The third big PS5 exclusive, after Returnal, hit hard. Several days after its launch, several network users already position the game as one of the best of the year and Ratchet & Clank has established itself as one of Sony’s most successful franchises.
After 5 years of not having a new adventure from this duo, this new proposal arrives that takes advantage of all the power of the latest Sony console to offer us an adventure for the whole family full of dizzying action, shooting, puzzles and platforms everywhere.
The story begins when the evil Dr. Nefarious threatens our heroes with a new weapon, the Sizer, which was created in his quest to find a new dimension in which he is always victorious.
After a fight with our protagonists, the machine is damaged and as a consequence time and space are severely affected, causing multiple dimensions to collide, creating cracks between them through which multiple enemies can be transported. This opening of worlds allows you to change between dimensions or simply use them during combat, as well as move more quickly, giving a more intense rhythm to the game.
And it is right in one of these dimensions where our heroes will be transported and where we will find Rivet, the new co-star of the saga, an alter ego of Ratchet from another dimension, who shares the same goal as us: to defeat Dr. Nefarious, who in this new world has been proclaimed supreme emperor and thus be able to restore order between universes. During the game, we will be exploring the different worlds alternating between both protagonists and although the controls and abilities will not change between heroes, this dynamic brings a lot of freshness to the game.
In order to defeat Nefarious we have, as is customary in the games of this franchise, 20 diverse and crazy weapons at our disposal, from shotguns to weapons that create a fungus companion that will attack enemies, to a sprinkler that will transform enemies on plants for a short period.
All the weapons feel fresh and are very well balanced, plus we can improve them with the millions of nuts that we will find scattered around the world, which work as the currency of the game.
The weapons are dramatically integrated with the Dual Sense control that again, as in the other PS5 exclusives, shines for its immersive integration with the game.
For example, thanks to the adaptive trigger, and as in the case of Returnal, there are several weapons in which when pressing the trigger, in the middle, we can see the trajectory of the projectile before it is launched, and when pressing it completely it will be fired. . We also have a shotgun with an integrated shield that when pressing the trigger, in the middle, will deploy the protective barrier that will protect us from attacks and when fully squeezed the weapon will fire.
Another of the successes with the control is the interaction with the world that surrounds us, proof of this is when our character walks, because you will feel very lightly the steps in the control thanks to the haptic vibration; When you collect nuts you will feel the control vibrating gently making you feel the flow of them absorbed by the character. These effects are very discreet, allowing your attention to be 100% in the game, but at the same time there will be an immersive effect.
In the visual section, Ratchet And Clank: Rift Apart takes the full potential of Sony’s latest console to deliver perfect visuals and animation worthy of a Pixar movie. The visual effects on the characters from the fur to the facial expressions are perfectly manicured and animated, something the franchise has always had us used to, but which is now exacerbated by the powerful hardware of the PS5.
In addition to the great graphics, R&C: RA incorporates three modes to enhance our viewing experience:
- Fidelity : Limit the frame rate to 30, incorporating graphic features such as Ray tracing, improved lighting, additional visual effects and a higher scene density.
- Ray – Tracing Performance : A 60 fps mode that includes Ray Tracing, and presents a “lower resolution image with adjusted lighting, visual effects and scene density”.
- Performance mode : Promises 60 fps, no Ray Tracing in favor of higher resolution.
We recommend that you play in either of the two “Performance” modes, Ray Tracing being our favorite, although all 3 work perfectly well and are still visually marvelous.
In conclusion, although Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart did not redefine the genre and does not innovate much in terms of its predecessors, it is definitely an excellent game that all types of players regardless of their age will enjoy, with a simple but entertaining story and that It does not disappoint thanks to the fast pace, its variety of weapons and its constant challenges in exploration and puzzle. Possibly a contender for the best games of the year and definitely the best PS5 exclusive to date.
