We don’t quite know how Insomniac pulled it all off but it is fantastic fun to play through.Ĥ The haptic feedback is put to brilliant use
Like a best-of, there are things that appear and happen that will have you jumping for joy and using accessories and weapons that will be familiar but certainly not within the context of a Ratchet & Clank game. While there is a fair amount of button mashing to do - and you will regularly run out of ammo - some thought really has gone into the placement of the enemies and there are always myriad ways you can try and get through them.įurther into the game, the scope of the dimension rifts and the fun Insomniac is having is just wonderful. It’s all set to a backdrop of a stunning score by Thor Ragnarok’s Mark Mothersbaugh. Whether you are playing as Ratchet or Rivet, their fighting style feels different which is great to see. Even in the earlier levels there is a lot going on that can be off putting, but the array of guns and weapons on offer and the mix of dimension jumping just adds to the thrilling elements of it all. Ratchet & Clank has always been known for its fight scenes but there has never been this much intensity.
There is also a Skip Cinematic option but we rather liked the cut scenes and they never felt too long.įor those who are yet to upgrade to a TV that can handle the above, then Fidelity mode is also there and means that framerates do not drop (things are kept to 30fps) - you won’t have your mind blown but it still all looks impressive.ģ The fight scenes are intense, thrilling To really make use of the graphic prowess on show, there are two ‘enhanced' modes you can play the game in: Performance Mode (dynamic 4K / 60fps) and Performance RT Mode (dynamic 4K / 60fps with ray-tracing enabled) - both are downloadable at launch. They become as essential as the arsenal you have to attack the enemies with. It’s breath-taking just how well this works and we bet it wouldn’t have been possible if the PS5’s SSD wasn’t up to the task.Īt times it can be a little jarring but you soon get used to using the dimension jumps, no matter how small they are, to one-up against a small army of enemies. Make no mistake, this is a game where you can change levels in seconds, jumping from a multi-colour festival to a neon-drenched bit of drab seamlessly. And there is a lot going on in the screen at once, whether it is Ratchet screaming down a rollercoaster-like rail or shifting through dimensions, your eyes constantly dart around waiting for the next attack or puzzle to sort. Insomniac has delivered a jaw-dropping mix of colour and detail, blasting the screen with richness, all the while making sure that no matter how frenetic the action gets there’s nary a streak on the screen. This is a PS5 exclusive and has been a game that has been gestating since the creation of the console. This doesn't mean that there aren't some tender moments, though - among the chaos we get a lot of soul searching about change maybe being a good thing. It’s fun, completely bonkers from the start and there isn’t a moment to breathe as you continue through the game. This means new characters are introduced and there’s a ton of dimension hopping to be done. In trying to do so reality completely changes and the titular heroes are separated.
If this is the first time you’ve spent with the characters, then you are introduced nicely and while it’ll take a while to understand just what is going on, the initial premise is (fairly) simple.ĭoctor Nefarious wants to end all organic life in the world(s) as we know it, and Ratchet & Clank are out to stop him.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is standalone as far as the story is concerned and that is no bad thing - given the last PS4 outing was a re-imagining of the first game, we have waited a long time for something entirely new. We’ve been playing the game for a few weeks now - here are five things to know about Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart.
There was A LOT of anticipation for Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, then, a PS5 game that is a follow-up to the PS4’s Ratchet & Clank, which itself was a re-imagining of the seminal PS2 game. Its two Spider-Man games aren't just up there with the best superhero titles on PS4/PS5 but the best games period, creating new and brilliant storylines that match the MCU for fun and intensity. If there ever was a games company that was on a roll right now it’s Insomniac.