halfway through, I muted it and queued up the old-school soundtrack in the background.”
“The music feels very generic compared to the old bangers.”
- emotional55 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its exploration of themes such as friendship, identity, and heroism, delivering a heartwarming narrative that resonates with players. Reviewers appreciate the balance between humor and heartfelt moments, creating an engaging experience that evokes nostalgia and emotional investment. Overall, the story is described as wholesome and memorable, appealing to both longtime fans and newcomers alike.
“The story is engaging and emotionally resonant, with a perfect blend of humor and heart.”
“The chemistry between Ratchet and Clank remains heartwarming, their interactions a perfect blend of humor and emotion.”
“Without giving away spoilers, Rift Apart weaves a tale of friendship, heroism, and dimensional chaos that is both heartfelt and humorous.”
- replayability46 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players enjoying the variety of modes and new game+ features that enhance replay value, while others find it limited, as most content can be fully experienced in a single playthrough. While veterans may appreciate the opportunity to grind for upgrades and collectibles, newcomers might feel the main story leaves them wanting more. Overall, opinions range from high replayability due to engaging gameplay to a lack of substantial content for repeated playthroughs.
“The game also has a variety of modes, such as story missions, dungeons, raids, PvP arenas, and world events, offering plenty of content and replay value.”
“Easily replayable as the second playthrough unlocks a bunch of new goodies and the combat just never gets boring.”
“Best Ratchet & Clank game, amazing graphics, very good gameplay, exciting story, and incredible replayability.”
“The game's main story may leave players wanting more once completed, as limited additional content or replay value is available.”
“It's incredibly short and there's not much replay value since everything this game really has to offer can be achieved in the first playthrough, no sweat.”
“Now, the game has very little replayability, as in, if you play it once you will have seen 99% of what it has to offer.”
- grinding31 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 19 % neutral mentions
- 74 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding in the game to be manageable and not overly tedious, with many noting that the gameplay is engaging and fun. While some aspects, like the lack of fast travel and certain collectibles, can make exploration feel repetitive, the game avoids excessive grind through well-placed collectibles and side quests that don't overstay their welcome. Most players report that achieving 100% completion is achievable without feeling like a chore, and the variety of weapons and upgrades adds to the enjoyment of the grind.
“The entire game is packed with well-designed and delivered content, with no tedious filler stages just to stretch the length of the game (so many games do this these days).”
“The story is amazing, the collectibles and everything are very well placed, not too grindy and not that infuriating to find.”
“The lack of universal fast travel can make exploring the far corners of the planets a bit tedious to return from, particularly when hunting collectibles.”
“Should you happen to miss any whilst grinding on the rail, you cannot return to that area later as Insomniac weirdly decided to lock the elevator that would otherwise grant access.”
“The replay value is there as well, with there being a new 'omega' version of every weapon, which come at a very hefty price of anywhere from 300,000 bolts to 1,000,000 bolts, so there will for sure be some grinding in the arena if you want to get everything.”
- character development28 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising the meaningful interactions and relationships that enhance the narrative, particularly for new characters like Rivet. However, others criticize the rushed pacing of character arcs and a lack of significant growth for established characters, suggesting that the potential for deeper development was not fully realized. Overall, while the visuals and character designs are lauded, the depth of character development appears inconsistent across the game.
“They had actual real character development.”
“Not only did they introduce two fun new characters to play as during the story, they also make great character development for old and new characters alike.”
“The character development is well-executed, with meaningful interactions and relationships that enrich the narrative.”
“Then the few character development scenes we do get seem just so over the top rushed through.”
“There is no real character development, as the characters stay as they are in the end.”
“Characters make pivotal decisions in seconds that make it very clear that there were plans to stretch certain character developments across a longer game, but we ended up with a handful of planets with too many scripted or uninteresting sections that drag down the game to a decent C grade or 6-7/10.”
- atmosphere11 mentions
- 82 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is visually stunning, with exceptional environment design and world-class graphics that evoke comparisons to titles like Death Stranding. While the soundtrack enhances certain moments, some players feel it lacks the atmospheric depth found in earlier installments, leading to mixed feelings about the overall ambiance. Overall, the atmosphere is praised for its richness and detail, though opinions vary on its effectiveness compared to previous games in the series.
“Visually it's incredible... maxed out, it looks absolutely stunning. I was constantly blown away by the environment design and atmospherics.”
“The atmosphere and level design is top notch.”
“The graphics are world class; I associate it with Death Stranding level fidelity and atmosphere but in a fantasy world.”
“The graphics are world-class; I associate it with Death Stranding-level fidelity and atmosphere, but in a fantasy world.”
“The weapons and atmosphere are reminiscent of the newer Ratchet and Clank games, such as Tools of Destruction and A Crack in Time.”
- monetization10 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its lack of microtransactions and battle passes, offering a refreshing old-school experience that rewards players for exploration and completion. Reviewers appreciate the absence of paywalls, highlighting it as a significant positive in a market dominated by monetization strategies. However, some feel that the advertising may have misrepresented certain aspects of the game, particularly regarding its performance and world-building elements.
“Never felt like I had to force myself to keep playing; there's also no microtransactions or battle pass, just an old school game that rewards you for playing/finding everything.”
“No microtransactions, no DLC, just an amazing singleplayer game, just like the old days.”
“Feels like false advertising in it being deck-verified.”
“Verified status was deceiving advertising.”
“In a world full of multiplayer, monetization, and battle passes, this is a breath of fresh air.”